U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration https://www.onetonline.org 10m 2,494 #insights
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Lay and install carpet from rolls or blocks on floors. Install padding and trim flooring materials.
Sample of reported job titles:
Carpet Installer, Carpet Layer, Carpet Mechanic, Commercial Floor Covering Installer, Floor Coverer, Floor Covering Installer, Floor Installation Mechanic, Flooring Installer, Installer
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks
5 of 16 displayed
All 16 displayed- Inspect the surface to be covered to determine its condition, and correct any imperfections that might show through carpet or cause carpet to wear unevenly.
- Roll out, measure, mark, and cut carpeting to size with a carpet knife, following floor sketches and allowing extra carpet for final fitting.
- Join edges of carpet and seam edges where necessary, by sewing or by using tape with glue and heated carpet iron.
- Cut and trim carpet to fit along wall edges, openings, and projections, finishing the edges with a wall trimmer.
- Plan the layout of the carpet, allowing for expected traffic patterns and placing seams for best appearance and longest wear.
- Stretch carpet to align with walls and ensure a smooth surface, and press carpet in place over tack strips or use staples, tape, tacks or glue to hold carpet in place.
- Take measurements and study floor sketches to calculate the area to be carpeted and the amount of material needed.
- Install carpet on some floors using adhesive, following prescribed method.
- Clean up before and after installation, including vacuuming carpet and discarding remnant pieces.
- Measure, cut and install tackless strips along the baseboard or wall.
- Nail tack strips around area to be carpeted or use old strips to attach edges of new carpet.
- Cut carpet padding to size and install padding, following prescribed method.
- Fasten metal treads across door openings or where carpet meets flooring to hold carpet in place.
- Draw building diagrams and record dimensions.
- Move furniture from area to be carpeted and remove old carpet and padding.
- Cut and bind material.
Knowledge
5 of 6 displayed All 6 displayed- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Building and Construction — Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Skills
5 of 6 displayed All 6 displayed- Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Mathematics — Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Time Management — Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Abilities
5 of 20 displayed All 20 displayed- Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without ‘giving out’ or fatiguing.
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
- Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Depth Perception — The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
- Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
- Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.
- Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Work Activities
5 of 18 displayed All 18 displayed- Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
- Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
- Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Detailed Work Activities
5 of 14 displayed All 14 displayed- Cut carpet, vinyl or other flexible materials.
- Measure materials or objects for installation or assembly.
- Inspect work sites to determine condition or necessary repairs.
- Mark reference points on construction materials.
- Prepare surfaces for finishing.
- Install carpet or flooring.
- Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools.
- Plan layout of construction, installation, or repairs.
- Estimate materials requirements for projects.
- Measure work site dimensions.
- Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
- Clean work sites.
- Create construction or installation diagrams.
- Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context
5 of 29 displayed All 29 displayed- Freedom to Make Decisions — 87% responded “A lot of freedom.”
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 82% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
- Face-to-Face Discussions — 67% responded “Every day.”
- Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling — 71% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
- Telephone — 53% responded “Every day.”
- Contact With Others — 52% responded “Constant contact with others.”
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 49% responded “Every day.”
- Time Pressure — 45% responded “Every day.”
- Structured versus Unstructured Work — 41% responded “A lot of freedom.”
- Exposed to Contaminants — 48% responded “Every day.”
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 47% responded “Very important results.”
- Frequency of Decision Making — 54% responded “Every day.”
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 46% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 46% responded “Extremely important.”
- Work With Work Group or Team — 37% responded “Very important.”
- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 35% responded “Very high responsibility.”
- Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — 47% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
- Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — 30% responded “Every day.”
- Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings — 46% responded “Every day.”
- Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 36% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
- Coordinate or Lead Others — 44% responded “Important.”
- Duration of Typical Work Week — 47% responded “More than 40 hours.”
- Level of Competition — 55% responded “Highly competitive.”
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 34% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
- Deal With External Customers — 26% responded “Very important.”
- Physical Proximity — 55% responded “Moderately close (at arm’s length).”
- Responsible for Others’ Health and Safety — 35% responded “Moderate responsibility.”
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment — 45% responded “Every day.”
- Frequency of Conflict Situations — 36% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
Job Zone
| Title | Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
| Education | These occupations usually require a high school diploma. |
| Related Experience | Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public. |
| Job Training | Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers. |
| SVP Range | (4.0 to < 6.0) |
Interests
All 2 displayedInterest code: RE
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- Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Styles
5 of 16 displayed All 16 displayed- Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Independence — Job requires developing one’s own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
- Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Work Values
All 3 displayed- Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Wages & Employment Trends
| Median wages (2020) | $19.94 hourly, $41,480 annual |
| State wages | |
| Local wages | |
| Employment (2019) | 36,500 employees |
| Projected growth (2019-2029) |  Decline (-1% or lower) |
| Projected job openings (2019-2029) | 2,500 |
| State trends | |
| Top industries (2019) | |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 wage data
and 2019-2029 employment projections.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2019-2029). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
All 4 displayedDisclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
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