Activity: External Influences

4. Occupational Information

Occupation is defined as "A collection of jobs sufficiently similar in the work performed to be grouped under a common label" - LMiC

Occupational information can be particularly helpful for career decision-making because of the range of information to acquaint you about an occupation you are unfamiliar with. 

Occupational profiles are a great starting point and can include: 

• wages/salaries, 
• duties, 
• future outlook,
  
• industry required credentials, and
• educational and skill requirements.

However, occupations are changing at such a rapid pace—daily, from decline to emergent—that occupational profiles may not exist yet. 

The most direct way to obtain current information such as what a typical day looks like or future trends, is talking with someone who works in this occupation through an information meeting.

ACTIVITY: 

Review an occupational profile of interest from two different sites.

Jot your answers to these questions in the External Influences Worksheet, or in your own journal:

• What are the similarities between the occupational profiles from each site, and
• what are the differences between the occupational profiles?

WorkBC - Explore Careers

ALIS - Alberta careers, learning, and employment information

Government of Canada: Job Bank 

Government of Canada: National Occupation Classification (NOC) 

Occupational Information Network (O*NET) United States 

Government of Canada - Learn about an occupation: available jobs, wages, career prospects, skills, job requirements and more.