Choosing a career isn’t just about what sounds interesting, it’s about understanding the real opportunities out there. Labor market data helps you explore job trends and growth areas, salary expectations, in-demand skills, and what employers are looking for.
This data comes from trusted sources like government reports, job postings, and employer feedback. Tools like Lightcast analyze it to give you real-time insights into the world of work. Use this tool to try out different career paths, discover options you might not have considered and/or, get feedback based on actual job market demand.
Instructions & Insights to Using Labor Market Data
Step 1: Search Careers
What It Does
Lets you type in job titles, skills, or career-related terms.
Why Use It
Ideal if you already know a specific role or skill you’re interested in (e.g., “Data Analyst” or “Project Management”).
Best For
Targeted exploration when you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for.
Pro Tip: Use Chat GPT to help you find related job titles with the prompt “I’m trying to explore labor market data, but the job title I searched for isn’t showing any results. Can you help me find alternative or related job titles I could search for instead? The job I’m thinking of is [insert job title], and I’m interested in [brief description of role or field].”
What It Does
Allows you to browse occupations within a specific industry.
Why Use It
Great if you have a general interest in an industry (e.g., Healthcare, Technology) but aren’t sure which roles to explore.
Best For
Broad exploration when you want to see what kinds of jobs exist in a field you’re curious about.
Step 2: Understanding the Data Insights
When you search for a career in the Labor Market Data tool, the first insights you’ll see are:
Job Description – A summary of what the role involves, including typical responsibilities and areas of focus.
Core Tasks – A breakdown of the main activities performed in the role, giving you a clear picture of the day-to-day work.
How to Use Job Description & Core Tasks Insights
Understand the Role: Learn the daily responsibilities to see if the job fits your interests and strengths.
Identify Skills to Develop: Use the listed tasks to guide your learning through internships, coursework, or extracurriculars.
Strengthen Applications: Highlight relevant skills and tasks in your résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.
Prepare for Interviews: Use the core tasks to anticipate questions and share examples from your experience.
Compare Roles: Review and contrast tasks across different jobs to find the best fit.
Explore Career Paths: Discover how similar tasks appear in other roles to broaden your options.
Set Growth Goals: Use this information to plan and build toward your desired role over time.
After viewing the job description and core tasks, the next insight you’ll see is Employment Trends. This section helps you understand how demand for a career is expected to change over time.
How to Use Employment Trends for Career Planning
Gauge Job Stability and Growth: See whether the field is expanding, shrinking, or staying steady over time.
Spot High-Opportunity Fields: Focus on careers with strong projected growth or rising demand.
Compare Career Options: Use job counts and projections to evaluate how one career stacks up against others.
Understand Market Outlook: Consider long-term fit and opportunities based on future projections.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Is this career trending upward or declining in the next 10 years?
- Are there more opportunities now than there were two years ago?
- How does this role’s growth compare to other roles I’m considering?
- Will this field still be relevant or expanding by the time I graduate?
- Is this job growing nationally or only in certain regions?
- Should I invest time in preparing for this field based on its future outlook?
Top Employers– This section shows which companies or organizations are currently hiring the most people for that specific career.
- Why it matters: It helps you identify potential employers to target in your job search.
- Tip: Results will change based on the location filter you choose, so be sure to select the region where you want to work.
Education Levels-This section tells you the typical amount of education or training needed for jobs in that field.
- Why it matters: It helps you understand what kind of degree, certification, or training you may need to qualify for roles in that career.
This section helps you understand the earning potential in a given field.
What It Shows
- Total Compensation: Includes base salary plus bonuses, tips, and other allowances.
- Median Earnings: The midpoint salary, half of workers earn more, half earn less.
- Percentile Breakdown: Shows how earnings vary across the workforce.
Why It Matters
- Realistic Expectations: These figures reflect a range of experience levels, not just entry-level pay.
- Career Planning: Helps you set financial goals and understand long-term earning potential.
- Location Matters: Salaries can vary widely by region, so use the location filter for more accurate insights.
- Know the Range: Outliers and role differences can affect averages, showing the diversity of pay in the field.
After exploring a career, you’ll see a list of technical skills and core competencies that are commonly required for success in that role.
What It Shows
- Technical Skills: Specific tools, technologies, and methods used in the job (e.g., UX design, coding languages, prototyping tools).
- Core Competencies: Broader professional abilities like communication, leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Why It Matters
- Helps you understand what employers are looking for.
- Guides your learning and development.
- Strengthens your job applications and interview readiness.
How to Use Technical Skills & Competencies Insights
- Identify Skill Gaps: Compare the listed skills with your current abilities to see what you need to work on.
- Build Skills: Use platforms like LinkedIn Learning or other training resources to develop missing skills.
- Update Application Materials: Include relevant skills in your résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile to match employer expectations.
- Prepare for Interviews: Highlight your strongest skills and gives examples of how you’ve used them in projects or work.
- Stay Competitive: Keep learning and uploading your skills as labor market trends evolve.
After searching for a career, you’ll see a list of job titles that are commonly used in postings for that field. These titles are sorted by frequency and reflect the variety of ways similar roles are named across companies.
What It Shows
- A range of job titles used for similar roles (e.g., UX Designer, Product Designer, UI Developer).
- Helps you understand how employers label roles, which can vary even when the responsibilities are similar.
Why It Matters
- Improves Job Search Results: Using the right job titles helps you find more relevant postings and improves search engine optimization (SEO).
- Expands Career Awareness: Shows you roles you might not have considered but are closely related.
- Connects You to Others: Helps you find alumni or professionals in similar roles for networking or informational interviews.
How to Use Job Titles Insights
- Search Smarter & Explore Career Options: Use these job titles when searching on platforms like LinkedIn, Gator Network, Gator CareerLink, and other job boards to uncover more opportunities. This list can also help you discover related roles and broaden your understanding of the field.
- Optimize Your Profile: Add relevant titles to your LinkedIn headline, skills section, and “Open to Work” settings to attract recruiters.
- Network Effectively: Look up professionals with these titles to learn how they got there and what their paths look like.