Parts of the Occupational Definition

Parts of the Occupational Definition

Work is organized in a variety of ways. As a result of technological, economic and sociological influences, nearly every job in the economy is performed slightly differently from any other job. Every job is also similar to a number of other jobs.

In order to look at the millions of jobs in the US. economy in an organized way, jobs were grouped into "occupations" based on their similarities which define the structure and content of all listed occupations. Occupational definitions are the result of comprehensive studies of how similar jobs are performed in establishments all over the nation and are composites of data collected from diverse sources. The term "occupation," as used in the DAO, refers to this collective description of a number of individual jobs performed, with minor variations, in many establishments. Readers may refer to the original source, the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) when looking for jobs outside of agriculture.

There are six basic parts to an occupational definition. They present data about a job in a systematic fashion. The parts are listed below in the order in which they appear in every definition:

(1) The Occupational Code Number
(2) The Occupational Title
(3) The Industry Designation
(4) Alternate Titles (if any)
(5) The Body of the Definition
(a) Lead statement
(b) Task element statements
(c) "May" items
(6) Undefined Related Titles (if any)

A typical DAO definition

Figure 1.

Figure 1: Parts of a DAO Definition

403.687-010 FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.)II

Performs any combination of following tasks involved in planting, cultivating, and harvesting fruits and nuts, such as cranberries, apples, and pecans, according to instructions from supervisor or farmer: Tills soil, plants stock, prunes trees and bushes, and removes suckers and runners from vines and plants, using tools such as shovels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, and shears. Sprays plants with prescribed herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to control diseases and insects. Removes blossoms and thins fruit to improve fruit quality. Harvests fruit [HARVEST WORKER, FRUIT (agric.)]. May light smudge pots and torches or start wind machines that heat and circulate air about crop during cold weather to minimize frost damage. May lay out irrigation pipes, install sprinklers, and open and adjust water valves and gates to irrigate assigned fields. May repair wire fences and farm buildings, using hand tools, such as hammers and saws. May load and unload trucks. May guide harvester discharge spout over wooden bins to load fruit on trailer. May bag or box harvested fruit. May lay harvested fruit on trays in sun to sun-dry fruit. May clean, lubricate, and adjust farm machinery, such as weeders and harvesters, using tools, such as wrenches and grease guns. May clear and burn roots and brush, and gather ladders and containers to clean fields. May be identified with tasks being performed, such as thinning, smudging, and picking. May be designated according to crop grown, as FARM WORKER, BERRY (agric.); FARM WORKER, CRANBERRY (agric.); or according to work location, as LABORER, ORCHARD (agric.); and LABORER, VINEYARD (agric.).

(1) The Occupational Code Number

The first item in an occupational definition is the 9-digit occupational code (in the example, 403.687-010). In the DAO occupational classification system, each set of three digits in the 9-digit code number has a specific purpose or meaning. Together, they provide a unique identification code for a particular occupation which differentiates it from all others.

The first three digits identify a particular occupational group. All occupations are clustered into one of nine broad "categories" (first digit), such as professional, technical and managerial, or clerical and sales occupations. These categories break up into 82 occupationally specific "divisions" (first two digits), such as occupations in architecture and engineering within the professional category, or stenography, typing, filing and related occupations in the clerical and sales category. Divisions, in turn, separate into small, homogeneous "groups" (first three digits). Included in the DAO are only those jobs associated with agriculture. Nevertheless, the nine primary occupational categories are listed below:

0/1 Professional, Technical, and Managerial Occupations
2 Clerical and Sales Occupations
3 Service Occupations
4 Agricultural, Fishery, Forestry, and Related Occupations
5 Processing Occupations
6 Machine Trades Occupations
7 Bench Work Occupations
8 Structural Work Occupations
9 Miscellaneous Occupations

In the example, the first digit (4) indicates that this particular occupation is found in the category, "Agriculture, Fishery, Forestry, and Related Occupations."

The second digit refers to a division within the category. The divisions within the "Agriculture, Fishery, Forestry, and Related Occupations" category are as follows:

40 Plant farming occupations
41 Animal farming occupations
42 Miscellaneous agricultural and related occupations
44 Fishery and related occupations
45 Forestry occupations
46 Hunting, trapping, and related occupations

In the example, the second digit (0) thus locates the occupation in the "Plant Farming Occupations" division.

The third digit defines the occupational group within the division. The groups within the "Plant Farming Occupations" division are as follows:

401 Grain farming occupations
402 Vegetable farming occupations
403 Fruit and nut farming occupations
404 Field crop farming occupations, n.e.c.
405 Horticultural specialty occupations
406 Gardening and grounds keeping occupations
407 Diversified crop farming occupations
408 Plant life and related service occupations
409 Plant farming and related occupations

The third digit in the example (3) locates the occupation in the "Fruit and nut farming occupations" group.

The middle three digits of the DAO occupational code are the worker functions ratings of the tasks performed in the occupation. Every job requires a worker to function to some degree in relation to data, people, and things. A separate digit expresses the worker's relationship to each of these three groups:

Figure 2: Data, People & Things

DATA (4th Digit)

PEOPLE (5th Digit)

THINGS (6th Digit)

0

Synthesizing

0

Mentoring

0

Setting Up

1

Coordinating

1

Negotiating

1

Precision Working

2

Analyzing

2

Instructing

2

Operating-Controlling

3

Compiling

3

Supervising

3

Driving-Operating

4

Computing

4

Diverting

4

Manipulating

5

Copying

5

Persuading

5

Tending

6

Comparing

6

Speaking-Signaling

6

Feeding-Offbearing

7

Serving

7

Handling

8

Taking Instructions-Helping

Worker functions involving more complex responsibility and judgment are assigned lower numbers in these three lists while functions which are less complicated have higher numbers. For example, "synthesizing" and "coordinating" data are more complex tasks than "copying" data: "instructing" people involves a broader responsibility than "taking instructions-helping"; and "operating" things is a more complicated task than "handling" things.

The worker functions code in the example (687) relates to the middle three digits of the DAO occupational code and has a different meaning and no necessary connection with group code 403 (first three digits).

The worker functions 4 code (382) may relate to any occupational group. It signifies that the worker is "compiling" in relation to data (3): "taking instructions-helping" in relation to people (8); and "operating-controlling" in relation to things (2) The worker functions code indicates the broadest level of responsibility or judgment required in relation to data, people, or things. It is assumed that, if the job requires it, the worker can generally perform any higher numbered function listed in each of the three categories.

The last three digits of the occupational code number indicate the alphabetical order of titles within 6-digit code groups. They serve to differentiate a particular occupation from all others. A number of occupations may have the same first six digits, but no two can have the same nine digits. If a 6-digit code is applicable to only one occupational title, the final three digits assigned are always 010 (as in the example). If there is more than one occupation with the same first six digits, the final three digits are usually assigned in alphabetical order of titles in multiples of four (010, 014, 018, 022, etc.).

If another plant farming occupations had the same six digits as FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.), and was next alphabetically, it would be assigned the occupational code 403.687-014. The full nine digits thus provide each occupation with a unique code suitable for computerized operations.

(2) The Occupational Title

Immediately following the occupational code in every definition is the occupational base title. The base title is always in upper-case boldface letters. It is the most common type of title found in the DAO, and is the title by which the occupation is known in the majority of establishments in which it was found. In the example, FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.) is a base title.

Some titles are classified as master titles. These titles are designed to eliminate unnecessary repetition of tasks common to a large number of occupations. Master titles define the common job tasks having a wide variety of job variables and a wide variety of titles. An example is the title "SUPERVISOR (any ind.)." Each individual supervisory occupation has its own separate definition the reader is referred back to the master definition (in this case, by a sentence reading "Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.)." By referring to this master definition, the user will learn about the typical supervisory duties which any individual supervisor also performs.

Another type of DAO title is a term title. These include occupations with the same title but few common duties. An example of a term definition is:

FARM WORKER (agric.)

A term applied to worker who performs variety of duties on farm including planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops, operating farm equipment, and attending to livestock. Classifications are made according to duties performed as FARM-MACHINE OPERATOR (agric.); FARM WORKER, POULTRY (agric.); FARM WORKER, VEGETABLE (agric.) I; FARM WORKER, VEGETABLE (agric.) II; HARVEST WORKER, FRUIT (agric.).

Since neither master nor term definitions are occupations, they are not coded in the occupational group arrangement.

There are other major types of titles used in the DAO, including alternate titles and undefined related titles. These are discussed later.

(3) Industry Designation

The industry designation is in parentheses immediately following the occupational base title. It often differentiates between two or more occupations with identical titles but different duties. Because of this, it is an integral and inseparable part of any occupational title. Examples of industry designations are: (agric.), (gov. ser.), (profess. & kin.), (medical ser.), (education), (whole. tr.), (agric. equip.).

While a definition usually receives the designation of the industry or industries in which it occurs, certain occupations occur in a large number of industries. When this happens, the industry is assigned a cross-industry designation. For example, clerical occupations are found in almost every industry. To show the broad, cross-industry nature of clerical occupations, "clerical" is an industry designation in itself. Another example of a cross-industry designation is (profess. & kin.).

Occupations which occur in a number of industries, but are not found so widely as to warrant their own industry designation, are given the designation of "any industry." The job title SUPERVISOR (any ind.) is a good example.

(4) Alternate Titles

An alternate title is a synonym for the base title. It is not as commonly used as the base title. Alternate titles are shown in lower-case boldface letters immediately after the base title and its industrial designation.

For example, a COUNTY-AGRICULTURAL AGENT (gov. ser.) may also be known as agricultural agent; county advisor; county agent; extension agent; extension-service agent; extension worker; farm adviser; or farm agent.

Alternate titles are cross-referenced to their base titles in Dictionary of Occupational Titles. A particular occupation may have a large number of alternate titles or none at all. Alternate titles carry the code numbers and industry designations of the base title.

(5) The Body of the Definition

The body of the definition usually consists of two or three main parts: a lead statement, a number of task element statements, and a third part known as a "May" item.

(a) The Lead Statement

The first sentence following the industry designation and alternate titles (if any) is the lead statement. It is followed by a colon (:). The lead statement summarizes the entire occupation. It offers essential information such as:

In the example, the sentence "Performs any combination of following tasks involved in planting, cultivating, and harvesting fruits and nuts, such as cranberries, apples, and pecans, according to instructions from supervisor or farmer:" is the lead statement. From it, the user can obtain an overview of the occupation.

(b) Task Element Statements

Task element statements indicate the specific tasks the worker performs to accomplish the overall job purpose described in the lead statement. The sentences in the example beginning with "Tills soil. . .", "Sprays plants. . .", "Removes blossoms. . ." are all task element statements. They indicate how the worker actually carries out his or her duties.

(c) "May" Items

Many definitions contain one or more sentences beginning with the word "May." They describe duties required of workers in this occupation in some establishments but not in others. The word "May" does not indicate that a worker will sometimes perform this task but rather that some workers in different establishments generally perform one of the varied tasks listed. In the example, the three sentences beginning "May light smudge pots. . .", "May lay out irrigation. . . ", "May repair wire fences. . . ", are "May" items.

The definition also contains a number of additional information elements designed to assist the user. Among these elements are:

Bracketed titles: A bracketed title indicates that the worker in the base title occupation performs some duties of the bracketed occupation as a part of his regular duties. In the example, Harvests fruit [HARVEST WORKER, FRUIT (agric.)]. To learn more about this particular aspect of the occupation, the user can look up the bracketed occupation title.

Unbracketed titles: Unbracketed titles are used for occupations whose workers have a frequent working relationships with workers in the occupation being defined. There is no statement of significant variables in our example.

Roman numerals: Several somewhat different occupations with the same job title may be found in the same industry. In this event, a Roman numeral follows each title and industry designation. For example, there are two titles in the DAO listed as FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.). In order to distinguish between them, a Roman numeral is assigned to each one FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.)I, FARM WORKER, FRUIT (agric.)II. There is no necessary connection in the sequence of these numbers with the level of complexity of these occupations or the frequency with which they occur in the US. economy.

(6) Undefined Related Titles

Undefined related titles, if applicable, appear at the end of the occupational definition, in all capital letters, preceded by the phrase, "May be designated according to. . ." (or a similar phase). In the example, two undefined related titles are given: May be designated according to crop grown, as FARM WORKER, BERRY (agric.); FARM WORKER, CRANBERRY (agric.); or according to work location, as LABORER, ORCHARD (agric.); and LABORER, VINEYARD (agric.). This type of title is for an occupation that is really a variation or specialization of the base occupation. It resembles the base enough to accompany it, but differs from it enough to require an explanatory phrase and its own unique title. An undefined related title takes the same code as its base title.

Adapted from US Department of Labor DOT for Dictionary of Agricultural Occupations



Dictionary of Agricultural Occupations

Send questions to: gebillikopf@ucdavis.edu

Gregorio Billikopf Encina
(209) 525-6800


15 November 2004