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TOP JOBS
for People Without a
Four-Year Degree
Detailed Information on 190 Good Jobs in All
Major Fields and Industries
Sixth Edition

★ Thorough, up-to-date descriptions of 190 top jobs for

people without a four-year degree
★ Information on skills needed, education and training
required, salaries, growth potential, and much more
★ Special section on how to find a job fast
★ Resume examples by professional resume writers
for top jobs that do not require a four-year college
degree
★ Helpful information on labor market
Par t o
trends f
Amer i
ca’s
Top Jo ®
bs
Ser ie s

Michael Farr
America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree, Sixth Edition
Detailed Information on 190 Good Jobs in All Major Fields and Industries

© 2003 by JIST Publishing, Inc.

Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc.
8902 Otis Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033
Phone: 800-648-JIST Fax: 800-JIST-FAX
E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.jist.com
Visit our Web site for more details on JIST, free job search information, book excerpts, and ordering information on our many
products!

Some other books by Michael Farr: Other books in the America’s Top Jobs®
The Very Quick Job Search series:
The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book America’s Top 300 Jobs
America’s Top Resumes for America’s Top Jobs America’s Fastest Growing Jobs
Getting the Job You Really Want America’s Top Computer and Technical Jobs
Best Jobs for the 21st Century America’s Top Jobs for College Graduates
(LaVerne L. Ludden, coauthor) America’s Top Military Careers
Career Guide to America’s Top Industries

For other career-related materials, turn to the back of this book.

Quantity discounts are available for JIST books. Please call our Sales Department at 1-800-648-JIST for more information and a
free catalog.
Editors: Susan Pines, Veda Dickerson, Mary Ellen Stephenson
Cover and Interior Designer: Aleata Howard
Interior Layout: Carolyn J. Newland

Printed in the United States of America

05 04 03 02 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval
system, without prior permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. Making
copies of any part of this book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyright laws.
We have been careful to provide accurate information throughout this book, but it is possible that errors and omissions have
been introduced. Please consider this in making any career plans or other important decisions. Trust your own judgment above
all else and in all things.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
ISBN 1-56370-882-5
Relax—You Don’t
Have to Read
This Whole Book!

T his is a big book, but you

don’t need to read it all.
I’ve organized it into easy-to-use
sections so you can browse just
the information you want. To
get started, simply scan the
table of contents, where you’ll
find brief explanations of the
major sections plus a list of the
jobs described in this book.
Really, this book is easy to use,
and I hope it helps you.
 Who Should Use This Source of Information
Book? The occupational descriptions in this book
come from the good people at the U.S. Depart-
This is more than a book of job descriptions. ment of Labor, as published in the most recent
I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
how to make its contents useful for a variety The OOH is the best source of career informa-
of situations, including tion available, and the descriptions include the
latest data on earnings and other details. Other
★ Exploring career options. The job descrip-
sections also present solid information from
tions in Section One give a wealth of infor-
various sources at the U.S. Department of La-
mation on many of the most desirable jobs
bor. So, thank you to all the people at the Labor
in the labor market.
Department who gather, compile, analyze, and
★ Considering more education or training. make sense of this information. It’s good stuff,
The information helps you avoid costly and I hope you can make good use of it.
mistakes in choosing a career or deciding
on additional training or education—and
it increases your chances of planning a
bright future. Mike Farr
★ Job seeking. This book helps you identify
new job targets, prepare for interviews, and
write targeted resumes. The career planning
and job search advice in Section Two has
been proven to cut job search time in half!
★ Career planning. The job descriptions help
you explore your options, and Sections Two
and Three provide career planning advice
and other useful information.

iv
 Table of Contents
Summary of Major Sections
Introduction. The introduction explains each job
The 190 Jobs Described in
description element, gives tips on using the book
for career exploration and job seeking, and pro-
Section One
vides other details. The introduction begins on
page 1. The titles for the 190 jobs described in Section One
are listed below, in alphabetical order. The page
Section One: Descriptions of 190 Top Jobs for number where each description begins is also listed.
People Without a Four-Year Degree. This section Simply find jobs that interest you, and then read
presents thorough descriptions of 190 jobs that do those descriptions. An introduction to Section One
not require a four-year college degree. Each descrip- begins on page 3 and provides additional infor-
tion gives information on significant points, nature mation on how to interpret the descriptions.
of the work, working conditions, employment,
training, other qualifications, advancement, job Actors, Producers, and Directors ................................ 10
outlook, earnings, related occupations, and sources Administrative Services Managers .............................. 12
of additional information. The jobs are presented Agricultural Workers ................................................... 15
in alphabetical order. The page numbers where spe-
cific descriptions begin are listed here in the table Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics
of contents. Section One begins on page 9. and Service Technicians ........................................... 17
Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers ............................. 19
Section Two: The Quick Job Search—Seven Steps
to Getting a Good Job in Less Time. This brief Air Traffic Controllers .................................................. 22
but important section offers results-oriented career Animal Care and Service Workers ............................... 25
planning and job search techniques. It includes Announcers ................................................................ 27
tips on identifying your key skills, defining your Artists and Related Workers ........................................ 29
ideal job, using effective job search methods, writ-
Assemblers and Fabricators ........................................ 31
ing resumes, organizing your time, improving your
interviewing skills, and following up on leads. The Athletes, Coaches, Umpires, and Related
second part of this section features professionally Workers ................................................................... 33
written and designed resumes for some of America’s Automotive Body and Related Repairers ..................... 36
top jobs for people without a four-year college de- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics .......... 39
gree. Section Two begins on page 425.
Barbers, Cosmetologists, and Other Personal
Section Three: Important Trends in Jobs and Appearance Workers ............................................... 42
Industries. This section includes two well-written Bill and Account Collectors ......................................... 44
articles on labor market trends. The articles are
Billing and Posting Clerks and Machine Operators ..... 46
short and worth your time. Section Three begins on
page 485. Boilermakers ............................................................... 47
Bookbinders and Bindery Workers .............................. 48
Titles of the articles in Section Three are
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks .......... 50
★ “Tomorrow’s Jobs”
Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons ........... 52
★ “Employment Trends in Major Industries” Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians
and Radio Operators ............................................... 54
Brokerage Clerks ......................................................... 56
Building Cleaning Workers .......................................... 58
Busdrivers ................................................................... 60
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians ............. 63

v
 America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree

Cargo and Freight Agents ........................................... 65 Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers ..... 149
Carpenters .................................................................. 66 Electricians ................................................................ 152
Carpet, Floor, and Tile Installers and Finishers ............ 68 Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment
Cashiers ...................................................................... 71 Installers and Repairers .......................................... 154
Cement Masons, Concrete Finishers, Segmental Elevator Installers and Repairers ............................... 155
Pavers, and Terrazzo Workers .................................. 72 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics ...... 157
Chefs, Cooks, and Food Preparation Workers ............. 75 Engineering Technicians ............................................ 159
Childcare Workers ....................................................... 78 Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers ......... 162
Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and File Clerks .................................................................. 165
Investigators ............................................................ 80 Financial Analysts and Personal Financial Advisors ... 166
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians ...... 84 Financial Clerks ......................................................... 169
Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Firefighting Occupations .......................................... 171
Servicers and Repairers ............................................ 86
Fishers and Fishing Vessel Operators ........................ 174
Communications Equipment Operators ...................... 88
Flight Attendants ...................................................... 176
Computer and Information Systems Managers .......... 90
Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers ..... 178
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine
Food Processing Occupations ................................... 181
Repairers .................................................................. 92
Food Service Managers ............................................. 184
Computer-Control Programmers and Operators ......... 94
Forest, Conservation, and Logging Workers ............. 187
Computer Operators ................................................... 96
Funeral Directors ....................................................... 190
Computer Programmers ............................................. 98
Gaming Cage Workers .............................................. 192
Computer Support Specialists and Systems
Administrators ....................................................... 101 Gaming Services Occupations ................................... 193
Construction and Building Inspectors ....................... 104 Glaziers ..................................................................... 195
Construction Equipment Operators .......................... 107 Grounds Maintenance Workers ................................ 197
Construction Laborers .............................................. 108 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers ..................... 199
Construction Managers ............................................110 Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration
Mechanics and Installers ........................................ 202
Correctional Officers .................................................113
Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service
Cost Estimators .........................................................115
Technicians and Mechanics .................................... 205
Counter and Rental Clerks ........................................118
Home Appliance Repairers ........................................ 208
Couriers and Messengers .......................................... 119
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks ........................ 210
Court Reporters ........................................................120
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and
Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks .................. 122 Timekeeping .......................................................... 211
Customer Service Representatives .............................124 Industrial Machinery Installation, Repair, and
Dancers and Choreographers ................................... 125 Maintenance Workers ............................................ 213
Data Entry and Information Processing Workers ...... 127 Information and Record Clerks ................................. 216
Demonstrators, Product Promoters, and Models ...... 129 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers,
Dental Assistants ...................................................... 132 and Weighers ........................................................ 219
Dental Hygienists ...................................................... 134 Insulation Workers .................................................... 221
Dental Laboratory Technicians .................................. 135 Insurance Sales Agents ............................................. 223
Desktop Publishers ................................................... 137 Interviewers .............................................................. 226
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers ............................139 Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers ...... 228
Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics .................141 Job Opportunities in the Armed Forces .................... 230
Dispatchers ............................................................... 143 Library Assistants, Clerical ......................................... 237
Drafters .....................................................................145 Library Technicians .................................................... 238
Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers .. 147 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses ... 240

vi © 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN

 Contents

Line Installers and Repairers .....................................242 Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers ........ 312
Lodging Managers .................................................... 244 Prepress Technicians and Workers ............................. 315
Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders—Metal Printing Machine Operators ...................................... 318
and Plastic .............................................................246 Private Detectives and Investigators ......................... 320
Machinists ................................................................ 249 Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment
Material Moving Occupations ................................... 251 Specialists .............................................................. 322
Material Recording, Scheduling, Dispatching, Procurement Clerks ................................................... 324
and Distributing Occupations, Except Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks ............ 326
Postal Workers ....................................................... 253 Property, Real Estate, and Community
Medical Assistants .................................................... 257 Association Managers ........................................... 327
Medical Records and Health Information Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing
Technicians ............................................................ 258 Agents ................................................................... 330
Medical Transcriptionists .......................................... 260 Radio and Telecommunications Equipment
Meter Readers, Utilities .............................................262 Installers and Repairers .......................................... 333
Musicians, Singers, and Related Workers .................. 262 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians ................. 335
Nuclear Medicine Technologists ................................ 265 Rail Transportation Occupations ............................... 337
Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides ........... 266 Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents ........................ 340
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Receptionists and Information Clerks ....................... 343
and Technicians .....................................................269 Recreation and Fitness Workers ................................ 344
Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides ............ 271 Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents
Office and Administrative Support Worker and Travel Clerks .................................................... 347
Supervisors and Managers .....................................272 Respiratory Therapists ............................................... 349
Office Clerks, General ............................................... 274 Retail Salespersons ................................................... 350
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians .......................... 275 Roofers ..................................................................... 352
Opticians, Dispensing ............................................... 277 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and
Order Clerks .............................................................. 278 Manufacturing ....................................................... 354
Painters and Paperhangers ....................................... 280 Sales Worker Supervisors .......................................... 356
Painting and Coating Workers, Except Science Technicians ................................................... 359
Construction and Maintenance .............................282 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants ................. 362
Paralegals and Legal Assistants .................................284 Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks .................................287 Sales Agents .......................................................... 364
Personal and Home Care Aides .................................288 Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance
Pest Control Workers ................................................ 290 Officers .................................................................. 367
Pharmacy Aides ........................................................ 292 Semiconductor Processors ........................................ 370
Pharmacy Technicians ............................................... 293 Sheet Metal Workers ................................................. 371
Photographers .......................................................... 295 Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks ..................... 374
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Small Engine Mechanics ........................................... 375
Machine Operators ................................................ 297 Social and Human Service Assistants ........................ 377
Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides .................... 298 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ............... 379
Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Stock Clerks and Order Fillers ................................... 381
Steamfitters ........................................................... 300 Structural and Reinforcing Iron and Metal
Plasterers and Stucco Masons ................................... 302 Workers ................................................................. 382
Police and Detectives ................................................ 304 Surgical Technologists ............................................... 384
Postal Service Workers .............................................. 308 Surveyors, Cartographers, Photogrammetrists,
Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and and Surveying Technicians ..................................... 386
Dispatchers ............................................................ 310

© 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN vii

 America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree

Systems Analysts, Computer Scientists, and Truckdrivers and Driver/Sales Workers ...................... 407
Database Administrators ....................................... 388 Water and Liquid Waste Treatment Plant and
Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs ....................................... 392 System Operators .................................................. 411
Teacher Assistants .....................................................395 Water Transportation Occupations ........................... 413
Television, Video, and Motion Picture Camera Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers,
Operators and Editors ........................................... 397 Recordkeeping ....................................................... 416
Tellers ........................................................................398 Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Workers ................. 417
Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Occupations .......... 400 Woodworkers ........................................................... 419
Tool and Die Makers .................................................404 Writers and Editors ................................................... 421
Travel Agents ............................................................405

viii © 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN

 INTRODUCTION
T his book is about improving your life, not just about selecting a job.
The career you choose will have an enormous impact on how you live
your life.

While a huge amount of information is available on occupations, most

people don’t know where to find accurate, reliable facts to help them make
good career decisions—or they don’t take the time to look. Important
choices such as what to do with your career or whether to get additional
training or education deserve your time.

If you are considering a job change, this book will help with solid informa-
tion. Typically, a higher level of training and education is needed to get
better jobs, but some jobs that offer high pay do not require a four-year
degree. The education, training, skills, and experience needed for the jobs
described in America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree vary
enormously. This book gives you the facts you need for exploring your
options.

A certain type of work or workplace may interest you as much as a certain

type of job. If your interests and values are to work with children, for ex-
ample, you can do this in a variety of work environments, in a variety of
industries, and in a variety of jobs. For this reason, I suggest you begin
exploring alternatives by following your interests and finding a career path
that allows you to use your talents doing something you enjoy.

Also, remember that money is not everything. The time you spend in
career planning can pay off in higher earnings. Being satisfied with your
work—and your life—is often more important than how much you earn.
This book can help you find the work that suits you best.

1
 America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree

Earnings for Year-Round, Full-Time Workers Age 25 and

Over, by Educational Attainment

Keep in Mind That Your Level of Education

Median
Annual
Premium
Over
High
Unem-
ployment

Situation Is Not “Average” Earnings School

Grads
Rate

Professional degree $80,230 $51,423 (179%) 1.3%

While projected employment growth and earnings trends are Doctoral degree $70,476 $41,669 (145%) 1.4%
quite positive for many occupations and industries, keep in
Master’s degree $55,302 $26,495 (92%) 1.6%
mind that the averages in this book will not be true for many
Bachelor’s degree $46,276 $17,469 (61%) 1.9%
individuals. Within any field, some people earn more and
Associate degree $35,389 $6,582 (23%) 2.5%
some less.
Some college, no degree $32,400 $3,593 (12%) 3.2%
My point is this: Your situation is probably not average. Some High school graduate $28,807 —— 4.0%
people do better than others, and some are willing to accept Less than a high school
less pay for a more desirable work environment or for other diploma $21,400 $–7,407 (–25%) 7.1%
reasons. Earnings vary enormously in different parts of the
country, in different occupations, in different industries, and Source: Earnings—U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, PINC-3,
updated 12/2001; Unemployment rate—Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1998 data;
with different employers. But this book’s solid information is Earnings—Bureau of the Census, 1997 data.
a great place to start. Reliable information will give you a strong
foundation for good decisions.
The earnings gap between a college graduate and someone
with a high school education is growing wider and is now
$17,469 a year. That’s enough to buy a nice car, make a down
payment on a house, or even take a month’s vacation for two
to Europe. As you see, over a lifetime, these additional earn-
Four Important Labor ings can make an enormous difference in the college graduate’s
lifestyle.
Market Trends That Will And there is more. Jobs that require a four-year college degree

Affect Your Career are projected to grow about twice as fast as jobs that do not.
Research shows that people with higher educational levels
are less likely to be unemployed and that they remain unem-
Our economy has changed in dramatic ways over the past 10 ployed for shorter periods of time. Overall, the data on
years, with profound effects on how we work and live. Sec- earnings and other criteria indicate that people with more
tion Three of this book provides more information on labor education and training do better than those with less. There
market trends but, in case you don’t read it, here are four are exceptions, of course, but for most people, more educa-
trends that you simply must consider. tion and training results in higher earnings and lower rates of
unemployment.
1. Education and Earnings Are Many jobs can be obtained without a college degree, and some
workers without college degrees earn more than those with
Related degrees. However, most better-paying jobs require either train-
ing beyond high school or substantial work experience.
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that people with
higher levels of education and training have higher average
earnings. The data that follows comes from the Department
2. Knowledge of Computer and Other
of Labor’s Internet site. The site presents the median earnings Technologies Is Increasingly
for people with various levels of education. (The median is
the point where half earn more and half earn less.) The site Important
also indicates the average percentage of people at that educa-
tional level who are unemployed. Based on this information, As you look over the list of jobs in the table of contents, you
I computed the earnings advantage of people at various edu- may notice that many jobs require computer or technical skills.
cation levels compared to people with a high school degree. Even jobs that do not appear to be technical often call for
computer literacy. Managers, for example, are often expected
to understand and use spreadsheet, word-processing, and da-
tabase software.
In all fields, people without job-related technical and com-
puter skills will have a more difficult time finding good
opportunities than people who have these skills. Older work-

2 © 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN

 Introduction

ers, by the way, often do not have the computer skills that
younger workers do. Employers tend to hire the skills they
need, and people without these abilities won’t get the best
jobs. So consider upgrading your job-related computer and
technology skills if you need to—and plan to stay up-to-date
Section One: Descriptions of
on your current and future jobs. 190 Top Jobs for People
3. Ongoing Education and Training Without a Four-Year Degree
Are Essential
Section One is the main part of this book and probably the
School and work once were separate activities, and most reason you picked it up. It contains brief, well-written de-
people did not go back to school after they began working. scriptions for 190 major jobs typically held by people without
But with rapid changes in technology, most people are now four-year college degrees. The content for these job descrip-
required to learn throughout their work lives. Jobs are con- tions comes from the U.S. Department of Labor and is
stantly upgraded, and today’s jobs often cannot be handled considered by many people to be the most accurate and up-
by people who have only the knowledge and skills that were to-date data available. The jobs are presented in alphabetical
adequate for workers a few years ago. To remain competitive, order.
people without technical or computer skills must get them.
Together, the jobs in Section One provide enormous variety
Those who do not will face increasingly limited job options.
at all levels of earnings and training. One way to explore ca-
What this means is that you should plan to upgrade your job reer options is to go through the table of contents and identify
skills throughout your working life. This can include taking jobs that seem interesting. If you are interested in medical
formal courses, or it can mean reading work-related maga- jobs, for example, you can quickly spot those you want to
zines at home, signing up for on-the-job training, and learn more about. You may also see other jobs that look inter-
participating in other forms of education. Upgrading your esting, and you should consider those as well.
work-related skills on an ongoing basis is no longer optional
Next, read the descriptions for the jobs that interest you and,
for most jobs, and you ignore doing so at your peril.
based on what you learn, identify those that most interest
you. Those are the jobs you should consider. Sections
4. Good Career Planning Has Two and Three give you additional information on how best
to do so.
Increased in Importance
Each occupational description in this book follows a stan-
Most people spend more time watching TV in a week than dard format, making it easier for you to compare jobs. The
they spend on career planning during an entire year. Yet most following overview describes the kinds of information found
people will change their jobs many times and make major in each part of a description and offers tips on how to inter-
career changes five to seven times. pret the information.

While you probably picked up this book for its information

on jobs, it also provides a great deal of information on career Job Title
planning. For example, Section Two gives good career and
This is the title used for the job in the Occupational Outlook
job search advice, and Section Three has useful information
Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor.
on labor market trends. I urge you to read these and related
materials, because career-planning and job-seeking skills are
the keys to surviving in this new economy. Numbers
The numbers following the job title refer to closely related
job titles from the Occupational Information Network
(O*NET). The O*NET was developed by the U.S. Department
of Labor to replace the older Dictionary of Occupational Titles
Information on the Major (DOT). Like the DOT in the past, the O*NET is used by state
employment service offices to classify applicants and job open-
Sections of This Book ings, and by a variety of career information systems. You can
get additional information on the related O*NET titles on the
Internet at www.onetcenter.org or at www.careerOINK.com.
I want this book to be easy to use. In the table of contents, I Reference books that provide O*NET descriptions include the
provide brief comments on each section, and that may be all O*NET Dictionary of Occupational Titles and the Enhanced Oc-
you need. If not, here are some additional details you may cupational Outlook Handbook, both published by JIST
find useful in getting the most out of this book. Publishing. Your librarian can help you find these books.

© 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN 3

 America’s Top Jobs for People Without a Four-Year Degree

Significant Points Training, Other Qualifications, and

The bullet points in this part of a description highlight key Advancement
characteristics for each job, such as recent trends or educa-
tion and training requirements. After you know what a job is all about, you need to under-
stand how to train for it. This section describes the most
significant sources of training, including the training preferred
Nature of the Work by employers, the typical length of training, and advance-
This part of the description discusses what workers typically ment possibilities. Job skills are sometimes acquired through
high school, informal on-the-job training, formal training (in-
do in a particular job. Individual job duties may vary by in-
cluding apprenticeships), the armed forces, home study,
dustry or employer. For instance, workers in larger firms tend
to be more specialized, whereas those in smaller firms often hobbies, or previous work experience. For example, experi-
ence is particularly important for many sales jobs. Many
have a wider variety of duties. Most occupations have several
professional and technical jobs, on the other hand, require
levels of skills and responsibilities through which workers
may progress. Beginners may start as trainees performing rou- formal postsecondary education—postsecondary vocational
or technical training, or college, postgraduate, or professional
tine tasks under close supervision. Experienced workers
education.
usually undertake more difficult tasks and are expected to
perform with less supervision. This section of the job description also mentions desirable
skills, aptitudes, and personal characteristics. For some entry-
In this part of a description, you will also find information
level jobs, personal characteristics are more important than
about the influence of technological advancements on the
way work is done. For example, the Internet allows purchas- formal training. Employers generally seek people who com-
municate well, compute accurately, think logically, learn
ing agents to acquire supplies with a click of the mouse, saving
quickly, get along with others, and demonstrate dependabil-
time and money.
ity.
This part also discusses emerging specialties. For instance,
Some occupations require certification or licensing to enter
webmasters—who are responsible for all the technical aspects
the field, to advance, or to practice independently. Certifica-
involved in operating a website—comprise a specialty within
systems analysts, computer scientists, and database adminis- tion or licensing generally involves completing courses and
passing examinations. More and more occupations require
trators.
continuing education or skill improvement to keep up with
the changing economy or to improve advancement opportu-
Working Conditions nities.

This part of the description identifies the typical hours

worked, the workplace environment, physical activities, risk Job Outlook
of injury, special equipment, and the extent of travel required.
In planning for the future, you must consider potential job
For example, police and detectives are susceptible to injury,
while paralegals and legal assistants have high job-related opportunities. This section of a job description indicates what
factors will result in growth or decline in the number of jobs.
stress. Radiologic technologists and technicians may wear
In some cases, the description mentions that an occupation
protective clothing or equipment; construction laborers do
physically demanding work; and flight attendants travel regu- is likely to provide numerous job openings or relatively few
openings. Occupations which are large and have high turn-
larly.
over, such as insurance sales agents, generally provide the most
In many occupations, people work regular business hours— job openings, reflecting the need to replace workers who trans-
40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. In other fer to other occupations or who stop working.
occupations, they do not. For example, sales worker supervi-
Some statements discuss the relationship between the num-
sors often work evenings and weekends. Work settings can
range from a hospital, to a mall, to an off-shore oil rig. ber of jobseekers and the number of job openings. In some
occupations, there is a rough balance between jobseekers and
openings, whereas other occupations are characterized by
Employment shortages or surpluses. Limited training facilities, salary regu-
lations, or undesirable aspects of the work—as in the case of
This section reports the number of jobs the occupation re- social and human service assistants—can cause shortages of
cently provided and the key industries where these jobs are entrants. On the other hand, glamorous or potentially high-
found. When significant, the geographic distribution of jobs paying occupations, such as actors or musicians, generally
and the proportion of part-time (less than 35 hours a week) have surpluses of jobseekers. Variation in job opportunities
and self-employed workers in the occupation are mentioned. by industry, size of firm, or geographic location also may be
Self-employed workers accounted for nearly eight percent of discussed. Even in crowded fields, job openings do exist. Good
the work force but were concentrated in a small number of students or well qualified individuals should not be deterred
occupations, such as carpenters, photographers, and farm- from undertaking training or seeking entry.
ers.

4 © 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN

 Introduction

Susceptibility to layoffs due to imports, slowdowns in eco-

nomic activity, technological advancements, or budget cuts
Related Occupations
are also addressed in this section. For example, employment Occupations involving similar duties, skills, interests, educa-
of real estate brokers and sales agents is sensitive to slowdowns tion, and training are listed here. This allows you to look up
in the economy, while employment of tool and die makers is these jobs, if they interest you.
sensitive to technological advancements.

Key Phrases Used in the Descriptions Sources of Additional Information

This box explains how to interpret the key phrases that de- No single publication can completely describe all aspects of
scribe projected changes in employment. It also explains the an occupation. Thus, this section lists mailing addresses for
terms for the relationship between the number of job open- associations, government agencies, unions, and other orga-
ings and the number of job seekers. The descriptions of this nizations that can provide occupational information. In some
relationship in a particular occupation reflect the knowledge cases, toll-free phone numbers and Internet addresses also are
and judgment of economists in the Bureau’s Office of Occu- listed. These are provided for your convenience and do not
pational Statistics and Employment Projections. constitute an endorsement. Free or relatively inexpensive
publications offering more information may be mentioned.
Changing Employment Between 2000 and 2010 Some of these are available in libraries, school career centers,
guidance offices, or on the Internet.
If the statement reads: Employment is projected to:
Grow much faster than average Increase 36 percent or more
Grow faster than average Increase 21 to 35 percent
Grow about as fast as average Increase 10 to 20 percent
Grow more slowly than average Increase 3 to 9 percent Section Two: The Quick
Little or no change
Decline
Increase 0 to 2 percent
Decrease 1 percent or more
Job Search —Seven Steps
Opportunities and Competition for Jobs to Getting a Good Job
If the statement reads: Job openings compared to
job seekers may be:
in Less Time
Very good to excellent More numerous
opportunities For more than 20 years now, I’ve been interested in helping
people find better jobs in less time. If you have ever experi-
Good or favorable opportunities In rough balance
enced unemployment, you know it is not pleasant.
May face keen competition or Fewer Unemployment is something most people want to get over
can expect keen competition quickly—in fact, the quicker the better. Section Two will give
you some techniques to help.

Earnings I know that most of you who read this book want to improve
yourselves. You want to consider career and training options
This section discusses typical earnings and how workers are that lead to a better job and life in whatever way you define
compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, this—better pay, more flexibility, more-enjoyable or more-
piece rates, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earn- meaningful work, proving to your mom that you really can
ings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, do anything you set your mind to, and so on. That is why I
and geographic area. Earnings data from the Bureau of Labor include advice on career planning and job search in the first
Statistics and, in some cases, from outside sources are included. part of Section Two. It’s a short section, but it includes the
Data may cover the entire occupation or a specific group basics that are most important in planning your career and in
within the occupation. reducing the time it takes to get a job. I hope it will make you
think about what is important to you in the long run.
Benefits account for a significant portion of total compensa-
tion costs to employers. Benefits such as paid vacation, health The second part of Section Two showcases professionally writ-
insurance, and sick leave may not be mentioned because they ten resumes for some of America’s top jobs for people without
are so widespread. Employers may offer other, less-traditional a four-year degree. Use these as examples when creating your
benefits, such as flexible hours and profit-sharing plans to resume.
attract and retain highly qualified workers. Less-common ben-
efits also include childcare, tuition for dependents, housing I know you will resist completing the activities in Section Two,
assistance, summers off, and free or discounted merchandise but consider this: It is often not the best person who gets the
or services. job, but the best job seeker. People who do their career plan-
ning and job search homework often get jobs over those with
better credentials, because they have these distinct advantages:

© 2003 ● JIST Works ● Indianapolis, IN 5

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