GATHERING THE FACTS

 Homepage | Gathering the facts | Information Interviewing | Labor Market Trends | Experiential Learning

Here are some sites that are good places to begin learning about careers.

Step 1 Go to Occupational Outlook Handbook

There are three ways to search this site:
  • Use the search function at the top of the page.  Type a career title into the box on the upper right hand side of the page.
  • Use the alphabetical listing (A-Z) Index at the top of the page.
  • Use the occupational clusters (Managements, Professional Technical, Sales, etc) listed on the left hand navigation bar.  This option is a good one way to find job titles related to your career for the day.

*This site has good, comprehensive information for common job titles.  It is also a good source for finding professional associations. 

 
Step 2 From the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), first find your career for the day, then read the entire description.  At the end of the description you will find Sources of Additional Information.  What is the name and location of one association where you can learn more about your career?

Type your answer:

Research Hint: once you have narrowed to a few possible careers, write to a relevant professional association for in-depth information 

Step 3 Go to O-Net Online

  • Select Find Occupations
  • Select Browse by Job Family
  • Read the Summary report for your career - make a copy

Step 4  Answer the following questions

What task do you like best on the list?

Type your answer:

What skill do you have to develop to succeed in this career?

Type your answer:

What work activity does this career require that concerns you?

Type your answer:

Step 5 Go to America's Job Bank

Step 6 Under Career Planning Option, Select Explore Careers, hit Go

 Step 7 First select a category from the drop down menu and a state or zip code.

What is the name of one job that sounds interesting, the company, the location & the salary?

Type your answer:

Step 8 Do an advanced search located on America's Job Bank right below the job seekers tab.

What is one new piece of information about your career for the day?

Type your answer:

Step 9 Go to Career Videos for more than 200 Occupations 

Step 10 Look at the alphabetical listing for your career or one that is closely related to your career.

Step 11 View the short video about your career.

Step 12 Describe one new thing you learned about your career from this video.

Describe one new thing you learned from this video?

Type your answer:

Step 13 To print or save a copy of your answers:

  • Open a word processing or text editing program

  • Select all information within the results window.  One way to do this is to put your cursor at the beginning of the text, depress the left mouse button, and drag the highlighting to the end of the text area.  Release the mouse button.  All text should be highlighted.  Note: If you cannot find your answers, look at the bottom of your browser window and select the results button.

  • Copy this information by selecting the Control button on your keyboard, then select the letter C

  • Go to the previously opened word processing or text editing document.  Look for it at the bottom of your browser window and click on the button to maximize that document.

  • Place your cursor in the upper left corner of the page.

  • Paste your questions and answers onto the empty document by selecting the Control button on your keyboard, then select the letter V

  • Your answers are now ready for printing or saving by either selecting file then print or selecting file then save as.

Return Home

10/20/06