Tailors, Dressmakers, & Custom Sewers

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Tailors, Dressmakers, & Custom Sewers

Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.

Activities
Abilities
Interests
Knowledge
Wages
Related
Skills
Tasks
Environment
Personal Styles
Personal Needs
Personal Values

Abilities

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.

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.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

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 Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

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.

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

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.

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

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.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).

Wrist-Finger Speed

The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Speed of Closure

The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

The ability to see details at a distance.

The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.

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.

Hearing Sensitivity

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Response Orientation

The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.

Extent Flexibility

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

Auditory Attention

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

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.

Static Strength

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Dynamic Strength

The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.

Gross Body Coordination

The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.

The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

Gross Body Equilibrium

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

Sound Localization

The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.

Spatial Orientation

The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.

Dynamic Flexibility

The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Interests

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.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Second Interest High-Point

Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

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.

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

First Interest High-Point

Primary-Rank Descriptiveness

Knowledge

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.

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Education and Training

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

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.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Sales and Marketing

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Economics and Accounting

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Sociology and Anthropology

Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Philosophy and Theology

Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

Law and Government

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Personnel and Human Resources

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Communications and Media

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Foreign Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

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.

Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Therapy and Counseling

Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Telecommunications

Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Medicine and Dentistry

Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Food Production

Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Wages

District of Columbia

Guam	$20,590.00

Iowa	$21,500.00

Ohio	$24,840.00

Utah	$21,650.00

Related Careers

Costume Attendants

Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers.

Fabric Menders, Except Garment

Repair tears, holes, and other defects in fabrics, such as draperies, linens, parachutes, and tents.

Floral Designers

Design, cut, and arrange live, dried, or artificial flowers and foliage.

Interior Designers

Plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. Formulate design which is practical, aesthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise, or improving life style. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.

Fabricate and repair jewelry articles. Make models or molds to create jewelry items.

Medical Appliance Technicians

Construct, fit, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices, such as braces, artificial limbs, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.

Prepress Technicians & Workers

Set up and prepare material for printing presses.

Set & Exhibit Designers

Design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

Shoe & Leather Workers & Repairers

Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles.

Skills

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Equipment Selection

Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Teaching others how to do something.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Using mathematics to solve problems.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Operations Analysis

Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Management of Material Resources

Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.

Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Operation Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Management of Financial Resources

Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Technology Design

Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.

Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Tasks

Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.

Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.

Measure parts such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.

Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.

Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts such as sleeves.

Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.

Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.

Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.

Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.

Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.

Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.

Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.

Trim excess material, using scissors.

Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.

Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.

Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.

Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.

Repair or replace defective garment parts such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.

Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.

Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.

Sew buttonholes and attach buttons in order to finish garments.

Put in padding and shaping materials.

Career Activities

Controlling Machines and Processes

fabricate tailored garments

operate sewing machine

operate steam press

use hand or power tools

use portable electric fabric cutter

Thinking Creatively

design tailored garments

Handling and Moving Objects

alter and fit garments

cut or trim fabric or leather

press garment or fabric

repair tears or defects in fabrics, garments, or leather products

Getting Information

read production layouts

read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

recognize characteristics of cloth or fabric

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People

examine garment fit on customer or cast member

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization

confer with customer to determine material or garment style desired

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

use garment construction techniques

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information

estimate materials or labor requirements

Processing Information

measure customer for size

measure, weigh, or count products or materials

Documenting/Recording Information

maintain production or work records

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others

consult with customers concerning needs

Career Context

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Frequency of Decision Making

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

Face-to-Face Discussions

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions

Structured versus Unstructured Work

Contact With Others

Physical Proximity

Responsibility for Outcomes and Results

Freedom to Make Decisions

Work With Work Group or Team

Deal With External Customers

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks

Frequency of Conflict Situations

Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions

Spend Time Sitting

Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting

Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Consequence of Error

Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment

Very Hot or Cold Temperatures

Electronic Mail

Letters and Memos

Responsible for Others' Health and Safety

Exposed to Contaminants

Spend Time Standing

Spend Time Walking and Running

Coordinate or Lead Others

Exposed to Hazardous Conditions

Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled

Deal With Physically Aggressive People

Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People

Exposed to Disease or Infections

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment

Level of Competition

Outdoors, Exposed to Weather

Outdoors, Under Cover

Public Speaking

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment

In an Open Vehicle or Equipment

Career Styles

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Stress Tolerance

Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Concern for Others

Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

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.

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.

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Adaptability/Flexibility

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Social Orientation

Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Analytical Thinking

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Career Needs

Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

Working Conditions

Workers on this job have good working conditions.

Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

Workers on this job do their work alone.

Ability Utilization

Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

Workers on this job make decisions on their own.

Workers on this job try out their own ideas.

Workers on this job have something different to do every day.

Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.

Workers on this job are busy all the time.

Workers on this job have steady employment.

Workers on this job are paid well in comparison with other workers.

Workers on this job receive recognition for the work they do.

Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.

Company Policies and Practices

Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.

Supervision, Human Relations

Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.

Workers on this job have opportunities for advancement.

Supervision, Technical

Workers on this job have supervisors who train their workers well.

Workers on this job give directions and instructions to others.

Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.

Career Values

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

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.

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management tha