Career Planning Resources At Your Public Library

Even in the best of economic times, searching for a job can be a tedious and anxiety producing experience. The library has a variety of resources to not only simplify your job search, but decrease some of the anxiety.

The first step in any job search is pursuing your passion. The library has several databases, not to mention books, which will help you decide on a rewarding career. I suggest staring with Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center. Having this database at your fingertips is like having your own personal career counselor. This database boasts career assessment tests, job and industry profiles, and information on internships. I’m just scratching the surface of this database. This database also has resume writing tips and much more.

The source of all occupational information in America is the federal Bureau of Labor and their number one source is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Bureau of Labor collects all types of information about jobs and careers. For instance, on this site you’ll find first year salary estimates, job outlook, and requirements for your dream job.

Speaking of requirements... What if your dream job does require a college degree, but you need tuition assistance? We’ve got you covered with Tuition Funding Sources. This database will help you find scholarships, student loans and financial aid information.

Once you’ve decided on your career, you need to begin searching for openings. I suppose you could try circling job ads with a red magic marker in the latest newspaper, but the most efficient search method is to look through multiple websites. We’ve gathered all the major city, state and national job banks on one page.

If you’re new to the job market, please understand that most employers today only communicate via email. Email is even how you send out your resume. In fact, just about everything I’m describing requires Internet access. If you don’t have access to the web at home or at school, come to the library. Your local library has free Internet access, information on connecting to free email services and all the databases I’ve mentioned above.

Submitted by David Ryan
Business, Science & Technology Department
Central Library