The O*NET Work Importance Profiler (WIP), one of three career exploration tools developed by the US Department of Labor, is freely distributed from the O*NET site in paper-and-pencil and desktop-computer formats. The paper-and pencil edition is known as the "Work Importance Locater." Both formats help you determine your work values, or what is important to you in a job.

There are two sections to the WIP. The first presents respondents with 21 screens, each containing six activities to be rearranged in order of importance. The second section contains 21 statements to be rated as important or not on a job. Test results are provided in the form of a rank-ordered list of the following work values: Achievement, Independence, Recognition, Relationships, Support, and Working Conditions. Since occupations in the O*NET database are described in terms of their capacity to satisfy these work values, scores from the WIP can be easily matched to careers worthy of exploration.

The Department of Labor has declined to produce a web edition of the WIP. But we have programmed one for the VCC. If you create an account within the VCC's Automated Advisor program, you may take the WIP on line. You scores will be automatically saved, and you will be able to search the Automated Advisor's database for relevant occupations.

You may: