Occupational Outlook Handbook
Chapter 7
- Occupational Outlook Handbook Description of publication
- Occupational Outlook Handbook TOC
- Occupational Outlook Handbook Sample page
- Monthly Labor Review Recommended supplement
From this chapter:
The Occupational Outlook Handbook, the government's premier publication on career guidance, provides essential information about prospective changes in the world of work and the qualifications that will be needed in the future work environment. The Handbook describes about 250 occupations in detail, covering about 104 million jobs, or 85 percent of all jobs in the nation.
The Handbook is best used as a reference; it is not meant to be read from cover to cover, which you probably hadn't considered anyway since it is 496 fairly large pages with very small print, no color, and only a few photos. Start by exploring the table of contents, where related occupations are grouped in clusters, or look in the alphabetical index at the end of the book for specific occupations that interest you. The introductory chapter explains how the occupational descriptions, or statements, are organized. The next two chapters, "Sources of Information on Career Preparation and Training" and "Tomorrow's Jobs," tell you where to obtain additional information and discuss the forces that are likely to determine employment opportunities in industries and occupations through the year 2005.
For any occupation that sounds interesting to you, use the Handbook to find out what the work entails; what education and training you need; what the advancement possibilities, earnings, and job outlook are; and what related occupations you might consider. Each occupational statement in the Handbook follows a standard format, making it easier for you to compare occupations: