Characteristics
Qualities that may influence both performance and the capacity to gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform work well.
Abilities
Traits (or talents) that allow a person to perform certain tasks or activities.
Cognitive abilities
Abilities related to learning and then applying that knowledge to solving problems.
- Oral comprehension — The ability to acquire knowledge from spoken information and to apply it to problem solving.
- Idea generation and reasoning — The ability to come up with ideas about a topic and to use information to form general rules or conclusions and to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Numeracy and mathematical reasoning — The ability to choose the right methods or formulas to solve mathematical problems.
- Memorization — The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures and procedures.
- Perceptual speed and visualization — The ability to quickly compare differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures or patterns and to imagine how something will look after it is moved or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Spatial ability — The ability to imagine objects in three dimensions and to visualize moving them around in space.
- Attentiveness — Being able to selectively focus on a task for a period of time, without being distracted.
Psychomotor abilities
Abilities related to consciously making muscle movements to manipulate and control objects.
- Dexterity — The ability to make precise movements with one’s hands and fingers to grasp, manipulate or assemble objects.
- Gross motor co-ordination — The ability to move arms, legs and torso in a controlled manner.
- Reaction time and speed — The ability to quickly respond (with a hand, finger or foot) to a signal (sound, light or picture) when it appears and to manipulate objects rapidly.
Physical abilities
Abilities that are influenced by strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination.
- Physical strength — The ability to exert maximum force using muscles.
- Endurance — The ability to exert oneself physically over long periods without getting out of breath.
- Flexibility, balance, and co-ordination — The ability to bend, stretch twist or reach with your body, arms and/or legs, maintain balance, and to co-ordinate the movements of your body’s limbs.
Sensory abilities
Abilities that influence the understanding of visual, auditory and spoken information.
- Visual ability — The ability to see well and to respond to visual information.
- Auditory and speech ability — The ability to hear well and to clearly convey information through spoken word.
Occupational interests
Discover careers that match your preferences and interests.
Artistic (creators)
People with artistic interests like work that deals with the artistic side of things, such as acting, music, art and design.
They like:
- Creativity in their work.
- Work that can be done without following a set of rules.
Conventional (organizers)
People with conventional interests like work that follows set procedures and routines. They prefer working with information and paying attention to details rather than working with ideas.
They like:
- Working with clear rules.
- Following a strong leader.
Enterprising (persuaders)
People with enterprising interests like work that has to do with starting up and carrying out business projects. They like taking action rather than thinking about things.
They like:
- Persuading and leading people.
- Making decisions.
- Taking risks for profits.
Investigative (thinkers)
People with investigative interests like work that has to do with ideas and thinking rather than physical activity or leading people.
They like:
- Searching for facts.
- Figuring out problems.
Realistic (doers)
People with realistic interests like work that includes practical, hands-on problems and answers. They often do not like careers that involve paperwork or working closely with others.
They like:
- Working with plants and animals.
- Real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
- Outside work.
Social (helpers)
People with social interests like working with others to help them learn and grow. They like working with people more than working with objects, machines or information.
They like:
- Teaching.
- Giving advice.
- Helping and being of service to people.
Work values
Global aspects of work that make up of the specific needs important to a person's satisfaction.
- Achievement — Occupations with this work value are results-focused and let employees use their strongest abilities, which gives them a feeling of accomplishment.
- Working conditions — Occupations with this work value offer job security and good working conditions.
- Recognition — Occupations with this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership and are often considered prestigious.
- Relationship — Occupations with this work value allow employees to provide service to others in cooperative settings.
- Support — Occupations with this work value have supportive management that stands behind their employees.
- Independence — Occupations with this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.
Work styles
Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job.
- Achievement orientation — Personal goal setting, trying to succeed at those goals, and striving to be competent in one’s own work.
- Social influence — Having a positive impact on others in the organization, and being able to negotiate, persuade and lead.
- Interpersonal orientation — Being cooperative and sensitive to others, easy to get along with, and preferring to associate with other organization members.
- Resilience — Having maturity, poise, flexibility, and restraint to cope with pressure, stress, criticism, setbacks, personal and work-related problems.
- Conscientiousness — Being dependable, committed to doing the job correctly and carefully, and being trustworthy, accountable, and attentive to details.
- Practical intelligence — Generating useful ideas and thinking things through logically.
Source: This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The WorkBC Labour Market Information Office has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
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