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Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance

15th ed. 5 vols. Ferguson: Facts On File. 2010. 4128p. ed. by Sarah Dalton & others. photogs. index. ISBN 9780816083138. $249.95. REF
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This set presents careers and vocations alphabetically in volumes two through five. Each entry includes a bevy of information: an overview, quick facts, history, a job description, the educational and/or training requirements from high school and above, and sections on how to explore the career, employers, how to start out and how to advance, the work environment, the outlook, and suggested resources for further information. Volume 1 provides information on career guidance and career fields, with coverage of preparing for a job, finding a job, applying for a job, and, regarding career fields, background on the field, its structure, words to know, outlook, sources for more information, and related articles in the set. Two appendixes present career resources and associations for individuals with disabilities and a listing of internships, apprenticeships, and training programs. There are three indexes of career articles—"Dictionary of Occupational Titles" (DOT), "Guide for Occupational Exploration" (GOE), and "National Occupational Classification System" (NOE), as well as an index by O*Net-SOC (a jobs taxonomy). Presenting overviews of 94 industries, interviews with workers in the fields, over 35 new job articles, and updated information on salaries and employment trends, this is a valuable resource for those seeking information on a career, vocation, or career field. Photographs of people at work lend a personal touch, as do the worker profiles and comments on their occupation. BOTTOM LINE Updated to include the use of social networking for job hunting and electronic resumes, this new edition is most useful for high school and college students; the writing style will also help younger students studying career options.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Queensborough Community Coll., Bayside, NY
Gr 9 Up—A slight facelift and new content update this longstanding career reference. This edition boasts 40 new job articles (for a total of more than 750), and numerous textual revisions and more recent black-and-white photos. Volume I provides general information about preparing for a career and finding a job. The revisions reflect new language about technology tools and resources. For example, the previous editions advised "…searching the classifieds," whereas this edition suggests "…using network tools." Separate entries for jobs such as helicopter pilot, textile technician, and golf-course superintendent have been eliminated, while ski-resort worker, steel worker, and news anchor have been added. A focus on science has spawned new entries for environmental scientist, solar engineer, and organic farmer. A set index to jobs, found in the back of each volume, is not intuitive. Job titles match those used by Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) and the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), and students unfamiliar with the term headings may be frustrated when trying to find cross-references. Organic farmer is not referenced under farmers, solar engineer is not under engineers, and secondary or elementary teacher is not found under teachers. "Words to Know," miscellaneous side bars, and a unique sub-section in each entry that views jobs in a larger industry context or in relationship to other jobs makes this reference source much more fleshed out than the OOH or DOT and makes it a worthy purchase.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
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