Using occupation profiles, jobseekers can see which industries employ the most workers in a particular field, which geographical areas have high concentrations of those jobs, and how wages differ by industry and geographical area. This article gives an overview of the data in the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) occupation profiles. It…

Workers who make a living in sales are paid to persuade others to buy goods and services. Just about anything, from apricots to zip-line tours, needs an intermediary to move from producer to buyer. That go-between person is the sales worker. Sales jobs are numerous. In May 2010, there were over 13 million wage and salary sales workers in the…

For many people, the only thing harder than being out of a job is searching for one. Applying for dozens of jobs each week and getting few or no replies can slowly erode jobseekers' self-esteem. And this loss of confidence can prove detrimental to those trying to market their skills to would-be employers. Jobseekers can avoid many of the mistakes…

Many people wonder anxiously about which type of job they'll like or how they can break into the career of their dreams. Surprisingly, very few people ever take advantage of one of the best ways to answer their questions about careers: asking the workers already in them. Talking to people about their jobs and asking them for advice is called…

Vacation jobs often mix work and play. For some, the job is their ticket to career happiness. The article's first section describes four jobs specific to entertainment and leisure: (1) cruise ship musician; (2) destination marketing manager; (3) resort activities director; and (4) river rafting guide. The second section helps a person decide if a…

Good resumes, applications, and cover letters broadcast one's abilities. They tell employers how one's qualifications match a job's responsibilities. If these critical preliminaries are constructed well, one has a better chance of landing interviews--and, eventually, a job. This article provides some guidelines for creating resumes and cover…

Offers experiences of six job seekers to illustrate key job-search concepts. Discusses prior planning, selecting the best search methods, identifying various resources, researching potential employers, making cold calls, networking, and interviewing. Provides advice on using the Internet in the job search. (JOW)

Offers guidelines for creating resumes, job applications, and cover letters. Includes examples of resumes and cover letters, additional resources, and information on preparing scannable resumes. (JOW)

Provides advice about what to do before, during, and after a job interview. Offers tips for preparing, dressing, dealing with nervousness, and following up after the interview. Discusses ways to enlist good references. (JOW)

Discusses major aspects of one-stop career centers as a system and shows how people use the centers. Also lists contacts for more information about currently operating centers. (JOW)

Focuses on three specialized occupations--nurse, engineer, and lawyer--and looks at how people have transferred their specialized skills and knowledge from one field to another. Discusses options and obstacles when moving a career in the opposite direction. Offers 10 job-hunting mindsets to avoid. (JOW)

Suggests where to look for summer employment and includes information about types of jobs, summer employers, job search pointers, and legal issues such as wages, hours, and safety. (Author/JOW)

Three programs sponsored by the federal government--School-to-Work, One-Stop Career Centers, and America's Career Kit--make it easy to research career options, provide hands-on experiences, determine what kind of training is required and where to get it, submit a resume, and search for a job. (JOW)

Content areas of a course on preparing for work include employability skills, coping skills, decision making skills, and career planning. (Editor)

Describes the career resources found in most public libraries. Includes information on periodical indexes and specific references that are available. (JOW)