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Occupation

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An occupation refers to the type of work a person does, regardless of job title (what they’re called) or industry (the type of organization they work for). Sometimes referred to as a “job family” in an HR context, occupations are organized into taxonomies that range from broad career categories (e.g., Finance) to more specific roles (e.g., Accounting Clerk). Occupation taxonomies vary by country, but the common ones used at Lightcast include the following:

  • SOC (the standard in the US)

  • O*NET (an extension of SOC with additional detail)

  • SOC (the standard in the UK)

  • NOC (the standard in CA)

LOT (Lightcast’s own proprietary taxonomy) is also available. It is global, comprehensive, and highly granular.

These taxonomies provide a consistent framework for analyzing the labor market by occupation. Occupations are also differentiated from jobs, as jobs show the count of positions held within a certain occupation. See also: Lightcast Occupations, Lightcast Occupation Taxonomy.

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