O*NET, the Occupational Information Network, is replacing the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) as a source of occupational information. O*NET is a database—not a book, like the DOT. This database has the qualities of both an interactive library and a language.

Serving as a library for information on the working world, O*NET allows everyone to access data on job characteristics and worker attributes. It includes information on the knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, preparation, contexts, and tasks associated with 1,122 O*NET occupations.

Like a spoken language, O*NET acts as a medium for exchanging information. Workers benefit by exploring career options and learning which skills employers seek for specific types of work. Employers identify necessary skills to increase the efficiency of recruitment and training. Educational planners need O*NET to design instructional programs that teach the skills demanded in the workplace.

O*NET has an organizing structure and a distinct vocabulary. An overview of the birth of O*NET precedes a more detailed look at its structure and content. Discussion of software applications that build upon O*NET follows. A final section tells how to obtain O*NET products. The table on page 4 and the diagram on page 5 highlight key points, and the sidebar starting on page 6 gives details on O*NET skills.

Why O*NET?
The Dictionary of Occupational Titles, first published in 1938, emerged in an industrial economy and emphasized blue-collar jobs. Updated periodically, the DOT provided useful occupational information for many years. But its usefulness waned as the economy shifted toward information and services and away from heavy industry. The need for occupational information that is more relevant to the modern workplace spurred the creation of O*NET.

Download pdf Replace with a database: O*NET replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles