The job market is highly competitive Employment Opportunities The job market is highly competitive

Many persons find themselves either unemployed or in unsatisfactory job situations because they lack the information needed to investigate job opportunities

What is a Satisfying Job? One that allows individuals to use their skills & talents And allows them to use their education & training to develop a meaningful career

A Major Factor . . . Involved in securing a satisfying job is learning to correlate career goals & skills w/knowledge of job opportunities & the education or training that is required

The Job Market Has Changed Dramatically. . . It is competitive And requires knowledge of human relationship skills, communication skills, & various job skills

A Wide Range of Employment Opportunities. . . Are available in Today’s industrialized and highly technological

5 Primary Sources to Explore Employment Opportunities - Career Information Guides School Counselors Libraries or the INTERNET Career Fairs Part-time & Summer Jobs

The United States Department of Labor published several guides that are useful tools for identifying different careers and employment opportunities

Two Handy Search Guides - The Dictionary of Occupational Titles The Occupational Outlook Handbook Check for these resources on the INTERNET

The Dictionary of Occupational Titles Commonly referred to as DOT Contains job listings that are classified into large, general areas This classification system consists of the DOT code to describe positions & qualifications

The Occupational Outlook Handbook Provides information on job preparation requirements & salaries Contains the future outlook for hundreds of jobs Copy of each publication is readily available in all libraries

School Counselors Can provide information regarding various career fields May be able to help you with ability testing and interest inventories

Part-time & Summer Jobs - May help a person discover what job responsibilities he or she likes or dislikes Gives the opportunity to develop and grow as a person

May help you zero in on the things you like or dislike in a particular career field

Other Benefits - Teach important job skills Provides work experience Improves communication skills Practice in job interviewing skills Teaches responsibility Provides income & future job contacts

Locating Employment Opportunities - Common Job Leads (information concerning prospective openings & employers) Friends, relatives & acquaintances Direct employer contact School placement service Help wanted ads

State employment services Private employment agencies Cooperative education & work experience programs Chamber of Commerce Public libraries

United States Civil Service Commission Telephone & Industrial directories Previous employers Trade & professional journals Local community organizations

For Best Results - When seeking a job, use a combination of leads Many job openings are not advertised but filled by word of mouth Using contacts like friends and relatives is called “networking”