[Questions 15-24 were asked of persons 15 years and over]
Q.19 Occupation ________
If at work, state here the usual principal occupation, giving a full description.
If unemployed or retired, describe the principal occupation previously held.
Persons described as farmers or farm workers should also state the area of the land currently/previously farmed.
Explanatory notes
[Questions 15-24 relate only to persons aged 15 years and over]
Question 19 - Occupation
- If at work, state the usual principal occupation i.e. that by which the living is mainly earned.
- If unemployed or retired, describe the principal occupation previously held.
- In all cases describe the occupation fully and precisely using any special name by which the job is known and stating the type of work done. The following are examples of the types of occupational descriptions which should be used:
- Retail store/shop manager
- Computer systems manager
- Garage manager
- Civil engineer
- Electrical engineer
- Software engineer
- Trainee chartered accountant
- Laboratory technician
- Electronic technician
- Analyst/programmer
- Secretary/receptionist
- Gas fitter
- Motor mechanic
- Wood machinist
- Ticket checker
- Child minder
- Food process worker
- Chemical plant operator
- Builder's labourer
- Dock labourer
- General terms such as "Manager", "Accountant", "Contractor", "Machine operator", "Technician", "Labourer", "Engineer", "Fitter", "Foreman", "Checker", "Mechanic", should not be used alone.
- For civil servants and local government employees, the grade should be stated. For Army or Garda personnel, .the rank should be stated.
- For teachers, the branch of teaching should be stated, i.e. ''primary teacher", "vocational teacher", etc.
- For clergy and members of religious orders engaged in teaching or other service, a full description should be given such as "Christian Brother, primary teacher", "Nun, general hospital nurse", etc.
- If a farmer or farm worker, regardless of present status (Question 18), state also the area and units (statute acres/hectares) of the land farmed (i.e. including land taken and excluding land left.
- Specifically, if retired, then state the area farmed at retirement.
Questions which cover persons 15 years and over
Q.19: Occupation
The Occupation must be provided for every person who ticks boxes 1,3 or 6 at Question 18. Housewives (i.e.) those who ticked (box 5 at Q.18) often answer this question by writing 'Home (or Domestic) Duties' as their occupation. Although inappropriate, no attempt should be made to alter this response.
You should ensure that the description of the Occupation is precise. In the list below some examples of correct and inadequate occupation descriptions are given:
Inadequate Entry
Analyst
Secretary
Minder
Process worker
Operator
Manager
Accountant
Machine operator
Technician
Labourer
Worker
Engineer
Fitter
Foreman
Checker
Mechanic
Possible Correct Entry
Analyst/programmer
Secretary /receptionist
Child minder
Food process worker
Chemical plant operator
Retail store/shop manager
Computer systems manager
Garage manager
Trainee chartered accountant
Wood Machinist
Laboratory technician
Electronic technician
Builder's labourer
Dock worker
Electrical engineer
Civil engineer
Software engineer
Gas fitter
Garage foreman
Ticket checker
Motor mechanic
If in doubt as to how a particular occupation should be described, it is better to give a full and detailed description. Particular care should be taken to ensure that, in the case of farmers or farm workers and regardless of present status, the area of the farm is inserted.