O*Net (Occupational Information Network) - Explained
What is O Net?
Written by J. Mance Gordon
Updated at April 22nd, 2024
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What is O*Net (Occupational Information Network)?
The O*NET or Occupational Information Network is a free online database for the public, especially job seekers, students, workforce training professionals, and businesses, sponsored by the US government, that contains definitions for hundreds of job descriptions available in the United States.
It was created in the 1990s by a Grant to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission by The US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). The Interests section of O*Net uses John L. Hollands vocational model to profile users.
How is O*Net Used?
The official description of O*NET according to the USDOL/ETA is, a database of occupational requirements and worker attributes.
It describes occupations in terms of the skills and knowledge required, how the work is performed, and typical work settings. It can be used by businesses, educators, job seekers, human resources professionals, and the publicly funded Workforce Investment System to help meet the talent needs of our competitive global economy. O*NET information helps support the creation of industry competency models.
O*NET provides information on different aspects of a job, namely:
- Personal Requirements: Specifics of the skills set required for the job.
- Personal Characteristics: The ethics, character traits, interests and abilities required to be hired for the job.
- Experience: The level of training, years of experience, and the license required to ace a job.
- Job Requirements: Education level, physical fitness, mental acuity, field of study, and other skills that are a prerequisite for applying to a job.
- Labour Market: Payscale, pay grades, and the outlook of the job in the long run.
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