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More Information About the Guide for Occupational Exploration (GOE)

The GOE's approach is ideal for exploring career and learning options.

This is so because the GOE explores careers based on interests, an approach that introduces you to options that you would often overlook. For example, perhaps you are interested in aircraft (or something else), but had never seriously considered a career related to that interest. Well, the GOE will likely help you identify one or more career paths that might make sense to you. It will also help you identify the training or education needed for a career that interests you.

So the GOE can help you get past your limited thinking and open up a world of exciting possibilities. And it does so in a simple, fast, and direct way that quickly leads you to specific job titles -- and descriptions -- that most closely match your interests.

Now, here is a more formal review of how the GOE works.

The GOE categorizes jobs in 14 Interest Areas, each of which are further divided into Work Groups and possible subgroups covering many job titles. For example, the Industrial Production Interest Area contains seven Work Groups. One of these groups, Production Technology, contains three subgroups, Machine Set-Up and Operation, Precision Hand Work, and Inspection. The Precision Hand Work subgroup covers such diverse jobs as aircraft assembler, dental lab technician, jeweler, and tile setter.

Each GOE Work Group description covers typical work activities; interests that might point a person to this field; skills, knowledge, and preparation needed; and additional considerations. Each GOE Work Group description ends with a crosswalk to related O*NET job titles.

Sample GOE Job Description

Elements of the GOE Work Group Descriptions

GOE number and Work Group name. Each Work Group is assigned a four-digit number. The first two digits designate the GOE Interest Area (such as 01 for the Arts, Entertainment, and Media Interest Area). The third and fourth digits provide a unique number for each Work Group within that Interest Area. For example, 01.05 is the Work Group titled Performing Arts.

Brief definition. A short statement that defines the Work Group. The definition also provides examples of jobs in the group and where they might occur.

What things about you point to this kind of work? This portion of the Work Group description deals with personal preferences. Information is provided in response to questions that are helpful to consider in exploring career and life options. Typical questions include

Would you work in places such as...? A list of workplaces follows this question. The place where people work is important in how well they like the job. If you are not sure what some of the workplaces are like, you might want to visit them.
How can you prepare for jobs of this kind? Provides information on the type of training, education, or experience that is typically needed for entry into jobs within the Work Group. Since there are often many jobs within each Work Group, the information is general but helpful.
What else should you consider about this kind of work? Identifies other issues that are important to consider when choosing a career. This includes typical ways to enter the occupation, opportunities for promotions, competition for job openings, working conditions, and advantages or disadvantages of the occupation.

Related O*NET Job Titles. At the end of the GOE narrative for each work group is a list of O*NET job titles that best fit into that work group. Simply click on a title that interests you, and you will go directly to that job description.

A Division of EMC/Paradigm Publishing.