Chief Executives and Managing Directors
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Chief Executives and Managing Directors determine, formulate and review the general policy programs and the overall direction of organisations within the framework established by boards of directors and similar governing bodies.
Also known as: Chief Executive Officer.
Specialisations: Director-General, Executive Director, Secretary (Government Department).
Extensive managerial experience and relevant sector experience is usually needed to work as a Chief Executive or Managing Director. Some workers have a university degree or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in business and management.
Tasks
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determining objectives, strategies, policies and programs for organisations
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providing overall direction and management to organisations
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authorising material, human and financial resources to implement organisational policies and programs
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monitoring and evaluating performance of organisations against organisational objectives and strategies
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consulting with senior subordinate staff and reviewing recommendations and reports
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preparing, or arranging for the preparation of, reports, budgets and forecasts and presenting them to governing bodies
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representing the organisation at official occasions, in negotiations, at conventions, seminars, public hearings and forums, and liaising between areas of responsibility
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selecting and approving the selection of senior staff
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ensuring the organisation complies with company laws and other relevant legislation
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow moderately
- is likely to reach 44,200 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 66,200 |
2012 | 69,100 |
2013 | 61,600 |
2014 | 46,900 |
2015 | 64,000 |
2016 | 51,700 |
2017 | 47,400 |
2018 | 63,000 |
2019 | 31,600 |
2020 | 37,700 |
2021 | 42,300 |
2026 | 44,200 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 88% of people employed as Chief Executives and Managing Directors work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 22 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 52 hours per week in their main job. This is 8 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
More than half of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).
Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021.
Industries
Main industries
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Chief Executives and Managing Directors work in industries like:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Manufacturing
- Public administration and safety.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Chief Executives and Managing Directors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.8 | 31.6 |
VIC | 28.0 | 25.6 |
QLD | 16.7 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 10.4 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.7 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.0 | 1.0 |
ACT | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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Around 74% of Chief Executives and Managing Directors live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Melbourne - Inner
- Sydney - North Sydney and Hornsby
- Melbourne - Inner South
- Sydney - Eastern Suburbs
- Melbourne - Inner East.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Chief Executives and Managing Directors is 50 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 21% of the workforce. This is 27 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Chief Executives and Managing Directors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 0.5 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 7.9 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 22.7 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 34.0 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 14.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 10.2 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 10.1 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 50 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Extensive managerial experience and relevant sector experience is usually needed to work as a Chief Executive or Managing Director. Some workers have a university degree or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in business and management.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Business Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Chief Executives and Managing Directors | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 22.8 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 31.1 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 12.3 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 13.7 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 12.3 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 2.5 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 5.3 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Chief Executives and Managing Directors who have strong communication skills, can interact with a range of people and provide leadership.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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82%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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79%
Management of financial resourcesFiguring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.
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79%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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77%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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77%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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73%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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73%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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71%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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71%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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70%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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70%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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68%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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68%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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68%
Management of material resourcesProviding the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
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68%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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68%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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66%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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63%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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61%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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52%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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89%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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79%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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72%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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65%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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64%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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62%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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60%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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57%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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56%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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56%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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52%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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50%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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48%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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43%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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42%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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36%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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36%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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29%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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29%
Building and constructionMaterials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
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27%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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71%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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71%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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71%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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71%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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70%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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70%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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66%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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66%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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66%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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66%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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64%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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61%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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59%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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59%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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57%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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55%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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55%
VisualizationImagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
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50%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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48%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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41%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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88%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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87%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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86%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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86%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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85%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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84%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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84%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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83%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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81%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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77%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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77%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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77%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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76%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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76%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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74%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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73%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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70%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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70%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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65%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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55%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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76%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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52%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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38%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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29%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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19%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Values
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100%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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100%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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90%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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90%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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76%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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71%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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100%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
100%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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98%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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98%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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98%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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97%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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96%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
95%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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94%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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89%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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87%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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87%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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84%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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84%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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83%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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81%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
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77%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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76%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 11-1011.00 - Chief Executives.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.