5 Old-school Job Market Information Sources: Don’t let AI fool you.

Years ago, my dad lectured me on the difference between precision and accuracy. He told me I could get very precise information, such as an exact measurement, which is not correct.

Similar logic applies to output from AI. Your favorite AI may generate precise information. But it is not always right. For example, when I asked an AI for a summary on a certain topic it responded with a detailed report that included misleading information. The AI appeared to be picking up incorrect information from blogs and other sources that are not recognized as authoritative.

It is vital to cite authoritative sources at job interviews and use reliable job market data when planning your search. A few of the resources I have referred to when writing posts or helping clients include:

1. US Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Employment Projections Website,
2. Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) Website,
3. Occupational Information Network (O*Net) Website,
4. State and local websites, and
5. Company websites.

Jobseekers will glean accurate and useful information quickly using the links and suggestions we’ll provide. Keep in mind, though, that websites and links change often, so look further, and then let us know when a link does not work.

Employment Projections Website

The USDOL’s Employment Projections (EP) Website is one of my favorite sources of information for looking at the future of the job market. This blog, and our Guide to the Post-pandemic Job Market posted several years ago have cited EP tables. The tables we used for the post-pandemic report included:

• Table 1.3 Fastest growing occupations, 2021 and projected 2031
• Table 1.4 Occupations with the most job growth, 2021 and projected 2031
• Table 1.5 Fastest declining occupations, 2021 and projected 2031
• Table 1.6 Occupations with the largest job declines, 2021 and projected 2031.

These tables have been updated since I used those cited above for my report.

 You will find DOL tables like these especially useful for at least two reasons. First, the USDOL EP Website continues to provide these tables in an Excel workbook file you can download at no cost, along with information on the Department’s research methodology. Also, data on each occupation in the tables is indexed back to its entry in an authoritative database called O*Net via its “National Employment Matrix” code. The code is not a hyperlink on the Website, although your favorite search engine will take you to the correct O*Net page almost as quickly. The data is not manipulated or interpreted by AI.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

A reference work known as the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) has been a “go to” source of information for me since my college advisor showed it to me back in high school. It was a thick reference book then and is available as an online resource at no cost today.

You’ll find that the OOH is a quick way to learn about an occupation. For example, the entry for Web Designers and Digital Designers has tabs covering:

• What they do,
• Work environment,
• How to become one,
• Pay,
• Job outlook,
• State and area data, and
• Similar occupations.

Additionally, this entry includes a video about the occupation. That’s great for jobseekers who prefer learning from YouTube videos instead of reading text.

The Occupational Information Network (O*Net)

When I started working as a career advisor in the 1990s, one of the first reference books I looked for in the office was the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). The office copy was old because, I soon learned, it was being replaced by a system called O*Net. The O*Net program, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, describes itself as “the nation’s primary source of occupational information.” According to its Website, the O*Net database, has “hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors on almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated from input by a broad range of workers in each occupation.”

Resume writers and career coaches value the site because it is a free source of keywords and skills that can be included on resumes and other career marketing content.

Another useful function is that you can enter a military occupational specialty (MOS) code into a search box and get information about the job’s civilian equivalent. It’s a challenge to describe military assignments in ways that civilian employers will understand and appreciate, and then to explain them at interviews. As a result, an MOS to civilian “crosswalk” is, in my opinion, a handy tool.

So, you can find much of the national-level career exploration information you need with just a few clicks or taps.

State and Local Websites

Most of us do localized job searches. National-level data does not necessarily tell us what is happening in our local job market. Fortunately, your state probably has local information online, too. For example, New York State’s Department of Labor publishes statewide data on its website, including specific data for the New York City Region.

Company Websites

While government websites are useful for broad job market research, you will want detailed and specific data on companies you are interviewing with. The best source for information about an employer is often its own public website. Publicly traded companies, and even many smaller firms, will post a great deal of information on the organization’s mission and values, bios of senior officers, press releases, podcasts, and videos, and a wealth of data about its products and services. Companies that are publicly held also publish audited financial statements and other data.

Although company websites are not unbiased data sources, it is important to read them thoroughly before your interview. You can try to confirm information on the website through employees and former employees you contact through LinkedIn or your own personal network.

Concluding Comments

Job interviews are high-stake meetings that can change your life. Go into those meetings with accurate and reliable information at your fingertips. About the broader job market, government websites and statistics continue to be useful despite political noise to the contrary. We encourage you to trace the information in AI summaries back to primary sources whenever possible to avoid costly and embarrassing errors.