How to evaluate career information you find online

Start with the source. Is the information published by an employer, a professional body, a government agency or a company selling something? Each has a legitimate perspective, but they are not the same thing.

Check the date. Salary ranges, skills in demand and hiring conditions change quickly, and a page that looks current may be years old.

Look for the original. Summaries often repeat one another. Find the underlying report, official listing or data set, and read how the numbers were gathered.

Finally, test it against your own situation. A national average says little about your location, level or sector. Treat public information as a starting point for questions, not as a verdict.

General guidance only. It is not advice tailored to your situation and does not guarantee any outcome.

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