Choosing a career path is not an easy process. It requires taking the time to research and explore different careers, as well as self-evaluation to assess where your own career interests lie. The O*NET is a career exploration tool that can assist you with this process.
The O*NET (Occupational Information Network) is an online resource center by the United States Department of Labor that serves as our main source of occupational information. An occupation is a wide category of jobs that have similar characteristics such as types of skills or work responsibilities.
The O*NET includes a database with detailed information on over 900 occupations, as well as interactive sites for exploring and searching different careers. The O*NET is free to use and is a valuable career exploration tool, however, it can be somewhat overwhelming at first glance as it contains so much information. Here are a few suggestions on using the O*NET to help with your career search.
My Next Move – What do you want to do for a living? This site will help you search careers by using specific keywords or browse careers by industry. If you are not sure what career is right for you, there is an option to explore your career interests with the Interest Profiler.
Interest Profiler – What type of work do I enjoy? If you are unsure about your career path, answer a series of questions about the type of work you enjoy and this site will match your interests to potential careers. Results are divided into six job interest areas, which are then connected to five job zones of work with the same level of experience, education, and training.
O*NET Online – What does a specific occupation entail? This site contains a database of over 900 occupations with detailed job descriptions to help you learn more about a specific occupation and jobs within it. Search for occupations using a keyword, careers clusters of similar occupations, industry, or through level of skill or experience.
For more information, read The O*NET – Your GPS to Career Success. Contact your AthLife advisor for additional career resources and to develop an individualized career development plan.
