Interactive Exercise Course 58: Comparing the DOT, O*NET and eDOT

We open up ERI's Occupational Assessor. (From now on we'll refer to it by its basic abbreviation, eDOT.) When running eDOT for the first time, the FLSA Overtime module opens by default:

The first thing we need to do is select which module to run. For this exercise, we will use the Disability Determination module. Click on the arrow next to FLSA Overtime at the top of the eDOT screen and select Disability Determination.

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By default the About the Job/Job Analysis tab is selected. The first or top-most row of tabs represents the main reports available for the Disability Determination module. Another way to think about these top-post tabs (from left to right) is to think of them as “steps” — Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, etc. — that you need to take in order to make the most of your analysis.

We’ll start with the first tab: About the Job. This main tab has a series of sub-tabs that represent different positions: the individual’s Last Job, Previous Job II, Previous Job III, Previous Job IV, Previous Job V, and Job Trained For (but never held), etc.

We’re looking for alternate positions for Ken Burnham, a Computer Operations Programmer. So we first need to input his position title. Click on the blue Browse button next to the position title bar.

The Search Jobs dialog box opens. You can scroll through the position list to find the job title or begin typing “Computer Operations Programmer.” Once Computer Operations Programmer is highlighted in the list, note the position description below the movable green bar. Read through the description to make sure that the title selected matches the kind of work Ken does in his current job. Click the OK button to select this job and return to the Job Analysis tab.

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The Job Analysis tab displays the Selected Characteristics of Occupations (SCOs) for the position title of Computer Operations Programmer.

Note: The default SCO values come from the eDOT Skills Project database, and depend on the data option selected under the Data Options menu near the bottom left of your screen. There are four data options:

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Why the four options? eDOT Skills Project data comes from a variety of sources:

Original DOT – 1991 values Modeled analyses based on the Original 1991 DOT’s SCO mean values. (See “Raw Data Reseeding of

Original DOT Measures.”) PAQ’s database of subject matter expert scored field job analyses (since 1991) Internet Data - SCO values and skills collected via SalaryExpert® (www.SalaryExpert.com) and related

software offerings

Since the Internet Data records represent an experimental approach, the eDOT application (via the Data Options menu) allows users to filter out all Internet data records, so that only full field job analyses records are utilized for the user’s analyses. However, for the purposes of this exercise, we will utilize the default selection that uses all sources, recognizing that the experimental approach of collecting data via the Internet has proven that the Central Limit Theorem holds true: with large numbers (six million per year), PAQ can successfully normalize this data to provide credible and valid data. We also know that Ken formerly worked as a Bookkeeper, so we’ll enter this as his previous job by clicking on the Previous Job II tab under About the Job. Then, click on the Browse button next to the position title bar.

The Search Jobs dialog box opens. You can scroll through the list or begin typing “Bookkeeper.” Once this position is highlighted, click the OK button to return to the About the Job/Previous Job II/Job Analysis tab.

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So, we’ve successfully selected the jobs closest to the jobs Ken has held in the past and that are relevant to the current analysis. However, the way the eDOT program describes the job of Computer Operations Programmer — in terms of some SCOs and the description — is slightly different from the job Ken currently performs, so we need to make a few adjustments by creating a modified Job Analysis. To do this, first click on the Last Job tab under About the Job. On the About the Job/Last Job/Job Analysis tab, scroll through the measures. Note that there is an eDOT column and an Observed column. All of the values look pretty accurate for what Ken does, except for Administrative Activity. We have observed that Ken’s job does not occasionally involve administrative activity but involves frequent activity. So we are going to change the value for Administrative Activity from Occasionally to Frequently.

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Note that the value for Administrative Activity in the Observed column is now changed. Next, let’s make some changes to the job description. On the About the Job/Last Job/Job Analysis tab, scroll down the page until you see the Job Description and Job Analyst’s Observations fields. Make any necessary changes to the job description in the Job Analyst’s Observations field.

Let’s save our modified job analysis by clicking on the icon in the upper right of your screen.

Name the analysis and click OK in the pop-up box.

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In addition to the Job Analysis sub-tab, there are the following sub-tabs for each position:

eDOT Description: This tab shows the unmodified Job Description from the eDOT database. eDOT/DOT SCOs: This shows a list of the eDOT/DOT SCOs (or Attributes) for the selected position. Field Analyses Library: This tab allows you to review the raw data — the actual records from the

eDOT Skills Project database — that were used to calculate the mean SCO value shown/utilized for the selected job. The records shown depend on the selection made under the Data Options menu.

O*NET: Opens the related O*NET website for the position selected. Video: Here eDOT provides video demonstrations for the selected position or job family of the position,

as available. To view a video, click on this tab. Then click on the link to the desired video. Position Xwalk: This gives you the occupational classification codes for the position selected, as found

in many different job coding systems, including eDOT, O*NET, GOE, OCC, UKSOC, NOC, Mexico, ISCO, SOC, OES, MOC, CIP, OPM, AIM, US Census, etc.

Now that you’ve learned how to select, review and modify SCO values for Ken’s work history, and reviewed the sub-tab options, it’s time to move onto the next major tab, or Step 2 - About the Individual. We will use the About the Individual tab to enter information about Ken’s disability and set the initial conditions for our Alternate Job filter. To do this, click on the About the Individual tab. Note that the format of the About the Individual tab is identical to the Job Analysis sub-tab. Also note that the values from the Last Job / Job Analysis sub-tab are carried over, including the change made to “Administrative Activity.” Remember: On the About the Job tab we analyzed the job. Now on the About the Individual tab, we’re going to analyze the individual.

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With the About the Individual tab activated, please note that, under the eDOT Job Analysis screen, there are now two possible selections:

Data Options (which we’ve already talked about at the bottom left of the screen) and Populated with (which is located in the first shaded region at the top of the page under eDOT Analysis). The Populate with menu selection determines which mean values are shown for each of the 99 SCOs on the About the Individual tab. By default, the values shown are for a single position from the work history — the Last Job. However, since we want the alternate job list to include all of those jobs that Ken can perform, select the Highest SCOs from Relevant Work History.

We’ve set the stage for creating a filter for the alternate jobs list. How? The values selected on the About the Individual tab are used to create a default list of filter conditions on the Full Filter tab. Click to select the Full Filter tab, the next main tab and/or major Step 3.

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Let’s talk a little more about the eDOT filters. The Disability Determination module lets you create an alternate job list by using one of several filters or filtering methods, including:

the RFC Comparison filter that is auto-created by the eDOT program (the Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 filter), where default conditions in the filter are based on:

o the relevant work history entered on the About the Job tab and any modifications made to any

Job Analysis tab; and o modifications made on the About the Individual tab based on the person’s current

abilities/disabilities; any other Predefined filter available on the Full Filter tab, including:

o Basic Measures (SVP, GED, and Strength) o Light / Unskilled (all jobs with SVP <3 and Strength < Medium) o Traditional o True Skills

a filter that is created from scratch on the Full Filter tab.

We’ll use the RFC Comparison filter — the filter that is auto-created by the program — for this exercise. We’ve already described Ken’s relevant work history in the About the Individual tab and modified the job analyses as needed. We have also analyzed the individual on the About the Individual tab and selected Highest Values from the Relevant Work History to populate the SCOs. Now we need to review the default filter that was created based on the values selected on the About the Individual tab and modify it as needed. Note that there is already a list of Conditions on the right-hand side of the Full Filter / Predefined filter sub-tab. Note that the operator equal or less (“≤”) is being used. Each condition in the filter applies to one of the SCOs. The high-side for each condition equals the value for each SCO on the About the Individual tab. Since we selected Highest SCOs from Relevant Work History in step 2, our filter should create a list of alternate jobs that all have SCO values that are equal or less than the Highest SCOs from the work history, taking into consideration the values we modified as part of both the Job Analysis and About the Individual. Remember that we observed that Ken’s current job involves “Frequent” administrative ability rather than “Occasional” administrative ability. Also, remember that the entire high tech industry in his area of Manhattan Beach, CA is depressed and you hope to find him alternate jobs in other industries. All Industries is already included by default. If you want to narrow your industry choices, go to the Basic tab and select the Industry tab and choose your specific industry by selecting And, and then [Your Industry] and then click the Add Above Condition to Filter button. The resulting list of filtered jobs – 6 titles -- contains all positions (including alternate titles) in eDOT's database that have: SCO values EQUAL OR LESS THAN the highest value shown on the About the Individual tab; and “All Industries” as the associated industry.

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Now we want to save this filter for future use. Click the Save Current Filter button.

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When prompted, name this filter Ken and click the OK button.

Now you’ll be able to reselect this filter at any time, even after closing and re-opening the eDOT software.

Instead of using a pre-defined filter like the default RFC Comparison filter, you could also create a filter from scratch on the Individual’s Data tab. On the Full Filter / Predefined filter sub-tab, click the Delete All button under the All Conditions in Filter list.

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Now, create a new filter. After each of the following selections, click the Add Above Condition to Filter button. On the Basic / Text sub-tab, select And; Titles; in the Containing this text field enter: computer

On the Basic / Text sub-tab, select And; Descriptions; in the Containing this text field enter: programming On the Basic / Physical Demands – Strength sub-tab, select And; Strength Equal or Less; Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force

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The end result should be a Conditions list that looks like this:

In the Alternate Jobs (Job Search Results) window a list of 11 jobs (including alternate titles) is displayed.

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We’ve been working on the first three main tabs: About the Job, About the Individual, and Full Filter. Now we’ll move over to the Job Availability tab. When you click on the Job Availability tab, a pop-up box is created alerting you that “All Claimant Residence information” needs to be filled out. Click OK. For the purposes of this example we will enter 1100 Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan Beach, California and Employer Radius of 50 miles by clicking the blue ‘Data That Affect Analyses’ button. Then click the OK button.

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The resulting Job Availability list and population information will give you a rough idea of whether or not an alternate job can be found in that area.

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Click the Potential Employers tab to review employer-specific data for the area selected. Only businesses that are likely to employ at least one of the positions on the Alternate Job list will display.

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From the Potential Employers tab, click the Jobs Posted tab for an even more accurate idea of whether or not there are any openings within fifty miles of Ken’s home address. This list shows that there are several openings available within fifty miles of Ken’s home.

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The list above shows the jobs within 50 miles. To find jobs closer to Ken, you can change the radius in the Data That Affect Analyses field and set it to 5 miles and click OK. The screen will refresh and display those positions within 5 miles.

This ends the tutorial portion of this exercise. Please close out this PDF window. Then click the Next button on the course Problem Statement page to try your hand at researching alternate jobs.

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