Data about employment by location and occupation, labor supply and demand, earnings, unemployment and demographics of the labor force make up what is known as labor market information. Labor Market Information (LMI) can help you to evaluate options and consider opportunities. That information, coupled with an awareness of your own interests, likes, and dislikes, will give you a sense of direction. You can further define that direction into a goal by identifying the skills you have or are willing to develop.
Two trusted sources for impartial information are the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
DEED’s data and data tools provide a comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts look at Minnesota's economy and workforce.
Labor market highlights
DEED’s monthly data give you the freshest available snapshot of how Minnesota's economy is performing on a number of important job and employment-related fronts. You can find out about our unemployment rate and how it compares with the rest of the country, examine how key industry sectors are faring, and review the latest statistics on unemployment insurance claims. Find the data you need at https://mn.gov/deed/data/.
Consider these excellent DEED tools:
Graduate Employment Outcomes- The Graduate Employment Outcomes data tool shows how many Minnesota graduates are finding Minnesota jobs, and at what wages.
Employment Outlook- The Employment Outlook data tool shows one-year and ten-year projections of employment growth or decline by occupation and industry for Minnesota’s regions, statewide, and for the U.S.
Occupations in Demand- The Occupations in Demand data tool shows high-demand jobs for each region of the state. See typical wages, education requirements, and where to find skills training
Occupational Employment Statistics- The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) data tool shows employment and typical wages by occupation and region in Minnesota. This information can help employers benchmark wages and can help job seekers and students explore careers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy. Its mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate essential economic information to support public and private decision making. As an independent statistical agency, BLS serves its diverse user communities by providing products and services that are accurate, objective, relevant, timely, and accessible.
Occupational Outlook Handbook - If you are looking to enter the job market, change jobs, or find information on occupations of interest, the Handbook can help. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is an easily searchable database that can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations. You can read about the nature of the work, education and training requirements, advancement opportunities, employment, salary, and ten-year job outlook for hundreds of occupations. The Handbook also lists related occupations and sources of additional information.
Career Information for Students - Search over 60 occupations by what interests you or your favorite subject area. Find out what an occupation's tasks are, how you get ready for it, salary information, and job outlook.
Career Outlook - The articles in this quarterly magazine cover a wide range of topics relating to occupations and finding jobs—from job outlook by degree to finding an internship.
Occupations by Education Level and Projected Growth - The "Search by Education" option will help you find which occupations typically need a certain level of education for entry. The "Search by Occupation" option allows you to compare over 700 occupations by employment size, projected employment growth, wages, and the typical entry-level education.
Occupational Employment and Wages by Area - Occupational employment and wages by area can help you find out where a certain occupation is prevalent and how much you might expect to get paid for that occupation in different areas. These data are available at the national, State, and metropolitan area levels.
Benefits - Benefits data can help you better compare your total compensation from one job to another. These data are available for broad occupational groups and for the nine regions of the U.S.
Workplace Safety - Information about injuries, illnesses, and fatalities for various occupations and areas can help you choose a career path.
CareerOneStop - Career, training, and job search website for the U.S. Department of Labor. The website serves job seekers, businesses, students, and career advisors with a variety of free online tools, information and resources. It’s the U.S. Department of Labor’s “one stop shop” for career exploration, training and jobs.