The O*NET® Content Model
The Content Model is the conceptual foundation of O*NET. The Content Model provides a framework that identifies the most important types of information about work and integrates them into a theoretically and empirically sound system.
The Content Model was developed using research on job and organizational analysis. It embodies a view that reflects the character of occupations (via job-oriented descriptors) and people (via worker-oriented descriptors). The Content Model also allows occupational information to be applied across jobs, sectors, or industries (cross-occupational descriptors) and within occupations (occupational-specific descriptors). These descriptors are organized into six major domains, which enable the user to focus on areas of information that specify the key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations.
Download:
Content Model Outline — Summary (PDF - 69 KB)
Content Model Outline — Detailed (PDF - 330 KB)
Content Model Outline — Detailed including descriptions (PDF - 536 KB)
Content Model Outline (Excel format) (XLS - 151 KB)
Worker Characteristics — enduring characteristics that may influence both performance and the capacity to acquire knowledge and skills required for effective work performance. Worker characteristics comprise enduring qualities of individuals that may influence how they approach tasks and how they acquire work-relevant knowledges and skills. Traditionally, analyzing abilities has been the most common technique for comparing jobs in terms of these worker characteristics. However, recent research supports the inclusion of other types of worker characteristics. In particular, interests, values, and work styles have received support in the organizational literature. Interests and values reflect preferences for work environments and outcomes. Work style variables represent typical procedural differences in the way work is performed.
Abilities — Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Occupational Interests — Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments.
Work Values — Global aspects of work composed of specific needs that are important to a person's satisfaction. Occupational Reinforcer Patterns (ORPs) are based on the Theory of Work Adjustment (Dawis & Lofquist, 1984).
Work Styles — Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job.
Worker Requirements — descriptors referring to work-related attributes acquired and/or developed through experience and education. Worker requirements represent developed or acquired attributes of an individual that may be related to work performance such as work-related knowledge and skill. Knowledge represents the acquisition of facts and principles about a domain of information. Experience lays the foundation for establishing procedures to work with given knowledge. These procedures are more commonly known as skills. Skills may be further divided into basic skills and cross-functional skills. Basic skills, such as reading, facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge. Cross-functional skills, such as problem solving, extend across several domains of activities.
Basic Skills — Developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge
Cross-Functional Skills — Developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Knowledge — Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Education — Prior educational experience required to perform in a job
Experience Requirements — requirements related to previous work activities and explicitly linked to certain types of work activities. This domain includes information about the typical experiential backgrounds of workers in an occupation or group of occupations including certification, licensure, and training data. For example, information about the professional or organizational certifications required for entry and advancement in an occupation, preferred education or training, and required apprenticeships will be documented by this part of the model.
Experience and Training — If someone were being hired to perform this job, how much of the following would be required?
Basic Skills - Entry Requirement — Entry requirement for developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge
Cross-Functional Skills - Entry Requirement — Entry requirement for developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Licensing — Licenses, certificates, or registrations that are awarded to show that a job holder has gained certain skills. This includes requirements for obtaining these credentials, and the organization or agency requiring their possession.
Occupation-Specific Information — variables or other Content Model elements of selected or specific occupations. Occupation-specific information details a comprehensive set of elements that apply to a single occupation or a narrowly defined job family. This domain parallels other Content Model domains because it includes requirements such as work-related knowledge, skills, and tasks in addition to the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology workers may use in their workplace. Labor market information defined by the industry or occupation is also provided here. This domain is particularly important when developing specific applications of O*NET information. For example, it is necessary to refer to occupation-specific descriptive information to specify training, develop position descriptions, or redesign jobs.
Tasks — Occupation-Specific Tasks
Tools and Technology — Machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology workers may use for optimal functioning in a high performance workplace.
Workforce Characteristics — variables that define and describe the general characteristics of occupations that may influence occupational requirements. Organizations do not exist in isolation. They must operate within a broader social and economic structure. To be useful, an occupational classification system must incorporate global contextual characteristics. O*NET provides this information by linking descriptive occupational information to statistical labor market information. This includes compensation and wage data, employment outlook, and industry size information. Much of this information is collected outside of the O*NET program's immediate scope. Collaborative efforts with organizations such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, Career One Stop, the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and the Employment and Training Administration facilitate these labor market information linkages.
Labor Market Information — Current labor force characteristics of occupations
Occupational Outlook — Future labor force characteristics of occupations
Occupational Requirements — a comprehensive set of variables or detailed elements that describe what various occupations require. This domain includes information about typical activities required across occupations. Task information is often too specific to describe an occupation or occupational group. The O*NET approach is to identify generalized work activities (GWAs) and detailed work activities (DWAs) to summarize the broad and more specific types of job behaviors and tasks that may be performed within multiple occupations. Using this framework makes it possible to use a single set of descriptors to describe many occupations. Contextual variables such as the physical, social, or structural context of work that may impose specific demands on the worker or activities are also included in this section.
Generalized Work Activities — General types of job behaviors occurring on multiple jobs
Detailed Work Activities — Detailed types of job behaviors occurring on multiple jobs
Organizational Context — Characteristics of the organization that influence how people do their work
Work Context — Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Interpersonal Relationships
- Communication
- Communication Methods
Public Speaking
- Telephone
- Electronic Mail
- Letters and Memos
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- Contact With Others
- Role Relationships
- Job Interactions
- Work With Work Group or Team
- Deal With External Customers
- Coordinate or Lead Others
- Responsibility for Others
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
- Conflictual Contact
- Frequency of Conflict Situations
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People
- Deal With Physically Aggressive People
- Physical Work Conditions
- Work Setting
- Frequency Required to Work:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
- Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
- Outdoors, Under Cover
- In an Open Vehicle or Equipment
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment
- Physical Proximity
- Environmental Conditions
- Frequency in Environmental Conditions
- Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
- Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
- Job Hazards
- Frequency of Exposure to Job Hazards
- Exposed to Radiation
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Exposed to High Places
- Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
Likelihood of Injury From Job Hazards
- Degree of Injury
- Body Positioning
- Time Spent in Body Positions
- Spend Time Sitting
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
- Spend Time Walking and Running
- Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
- Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Work Attire
- Frequency of Wearing Work Attire
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
- Structural Job Characteristics
- Criticality of Position
- Consequence of Error
- Impact of Decisions
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Routine versus Challenging Work
- Degree of Automation
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- Competition
- Level of Competition
- Pace and Scheduling
- Time Pressure
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Work Schedules
- Duration of Typical Work Week
Primary occupational information source for Content Model items:
 |
U.S. Department of Labor O*NET Data Collection Program |
Supplemental sources of information:
 |
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics  |
 |
U.S. Department of Labor CareerOneStop |
 |
U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship |
 |
U.S. Department of Education Classification of Instructional Programs |
Other indicators:
 |
Data not currently available |
