Table 1Transition record

physicisttodemographer

A physicist already meets 74% of what the demographer role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.

From physicist

74%

Overlap1

To demographer

41 Skills carried over

8 Required, not held

38.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 38.9

This move: 38.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the demographer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the physicist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 41 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A demographer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a physicist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held multidisciplinary research generic programmes and qualifications
already held develop scientific theories information skills
already held scientific literature generic programmes and qualifications
already held write research proposals communication, collaboration and creativity
already held apply statistical analysis techniques information skills
already held apply scientific methods information skills

All 41 carried skills, including the 36 the demographer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 23 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 2 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held forecast human population trends required
required, not held study human population required

optional, not held monitor sociological trends optional
optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
optional, not held find trends in geographic data optional
optional, not held manage database optional
optional, not held perform market research optional

02 working with computers 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held digital data processing required
required, not held use data processing techniques required

optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional

03 generic programmes and qualifications 2 required

required, not held empirical analysis required
required, not held research design required

04 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held demography required

optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
optional, not held sociology optional

05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held geography required

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 supplementary

optional, not held advise legislators optional
optional, not held interview focus groups optional
optional, not held teach geography optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a demographer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 41 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply for research funding skill
already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
already held apply scientific methods skill
already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
already held conduct research across disciplines skill
already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
already held evaluate research activities skill
already held execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
already held manage intellectual property rights skill
already held manage open publications skill
already held manage personal professional development skill
already held manage research data skill
already held mathematics knowledge
already held mentor individuals skill
already held operate open source software skill
already held perform project management skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held promote open innovation in research skill
already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
already held publish academic research skill
already held scientific literature knowledge
already held scientific research methodology knowledge
already held speak different languages skill
already held statistics knowledge
already held synthesise information skill
already held think abstractly skill
already held write scientific publications skill
already held apply blended learning skill
already held develop scientific theories skill
already held multidisciplinary research knowledge
already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
already held write research proposals skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 supplementary

optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held urban planning optional

08 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held scientific modelling optional

15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held monitor sociological trends optional
optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held advise legislators optional
optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
optional, not held conduct public surveys optional
optional, not held find trends in geographic data optional
optional, not held interview focus groups optional
optional, not held manage database optional
optional, not held perform market research optional
optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
optional, not held scientific modelling optional
optional, not held sociology optional
optional, not held teach geography optional
optional, not held urban planning optional
optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional

53 held skills the demographer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role Monte Carlo simulation knowledge
not needed by the target role acoustics knowledge
not needed by the target role aerodynamics knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse experimental laboratory data skill
not needed by the target role analyse telescope images skill
not needed by the target role apply teaching strategies skill
not needed by the target role assist with geophysical surveys skill
not needed by the target role astronomy knowledge
not needed by the target role biology knowledge
not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
not needed by the target role collect samples for analysis skill
not needed by the target role communicate mathematical information skill
not needed by the target role communicate with external laboratories skill
not needed by the target role computational mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role computational physics knowledge
not needed by the target role computer simulation knowledge
not needed by the target role continuum mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role densiometry knowledge
not needed by the target role design scientific equipment skill
not needed by the target role economics knowledge
not needed by the target role forensic physics knowledge
not needed by the target role gather experimental data skill
not needed by the target role general medicine knowledge
not needed by the target role geology knowledge
not needed by the target role geophysics knowledge
not needed by the target role intellectual property law knowledge
not needed by the target role interpret geophysical data skill
not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematical modelling knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematical physics knowledge
not needed by the target role medical laboratory technology knowledge
not needed by the target role nuclear physics knowledge
not needed by the target role observe matter skill
not needed by the target role operate remote sensing equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate scientific measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate telescopes skill
not needed by the target role perform laboratory tests skill
not needed by the target role perform lectures skill
not needed by the target role petroleum knowledge

13 further entries not listed here

9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held demography required
required, not held empirical analysis required
required, not held geography required
required, not held research design required
optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
optional, not held scientific modelling optional
optional, not held sociology optional
optional, not held urban planning optional

Index

Other moves recorded from physicist

Full index of moves from physicist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.