Content Model Anatomy of an occupation

Every occupation requires a different mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and is performed using a variety of activities and tasks. These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described by the O*NET Content Model,

Explore the interactive Content Model to see the range of occupational descriptors in the O*NET database.

which defines the key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". This hierarchical model starts with six domains, describing the day-to-day aspects of the job and the qualifications and interests of the typical worker. The model expands to 277 descriptors collected by the O*NET program, with more collected by other federal agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

O*NET-SOC Taxonomy A spectrum of occupations

While the Content Model defines the information structure for a single occupation, the O*NET-SOC taxonomy defines the set of occupations across the world of work. Based on the Standard Occupational Classification , the O*NET-SOC taxonomy currently includes 965 occupations which currently have, or are scheduled to have, data collected from job incumbents or occupation experts. To keep up with the changing occupational landscape, the taxonomy is periodically revised; the last revision was in 2009.

Data Collection Real-world information

The O*NET-SOC taxonomy defines the occupations, and the Content Model outlines which information is collected; the Data Collection program brings these frameworks to life with results from the working public.

For more about the data collection, view sample questionnaires based on the O*NET surveys, or visit RTI's O*NET site for information from the survey conductors.

The O*NET database was initially populated by data collected from occupation analysts; this information is updated by ongoing surveys of each occupation's worker population and occupation experts. This data is incorporated into new versions of the database on an annual schedule, to provide up-to-date information on occupations as they evolve over time. The latest database releases are available from the Developer's Corner.

O*NET OnLine Explore O*NET data from your browser

O*NET OnLine is a comprehensive web application for exploring the O*NET database. Customizable occupation reports offer a range of information, from a broad overview to comprehensive detail on a specific subject. Search for occupations with the intuitive keyword search, or browse the entire O*NET-SOC hierarchy; you can even explore across occupations, using Content Model descriptors like abilities and interests. Online also offers tools like the Skills Search for job seekers, and the Crosswalk to convert other classifications to the O*NET-SOC taxonomy.

Career Exploration Tools Professional assessment instruments

Code Connector O*NET-SOC classification made easy

Designed specifically for job coding professionals, O*NET Code Connector makes it easy to match job orders to an occupation in the O*NET-SOC system. With a powerful keyword search and a concise, "at-a-glance" overview of occupations, this web application makes interactive job coding fast and simple.

O*NET information is relevant to many different audiences. Below you'll find some suggestions for different types of visitors:

Counselors: Connect people to appropriate occupations with resources like the Career Exploration Tools, O*NET OnLine, and OnLine's Skills Search. If you need to find an O*NET-SOC code for an existing job, try the keyword search at O*NET Code Connector.

Students: Discover occupations you might enjoy, by taking the Computerized Interest Profiler and Work Importance Profiler assessments right from your PC. If you've already got an occupation in mind, learn more about it from O*NET OnLine.

Human Resources: The Toolkit for Business contains examples and case studies illustrating how O*NET information can help you with writing job descriptions or helping employees identify necessary skills for advancement. Learn more about occupations using O*NET OnLine.

Researchers: Our Research and Technical Reports section contains over 30 papers on the development and evolution of the O*NET database and tools. For detailed study, download the database itself to directly view the data, as well as statistical metadata describing the quality of the information.

Developers: Everything you need to incorporate O*NET information into your application can be found in the Developer's Corner, including graphics and URLs for linking directly to O*NET OnLine. The Supplemental Files page has resources for connecting other systems to the O*NET-SOC taxonomy.

If you have other questions about using O*NET, you might take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions or our Site Map. If you can't find the answer there, feel free to contact O*NET Customer Service.