How can you use occupational information

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Looking for a new job or a change in career? Do you want to know how much you could potentially earn, whether you might need some new skills and whether there are many opportunities in this field/industry?

These are questions many people ask when exploring their career options and making career decisions.

Here are some guidelines to help you make the most of the occupational information provided on this site.

What is an occupational profile?

The Career Centre website has a range of occupational profiles, which include a description of a job, the average salary, any education and training requirements, and an indication of job prospects in that field.

Job prospects refer to the general availability of employment for a particular career. A job prospect rating of 'good', 'average' or 'limited' is allocated to each career profile, depending on a variety of factors including number of advertised positions and number of recent graduates in that industry or field. Keep in mind – this rating should not necessarily discourage you from exploring a career path that interests you.

Some careers with 'average' or 'good' prospects, such as casual retail positions, may constantly advertise for new staff because of a high staff turnover, and not necessarily because there are a large number of opportunities available.

Other careers with 'limited' prospects may only have a few openings advertised, but may have minimal applicants for those positions, providing a higher chance of employment per opening.

Additional sources of information for job prospects include industry bodies, professional associations and people working in your field of interest.

How do I use salary information?

The salary information provided in Career Centre's occupational profiles has been compiled from a variety of sources. It is not a guarantee of income for everyone who works in that particular career. There are a number of factors that influence a person's salary and the amount listed on each career profile is just an average of the potential full time earnings someone in that particular career may earn over a period of time.

Additional sources of information such as current job advertisements, and industry and professional organisations can also be useful in providing an indication of potential salaries.

How do I know my career of choice will require me to undergo additional training?
In some cases there are multiple pathways that lead to a particular career. Some roles require work and industry experience, whereas others require compulsory licenses and/or qualifications.

The Career Centre's occupational profiles include the details of any compulsory training or qualifications needed to work in a particular career, as well as details of training that may improve your chances of being employed in that field.

Speak to training and education providers, and industry and professional associations to find out more about specific entry options for particular careers.

Is this the job for me?

Some people love work that involves regularly meeting new people; others prefer to work independently or in a small team they know well. Some people dislike working outdoors; others would hate a desk job.

Your individual interests, skills and values are key to positive career decision making. Along with exploring occupational job prospects, salary and training pathway information, working through the know yourself section of the website will assist you to build your individual career profile and make choices about which careers will best suit you at this point in time.

Patterns and themes

Once you have spent some time getting to know yourself, see if you pick up any patterns or themes as you explore the occupations. You might find you are drawn to the same sorts of tasks, working environments or personal requirements. Write these themes down as they can provide clues and insight into your interests, values and skills and help you to build your career profile.

What's my next step?

The Career Centre's occupational profiles are intended to be used as a source of impartial (unbiased) and balanced information to assist you to explore occupations. Once you have selected a few specific careers, you could conduct more detailed research into those careers, including talking with people working in the industry and seeking work experience.

If you would like further help with using or finding occupational information contact the Career Centre to speak with a qualified career practitioner.

Source: https://goo.gl/pHrFVb