Understanding the Comparison Search
Users of Profile Professional 2004 must have a thorough understanding of the concepts and methods underlying its National Occupation Classification Career Handbook (NOC CH) search engine. Knowing how Search Filters operate during the comparison search process is essential to the proper use of this software, and toward communicating the contents of the reports that are produced.
A total of 9 different types of Search Filters can be incorporated while conducting an NOC CH comparison search. These include:
Each type of Search Filter consists of a set of ratings or levels that Profile allows you to access and activate through dialog boxes. Most dialog boxes contain Help and Details buttons that can be clicked to reveal additional directions governing the use the dialog box controls, and to view a definition of that Search Filter's allowable settings.
In DeskTop operating mode, only one Search Filter can be used per comparison search. In Standard and Composite Transferable Skills Analysis (C-TSA) modes, any or all of the Search Filters can be incorporated with the exception of Keywords. Keyword searches must be performed independently.
Search Filters operate identically during the comparison search of the NOC CH database in both Standard and C-TSA modes. Profile keeps track of and persists ("remembers") all Search Filter settings in both modes, and you can switch back and forth between operating modes as required. The manner in which a Search Filters profile is created differs however in Standard and C-TSA modes.
In Standard mode, you determine which Search Filter(s) will be used and the values associated with them.
In C-TSA mode, Search Filter values are based on an automatically generated composite of the NOC CH Descriptors and Labels associated with each occupation title that you have added to the Work History. However, once Profile has generated a composite Search Filter profile from the Work History, any of the Search Filter settings can be changed. The original (unchanged) composite settings represent the Unadjusted Search Filters profile, while any changes you make to the composite Search Filter profile make up the Adjusted Search Filters profile. In C-TSA mode, Profile uses the Adjusted Search Filters profile during the comparison search provided that changes have been made to the Unadjusted profile. Once Profile has constructed a composite Search Filter, it will automatically set Aptitudes, DPT, Education/Training indicators, and Strength as the default, included Search Filters profile. These are intended as a guide only, and can be deactivated or modified as required.
What follows is a description of each Search Filter's role and behaviour during the comparison search process.
Aptitude levels represent specific potentialities that facilitate the acquisition of new skills. They are ranked from a high of level 1 to a low of level 5. In Profile's Standard mode of operation, aptitude levels for each factor can be entered directly, or Profile can automatically compute aptitude levels from General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) Raw Part Scores that you input. Missing GATB Raw Part scores will be converted to a Standard Score of zero for the aptitude factor they contribute to. During the comparison search, aptitude factor levels that have been assigned zero, will always pass (i.e. will successfully compare).
In C-TSA Mode, aptitude levels are automatically derived from the Work History you create. Only those aptitude levels that are considered significant to satisfactory performance in an occupation (Major Aptitudes) are taken from each aptitude profile in the Work History. Consequently, a C-TSA aptitude profile may not contain all nine aptitude levels. Those aptitude levels that are shown as zero, are not significant for that factor in any occupation title in the Work History and will always pass during the comparison search. Each aptitude level which appears in the C-TSA aptitude profile is the highest ranked Major Aptitude level for that factor in the Work History.
During the comparison search, i.e., after you click the Start Search button, Profile will numerically compare individual aptitude levels in the Search Filter profile, with their corresponding aptitude levels in the NOC CH database. This assumes that you have included aptitude levels as a Search Filter. Profile settings that affect aptitude level comparisons include:
- Allowance Range
- Major Aptitudes only search versus Major and Minor Aptitude comparisons
Allowance Range. In all cases, each Search Filter profile aptitude level must rank the same or rank higher than its corresponding level for each NOC CH occupation title in order for a given occupation title to be selected. For example, if the Search Filter General Learning Ability (G) aptitude level is 2, only NOC CH occupation titles having a G factor level of 2, 3, 4, or 5 could potentially be selected during the comparison search (provided that other aptitude level comparisons were successful as well using the same rule).
The Allowance Range allows you to specify how much a client's Search Filter aptitude level on each factor can exceed or 'over qualify' relative to the same level associated with NOC CH occupation titles. Following the example above, if you set the Allowance Range to 1, then only occupation titles having a G level of 2 or 3 may be selected. Thus, the client's G factor level can over qualify by a maximum of one aptitude level. In effect, you will be restricting the selection of occupation titles to those that require the same or a slightly lower level of General Learning Ability. NOC CH occupation titles associated with a higher G level (1 in this case), as well as occupation titles having a much lower G level (4 or 5) will fail the comparison search because they fall outside the set limits of the Allowance Range. By selecting a higher Allowance Range, the comparison search output will also contain occupation titles that your client 'over qualifies' for by a larger margin.
In most cases, setting the Allowance Range to a value of 1 or 2 should produce a listing of occupation titles that more closely match on each of a client's obtained levels. Applying a higher Allowance Range value (3 or 4) to client aptitude profiles containing relatively high aptitude levels on most factors, can produce a listing of hundreds of selected occupation titles, many of which may be of little interest or relevance.
Major Aptitudes Only vs. Major and Minor Comparisons. Although each Unit Group occupation title in the NOC CH database is associated with nine aptitude factor levels, not all of those levels are considered significant to satisfactorily performing the duties of that occupation. Those aptitude factors that are considered to be significant will be termed Major Aptitudes, while those that are less important will be termed Minor Aptitudes. Profile allows you to specify whether all nine aptitude levels (Major and Minor) for each NOC CH occupation title will undergo comparison with Search Filter aptitude levels, or whether only the significant levels (Major Aptitudes only) for each occupation title will be involved during the comparison search.
Profile's default aptitude level comparison search type is Major Aptitudes Only, and it is recommended that you keep that setting in most cases. By comparing only Major Aptitudes, there is less likelihood that a specific NOC CH occupation title will fail to be selected because a Minor and hence less important, aptitude level comparison was unsuccessful.
Note: In C-TSA mode, the comparison search defaults to Major Aptitudes Only, and cannot be changed. The Allowance Range defaults to 2 in C-TSA mode, but this setting can be changed in the Aptitude Levels dialog box. The Aptitude Levels dialog box can be accessed by clicking on the underlined Aptitudes label in the left pane of the screen, or by clicking any of the aptitude levels shown to the right of that label.
An Interest code used as a Search Filter in Profile is expressed in the form of a Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI) interest profile to maintain compatibility with NOC CH Interest codes. Ideally, the CWPI should be administered to a client in order to obtain a measured Interest profile.
Of the five CWPI interest factors, only three are used in each interest code. The relative prominence of a given interest factor is represented by its position and capitalization within the three-character code. The first interest factor is always capitalized, while the remaining two may consists of capital or lower case characters. Capitalized interest factors must be contiguous, i.e., placed adjacent to one another starting from the beginning of the interest code. Thus, capitalized interest factors may be present in the first position, first two positions, or all three positions. A lower case interest factor cannot be placed between two capitalized factors, and a lower case factor cannot be placed first. Thus, the interest code OMi (Objective, Methodical, Innovative) is legal, while the interest code OiM is illegal.
During the comparison search, Profile compares the Search Filter Interest code with Interest codes in the NOC CH database according to the following rules:
All three interest factors capitalized. When all three Interest factors are captialized (meaning all three are of equal prominence), Profile will permutate all Search Filter Interest factors and compare each permutation to a given NOC CH Interest code. For example, if the Search Filter Interest code is OMD, then NOC CH Interest codes including OMD, MOD, DOM, ODM, MDO, and DMO can potentially be selected.
First two Interest factors are capitalized. In this case, Profile will recombine the first two Interest factors and compare each combination to NOC CH Interest codes during the comparison search. Thus, if the Search Filter Interest code is OMd, NOC CH interest codes OMd and MOd can potentially be selected.
Only the first Interest factor is capitalized. When only the first Interest factor is capitalized, Profile performs a more flexible and inclusive comparison. Any NOC CH Interest code matching the first capitalized Interest factor can potentially be selected. Consequently, if the Search Filter Interest code is Omd, NOC CH Interest codes including Omd, Odm, Osi, Osm, etc. can be selected.
Data/People/Things (DPT) ratings represent the complexity level of worker functions as they relate to working with information, other people, and objects respectively. Ratings associated with each factor range from a highest complexity level of zero to a lowest complexity rating of eight (Not Significant).
Profile allows you to choose one rating level on each DPT factor. Furthermore, you can opt to select one, two or all three of the DPT factors to be activated in the comparison search. To prevent specific Data, People or Things factors from participating in the comparison search, you can choose a special Exclude option associated with each of them. DPT definitions and additional help on selecting DPT ratings can be accessed by clicking the Details and Help buttons in Profile's DPT dialog box.
During the comparison search of the NOC CH database, Profile will compare all selected DPT levels with their corresponding database levels in a hierarchical fashion. For example, if DPT ratings of 3, 4, and Exclude respectively are included as Search Filters, only occupation titles associated with Data ratings of 3 to 8 and People ratings of 4 to 8 can potentially be selected from the database. Because an Exclude option was selected for the Things factor, any comparison search operations involving the Things factor will be ignored and occupation titles will potentially be selected based on Data and People ratings only.
In C-TSA mode, Profile builds a DPT composite that contains the most complex Data, People and Things ratings on each factor as detected in all occupation titles in the Work History.
Education and Training Indicators:
NOC CH Education/Training indicators incorporate both formal and other training requirements. In both Standard and C-TSA operating modes, Profile allows you to select one or more of eight Education/Training indicator ratings for participation in the comparison search.
In C-TSA mode, the composite Education/Training indicator ratings are automatically derived from the Work History that you previously created. Education/Training indicator ratings that are initially displayed in C-TSA mode, are all ratings that have been detected for each occupation title in the Work History. You can of course add to the composite ratings, or disable some of them from participating in the comparison search.
During the comparison search of the NOC CH database, Profile can potentially select all occupation titles sharing one or more of the Education/Training indicator ratings that you have selected. The Education/Training indicator comparison search is not hierarchical as in the case of Aptitude level or DPT comparisons.
Definitions of each Education/Training indicator rating, as well as additional help on selecting specific ratings can be accessed by clicking the Details and Help buttons in Profile's Education/Training Indicator dialog box. A review of these specific details is strongly recommended since the specification of multiple ratings can have significant effects on the outcome of the search.
Environmental Conditions (EC) Search Filters in Profile correspond to the same NOC CH Descriptors and Labels. These include Location, Hazards, and Discomforts. Each EC Descriptor incorporates a number of codes that represent working conditions that are likely to be present in the working environment.
While selecting specific codes under any EC Descriptor, Profile allows you to specify the manner in which the comparison search will operate relative to each one.
You can for example, choose to include codes under each EC Descriptor that Profile will use during the comparison search to select occupation titles sharing one or more of those codes. Thus, if you select Location codes of L3 (Outside) and L4 (In a vehicle or cab), and Hazards codes of H1 (Dangerous chemical substances) and H8 (Dangerous locations), Profile will attempt to select occupation titles sharing one or more of the same codes in the NOC CH database. Following from this example, any occupation title associated with a Location code of L3 and/or L4, and that also shares a Hazards code of H1 and/or H8, can potentially be selected, provided that all other Search Filters you have selected pass their respective comparisons as well.
Alternatively, you can choose to use any EC Descriptor codes as Restrictions. EC codes that you set as Restrictions will operate in a manner that is opposite to the process described above. Consequently, if you select Location codes of L3 and L4, and Hazards codes of H1 and H8, then Profile will not select any occupation titles that share any of the Location and Hazards Restrictions you have incorporated. Search Filters that are acting as Restrictions will be identified in the colour red to the left of the grid display in Profile.
In C-TSA mode, all EC descriptors and codes associated with them are automatically derived from the Work History you have previously created. The C-TSA mode EC codes are all those that have been detected for each occupation title in the Work History. You can add to those that have been automatically selected, disable some or all of them, or set some or all of them as Restrictions if you choose.
Definitions of each EC Descriptor (Search Filter) and their respective codes can be exposed by clicking the Details button in each Search Filter dialog box. Additional help on selecting EC codes is available by clicking on the Help button in each dialog box.
NOC CH Physical Activities (PA) Descriptors include:
- Vision
- Hearing
- Limb Co-ordination
- Colour Discrimination
- Body Position
- Strength
Profile permits you to select one or more of the ratings and levels associated with each PA Descriptor as Search Filters. As described in the Environmental Conditions section above, any PA Search Filter (with the exceptions of Colour Discrimination and Strength) can also be set to operate as a Restriction during the comparison search of the NOC CH database.
There is considerable flexibility to control the operation of the comparison search by using the PA Descriptors, as described below. Not all descriptors function in the same way, so it is strongly recommended that you review the operation of each descriptor.
Vision. When you click on the Vision option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Vision label to the left of the grid display in Profile, a dialog box will appear that lists all Vision levels that can be selected to act as Search Filters. Simply click on one or more of the Vision levels you wish to use. During the comparison search, Profile will select occupation titles sharing any of the levels you have selected.
If you want to select one or more Vision levels to act as Restrictions, click the 'Use as restriction' option in the dialog box. During the comparison search any NOC CH database occupation titles that share any of the Vision level restrictions you have set, will not be selected.
Hearing. When you click on the Hearing option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Hearing label to the left of the grid display in Profile, a dialog box will appear that lists all Hearing levels. Click on one or more of the Hearing levels that you want to use as Search Filters. During the comparison search, Profile will select occupation titles that share any of the levels you have selected.
If you want to select one or more Hearing levels to act as Restrictions, click the 'Use as restriction' option. During the comparison search any NOC CH database occupation titles that share any of the Hearing level restrictions you have set, will not be selected.
Limb Co-ordination. When you click on the Limb Co-ordination option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Limb Co-ordination label to the left of the grid display in Profile, a dialog box will appear that lists all Limb Co-ordination levels that can be used as Search Filters. During the comparison search, Profile will select occupation titles sharing any of the levels you have selected.
If you want to select one or more Limb Co-ordination levels to act as Restrictions, click the 'Use as restriction' option. During the comparison search any NOC CH database occupation titles that share any of the Limb Co-ordination level restrictions you have set, will not be selected.
Colour Discrimination. When you click on the Colour Discrimination option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Colour Discrimination label to the left of the grid display in Profile, one dialog box will appear. In it, you can select either one of two Colour Discrimination levels. During the comparison search, any occupation title in the database can potentially be selected if its Colour Discrimination level is the same as the one you have chosen to include as a PA Search Filter.
Body Position. When you click on the Body Position option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Body Position label to the left of the grid display in Profile, a dialog box will appear that lists all Body Position levels. Click on one or more of the levels that you want to use as Search Filters. During the comparison search, Profile can select occupation titles sharing any of the levels you have selected.
If you want to select one or more Body Position levels to act as Restrictions, click the 'Use as restriction' option. During the comparison search any NOC CH database occupation titles that share any of the Body Position level restrictions you have set, will not be selected.
Strength. When you click on the Strength option under the Physical Activities item of the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the Strength label to the left of the grid display in Profile, one dialog box will appear. In that dialog box, you can choose to do one of two things.
You can select a Strength level from the drop down list that will operate in a Hierarchical manner during the comparison search. In this case, the Strength level you have selected will operate as a maximum Strength level. Only occupation titles sharing that maximum Strength level, as well as occupation titles having a 'lighter' Strength level can be selected during the comparison search. If, for example, you choose 'Medium' as the maximum Strength physical demand, then only occupation titles associated with a Strength level of Medium, Light, or Limited can be selected.
Alternatively, you can choose a Strength level rating from the drop down list that will act as a Specific (i.e. non-hierarchical) level during the comparison search. In other words, only occupation titles sharing that Specific Strength level will be selected.
In C-TSA mode, Profile automatically derives a composite set of PA values and codes, and displays them in the appropriate controls to the left of the occupation titles grid display. While building the composite PA, Profile selects and displays the most demanding Strength level from all titles in the Work History, a Colour Discrimination rating of 1 (Relevant) if it exists in the Work History, and all detected levels, codes and ratings for Vision, Hearing, Limb Co-ordination, and Body Position. You can modify any of these values and codes for your comparison search purposes.
Employment Prospects and hourly Wage ratings/figures have been taken from the most recent release of the HRDC publication Job Futures, and incorporated into Profile's electronic NOC CH database. Unfortunately, Job Futures Employment Prospects ratings and Wage figures are not available for all NOC CH Unit Group occupation titles. Where Job Futures Employment Prospects and Average Wage data are available for Unit Group occupation titles, that data has been applied to each corresponding NOC CH electronic database entry. Where only Minor Group Employment Prospects and Wage data are available, that Minor Group data has been applied to all Unit Groups within those Minor Groups. Consequently, Employment Prospects and Wage data contained within Profile's database should be interpreted as an approximation. Please note that Employment Prospects are national, not regional.
Profile provides three possible Employment Prospects ratings that can be used as Search Filters. These include ratings of Good, Fair, and Limited. To access the Employment Prospects Search Filter dialog box, either choose the Employment Prospects item under the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the underlined Employment Prospects label to the left of the grid display.
In the dialog that appears, click one or more Employment Prospects ratings to be included during the comparison search.
To access the Wage Search Filter dialog box, either choose the Wage item under the Search Filters menu, or click directly on the underlined Wage label to the left of the grid display.
The Hourly Average Wage dialog box will appear, containing two drop down lists. The drop down list on the left indicates the lower end of the Wage range you want to use. The drop down list on the right is used to select the upper limits of the Wage range. During the comparison search, Profile will select occupation titles having a Wage figure that falls within the range that you have selected.
In C-TSA mode, Profile selects the highest average hourly Wage figure detected in the Work History, and displays that figure to the left of the grid display. To use Wage as a Search Filter in C-TSA mode, you can use the figure shown in the control as a guide to selecting a Wage range from its dialog box as described above. Average Hourly Wage figures are national.
To access the Keyword dialog boxes, choose either the Lead Statement or Main Characteristics option under the Keywords item of the Search Filter menu. Clicking either one of these options will produce a dialog box that contains an empty text field. Simply type a word into the text field and then click the Search button. Profile will then display a listing of all Unit Group occupation titles that contain the Keyword you entered. If you chose to search by Lead Statement, then occupation titles containing the Keyword, or part of it, will be displayed. If you chose to search Main Characteristics, Profile will search through all Main Characteristics paragraphs associated with each occupation title in the NOC CH database and then display those Unit Group titles. Keywords cannot be used in conjunction with any of the other Search Filters.