In a world where career paths are evolving faster than ever, access to structured, reliable occupational data is gold. That’s where O*NET Online Web Services come in—a free, developer-friendly API maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor that offers deep insights into the world of work.
Whether you’re building a job-matching platform, an HR analytics tool, or an educational app, O*NET’s API gives you access to the same data powering tools like My Next Move and CareerOneStop.
🧠 What Is O*NET?
O*NET (Occupational Information Network) is the U.S. government’s comprehensive database of job characteristics, worker requirements, and labor market trends. It covers:
- Skills, knowledge, and abilities required for each occupation
- Work activities, tasks, and tools used
- Education, experience, and training expectations
- Labor market data like salary ranges and growth outlooks
🔌 What Are O*NET Web Services?
O*NET Web Services are RESTful APIs that let developers pull this data into their own apps. You can:
- 🔍 Search occupations by keyword
- 📄 Retrieve full occupation reports
- 📊 Access interest profilers and career clusters
- 🧩 Integrate with your own datasets or user profiles
The API supports JSON and XML, uses HTTPS for secure requests, and offers interactive demos and sample code on GitHub1.
🛠️ How to Get Started
- Sign up at services.onetcenter.org
- Choose your authentication method (Basic Auth or query string with CORS domain registration)
- Explore the interactive demo to test endpoints
- Use the Reference Manual for endpoint documentation
- Start building—whether it’s a job recommender, resume enhancer, or career guidance chatbot
💡 Use Cases for Developers
- Career Matchmaking: Recommend jobs based on user interests or skills
- Resume Builders: Auto-suggest skills and keywords based on target roles
- HR Dashboards: Visualize skill gaps and training needs
- EdTech Tools: Align courses with real-world occupational data
🔐 Bonus: Interest Profiler Integration
O*NET also offers an embeddable Interest Profiler, which helps users discover careers aligned with their preferences. You can host it directly in your app and map results to occupations using the API2.
🚀 Final Thoughts
If you’re building anything career-related, O*NET Web Services are a hidden gem. They’re free, well-documented, and backed by one of the most robust occupational datasets in the world.
Want help designing a UI around O*NET data or integrating it into a Laravel app? I’d be happy to help you.
References (2)
- O*NET OnLine Help: Web Services. https://www.onetonline.org/help/onet/webservices
2. O*NET Web Services. https://services.onetcenter.org/