Book Description

The Occupational Titles has been relied on for the description of jobs and workforce development. However, as global competition and technological change has created a new world of work, the Department of Labor realized that a more flexible and precise system for chronicling work-related information was needed. Thus, the O*NET, or the occupational information network, was launched. Written by the developers of the O*NET system, this edited volume describes the research and methodology used in the design and development of this ground-breaking system. The O*NET is intended to provide a framework for describing jobs in terms that are capable of addressing the needs of workers and employers into the 21st Century. Instead of relying on rigid task descriptions, the O*NET uses domains of worker and occupation characteristics -- such as abilities, work styles, generalized work activities and work context -- to describe each job. This volume details each of the main domains used by the O*NET. It outlines how each was quantified and provides statistical analyses about its applications, internal relationships, and structure. The volume also places the O*NET system in its historical research context and describes how this innovative new system can support the creation of jobs tailored for the new economy. This volume will be invaluable for those needing to familiarize themselves with this powerful new human resource tool. It will be of particular interest to industrial/organizational psychologists, human factors specialists, counseling psychologists, vocational counselors, rehabilitation counselors, industrial engineers, occupational professionals, and labor market analysts.