Understanding the World of Work

Almost every society embraces a large variety of careers. It will be unrealistic to pursue the detailed knowledge of each one of them. Nevertheless, careers can be grouped into six general types on the basis of their similarity in nature. You may first identity the type of work that matches you before going into more specific details.

Realistic Occupations

Investigative Occupations

Artistic Occupations

Social Occupations

Enterprising Occupations

Conventional OccupaStions

The six-category scheme mentioned above is a general concept. In the real world, it is hard to make this kind of all-or-nothing differentiation. Each job involves duties of multiple natures. A job analysis of a creative director in an advertising agency can illustrate this point. You will notice that this position offers an A-E-S type of work.

  Creative Director  
Dominant Duty
Designing and launching advertising campaigns; building brands
  Secondary Duty
Coordinating and leading team members in the entire development process
  Other Characteristics
Working with clients, team members from different departments and other partners, e.g., models
 
 
Artistic   Enterprising   Social
 
 
(A)   (E)   (S)

The above profile of a creative director gives a much more accurate reflection of the skills and mentality that the job asks for. This job can be coded as A-E-S, of which the sub-codes are arranged in the descending order of dominance. The three-letter code means that the work of a creative director is artistic in nature most of all, that it involves enterprising characteristics somewhat less, and social characteristics still less.

The following are common job openings under the six occupation types. You may try to apply the above coding mechanism and figure out their secondary subtypes.

R - Realistic Occupations
Automobile Mechanic Painter Piano Tuner Warehouse Worker
Broadcast & Sound Technician Jeweler Air-
conditioning Technician
Cook
Sailor Bus Driver Dental Technician Machine Operator


I - Investigative Occupations

Airplane Navigator Electronic Technician Doctor Computer Programmer
X-ray Technician Quality Control Technician Pharmacist Pilot
Laboratory Tester Optometrist Chemist Market-
research Assistant


A - Artistic Occupations

Fashion Designer Photographer Copywriter Actor/Actress
Interior Designer Conductor Dancer Painter
Music Teacher Architect Fashion Model Drama Teacher


S - Social Occupations

Journalist History Teacher Nurse Police Officer
Librarian School Social Worker Dormitory Supervisor Children’s Tutor
Bartender Driving Instructor Lifeguard Athletic Coach


E - Enterprising Occupations

Fashion Buyer Sales Representative Stockbroker Insurance Sales Agent
Travel Guide Insurance Investigator Real Estate Sales Agent Administration Assistant
Credit Analyst Human Resources Manager Merchandiser Sales Manager


C - Conventional Occupations

Office Clerk Secretary Bookkeeper Data Entry Clerk
Bank Teller Accounting Clerk Cashier Library Assistant
Receptionist Proofreader Office Assistant Ticket Office Worker

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