More Information About the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)

An Overview

The OOH is a book published by the U.S. Department of Labor. At JIST, we love the OOH for several reasons: 1) It has just 270 job descriptions, but these are major jobs that cover about 90% of the workforce; 2) The one-to-two-page job descriptions are well-written and provide lots of useful information; 3) The descriptions are updated every two years.

These same reasons may be why the OOH is THE most widely used career reference of all times. It's just that good. We recommend the OOH as one of the places to start in exploring career options in CareerOINK. You just pick a group of jobs that interests you, then read one or more of the job descriptions in that group. From there, you can jump to related O*NET and DOT job descriptions in CareerOINK or jump to the related GOE group and go from there. Simple, sensible, quick.

And now, we return you to a more formal review of the OOH...

Jobs in the OOH are grouped into 10 occupational clusters. This structure allows you to explore jobs in general groups that might be interesting. For example, in the Marketing and Sales Occupations cluster, there are a variety of jobs, including real estate agents, insurance sales agents, and retail salespersons.

Each OOH job description covers the nature of the work, working conditions, training and education needed, job outlook, earnings, related jobs, and sources of additional information. Each OOH job description ends with a crosswalk to related O*NET job titles.

Unless otherwise noted, the source of employment and earnings data presented in OOH is the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sample OOH Job Description

Elements of the OOH Job Descriptions

Job Title and Number. The job title is the one most often used in describing the job.

Significant Points. Highlights key occupational characteristics.

Nature of the Work. Discusses what workers do on the job. Duties vary by industry or employer. For instance, workers in larger firms tend to be more specialized, whereas those in smaller firms often have a wider variety of duties. Most jobs have several levels of skills and responsibilities through which workers can progress. Beginners might begin as trainees performing routine tasks under close supervision. Experienced workers usually undertake more difficult tasks and are expected to perform with less supervision.

The influence of technological advances on the way work is done is mentioned. For example, the Internet allows purchasers to buy supplies with the click of a mouse, saving time and money. This Nature of the Work section also discusses emerging specialties. For example, sales engineers--who combine the education of an engineer with the challenge of sales--make up a specialty occupation among manufacturing and wholesale sales representatives.

Working Conditions. Identifies the typical hours worked, workplace setting, susceptibility to injury, special equipment, physical activities, and the extent of travel required. In many occupations, people work regular business hours--40 hours a week, Monday through Friday--, but many do not. For example, waiters and waitresses often work evenings and weekends. A work setting can range from a hospital or a mall to an offshore oil rig. Truck drivers might be susceptible to injury, and paramedics have high job-related stress. Electronic semiconductor processors may wear protective clothing, some construction craft laborers do physically demanding work, and top executives may travel frequently.

Employment. Reports the number of jobs the occupation provides and the key industries where these jobs are found. When significant, the geographic distribution of jobs and the proportion of part-time workers (those working less than 35 hours a week) and self-employed workers in the occupation are mentioned.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement. Describes the most significant sources of training, including the training preferred by employers, the typical length of training, and advancement possibilities. Job skills are sometimes acquired through high school, informal on-the-job training, formal training (including apprenticeships), the armed forces, home study, hobbies, or previous work experience. Many professional and technical jobs, on the other hand, require formal postsecondary education; postsecondary vocational or technical training; or college, postgraduate, or professional education. This section also mentions desirable skills, aptitudes, and personal characteristics. For some entry-level jobs, personal characteristics are more important than formal training. Employers generally seek people who read, write, and speak well; compute accurately; think logically; learn quickly; get along with others; and demonstrate dependability.

Some occupations require certification or licensing to enter the field, to advance, or to practice independently. Certification or licensing generally involves completing courses and passing examinations. Many occupations increasingly have continuing education or skill improvement requirements to keep up with the changing economy or to improve advancement opportunities.

Job Outlook. Describes the likely growth or decline in the number of jobs in a given field, projected between 1998 and 2008. (The estimates come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Office of Employment Projections.) The following key phrases are used to describe projected changes in employment.

Job Outlook also describes the relationship between the projected number of job openings and the number of job seekers.

The section also looks at the factors effecting these changes. In some cases, the Job Outlook mentions the relative number of job openings an occupation is likely to provide. Occupations with many workers and high turnover rates, such as food and beverage service occupations, generally provide the most job openings--reflecting the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or stop working.

Variations in job opportunities by industry, size of firm, or geographic location also may be discussed. Even in crowded fields, job openings exist. Good students or well-qualified individuals should not be deterred from undertaking training or seeking entry.

Susceptibility to layoffs due to imports, slowdowns in economic activity, technological advancements, or budget cuts are also addressed in this section. For example, employment of construction craft workers is sensitive to slowdowns in construction activity, while employment of government workers is sensitive to budget cuts.

Earnings. Discusses typical earnings and how workers are compensated--annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, piece rates, tips, or bonuses. Normally, the national median ("average") annual earnings for each occupation are cited. Sometimes a broader range of data indicates the entry-level earnings and/or earnings for highly educated and experienced workers. Earnings data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and, in some cases, from outside sources are included. Data may cover the entire occupation or a specific group within the occupation.

Benefits account for more than a quarter of total compensation costs to employers. Benefits such as paid vacation, health insurance, and sick leave generally are not mentioned because they are widespread. Less common benefits include child care, tuition for dependants, housing assistance, summers off, free or discounted merchandise or services, flexible hours, and profit-sharing plans.

Related Occupations. Lists occupations involving similar aptitudes, interests, education, and training.

Sources of Additional Information. Includes mailing addresses for associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide more occupational information. In some cases, toll-free phone numbers and Internet addresses also are listed. Free or relatively inexpensive publications offering additional information may be mentioned; some of these may also be available in libraries, school career centers, and guidance offices, or on the Internet.

Related O*NET Job Titles. Click these links to view related O*NET job descriptions.

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