Occupational Outlook Quarterly ● Summer 1999 41
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by Jon Sargent
Jon Sargent is a supervisory economist in the
Office of Employment Projections, BLS, (202)
606-5722.
Finish high school. Nearly every job
requires basic communication and math
skills. Compared to workers at higher
education levels, high school dropouts
have more difficulty getting and
keeping jobs. They also have lower
earnings throughout their lives.
Consider continuing your
education. The more education you
get, the higher your earnings are likely to
be. On average, high school graduates
earn more than high school
dropouts. Those who receive
postsecondary training earn more
than high school dropouts and
graduates. And workers who have
bachelor’s or higher degrees usually
earn more than those with less
education.
Research career information. A
small investment of your time will help
you make an informed career choice
that could pay dividends throughout
your life. There are hundreds of
occupations, so choosing and plan-
ning a career is a lot more complex
than it may appear. The ideal career
for you might be something you’ve
never heard of or thought about. The
Occupational Outlook Handbook and
other career publications are loaded
with helpful information.
Plan your career. Seek out informa-
tion about occupations with favorable
career prospects, high earnings, and
other attributes that are important to
you. Having a solid career plan can
affect your future prospects more
than how much education you have.
True, college study increases oppor-
tunities for careers with above-
average earnings—but not in all
fields. Good opportunities await
workers without college degrees
who spend several years learning a
sought-after skill or craft.
Develop basic computer skills.
Take advantage of every opportunity to
acquire computer proficiency. Regard-
less of whether you continue your
education beyond high school,
chances are that you will need at
least minimal computer skills to do
your job.
Value your personal interests
and abilities. You s