Research Industries
Why care about industries?
An “industry” describes the collection of employers, companies and organizations connected with producing a particular product or service, such as cars, software, health care, or energy.
“Focusing on the industry lets you find your interest, but navigate in a way that gives more options,” says Career Educator Kathy Koppy. “Instead of locating organizations one by one, it lets you see all the opportunities in your area of interest and opens up more possibilities that you might never have connected.”
Researching by industry also allows you to learn which industries are growing, hire the most employees and pay the best, all of which means more career opportunities for you, not just now but when you’re ready to advance in your career.
While some job roles are specific to an industry, many job roles are available across industries, such as careers in many IT roles, human resources, sales, marketing and communication, business analysis, and administration.
Where to Start Your Research?
Online newspapers, magazines, and many websites can help keep you informed about current industry trends for free. They are available from around the world and can help you research industries and jobs titles so you can make an informed decision about a certain career path. Here is where you will find information about employment outlook, typical salaries, forecasted job growth rates, and required training/education for certain careers.
CareerOneStop
Data in these Industry Reports are from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Discover which industries are in demand, have the largest employment, are experiencing declining employment, pay the most, and more. Sharpen your job search or career planning by learning where industry growth and decline are occurring.
- Fastest Growing
Find the industries that are projected to grow the fastest. Includes past and projected industry employment levels and growth rates. - Highest Paying
Find the highest-paying industries. Includes details of average weekly wages and average annual wages. - Declining Employment
Create a list of industries with the largest projected declines in employment nationwide. Includes past and projected industry employment levels and growth rates. - Largest Employment
View the industries with the largest employment nationwide. Includes details about employment and links to more detailed industry information. - Industry/Occupation Trends
Projected employment changes for occupation and industry at the national level.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)
The industry standard. The U.S. Department of Labor- Bureau of Labor Statistic’s compendium of information on hundreds of careers.
Bloomberg Businessweek
Loaded with phenomenal insights and in-depth analysis on the people, companies, events, and trends shaping today's complex global economy.
Related Events
Explore a job role, industry or company.
Career Exploration
Explore an industry, organization or job function during a one-of-a-kind opportunity to shadow professionals in the field. Offered during winter, spring or summer.
Exploration. Preparation.
Career Exploration and Preparation
LifeLab is designed to support any student — from first-year undergraduates to graduate students — to identify values, skills, receive feedback and suggestions to improve your resume, or begin the search process for internships, grad school, or full-time jobs.