Career Mapping

These days, I frequently meet people with very interesting job titles, most recently a “Chief People Connector” for an executive recruiting firm. I think she may also have been the founder and CEO but she did not use those titles. Even when I meet people with more traditional titles, I often have no idea what their job entails or what skills and credentials were required to get there. I may have found a place to find the answers.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a book each year called the “Occupational Outlook Handbook.” How did I not know about this resource until this week? It’s freely available on-line and searchable. I looked up my old career running a biomedical research lab and the content and career path were incredibly accurate. Importantly, it describes how one spends their day and what credentials, training, and skills are needed to succeed at the job. Fun.