Exploring Occupations: The Building Blocks of Your Career
Occupation vs. Industry: What’s the Difference?
Understanding the difference between and occupation, industry, and career is an important aspect of exploration.
Occupation
An occupation is a specific job or profession a person engages in.
Occupations Examples:
- Accountant
- Teacher
- Programmer
Industry
An industry defines the type of business that produces goods or offers services.
Industry Examples:
- Finance
- Education
- Technology
Ways to Explore
There are many ways to explore both potential occupations and industries. Sometimes, exploration begins with discovering industries of interest, then narrowing down to more specific occupations within the industry.
Exploration Activities:
- Job Shadowing
- Conducting Information Interviews
- Internships
How to: Explore Occupations
There are a variety of ways to gain a better understanding of available occupations. Consider taking a self-assessment, or engage in student employment.
Resources
Learn more about the occupations that are out there. Looking for a list? You’ll find it here.
Assessments
Take a free assessment that will determine occupational matches based on your personal attributes.
Activities
Looking for other activities to help with exploration? Consider finding student employment.