Most career changes go wrong at the research stage, not the application stage. People pick a job title that sounds right, sign up for training, and only then discover what the daily work involves or that local employers want something different. Free government resources can prevent a lot of that. This note explains how to use the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*NET and state labor market data together, and what each source can and cannot tell you.
What the Occupational Outlook Handbook covers
The Handbook is published by BLS. According to its FAQ page, it provides information on what workers do, the work environment, education and training, pay, job outlook, state and area data and similar occupations, in more than 300 occupational profiles covering about 4 out of 5 jobs in the economy. BLS says job outlook and wage data are updated annually, while profile details are updated on a rolling basis.
BLS is also clear about what it does not do: it "does not provide specific career guidance or advice," does not collect data on starting salaries, and does not have specific licensing requirements because those vary by state.
Step 1: read the whole profile, not just the pay tab
Each Handbook profile is split into tabs. Read them in this order:
- What They Do and Work Environment. Is this the daily work you imagined? Note schedules, physical demands, travel and typical workplaces.
- How to Become One. This describes the education, training, licensing and experience typically needed to enter. It is often the most important tab for a career changer.
- Pay. Median wages are useful context but are not a starting salary.
- Job Outlook. Projected change over the projections decade.
- State and Area Data and Similar Occupations.
Write down anything that surprises you. Surprises are what this research is for.
Step 2: understand the outlook language
The Handbook uses standard phrases for projected employment change. For the 2025 to 2035 projections, BLS defines them like this: "grow much faster than the average" means an increase of 7 percent or more; "faster than the average," 5 to 6 percent; "about as fast as the average," 3 to 4 percent; "slower than the average," 1 to 2 percent; "little or no change," between a 1 percent decrease and a 1 percent increase; and "decline," a decrease of 1 percent or more.
BLS also explains why fast growth and many new jobs are different things. Its example: an occupation of 2,000 workers growing 20 percent adds 400 jobs, while an occupation of one million growing 5 percent adds 50,000. For a career changer, the number of openings in your area often matters more than the percentage.
Step 3: read wages carefully
Handbook pay figures come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. BLS notes that these estimates cover wages and salaries only. They exclude self-employed people and do not include employer-paid benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. Each OEWS page also offers 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentile wages. As someone entering a field, look at the lower percentiles and at your state or metro area rather than the national median.
Step 4: use O*NET for the task-level detail
O*NET OnLine, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, describes occupations at a finer level: specific tasks, tools and technology, knowledge, skills, abilities and work context. It is ideal for checking whether your experience transfers. Open the profile for your target occupation and:
- copy the list of tasks and mark the ones you have done in any setting,
- note the tools and software listed and which ones you already know,
- read work context items such as time pressure, contact with others and physical activity.
The tasks you have already done become evidence for your résumé and interviews. The skill map in the scenario lab helps you organise them, and our transferable skills note explains how to describe them honestly.
Step 5: check your state and local market
National data can hide large local differences. BLS points to two local sources: OEWS estimates for states and metropolitan areas, and state occupation projections developed by each state's employment security agency and collected at Projections Central. Your state's labor market information website may also show local job postings data.
Then do your own check: save ten current postings for the role in your area and list the requirements that repeat. If nearly every posting asks for a specific license, certification or years of experience, that is your real entry bar.
Step 6: confirm licensing separately
Many occupations require state licenses or certifications, and BLS does not track the details. CareerOneStop's License Finder lets you search requirements by state and occupation. Always confirm with the licensing agency itself before paying for training, because rules and approved programs change.
Step 7: talk to people doing the work
Data tells you what is typical. People tell you what it is like. After your research, arrange two or three short conversations with people in the role; our informational interview guide has questions to ask. Bring what you learned from the Handbook and ask whether it matches their experience locally.
Putting it together
By the end, you should be able to write one page for each target role covering daily tasks, typical entry route, local requirements, a realistic local wage range for newcomers, outlook and the evidence you already have. If you cannot fill a section, that is your next research task. When the page looks promising, test it in a small way before committing; our note on testing before leaping suggests how.
Evidence to gather next
- Pick two target occupations and read their full Handbook profiles, including How to Become One.
- Open the matching O*NET page and list the five tasks you would do most often.
- Check your state's labor market information for local wages and projections.
- Save ten real local job postings and note the requirements that repeat.
The Handbook says an occupation will grow much faster than average. Does that mean I will find a job easily?
Not necessarily. BLS growth descriptions are national projections over a decade. A fast growth rate in a small occupation may add relatively few jobs, and conditions in your area and for entry-level candidates can differ. Use the projection as one piece of evidence beside local job postings and conversations with people in the work.