Exploring Careers
Career Encyclopedias
- 2000-01 Occupational Outlook Handbook - From the Bureau of Labor Statistics: detailed information on 250 occupations, or about 86% of all jobs in the economy. Each entry covers: Nature of the Work, Working Conditions, Employment, Training, Job Outlook, Earnings, Related Occupations, Sources of Additional Information. BLS is starting to add web addresses & links to associations and other sources of information. View entries by Occupation (Management, Sales, Production) or search by keyword.
- California Occupational Guides - Each report covers: the Job, Working Conditions, Employment Outlook (California & National), and Wages & Hours.
JobStar Career Links
- JobStar Career Guides - General career planning information from a California angle when possible.
- JobStar Guides to Specific Careers - Selected links to 80 Online Career Information Sites. These sites are packed with information about planning your career. What kind of training or education is required? What can you earn? What kind of environment will you work in? What's hot? What's not? Some sites include personal stories from folks working in the field: how did they move (or stumble) into their current work situation? What advice would they give newcomers?
- JobStar Online Career Tests - Descriptive links to 7 free online career tests.
- JobStar Careers: What's Hot Section - Links to sites covering fastest growing occupations, top ten career paths, best places to live in America and more. From the California angle where possible.
Other Key Career Exploration Sites
- What Color is Your Parachute? - The online version of the famous career and job search guide by Richard Bolles. Sections cover: Job Openings, Resumes, Career Counseling, Contacts and Research. Also see: Just the Links for a quick guide to Richard Bolles' favorite sites.
- What Can I Do with a Major In? - Good site for high school or college students exploring career directions. Lists representative job titles and settings for various undergraduate majors. From Arizona State University.
- Career Exploration Links - Occupational - From the UC Berkeley Career and Educational Guidance Library. Links coded for Occupational Information, Educational Programs and Multicultural Populations. California emphasis where possible.
- The Review Career Quiz - Offered by the Princeton Review--A 24 item questionnaire assessing interests and work style. Once your style is determined, a range of job titles and career information are offered. Excellent and fun! [NOTE: free registration required to access.] 9/26/00--the site has been redesigned recently and I find it functions well in Explorer and poorly in Netscape.
- The Review: Top Ten Careers for People Who... - Organizes careers based on major issues/interests: "Top ten jobs for people who can't stand ties or pantyhose;" "Top ten jobs for people who need to pay off student loans right away." Each entry covers: "A Day in the Life," "Paying Your Dues," "Associated Careers," "Quality of Life" and a "Career Profile." This is one of the few career information sites that is NOT re-written/re-formatted material from the Occupational Outlook Handbook. High school & college students, in particular, will love this [NOTE: This site is complex, as you can tell from the URL and works better in Explorer than Netscape.].