Understanding Work Using the Occupational Information Network (O*net): Implications for Practice and Research

The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) has recently been developed as a replacement for the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. As a comprehensive system designed to describe occupations, the O*NET incorporates the last 60 years of knowledge about the nature of jobs and work. This article summarizes its development and validation by first discussing how the O*NET used multiple descriptors to provide “multiple windows” on the world of work, utilized cross‐job descriptors to provide a common language to describe different jobs, and used a hierarchical taxonomic approach to occupational descriptors. Second, we provide an overview of the O*NET's Content Model of descriptor domains (i.e., worker characteristics, worker requirements, occupational requirements, experience requirements, occupation characteristics, and occupation‐specific requirements) and their potential uses. Third, we discuss some of the technical issues surrounding the O*NET Finally, we discuss some of the implications for research and theory, as well as some limitations of the O*NET system.