Providing Lists of the Providing Lists of the “Best” Occupations“Best” Occupations

Laurence Shatkin, PhDLaurence Shatkin, PhDSenior Product DeveloperSenior Product Developer

JIST Publishing, Inc.JIST Publishing, Inc.

February 14, 2007

An Example of Making An Example of Making Labour Market Information Labour Market Information

More Useful for ClientsMore Useful for Clients

Why list the “best” jobs?Why list the “best” jobs?

►There are so many occupations, a first There are so many occupations, a first cut makes choice more manageablecut makes choice more manageable

►People like listsPeople like lists

““Best” is subjectiveBest” is subjective

►Some relevant factors contributing to Some relevant factors contributing to “goodness”“goodness” InterestsInterests ValuesValues Skills and abilitiesSkills and abilities Work conditionsWork conditions Et ceteraEt cetera

However, certain factors However, certain factors dominatedominate

Example: U.S. national norms for Values Scale Example: U.S. national norms for Values Scale (Neville & Super, 1989)(Neville & Super, 1989)

SubscaleSubscale MeanMean S.D.S.D.

AchievementAchievement 16.9216.92 2.472.47

Ability Utilisation*Ability Utilisation* 16.7616.76 2.262.26

Personal Development*Personal Development* 16.4616.46 2.372.37

Economic SecurityEconomic Security 16.0616.06 2.992.99

Economic RewardsEconomic Rewards 16.0516.05 3.043.04

Life Style*Life Style* 15.5115.51 2.682.68

*low reliability (r<.70)

Matching people and Matching people and occupationsoccupations

What Person What Person WantsWants

What Occupation What Occupation HasHas

AchievementAchievement ? (depends on what you ? (depends on what you want to achieve)want to achieve)

Ability UtilisationAbility Utilisation ? (depends on your ? (depends on your abilities)abilities)

Personal DevelopmentPersonal Development ? (depends on what ? (depends on what development you need)development you need)

Economic SecurityEconomic Security Job growth and job Job growth and job openingsopenings

Economic RewardsEconomic Rewards IncomeIncome

Life StyleLife Style ? (probably mostly ? (probably mostly income)income)

Relevant Labour Market Relevant Labour Market InformationInformation

► Income:Income: median wage, Occupational median wage, Occupational Employment Survey of earnings (U.S.)Employment Survey of earnings (U.S.)

► Job growth:Job growth: percent change in percent change in employment, Employment Projections employment, Employment Projections (U.S.)(U.S.)

► Job openings:Job openings: projected annual projected annual openings for growth and replacement, openings for growth and replacement, Employment Projections (U.S.)Employment Projections (U.S.)

Assemble relevant data about Assemble relevant data about occupationsoccupations

Title Wage Growth OpeningsAble Seamen $29,120 4.0% 3,000Accountants $50,770 19.5% 119,000Actuaries $76,340 14.9% 2,000Adjustment Clerks $27,020 24.3% 419,000Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 5.8% 1,000Administrative Services Managers $60,290 19.8% 40,000Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 20.4% 14,000Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 25.0% 13,000Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 13.4% 24,000Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 1.5% 2,000Aerospace Engineers $79,100 -5.2% 5,000Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 27.8% 2,000

Occupations to excludeOccupations to exclude

► Those with negative growth Those with negative growth andand fewer than fewer than 500 openings per year (e.g., Bridge and Lock 500 openings per year (e.g., Bridge and Lock Tenders)Tenders)

► Those for which economic information is Those for which economic information is lacking (e.g., Actors)lacking (e.g., Actors)

► Those for which there is minimal information Those for which there is minimal information (only definition and perhaps tasks)(only definition and perhaps tasks)

► Numerous postsecondary teaching Numerous postsecondary teaching occupations (collapse into Teachers, occupations (collapse into Teachers, Postsecondary)Postsecondary)

Rank-order them by wages Rank-order them by wages (descending)(descending)

Title Wage $ rank Growth OpeningsAerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 5,000Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 2,000Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 1,000Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 13,000Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 40,000Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 2,000Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 2,000Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 119,000Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 24,000Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 14,000Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 3,000Adjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 419,000

Rank-order them by growth Rank-order them by growth (descending)(descending)

Title Wage $ rank Growth G rank OpeningsAgents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 1 2,000Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 2 13,000Adjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 3 419,000Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 4 14,000Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 5 40,000Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 6 119,000Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 7 2,000Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 8 24,000Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 9 1,000Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 10 3,000Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 11 2,000Aerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 12 5,000

Rank-order them by openings Rank-order them by openings (descending)(descending)

Title Wage $ rank Growth G rank Openings O rankAdjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 3 419,000 1 Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 6 119,000 2 Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 5 40,000 3 Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 8 24,000 4 Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 4 14,000 5 Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 2 13,000 6 Aerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 12 5,000 7 Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 10 3,000 8 Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 7 2,000 9 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 11 2,000 9 Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 1 2,000 9 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 9 1,000 12

Compute sum of ranksCompute sum of ranks

Sum of Ranks Title Wage $ rank Growth G rank Openings O rank =D2+F2+H2 Adjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 3 419,000 1 16 Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 6 119,000 2 13 Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 5 40,000 3 21 Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 8 24,000 4 19 Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 4 14,000 5 12 Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 2 13,000 6 20 Aerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 12 5,000 7 29 Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 10 3,000 8 18 Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 7 2,000 9 27 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 11 2,000 9 16 Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 1 2,000 9 24 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 9 1,000 12

Sort by sum of ranks Sort by sum of ranks (ascending) and assign overall (ascending) and assign overall

rankrankRank Sum Title Wage $ rank Growth G rank Openings O rank 1 12 Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 2 13,000 6 2 13 Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 5 40,000 3 3 16 Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 6 119,000 2 4 16 Adjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 3 419,000 1 5 16 Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 1 2,000 9 6 18 Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 7 2,000 9 7 19 Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 4 14,000 5 8 20 Aerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 12 5,000 7 9 21 Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 8 24,000 4 10 24 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 9 1,000 12 11 27 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 11 2,000 9 12 29 Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 10 3,000 8

Set a cutoff (e.g., “10 Best Set a cutoff (e.g., “10 Best Jobs”)Jobs”)

Rank Sum Title Wage $ rank Growth G rank Openings O rank1 12 Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 4 25.0% 2 13,000 62 13 Administrative Services Managers $60,290 5 19.8% 5 40,000 33 16 Accountants $50,770 8 19.5% 6 119,000 24 16 Adjustment Clerks $27,020 12 24.3% 3 419,000 15 16 Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$55,080 6 27.8% 1 2,000 96 18 Actuaries $76,340 2 14.9% 7 2,000 97 19 Adult Literacy, Remedial Education, and GED Teachers and Instructors$38,980 10 20.4% 4 14,000 58 20 Aerospace Engineers $79,100 1 -5.2% 12 5,000 79 21 Advertising Sales Agents $40,300 9 13.4% 8 24,000 4

10 24 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 3 5.8% 9 1,000 1211 27 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians$52,500 7 1.5% 11 2,000 912 29 Able Seamen $29,120 11 4.0% 10 3,000 8

Specialised lists of the “best Specialised lists of the “best jobs”jobs”

► Best-paying jobsBest-paying jobs

► Jobs with the most growthJobs with the most growth► Jobs with the most openingsJobs with the most openings

$ Rank Title Wage Growth Openings1 Aerospace Engineers $79,100 -5.2% 5,0002 Actuaries $76,340 14.9% 2,0003 Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$68,930 5.8% 1,0004 Advertising and Promotions Managers $63,610 25.0% 13,0005 Administrative Services Managers $60,290 19.8% 40,000

Subsets of “best jobs”Subsets of “best jobs”► Jobs requiring various levels of Jobs requiring various levels of

education or trainingeducation or training Helps people use their educationHelps people use their education Identifies occupations people can Identifies occupations people can

move into quicklymove into quickly Education level often represents prestigeEducation level often represents prestige

► Jobs linked to interest fields and Jobs linked to interest fields and personality typespersonality types Helps new career explorers narrow down Helps new career explorers narrow down

optionsoptions Helps with career transitionHelps with career transition

More subsets of “best jobs”More subsets of “best jobs”► Jobs with a high percentage ofJobs with a high percentage of

MenMen Women (note caveats)Women (note caveats) Self-employed workersSelf-employed workers Part-time workersPart-time workers Workers in certain age bracketsWorkers in certain age brackets

Starting with a limited universe Starting with a limited universe of occupationsof occupations

►All occupationsAll occupations Best Jobs for the 21Best Jobs for the 21stst Century Century

►Setting a level of education/trainingSetting a level of education/training 200 Best Jobs for College Graduates200 Best Jobs for College Graduates 300 Best Jobs Without a Four-Year 300 Best Jobs Without a Four-Year

DegreeDegree 250 Best Jobs Through 250 Best Jobs Through

ApprenticeshipsApprenticeships

Other ways of dividing/limiting Other ways of dividing/limiting the universe of occupationsthe universe of occupations

►By Holland typeBy Holland type 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality50 Best Jobs for Your Personality

►By high percentage of people of By high percentage of people of a certain agea certain age 225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers

Which occupations would be Which occupations would be useful for useful for youryour clients? clients?

►Occupations linked to the majors at Occupations linked to the majors at my collegemy college

►Occupations growing fast in Occupations growing fast in my my provinceprovince Use provincial (instead of national) figures Use provincial (instead of national) figures

for employment projection and wagesfor employment projection and wages

Limitations of this approachLimitations of this approach

►More is not always betterMore is not always better Many people want only a certain minimumMany people want only a certain minimum Being on the list is more important than Being on the list is more important than

being very high on the listbeing very high on the list

►The “streetlight fallacy”The “streetlight fallacy” Lists tend to be made of things that can Lists tend to be made of things that can

be listedbe listed

More limitations of this More limitations of this approachapproach

►Some people have a strong preference Some people have a strong preference for a noneconomic factor, for example:for a noneconomic factor, for example: Using an artistic talentUsing an artistic talent Working outdoorsWorking outdoors Working with animalsWorking with animals

►Some occupations are eliminated Some occupations are eliminated because of lack of informationbecause of lack of information

Questions?Questions?