To help you use this site to identify rewarding careers, and resources to help you pursue them, check out this short video. It describes key features along with quick instructions for getting started.
Promising Occupations Explainer Video
FAQs
Do you have a question about the website and how it works? Answers to some frequently asked questions relating to Site Access, Identifying Promising Occupations, Finding Jobs, Locating Training and more are shown below.
Accessing the Promising Careers Site
- How can I access the Promising Careers website?
You can access the website at promising-careers.org on a computer, tablet, or mobile device with internet access. To navigate back to the Home page, click “Home” on the top bar.
- How can I access the Promising Careers website in Spanish?
From any page of the website, click the button “Español” to access the website in Spanish. Click “English” to switch back to English. You can also access the website in Spanish at promising-careers.org/es.
Identifying Promising Occupations
- What is a promising occupation?
Promising occupations are occupations that pay an average of $15 per hour or more, are projected to grow over the next 10 years, require only short-term training, and have many job openings in the geographic area being searched. Promising occupations are indicated on this site with a star, like the image below.
- Are all occupations on this website considered “promising”?
All occupations on this website pay an average of $15 per hour or more and are projected to grow over the next 10 years. However, an occupation is marked as a promising occupation if, in addition to wage and growth criteria, it requires only short-term training and has many job openings in the geographic area(s) being searched. Promising occupations are indicated with a star like the image below.
- How can I find a list of promising occupations?
You can find promising occupations on the Search Occupations page. Move the slider by “Show only promising occupations” left to limit results to occupations that meet the requirement of “promising.”
All occupations on the website pay an average of $15 per hour or more and are projected to grow over the next 10 years. However, an occupation is marked as a promising occupation if, in addition to pay and growth potential, it requires only short-term training and has many job openings. The list of promising occupations might be different depending on the geographic area you search (national, state or territory, or local area) because some occupations have many job openings in certain states or local areas but not others, and the average pay for an occupation varies geographically.
Searching on the Promising Occupations Site
- How do I get started searching for occupations using the Promising Occupations site?
You can start your search on the Home page or the Search Occupations page. On the Home page, you can start your search in one of four ways:
- Using “Browse by Occupational Type” to select an occupational type
- Using “Browse by Hourly Wage” to define the minimum and maximum hourly wage of interest
- Using “Browse by Level of Education” to select the highest level of education required for the occupation
- Selecting your state using the map or the state dropdown.
On the Search Occupations page, the search will automatically show you occupations in the United States listed in alphabetical order. You can customize your search using filters.
- How can I use the search filters?
Search filters are selections you can make on the site to refine your search. These filters can help you find occupations that match your field of interest, level of education, state and local area, and more.
You can find filters for state or local area, occupational type, hourly wage, and education requirement on the Home page and Search Occupations page. On the Search Occupations page, you can also click “More filters” to find filters for occupational keyword, projected job growth, annual job openings, work experience, and on-the-job training.
Below is a list of how each filter can be used:
- The state or local area filter will allow you to select a specific state or local area to find occupations. States with local information have a plus sign to the left of their name in the drop-down menu. Click on the plus sign to expand the list of local areas and select your local area(s) of interest. You can only select one state or local area at a time.
- The occupational type filter will allow you to select fields of interest, such as Architecture & Construction or Finance. You can select multiple occupational types.
- The hourly wage filter will allow you to define the minimum and maximum hourly wage of interest.
- The education requirement filter will allow you to filter based on the highest level of education required for the occupation. You can select multiple requirements. For example, if you are looking for occupations that require no more than a high school diploma or GED, you could select No formal education credential and High school diploma or equivalent.
- The occupation keyword filter will allow you to search for key terms in the occupation title. For example, you could type in “computer” to find occupations that include the word computer in their titles.
- The projected job growth filter will allow you to select the minimum projected job growth in your area. For example, you could search for occupations that are projected to grow by at least 10 percent over the next 10 years.
- The annual job openings filter will allow you to select the minimum annual jobs openings in your area.
- The work experience filter will allow you to select the minimum amount of work experience required for the occupation. You can select multiple options. For example, if you are looking for occupations that require no more than 5 years of experience you could select None and Less than 5 years.
- The on-the-job training filter will allow you to select the required amount of on-the-job training. You can select multiple options.
You can filter by some, none, or all of the filter categories. Click “Apply filters” after selecting your options to see your search results.
- How can I customize my search?
You can customize your search from the Home page or the Search Occupations page. On the Home page, you can refine your search by using the “Browse by Occupational Type” to select an occupational type, using the “Browse by Hourly Wage” to define the minimum and maximum hourly wage of interest, using the “Browse by Level of Education” to select the highest level of education required for the occupation, or selecting your state using the map or state dropdown. Once you select an option and click “Search,” you will be taken to the Search Occupations page where you will find a list of occupations that fit your selected criteria. You can also select additional filters to refine your search.
On the Search Occupations page, you can select state or local area, occupation type, hourly wage, or education requirements. You can also click “More filters” to display filters for occupation keyword, projected job growth, annual job openings, work experience, and on-the-job training requirements. You can filter by some, none, or all of the filter categories. Click “Apply filters” after selecting your options to see your customized search results.
- How can I find the highest-paying occupations?
On the Search Occupations page, occupations are sorted alphabetically by default. You can sort by the highest- to the lowest paying-occupation that meets your other search criteria by clicking the drop-down menu under “Sort by” and selecting “Hourly wage (max – min).”
- Where can I find information about occupations in my state or territory?
From the Home page, scroll down to the map and click on your state or territory or select it from the drop-down menu and click “Search.” The search results will include all of the occupations in your state or territory that pay an average of $15 per hour or more and are projected to grow. Promising occupations, which have a star next to them, will appear first in the results.
You can also access this information from the Search Occupations page. Click on the drop-down menu under “Search by state and local area” to select your state or territory and click “Apply filters” to see occupations in your state or territory that pay an average of $15 per hour or more and are projected to grow.
- Where can I find information about occupations in a local area?
Some states and territories include local information. From the Search Occupations page, click on the drop-down menu under “Search by state and local area.” States with local information have a plus sign to the left of their name in the drop-down menu. Click on the plus sign to expand the list of local areas, select your local area, and click “Apply filters” to see occupations in your local area that pay an average of $15 or more per hour and are projected to grow.
- Which states or territories does the site have local information on?
The Promising Occupations website includes local information for six states—Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Oregon—that provide occupational projections and wages for local areas such as counties or regions. More details on the data sources can be found on the Data and Methods page.
- I have a high school diploma or GED. How can I find occupations that do not require more education or long-term training?
On the Search Occupations page, click on the drop-down menu under “Search by state and local area” and select your state or territory. Then click on the drop-down menu under “Education requirements” to select “High school diploma or equivalent” and click “Apply filters” to see occupations in your state or territory that require a high school diploma or GED, pay an average of $15 or more per hour, and are projected to grow.
- How can I start my search over or reset the search filters?
If you would like to start a new search or see more occupations, you can either adjust your filters and click “Apply filters” or click “Reset filters” to reset all filters and start your search over.
- What if my search shows “No occupations found”?
If your search results show “No occupations found” that means there are no occupations that meet all of the criteria of your filters. You can adjust or reset your search filters to conduct another search.
Finding Jobs
- How can I use this site to start a job search?
Use the search filters on the Home page or the Search Occupations page to find an occupation that matches your search criteria. Select an occupation and click on its title. You can find job openings in your state or territory by scrolling to the bottom of the occupation page and selecting “Find Jobs.” This will take you to CareerOneStop.org, which will list job openings available in your state (or local area, if available) for the selected occupation.
- I need a job now! I’m not really interested in pay or job-growth prospects. Is this site for me?
This website was created to identify promising occupations that are attainable through short-term education or training and are projected to grow with family-sustaining wages. It is not structured to connect users to any job as soon as possible (for example, to meet work or activity requirements of assistance programs like TANF).
- How can I use this website to find a job that pays a higher wage?
All of the occupations on the website pay an average of $15 or more per hour. On the Search Occupations page, click on the drop-down menu under “Search by state and local area” select your state or territory, and click on “Apply filters” to see occupations in your state or territory that pay an average of $15 or more per hour and are projected to grow. You can also change the hourly wage filter by moving the slider from the left ($15) to the right (your minimum desired wage). Click on “Apply filters” to see occupations that pay your minimum desired hourly wage in your state and territory and are projected to grow. Select an occupation you are interested in, click on its title, and scroll down the page to click the button “Find jobs.” This link will take you to the CareerOneStop website, which shows recent job postings in your state or territory for your selected occupation.
- How can I retrieve my search results or share what I find?
You can email a link to your customized search results by clicking “Share these results” on the right-hand side of the Search Occupations page. An automated email will open in your default email application that contains the unique link to your customized search result, where you can enter the recipient list and add a message. For example, if you are searching for a client you could enter your client’s email address and a message to them. You can also print a hard copy of the search results or occupation details by clicking “Print” on the top left side of the search page, or occupation profile page.
Locating Training Opportunities, Apprenticeships, and Certifications
- How can I use this site to find training opportunities?
Use the search filters on the Home page or the Search Occupations page to find an occupation that matches your search criteria. Select an occupation and click on its title. You can find training opportunities in your state or territory by scrolling to the bottom of the occupation page and selecting “Find Trainings.” This will open a link at CareerOneStop.org with a list of trainings available in your state (or local area, if available) for the selected occupation.
You can also find more information about CareerOneStop on the Getting Started page.
- Where can I find information on certifications?
Use the search filters on the Home page or the Search Occupations page to find an occupation that matches your search criteria. Select an occupation and click on its title. You can find certifications related to the occupation by scrolling to the bottom of the occupation page and selecting “Find Certifications.” This will open a link at CareerOneStop.org with a list of certifications available for the occupation you selected.
You can also find a link and more information about CareerOneStop on the Getting Started page.
- Where can I find apprenticeship opportunities?
Use the search filters from the Home page or the Search Occupations page to find an occupation that matches your search criteria. Select an occupation and click on its title. You can find apprenticeship opportunities in your state or territory by scrolling to the bottom of the occupation page and selecting “Find Apprenticeships.” This will take you to Apprenticeship.gov, which will have a list of apprenticeship programs available in your state (or local area, if available) that are related to the selected occupation.
You can also find a link and more information about Apprenticeship.gov on the Getting Started page.
Helpful links
Here are links to additional resources to support career exploration:
This website provides detailed information at the national, state, and local levels on education and training programs and jobs. You’ll also find self-assessments to identify your interests and skills, guidance on resumes and job applications, and tips for people considering career changes, including workers with disabilities, veterans, entry-level workers, and workers age 55 and older.
This website highlights apprenticeship programs and jobs by occupation and industry. Using the Apprenticeship Job Finder tool, you can customize your search for apprenticeship opportunities in a specific location or at a specific company, filter and sort results, and find direct links to apply for opportunities.
This website provides detailed occupational information on nearly 1,000 occupations across the country. It includes characteristics about occupations such as the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed and detailed work activities and tasks that people in those occupations typically complete. Salary information for each occupation is also available, along with links to local job opportunities that include title, company, location, and date posted.
These websites show the mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities in a career; careers within industries; and questions to help you identify the type of work you might enjoy. You can search careers by keyword or browse by industry and identify common career options.
Career Trajectories and Occupational Transitions Dashboard
This dashboard from the U.S. Department of Labor shows data on typical wage trajectories by occupation; wage growth over three, five, and 10 years; and career trajectories and occupational transitions over three, five, and 10 years.
Identifying and Combating Bias in TANF-Funded Employment Services
This brief describes how both individual and structural biases can influence the employment services provided by TANF programs and the interactions between employment services staff and participants. The brief also provides concrete strategies that individual staff members providing employment services and TANF program leaders can adopt and implement to combat biases at an organizational and individual level when working with participants.