I am seeking an online career interest/orientation survey that is in
the public domain.  Ideally, the survey would be quick (no more than
30 questions) and accessible to and appropriate for users of all
education levels.  The results of this ideal survey would point users
toward highly specific career fields--the more specific, the better. 
For example, a survey that told a user that she was suited for a
career in computers would be more useful than a survey that told the
user merely that she should consider a career in technology.

The survey should not be a general personality assessment, as it needs
to be focused on career orientation and interest.  In addition, it
must not be proprietary, and must be available for free, unrestricted
use online.  I'm not looking for a website to use myself, rather I
need to be able to incorporate the assessment into my own site so I
need to have the algorithm of how the assesement generates answers. A
link to an online assessment would be part of this answer but not a
complete answer unless it also includes a link to the algorithm or
instructions for how to obtain it. Thanks

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 29 Dec 2005 11:24 PST

I haven't (yet) found any public-domain sources of career assessments
that you could use.

But in searching, I did come across an enormous amount of detailed,
and useful career-related information that *IS* public domain, such as
this one:


http://www.bls.gov/oco/print/oco2003.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 -- Tomorrow's Jobs



Is this sort of information of interest to you?  If so, I can keep an
eye out for additional resources, as I continue searching for career
assessment tests.

Thanks,

pafalafa-ga

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 29 Dec 2005 14:59 PST

Thank you for your attention to my research question.  I have reviewed
the BLS information you suggested.  Unfortunately, this is not what I
need.  I am seeking online public domain career surveys, as I
mentioned in my original posting.  If you know of any such surveys, I
would be be most grateful to hear about them.  Thanks again.

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 30 Dec 2005 07:38 PST

Thanks for getting back to me.

Please have a look at this assessment tool, and let me know if it's
the type of thing you're after:


http://www.onetcenter.org/IP.html
O*NET Interest Profiler

-----
This instrument is a self-assessment career exploration tool that can
help clients discover the type of work activities and occupations that
they would like and find exciting. Clients identify and learn about
broad interest areas most relevant to themselves. They can use their
interest results to explore the world of work.

The O*NET Interest Profiler measures six types of occupational interests: 

Realistic 
Investigative 
Artistic 
Social 
Enterprising 
Conventional 
----- 


The profiler is available in both a print and electronic version.

The same group also offers an "Ability Profiler" to assess career skills.


Take a look at these tools, and let me know if they would work for your needs.


pafalafa-ga

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 30 Dec 2005 09:18 PST

Thank you for your continued work on my research question.  The O*NET
resource is very promising.  If you can find something of similar
breadth and comprehensiveness to O*NET that is in the public domain
(that is to say, that can be modified/used/repurposed by anyone,
without regard to ownership), that would be extremely useful to me,
and would definitely be an acceptable answer to my question.

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 30 Dec 2005 09:26 PST

One other clarification. The part of O*NET that I find useful is the
ability to recommend specific careers rather than general interests.

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 30 Dec 2005 23:15 PST

I need to speak with a colleague. I'll get back to you no later than
Tuesday, Jan 3rd. Thanks.

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 03 Jan 2006 12:20 PST

Hello, somehow I think one of your clarifications got deleted. Can you
please let me know where we are on the availability of a public domain
survey? thanks

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 03 Jan 2006 12:30 PST

Thanks for your note, and you're right...my last comment does seem to
have disappeared!

The O*NET career tool is, in essence, publicly available.  It was
created through US government sponsorship, and can be used by anyone
through an open-access license.  That is, you can download the print
and/or the source code for the tool, and use it as is, or modify it
however you like.

The only requirement for its use is that you cite O*NET as the source.

I really believe that it's as close to a public domain career
assessment tool as anything you're going to find.

Let me know if that would meet your needs, and if so, I can provide
more details about the public-use open license as an answer to your
question.

And...Happy New Year!

paf

---

Clarification of Question by gw20044002-ga on 04 Jan 2006 14:32 PST

Paf, we think that the O*NET is a good resource so you've found what
we're looking for in a functional sense. Let us know what you've found
around the open source license. We saw the user's agreement, but that
is all. Thanks for your help.

Thanks for getting back to me.  I'm glad to hear that O*NET meets your needs.


O*NET's (rather convoluted) open licensing information can be found here:



http://www.onetcenter.org/dev_tools.html
O*NET Career Exploration Tools ? Developers


Note that the above page includes links to five O*NET assessment tools:


--Ability Profiler 

--Interest Profiler 

--Computerized Interest Profiler 

--Work Importance Locator 

--Work Importance Profiler 



All of these are covered by the same licesing language, which says in part:



...Individuals may use the O*NETTM Career Exploration Tools freely for
their own personal use.

...An individual or organization that uses or intends to use all, any
one, or any part of the O*NET Career Exploration Tools to develop
value-added products, agrees to be bound by the terms of the O*NET
Developer's Agreement and should register their use by completing the
Certification Form



The aforementioned Developer's Agreement and Certification are here:



http://www.onetcenter.org/agree/tools/
Certification Form - O*NET Career Exploration Tools 


and the Grant of License language is in paragraph 3:



3. Grant of License. DOL/ETA grants the Developer a nonexclusive,
royalty-free license to reproduce, copy, and redistribute any of the
O*NET Career Exploration Tools. DOL/ETA also grants the Developer a
nonexclusive, royalty-free license to modify and/or to create
derivative works from any or any portion of the O*NET Career
Exploration Tools in accordance with paragraphs 10 and 11 of the
Agreement. No additional license is required to copy, use, distribute,
create derivative works from, and modify any, or any portion of the,
O*NET Career Exploration Tools.




From what I see of paragraphs 10 and 11, they don't appear to restrict
your usage in any significant way.




I trust this is what you needed, but feel free to let me know if
there's anything else I can do for you on this.


All the best for the new year,


paf



search strategy -- Mostly relied on existing bookmarks for the O*NET
tool, though I also used Google to search for other possible
royalty-free tools, of which there do not appear to be any.

---

Clarification of Answer by pafalafa-ga on 17 Dec 2006 09:37 PST

I came across this list of the Major Job and Occupational Titles used
by the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) in O*NET and elsewhere.  I'm posting it here for your interest:


DOL / BLS Job Titles

Accident investigator
Account analyst
Account auditor
Account or accountant bookkeeper, associate degree or higher
Accountant
Accounting consultant
Accounting methods analyst
Accounting systems analyst
Accounting work, accountant
Accounting work, associate degree or higher
Adjuster \ any other type
Adjuster \ n.s.
Adjuster, clerical
Adjustment clerk
Admeasurer
Administrative analyst
Administrator of estate
Advance agent
Agent \ n.s.
Analyst \ n.s.
Appeals examiner, employment
Appraiser \ n.s.
Appraiser, real estate
Arbitrator, personnel
Area field man
Area land man
Arson investigator
Artist's representative
Assembler \ n.s.
Assessor
Assistant, administrative \ n.e.c.
Assistant, buyer
Assistant, employee relations
Assistant, placement
Assistant, retirement
Assistant, staff
Attendance officer
Auditor
Auditor of accounts
Author's agent
Auto body repair esimator
Auto damage appraiser
Auto damage estimator
Bail bondsman
Bank accountant
Bank and savings securities trader
Bank appraiser
Bank examiner
Benefit authorizer
Benefit specialist
Bond analyst
Bond underwriter
Bondsman
Booker
Booking agent
Boxing promoter
Broker
Budget accountant
Budget analyst
Budget counselor
Budget examiner
Budget officer
Building appraiser
Building construction estimator
Building estimator
Bursar
Business agent
Business analyst
Business consultant
Business management analyst
Business management consultant
Business practices officer
Buy boat operator
Buyer
Buying agent
C.P.A.
Campaign director
Campaign worker
Campaigner
Cattle broker
Cattle buyer
Cattle dealer
Cattle shipper
Cattle trader
Cattleman
Certified accountant
Certified public accountant
Check examiner
Check viewer
Checker \ n.s.
Checker, loans, ratings, etc.
Chicken buyer
Circus agent
City assessor
City auditor
City collector
City sanitarian
Civil service examiner
Claim adjuster
Claim agent
Claim approver
Claim auditor
Claim examiner
Claim investigator
Claim processor
Claim representative
Claim superintendent
Clerical methods analyst
Collector
Collector of internal revenue
Collector of port
Commercial specialist
Commodity analyst
Compensation adjuster
Compensation expert
Compensation specialist
Compliance officer
Compliance representative dealer
Conciliator
Conference organizer
Conference planner
Conference producer
Conference service coordinator
Construction estimator
Construction job cost estimator
Consultant \ n.s.
Consultant, accounting
Contract agent
Contract analyst, exc. labor
Contract analyst, labor
Contract negotiator
Contract specialist
Contractor buyer, exc. farm
Contractor buyer, farm
Convention planner
Coordinator of employees, personnel, or staff
Coroner
Coroner's juror
Corporate financial analyst
Cost accountant
Cost analyst
Cost estimator
Cost expediter
Cotton agent
Cotton broker
Cotton buyer
Cotton converter
Cotton factor
Counselor, employment
Counselor, financial aid
County assessor
County auditor
Cow buyer
Crating and moving estimator
Cream buyer
Credit analyst \ n.s.
Credit analyst, chief
Credit counselor
Credit negotiator
Customer's man
Customhouse broker
Customs agent
Customs appraiser
Customs collector
Customs examiner
Customs guard
Customs officer
Customs verifier
Dealer \ n.s.
Dealer analyst
Deportation examiner
Director of civil defense
Director of nurses registry
Director of public safety
Director of securities and real estate
Disability examiner
Dramatic agent
Driver's license examiner
Easement man
Egg buyer
Elevator attendant
Elevator operator
Emergency management specialist
Employee adviser
Employee counselor
Employee development specialist
Employee operations examiner
Employee placement specialist
Employee relations \ any not listed
Employee relations specialist
Employee service officer
Employee's representative
Employment counselor
Employment interviewer
Employment officer
Employment security officer
Engineer, budget
Engineer, inspecting
Engineer, logistics
Engineer, rate
Equal opportunity counselor
Equal opportunity officer
Equal opportunity representative
Equal opportunity specialist
Escrow representative
Estate planner
Estate planning counselor
Estate tax examiner
Estimator \ n.s.
Ethics officer
Evaluator
Examiner
Executor of estate
Exhibitor
Factorer
Farm loan representative
Farm mortgage agent
Farm products shipper
Field auditor
Field contact person
Field examiner
Field investigator
Field organizer
Film booker
Financial accountant
Financial adviser
Financial agent
Financial aid counselor
Financial aid officer
Financial analyst, exc. statistical
Financial analyst, statistical
Financial consultant
Financial examiner
Financial planner
Fire adjuster
Fiscal accountant
Fiscal agent
Fiscal analyst
Fiscal officer
Fish agent
Flour broker
Food broker
Foreign claims adjustor or developer
Foreign exchange trader
Forms analyst
Forms examiner
Fruit buyer
Fruit shipper
Fuel agent
Fuel buyer
Fur buyer
Gauger \ n.s.
General purchasing agent
Gold buyer
Government gauger
Government property investigator
Grain broker
Grain buyer
Grain elevator man
Grain shipper
Grant coordinator
Health program analyst
Health program specialist
Health systems analyst, exc. computer
Hide buyer
Hog buyer
Hog trader
Horse buyer
Horse trader
House evaluator
Human resources specialist
Immigration officer
Import/export specialist
Importer
Income tax adjuster
Income tax advisor
Income tax consultant
Income tax expert
Income tax investigator
Income tax preparer
Industrial accountant
Industrial analyst
Industrial relations analyst
Industrial relations counselor
Industrial relations worker
Inspector \ n.s.
Inspector, A.B.C. board
Inspector, air pollution
Inspector, ammunition
Inspector, barrel
Inspector, bedding
Inspector, claim
Inspector, customs
Inspector, dock
Inspector, electrical fire apparatus
Inspector, environmental compliance
Inspector, factory
Inspector, fuel
Inspector, government property
Inspector, land
Inspector, license
Inspector, maintenance
Inspector, material
Inspector, mine
Inspector, oil
Inspector, pharmaceutical
Inspector, pressure vessel
Inspector, revenue
Inspector, scales
Inspector, substation
Inspector, upholstery
Inspector, weights and measures
Installment dealer
Insurance adjuster
Insurance adviser
Insurance analyst
Insurance appraiser
Insurance appraiser, auto damage
Insurance checker
Insurance consultant
Insurance examiner
Insurance investigator
Insurance underwriter, exc. sales
Insurance writer
Internal auditor
Internal revenue agent
Interviewer \ n.s.
Interviewer, interviewing job applicants
Investigator \ n.s.
Investigator, immigration
Investigator, insurance
Investigator, revenue
Investigator, wages and hours
Investment adviser
Investment analyst
Investment counselor
Investor
Job analyst
Job development specialist
Job estimator
Job estimator, cost
Job estimator, exc. cost
Job interviewer
Job placement officer
Job specification writer
Jobber
Jockey's agent
Journeyman
Labor conciliator
Labor contractor, exc. farm
Labor mediator
Labor relations consultant
Labor relations representative
Labor relations specialist
Labor relations worker
Labor representative
Labor trainer
Land appraiser
Leaser
Liaison officer
Licensed appraiser
Licensed bondsman
Licensing examiner
Literary agent
Livestock broker
Livestock buyer
Livestock commission agent
Livestock dealer
Livestock speculator
Livestock trader
Loan adviser
Loan analyst
Loan approver
Loan counselor
Loan examiner
Loan officer
Loan reviewer
Loan service officer
Loan specialist
Log buyer
Logistician
Logistics analyst
Logistics coordinator
Logistics planner
Logistics specialist
Lumber buyer
Management analyst
Management consultant
Management scientist
Manager \ n.s.
Manager, artist
Manager, athlete
Manager, booking
Manager, business
Manager, convention
Manager, copyright
Manager, fight
Manager, forms analysis
Manager, records analysis
Manager, repertoire
Manager, reports analysis
Manager, touring production
Manpower development advisor
Manpower development specialist
Media buyer
Mediator
Medical accountant
Meeting planner
Merchandise appraiser
Merchandise buyer
Merchandise examiner
Merchandiser \ any other activity or n.s.
Merchant
Methods analyst, clerical
Methods examiner
Mine examiner
Mine sealer
Morale officer
Mortgage consultant
Mortgage loan officer
Mortgage underwriter
Mortician investigator
Motor vehicle examiner
Naturalization examiner
Negotiator, contract
Negotiator, labor relations or personnel
Occupational analyst
Officer
Official
Old gold buyer
Older worker specialist
Opener \ n.s.
Operations agent
Operations officer
Ore buyer
Oyster buyer
Oyster shipper
Party planner
Patent agent
Patent broker
Patent classifier
Payroll accountant
Payroll auditor
Payroll examiner
Pension administrator
Pension adviser
Pension consultant
Pension examiner
Personal financial advisor
Personal property assessor
Personnel adviser
Personnel analyst
Personnel consultant
Personnel counselor
Personnel interviewer
Personnel officer
Personnel placement specialist
Personnel recruiter
Personnel representative
Personnel specialist
Personnel training officer
Personnel worker
Picture booker
Piece jobber
Placement counselor
Placement officer
Placement specialist
Port patrol officer
Port purser
Position classification specialist
Position classifier
Postal examiner
Postal investigator
Poultry buyer
Price analyst
Prisoner classification interviewer
Produce buyer
Produce shipper
Production cost estimator
Professional bondsman
Program development specialist
Promoter
Promotional representative
Property accountant
Property appraiser
Property evaluator
Property officer
Public accountant
Public safety director
Pulpwood buyer
Pulpwood contractor
Purchase analyst
Purchase price analyst
Purchaser
Purchasing agent \ n.s.
Purchasing agent, cotton, grain, livestock, other farm products
Purchasing agent, equipment, supplies, tools, etc.
Purchasing agent, merchandise for resale
Purser
Purveyor
Qualifications examiner
Quality assurance representative
Radio time buyer
Railroad accountant
Railroad auditor
Railroad purchasing agent
Rate analyst, exc. freight
Rating officer
Real estate appraiser
Real estate assessor
Real estate evaluator
Real estate officer
Records management analyst
Recruiter
Registrar \ n.s.
Relocation director
Rent and housing investigator
Report analyst
Reservationist, conferences or conventions
Retail buyer
Retirement plan specialist, employment benefits or pensions
Retirement plan specialist, financial
Revenue accountant
Revenue agent
Revenue collector
Revenue officer
Reviewer
Rules examiner
Salary and wage administrator
Sales, adviser
Sales, analyst
Sales, analyzer
Sales, buyer, any commodity
Sales, consultant
Sales, research work
Sales, reviewer
Salvage determiner
Sealer of weights and measures
Securities analyst
Securities consultant
Securities counselor
Securities research analyst
Seed buyer
Ship purser
Shipper
Shop steward, exc. supervising, inspecting, monitoring
Social Security specialist
Special agent
Special agent, exc. sales
Special service officer
Specialist
State auditor
Station examiner
Stock buyer
Stock dealer
Stock shipper
Stock trader
Storekeeper gager
Supervisor, crop
Supervisor, employee benefits
Supervisor, employment
Supervisor, job training
Supervisor, labor relations
Supervisor, loan
Supervisor, order department
Supervisor, personnel
Supervisor, real estate appraiser
Supervisor, traffic personnel
Supervisor, training personnel
Supervisor, trust evaluation
Surveyor \ n.s.
Systems accountant
Talent scout
Tax accountant
Tax adjuster
Tax agent
Tax appraiser
Tax assessor
Tax auditor
Tax collector
Tax consultant
Tax evaluator
Tax examiner
Tax expert
Tax investigator
Tax preparer
Tax specialist
Teacher, company policies
Teacher, personnel
Teacher, safety
Technical consultant
Technician, accounting
Technician, personnel
Technician, scheme
Theatrical agent
Tie buyer
Timber buyer
Tobacco buyer
Trade mark classifier
Trader
Tradesman
Training coordinator
Training specialist
Traveling accountant
Traveling auditor
Traveling buyer
Traveling repair accountant
Treasury agent
Trustee of estate
U.S. revenue officer
Underwriter, exc. mortgage, loan, or selling
Underwriter, mortgage or loan
Union contract representative
Union organizer
Union representative
Union steward
Verifier, exc. clerical
Veterans contact representative
Wage adjuster
Wage analyst
Wage and hour investigator
Wage and salary specialist
Wage conciliator
Warehouse examiner
Weigher
Weighmaster
Wheat buyer
Wheat shipper
Wholesale buyer
Wool buyer
Workforce development specialist