Dictionary of Occupational Titles

A dictionary of occupational titles can be a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about employment opportunities available in today's workplace.

There are many different reasons you might find a dictionary of occupational titles to be useful. For example:

· A middle school or high school student can use a dictionary to learn more about what types of training are needed for various careers and what a typical day is like for someone who works in a particular profession.

· A working adult interested in changing careers might want to use a dictionary of occupational titles to learn more about possible areas of interest.

· Job hunters can use the descriptions in a career dictionary to help describe their previous job responsibilities in resumes and cover letters.

· If you're simply interested in learning more about a friend or family member's occupation, a dictionary of occupational titles can provide a brief and easy-to-understand overview.

You can use a dictionary of occupational titles to find the following information about a particular profession:

· Typical job tasks
· Essential skills
· Necessary knowledge and training
· Work environment
· Related occupations
· Average wage
· Job outlook

Occupational Information Network Online

The Occupational Information Network Online website provides a comprehensive source of career information. Thousands of occupational titles are listed, with each linking to a page that provides detailed information about the skills necessary to enter the field, the typical work environment, and the expected future employment outlook. You can even use this website to look up your state's salary data for a particular occupation.

The skills search function of this dictionary is particularly valuable for visitors interested in exploring their career options. You can use the search to find jobs that match a particular set of basic skills, complex problem solving skills, resource management skills, social skills, system skills, and technical skills. For example, a person interested in jobs that require skills in mathematics, science, programming, and decision making will find that operations research analyst, statistician, nuclear monitoring technician, and respiratory therapy technician are among the possible career matches.

Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a useful resource for anyone interested in learning more about career opportunities in the United States. Visitors to this website can choose to either browse an A-Z index of all occupational titles or perform a search to learn more about a specific occupation. Each definition page contains a description of the education needed to enter the field, typical work activities, earning potential, and expected employment outlook. Many pages also have a section that lists links to relevant professional organizations that can provide you with additional information.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is updated every two years to ensure that data is always relevant to the current job market. The website also contains links to several articles about career planning and workplace trends that may be of interest to job seekers.

U.S. Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles

The U.S. Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles, also known as the DOT, was created by the Employment and Training Administration. This dictionary divides occupations into broad categories such as professional, technical, and managerial occupations; clerical and sales occupations; service occupations; and processing occupations. A brief description is then provided for all relevant job titles within each category.

Since occupations in the DOT are classified according to a numerical coding system and no search function is available, many people find this dictionary difficult to use. In addition, since this dictionary was last updated in 1991, the information for occupations in technology-related fields may not be relevant in the current workplace environment.

Today, the DOT is typically used as a reference for administrative law judges who are resolving labor-related immigration cases. For most other purposes, the career dictionaries provided by the Occupational Information Network Online or the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide more useful and relevant information.

Privately Owned Career Dictionaries

There are several privately owned websites that claim to offer a dictionary of occupational titles. However, most of these sites are simply reposting the information compiled by the federal government. To make sure you are getting the accurate and up-to-date facts, it's best to visit the relevant government-run website directly.

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