Search three occupational interests and interview one person in the three fields ( one person in each field) of your choice. Write out the answers to the questions in the following Exploration Occupational Survey and fax, e-mail, or snail mail your results to your instructor. Green River Community College, 12401 SE 320th, Robert D. Brehm. M.A., Auburn, Washington 98042
The questions in this part of the project are intended to help you build the dependable
and detailed picture of the occupation you must have before you can decide upon its
suitability as a career choice for you.
Use this form not as a blueprint of rigid specifications but as a general guide
to a comprehensive and orderly study of the occupation. Proper use of the form will
encourage you to search out and interpret pertinent information which you might otherwise
overlook. If any question appears to call for hard-to-get information which will have no
bearing on your choice of a vocation, ignore it.
There is a recommended method for using this form to survey your occupation.
Study the form thoroughly and get a clear idea of the kinds of facts you will want to
watch for in preparing your occupational survey. Lay your form aside and begin reading
appropriate materials on you occupation. When you find any information which you feel is
important, turn to the proper heading in the outline and jot it down. Then return to your
reading. Avoid seeking answers to the questions in the precise order in which they appear.
If you carefully apply the proposed method, you will have useful information on nearly
every topic in the survey form by the time you finish studying. When blanks occur in your
outline, it may mean that these
questions do not apply to the occupation you are studying. However, do not always take
this for granted. Investigate many sources of information.
Do not settle for what a single source may say about any important question. You should
have confirming and supplementary information from other sources. If you discover that
authorities disagree on critical points, you may have to search further to find the facts.
Your project is mainly one of fact-finding research.
To summarize, use Part 1 of the survey form as a means of guiding your reading and as an
aid recording and arranging your notes. You will learn more if you then carefully study
and edit these notes before preparing your survey in final form.
1. Title of Occupation
Use the standard job title found in the Yahoo search directory by typing in the words . Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Include the Dictionary of Occupational Titles code number. You may find in the Yahoo the Occupational Outlook Handbook by typing in those words. Both guides will provide you useful information.
2. Background of the Occupation
Include interesting facts about the history and development of the occupation and about its contribution and importance to the society.
3. Nature of the Work
Use the Dictionary of Occupational Titles or other appropriate references which
objectively define the occupation. Give a factual and specific description of the
occupation in terms of the tasks of the tasks performed. What does the worker do? As you
continue to study the occupation through additional sources, modify and expand your
description so that you develop an accurate and comprehensive account of the work
performed.
4. Conditions of Work
Are hours irregular or regular? Long or short? Is there frequent overtime or
night work? Is there Sunday and holiday work? Is employment steady, seasonal, or
irregular? To what extent is the worker expected to travel as performing his duties? Is
the working environment pleasant? Healthful? Are there unusual conditions of temperature,
humidity and ventilation? Is there much noise or dust? Are there occupational hazards,
danger of burn, explosives, radiation, or toxic conditions? Does the worker perform under
conditions of unusual speed, fatigue, or tension? ( Describe these conditions of work in
detail)
5. Worker Relationships
With what kinds of people does the worker deal? Are the worker's services
performed under circumstances which are generally conductive to pleasant human relations (
examples: airline hostess, hunting guide) or under circumstances which potentially involve
human conflict, misunderstanding and emotional stress (examples: complaint manager,
traffic policeman, bad debt collection agent)? Does the worker perform most of his duties
alone or with others? ( Explain these relationships in detail.)
6. Worker Qualifications
a.) Age.
Is employment preference given to applicant within a certain range? Is there a legal or commonly accepted minimum age for entrance? Is there a commonly accepted age at which workers leave the field or retire?
b.) Sex.
Is this predominantly a male or female occupation? Is employment preference given to either sex? Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women workers with respect to assigned duties, rate of pay, and opportunities for advancement?
c.) Physical qualifications.
To what extent are any of the following
characteristics used as eligibility requirements in hiring workers for this field?
Visual efficiency Physical strength Color Vision Stamina
Hearing Height Weight General physical appearance
Freedom from disfigurements Freedom from specific ailments
Freedom from communicable diseases
Regardless of whether they are entrance requirements, which of the foregoing
characteristics are considered especially important prerequisites to successful work in
the occupation? ( Be careful to distinguish between what physical traits are desirable and
what traits are indispensable for entering and succeeding in the occupation. Avoid
generalizations about the importance "good health" since this is an asset in any
kind of work.
d) Psychological qualifications.
What aptitudes, abilities, and skills are needed to perform this occupation? What personality traits and vocational interests are needed? Are psychological tests of these attributes commonly used to screen applicants for admission to training programs or for employment? Are such tests used in vocational guidance with persons who are considering this occupation as a possible career? Be precise in what you mean by the aptitudes and other traits to which you refer. Place more weight on published statements which are careful to give evidence of the importance of certain psychological qualifications, than on those statements which make unsubstantiated claims about them.
e) Work experience requirements.
It is sometimes difficult to secure employment for certain positions without previous experience in lower level occupations. Department head, sales manager, department store manager are illustrations of such positions. To what extent is previous work experience either required or preferred for entrance into this occupation? Describe this experience. How long does one usually work at this beginning job before qualifying for advancement?
f) Licensing and certification requirements.
Is a license or certificate required to perform the occupation? What qualifications must be met or what steps must be taken to obtain it? If an examination must be passed, what is its nature? If there are geographic differences in these requirements, list those in effect in the state or geographic region in which you would probably enter the occupation.
g) Equipment requirement.
What items does the worker use to perform his duties? These include tools, instruments, supplies, traveling equipment, uniforms, automobiles, trucks, and so forth. Must any of these items be supplied by the worker at his own expense, as a dentist must equip his office? What is the average total expenditure which the worker must make for these items?
h) Other qualifications.
Is citizenship a requirement? Must the worker be a
resident of the town or state in which he seeks employment? Is preference given to
veterans of military service? Is it customary for new workers to come from families
already in this field or work? State any other requirements for entering and working in
this occupation not covered elsewhere in this outline.
7. Education and Training
What schooling an special training are needed to qualify for employment? What college
degrees are preferred or required? In what curricula? Which school subjects are
emphasized? How long does this education take? What is its estimated cost? What are some
recommended colleges? If this occupational field involves non-college training, what kind
of training is it? Specifically, what does it include? How long does it take? What does it
c cost? What training certificates are preferred or required? What are some accredited and
recommended schools? Are there provisions for apprenticeship or other types of on-the-job
training? Describe these training program, (Consider as many of the foregoing questions as
apply to this occupation. Distinguish clearly between what training is desirable and what
is indispensable.)
8. Entrance Procedures
How does one get his first job? By applying in person to employers? By taking a
competitive examination? By joining a union? By registering with a public, private,
professional, or school placement agency? If a combination of these employment procurement
methods is customary, specify it.
In what kinds of industries, shops, and businesses is one most likely to find employment
in this occupation? Does one sometimes enter this field by acquiring capital and opening
his/her own business? How much capital is needed?
9. Unions
To what extent are workers in this occupation unionized? What is the largest labor union
representing the workers? What are the requirements for entrance to the union?
Are there initiation fees? What are the annual dues? Does the union limit the number
admitted to membership?
10. Discrimination
Is it the practice of training institutions, employers, and unions to exclude or limit
applicants who are members of national, racial, or religious minorities? ( Note: Because
some sources of information do not face this problem frankly, it is often difficult to
obtain the facts. Be careful to distinguish between rumor and evidence. If you are unable
to locate reliable information about discriminatory practice, say so.
11. Number and Geographic
Distribution of Workers
Approximately how many workers are employed in this occupation? Locally? In the state? In
the United States? Are the workers evenly distributed over the United States in proportion
to population or concentrated in certain areas? Where? Why? Can a person practice this
occupation anywhere that he may wish to live? Do working conditions in small towns and
rural areas differ materially from those in urban centers? How?
12. Employment Prospects:
Present and Future
To what extent are workers in demand today? Is there an oversupply or shortage of training
workers? Are there regions where the demand for workers is above average? Is employment in
this field expected either to increase or decrease in the near future? In the long run?
Much or little? Why? Is technological change, such as automation, likely to alter the
nature of this occupation and the demand for workers in the future? ( Be as specific and
factual as possible. Avoid loose generalizations.)
13. Earnings
What are the most dependable figures you can find on the average weekly, monthly, or
yearly earnings? Pay particular attention to information on the beginning wages and
average wages of all workers in the occupation. Avoid misleading emphasis on the
exceptional worker who is highly paid. Are earnings higher or lower in certain places of
work or certain regions of the country? Are earnings generally received in the form of
wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, tips, or some combination of these? Are there expense
allowances for travel, use of car, and so forth? What fringe benefits are commonly found?
14. Advancements
How good are the chances for advancement? ( Be cautious about unsubstantiated claims.)
Approximately what proportion of workers advance? To what positions is advancement
customarily given? What changes in responsibility and earnings accompany advancement?
After what period of time and after what additional preparation or experience is
advancement possible? Is demonstrated ability or job seniority usually the more common
basis for obtaining advancement?
15. Related Occupations
What are some occupations involving similar work and requiring similar types and amounts
of training and skill? Consult especially the Dictionary of Occupational Titles or the
names of occupations appearing in the same three digit occupational group. How are these
occupations appearing in the same three digit occupational group? How are these
occupations defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles? In what principal ways does
each of these related occupations differ from the one you are surveying?
16. Sources of Further Information
List the names and addresses of business and organizations and the professional
associations to which workers in this field belong and which furnish information about the
occupation. ( Examples: American Institute of Accountants, American Registry of X-Ray
Technicians.)
17. Bibliography
List here in standard bibliographical form only the published references which you
actually used in building this report. ( Do not include any references which you inspected
but from which you did not take information for this report.)
The purpose of this part of the project is to help you interpret your knowledge of the
occupation in the light of how you now see yourself as a person. To put it more directly,
Part II asks you to examine a series of fundamental questions that could help you judge
whether the occupation you studied would be an appropriate career choice for you.
Think through the discussion questions on the following pages and answer them as fully,
specifically, accurately, and frankly as you can. This may involve some repetition of
facts and feelings you have already recorded in earlier project work. You will see that
this repetition is necessary in order to help you select and to bring together the most
important facts you need as a basis for deciding what your next step should be.
1. What are the major changes that have taken place in your conception of the occupation
as a result of your survey? Do you now see the occupation in a different light? What are
the most important new facts and understandings that you have acquired? What
misconceptions about the occupation did you correct?
2. What things would you have to do in this occupation that you think you would enjoy
doing? What information do you have about yourself which suggests you would like doing
these things? ( Be specific.)
3. What things would you have to do in this occupation that you think you might not enjoy
doing? What information do you have about yourself which suggests you would dislike doing
these things? ( Be specific.)
4. Turn back to Part I in this form and carefully review specific qualifications and
training which you found a worker sho9ul posses to enter this occupation. How do you feel
now about your ability to meet each of the following requirement for this filed of work? (
Be specific.) Give all the facts necessary to support your conclusion.)
a. Physical requirements
b. Aptitude and skill requirements
c. Training requirements
d. Other requirements ( e.g. licensing, certification, examinations, age, sex,
citizenship, union membership, investment capital, an so on.)
5. As one who is considering this occupation as a possible career choice, what is you
reaction to the information you obtained about each of the following work factors? In each
case state whether the facts you discovered make you want to consider the occupation more
seriously or less seriously as your future vocation. (State your feelings frankly.
Wherever necessary, review the pertinent information which you recorded in Part I of this
form before you prepare your written reaction.)
a. Working conditions.
b. Type of people you work with.
c. Job security and future of the field.
d. Earnings
e. Other factors ( Prestige of the occupation, union status, discrimination, geographic
location, and so on.)
Summary and Tentative Decision
Before attempting to answer this question, carefully review your responses to all of the
questions on the preceding pages of Part II.
6. If you had to decide today whether or not to enter this occupation, what would decide?
Why? ( Tell the whole story.)
1. Title of occupation
If possible, use the standard job title as found in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Include the Dictionary code number. If you discussed a series of related jobs during your interview, list them separately or give the name of the general job family in which they are included.
2. Date of the interview
3. Full name of person interviewed, position of title held, and firm of
institution with which associated.
4. Principal topics covered.
Enumerate briefly all important questions and subjects dealt with during the interview. Be
as specific as you can in identifying each topic. List as many significant topics which
came up for discussion as you are able to recall.
5. Summary of interview findings.
Referring to the topics listed in question 4, report here in some detail the main things
you were told about the occupation. What specific occupational information did you obtain
from the interview? (Don't be too brief.)
6. Interview evaluation
Consider such questions as the following: How worthwhile did I find the interview? To what
extent did it contribute significantly to your understanding of the occupation? Was the
person you interviewed well informed? Up to date? Biased in his/her view of the
occupation? Did you find certain of his/her statements and opinions inconsistent with the
data you obtained from your other sources of information about the occupation? How fully
were your major questions answered? Were there some specific topics you wish had been
covered more adequately? Can you see ways in which the interview could have been made more
fruitful?
Email:
rbrehm@msn.com
Telephone: Campus 253-833-9111 Extension 4307.
Off Campus : 253-852-0220 Voice Message/Fax 206-718-2908 Cell
206-930-4197.
Copyright © 1998 [Robert Brehm]. All rights reserved.