Before you choose a direction · 6 min read
How can I compare careers by the work I'd actually do each day?
Job titles hide the work. Compare careers by their tasks using O*NET OnLine and real job posts, then try one task from each before you choose.
The short answer
To compare careers by the work itself, look at tasks rather than titles. O*NET OnLine lists the tasks and work activities for each of more than 900 U.S. occupations and lets you search by job duties, so you can find every occupation that involves, say, explaining data to people. Pick two or three careers, copy their top tasks side by side, check them against real job posts, then do one task from each and compare how it felt.
On this page 4 sections
Where to find the tasks
- O*NET OnLine: each occupation's page lists its tasks, work activities and work context, such as how much time is spent sitting, talking to the public or meeting deadlines.
- O*NET's job duties search: type a task you enjoy and see which occupations include it.
- My Next Move: the same information in plainer words, with a short description of what people in the job do.
- Real job posts: read ten for the same role and note the tasks that appear in most of them.
Build a side-by-side table
| Data analyst | Instructional designer | Customer success manager | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most of the day | Cleaning data, building reports | Writing lessons and course materials | Calls and emails with customers |
| People contact | Some, mostly colleagues | Some, mostly subject experts | Constant |
| Deadlines | Regular reporting cycles | Project deadlines | Ongoing, with renewal dates |
| One task to try | Answer a question with a public dataset | Turn a process into a 15-minute lesson | Interview two customers about a problem |
Read the work context, not just the tasks
Two jobs with similar tasks can feel very different because of their conditions: how often you're interrupted, how much is decided for you, whether you deal with upset people, how much time you spend at a screen. O*NET's work context section rates these for each occupation, and they are often what makes a job feel right or wrong after six months.
Questions people ask
- What website compares jobs by their daily tasks?
- O*NET OnLine, from the U.S. Department of Labor, lists tasks, work activities, skills and work context for each occupation and can search by job duties. My Next Move presents the same data more simply. National careers services in other countries publish similar job profiles.
- Why compare tasks instead of job titles?
- The same title can mean very different days. A project manager in construction and one in software share a title but spend their time very differently. Tasks are what fill your week.
- How do I know whether I'd enjoy the tasks?
- Reading gives you a guess. Doing one task for an hour, or watching someone do it for a day, gives you evidence. Try the task you're least sure about first.
- Can I see directions based on what I enjoy before signing up?
- Answer five quick questions, plus one optional. Before signing up, see your first direction, what in your answers points to it and the first step of an experiment. Create a free account to see the rest and save your read.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine · U.S. Department of Labor
- My Next Move · U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational Outlook Handbook · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.