Exercise 1. There are two reliable and up-to-date sources you can use to delve into the details about the 10 job titles you've selected. I know of absolutely no better resources for researching careers than these databases to give you a fleshed-out picture of what a particular job might really be like in the real world.

The first source is the O*NET, which is an interactive database that can be found on the Internet and that can be used by anyone at no cost. It is compiled and continually updated by the U.S. Department of Labor. It is an absolutely invaluable tool for career changers because you can search for a job not only by its title but also by its industry and/or the skills needed to do it. You can also explore the fastest-growing jobs, highest-paying jobs, wage and industry trends, and much more on this site. No other source has better quantitative or qualitative information about occupations than this. This gold mine of information can be found at http://online.onetcenter.org .

The second excellent source of information about a wide variety of vocations is the Occupational Outlook Handbook (0011), which can be found in printed form at your local library, at a college, or commu­nity career center. It is published in book form by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Basically, it contains much the same information as does the O*NET. Its advantage is that if you don't have access to the Internet for the O*NET, you can find the OOH at the library. It's also available on the Internet at no cost at http://www.bls.gov/oco ..

Look up each of your 10 career choices on the O*NET and in the Occupational Outlook Handbook and take notes that you can refer to later. You're going to be using this information in the rest of this series of exercises, so pick out what seems important to you and have it readily at hand.

By entering a job title you're interested in, you will find the following:

	A definition of the job and explanation of the responsibili­ties it entails, down to the smallest details of what the job requires.
	Listings of jobs that are closely related to the title you enter, so that if that occupation isn't right for you, you can view another similar one that may be.
	The usual education, skills, and experience required for breaking into the job.
	Work environments and working conditions.
	Professional organizations that have more information about the occupation.
	Career paths (how one would advance in the career).
	The labor market prospects (the relative ease of breaking in to that position) .
	Average range of earnings in the United States. Figures for these salary amounts and forecasts are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tabulations for both state and national averages are available.
	A forecast of the job's continuing popularity in the future.
	Work values. (I call these satisfiers and we'll be covering this essential component of job satisfaction later in these exercises.)

Because having a concrete understanding of what a specific job is like is crucial to knowing how well you'll like it, plan to take a good chunk of your time to really plumb the depths of data on the O*NET.

The O*NET and the Occupational Outlook Handbook may not be an exact mirror image of you, the job, the requirements, or the salary. Instead, they provide a general picture of what the job might really be like. For example, the description may say that a master's degree is required, when in fact it is only preferred.

Your reference librarian may be able to guide you to other periodicals that cover job market details and salary information calculated for your particular geographic area, usually by county.

Before continuing, spend some time exploring the almost unlimited options and select 7 career choices. Analyze what you've read, see how it all stacks up, and check with your gut feelings about each profession. As you explore the jobs in the O*NET or the OOH, keep asking yourself the question:

To what extent would this occupation allow me to express my authentic calling?

Please take a moment to reflect on and rank each career according to the following criterion: If a career will completely suit your calling, rank it 10. If it is at the bottom of the scale and will not at all fit with your calling, rank it 1.

Career Choice	Lowest							Highest
1.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
6.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
7.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

 

Testing the Waters - The next step requires you to make a tough choice. Based on the research you've done so far and the list you've compiled above, select just three job titles that sound best to you. If you know of a job title like "pilates instructor" that is not listed in either database, include it as one of your three choices.

 

1.

2.

3.

 

Excellent! We'll be exploring these three careers—and how you feel about them—in depth for the rest of these exercises.