When choosing a career, jobseekers often want to know which occupations offer the best prospects. Generally, occupations that have rapid job growth, many new jobs, or many job openings--and good wages--promise better opportunities. This article shows how employment in particular occupations is projected to change over the 2008-2018 decade. The…

The economy's need for workers originates in the demand for the goods and services that they provide. So, to project employment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) starts by projecting the gross domestic product (GDP) for 2018. GDP is the value of the final goods produced and services provided in the United States. Then, BLS estimates the…

This article illustrates projected employment change from an industry perspective over the 2008-2018 decade. Workers are grouped into an industry according to the type of good produced or service provided by the establishment in which they work. Industry employment projections are shown in terms of numeric change (growth or decline in the total…

The labor force is the number of people aged 16 or older who are either working or looking for work. It does not include active-duty military personnel or institutionalized people, such as prison inmates. Quantifying this total supply of labor is a way of determining how big the economy can get. Labor force participation rates vary significantly…

This look at changing patterns of employment within industries--Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of employment for industries and for occupations--includes tables depicting occupations with small, moderate, and significant increases or decreases, with reasons for changes in staffing patterns. (JOW)

The experience of the classes of 1977, 1980, 1984, and 1986 shows that the college job market was fairly stable during this period. (Author)

Summarizes the employment outlook in 250 occupations by occupational cluster. Includes estimated employment in 1988; percentage of change and numerical change, 1988-2000; and a description of employment prospects. (JOW)

Detailed projections of number employed in 1996, percent change 1996-2006, numerical change, and prospects are provided for occupations in the following clusters: executive/administrative/managerial, professional/technical, marketing/sales, administrative support/clerical, service, mechanics/installers/repairers, construction, production,…

An evaluation of the 1980-90 employment projections in the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" shows that most of them were on target, if somewhat conservative. The impact of technology was generally underestimated. (JOW)

Discusses differences in the kinds of occupations workers entered in 1990 with regard to age, sex, education, hours worked, and experience in the occupation. Includes information for the major occupational groups. (Author)

A survey of worker tenure with their employers found that workers had 4.5 median years of continuous tenure and 6.5 years of cumulative tenure. Only one-sixth of all workers had been in their current occupations for one year or less. (JOW)

Offers Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of the labor force, industry employment, and occupational employment. Looks at details on the historical and projected growth of the labor force, how the labor force is divided among industries or occupations, and the agents for change in the economy. (JOW)

Describes factors affecting employment in various occupational categories and presents the "Job Outlook in Brief," a 16-page listing of changes in employment, 1982-1995, as well as employment prospects, arranged by occupational clusters. (SK)

Presents information on the labor force status, occupations of employed graduates, and graduate school status of graduates who received bachelor's degrees between July 1976 and June 1977. Data is analyzed for all graduates and for each of 19 major fields of study. (CT)

This article summarizes the employment outlook in 225 occupations as projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides thumbnail sketches of employment data for each of the occupations in the 1988-89 "Occupational Outlook Handbook," on which it is based. Each entry presents the occupation's title, 1986 employment numbers, the percent change…