O*NET: The Occupational Information Network CD-ROM

SuDocs no.:         L37.25:OC1/CD
Agency:        U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Guide Book:         L37.25:OC1/GUIDE
Data Dictionary:    L37.25:OCI/DICTO
Internet site:      O*NET Home Page:    http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet/

O*NET contains detailed information on over 1,100 occupations. 
Installation instructions are available in the Guide.  Once 
installed, from  the Search Menu, choose Title/Codes  and type in the 
name of an occupation -- or scroll down the list to find an 
occupation.  Then double-click on that occupation to select it.  This 
will activate the Activity Menu.

Additionally, from the Search Menu, by choosing Skills, you can 
select a number of different skill categories you are interested in, 
and then generate a list of occupations that match the skills you 
have selected.  

                          Activity Menu

As already mentioned, after searching for and selecting an 
occupation, the Activity Menu will automatically activate.  Your 
choices at the Activity Menu include:

     Profiles
     Details
     View Crosswalks
     Content Model


                             Profiles

At the Activity Menu, by clicking on Profiles, you can obtain 
about one printed page of information about the occupation you have 
selected on each of the following six topics:

     Worker Characteristics   (Abilities, Interests, Work values)
     Worker Requirements    (Skills, Knowledge, Instructional programs)
     Experience Requirements    (Job Zone, Apprenticeship)
     Occupation Requirements   (Generalized Work Activities)
     Occupation Specific Information (Important Occupation-Specific Tasks)
     Occupation Requirements (Outlook and Earnings)

Hint: Choosing  Report on any of the above topics displays the information into a more
attractive format for reading or printing.  Also, a seventh choice of "Related Occupations" will
generate a list of related occupations.

                                    Details

 After selecting an occupation, from the Activity Menu you can 
also click on Details and find information on the following areas 
concerning your occupation:

     Knowledge                Work Values
     Skills                          Interests
     Abilities                     Tasks
     Work Activities          Work Content

Choosing one of the Detail categories will then display a list of 
twenty or more variables ranked by how important these variables were 
judged to be for your selected occupation.     For example, for the 
occupation of a law clerk, and choosing Knowledge, you will receive a 
list of over twenty subject areas ranked according to the level of 
knowledge of that subject a person working as a law clerk will 
require.  For a law clerk some of the rankings were:

79   Law, Government and Jurisprudence
79   English Language
4    Sales and Marketing
0    Chemistry

"Detailed Reports" are then available for each subject which display graphs, etc.

                         View Crosswalks

After selecting an occupation, "viewing crosswalks" 
cross-references your occupations with headings and codes among the 
following classifications systems:

     Dictionary of Occupational Titles
     Standard Occupational Classification System
     Classification of Instructional Programs
     Guide for Occupational Exploration
     1990 Census Occupations
     Office of Personnel Management Occupations
     Apprenticeship Information Management System
     Military Occupational Codes

                          Content Model

Content Model displays a model of what is available on the CD

This guide is just an overview to get you started.  The 132 page 
guide that is issued with the CD (L37.25:OC1/GUIDE) gives many more 
details on using this CD.  Also, the O*NET Data Dictionary 
(L37.25:OC1/DICTO) provides additional documentation and definition 
of terms for the underlying O*NET database.

Chuck Malone, Western Illinois University                   February, 1999