Work4Women suggests you start your job search by looking at careers that match your interests, and provide adequate pay and opportunity for advancement. Here are a few steps to get you started:
Skills and Interest Assessment
Identifying the right high-wage nontraditional employment for you may be challenging because women often lack exposure to the range of nontraditional employment options available to them. A good way to learn about these options is to look at your skills and see which of them can be transferred to nontraditional employment.
To help you start, WOW created the Nontraditional Occupations for Women Skills Self-Assessment Tool.
Download the tool in PDF or MS Word format.
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Aptitude
After you have completed the self-assessment, you can then evaluate your aptitude for nontraditional employment. There are various aptitude tests you can use: Differential Aptitude Test (DAT), General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB), Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). These tests are available through your local employment office and through vocational education and training programs.
Visit the Assessment Tools section to learn more about taking or administering these and other tests to direct women into nontraditional employment.
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Training
Once you feel confident that you have the skills and aptitude for nontraditional occupations, you may find that you lack the training you need to enter these occupations. Because training for nontraditional occupations may be limited in your area, look for training programs for several different fields so that you will be able to find the free or low-cost training you need to enter one of your chosen occupations.
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Labor Market Research
A good way to find training that will prepare you for available jobs is to research the local labor market. This will help you to identify the high-demand, high-growth and high-wage jobs. Then look for programs that train for these jobs.
These resources will help you learn more about the labor market and specific occupations.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ocohome.htm) is an excellent resource for this information. It provides basic information on all occupations, including job duties, equipment, education, training requirements and job prospects and national statistics on growth and earnings.
- Work4Women's Descriptions of Nontraditional Occupations provides additional information about several nontraditional occupations described in the above handbook.
- Local and Regional Newspapers often run articles that discuss the "hot" jobs or labor shortages for occupations that may be nontraditional for women.
- Local or State Departments of Employment have counselors, labor market reports and statistics to guide you. Locate your state department of employment.
Visit our Internet Guide to locate free or low-cost Internet-accessible computers to review these resources.
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Exposure to Nontraditional Occupations
Before you begin to train for particular nontraditional occupation, learn as much as you can about some of the jobs that interest you.
- Visit a training program and observe some courses to get a feeling for what you would be required to do and learn
- Meet with a job placement counselor* who can provide you with information about particular jobs that you are interested in
- Ask people on the job to explain the job to you in detail
- Shadow someone as they go about their work
This kind of information is invaluable because it gives you a sense of what it could be like for you on the job.
*At your local One Stop Career Center or Department of Employment
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