Using Library Resources to Find a Job

Libraries have incredible resources to help you choose a career and find a job. Discover and use books and online resources to explore careers, find job leads and prepare for interviews.

Grab your My Tri-C card and your Greater Access Library Card and let's take a tour!

CCPL and CPL

Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has a fabulous guide on its website devoted to career information with resources that are free or available from home using the Greater Access Library Card. (Be sure to validate your Greater Access Library Card at both CPL and CCPL!)

Start your career search at CCPL's Career Information Page, then move to CPL's Career databases if needed.

Choosing a Career

Only a fortunate few know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. The rest of us need to take some time to research available career paths. What kind of schooling or training will I need? How much money can I earn? Will there be jobs when I graduate?

Check out CCPL's Choosing a Career guide, especially the Ohio Career Information System (OCIS) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• OCIS uses extensive information on occupations, the military, colleges, and financial aid to match you with a specific career and give you a game plan on how to begin it. [Need a Greater Access Library Card activated by CCPL.]
  
• Occupational Outlook Handbook lists job duties, job outlook, and education requirements for thousands of jobs, and also provides reviews of job markets in each state. [This a free resource available to the general public.]

Finding Books @ Your Library:

For books on career options, try a Subject search in Tri-C's library catalog for "Vocational Guidance" or "Vocational Guidance -- United States." (I know, but that's what we call it - vocational.)

For books on specific careers, try a Keyword search in Tri-C's library catalog for "vocational and [insert career choice here]" Example: vocational and construction

• Tip: these same searches can be also performed in OhioLINK, CPL's catalog and CCPL's catalog.

Choosing a College

Even if you have no plans now to continue your education, you may find yourself thinking about heading back to school at a later date. When you're ready, check out CCPL's Choosing a College guide. (You may also be interested in their Road Map to College guide, too, which points you in the right direction for college applications and financial aid.)

• College Blue BookProvides information on degrees offered by colleges and by subject. This is an electronic reference book available through Tri-C's library catalog.
• CollegeSource OnlineGives profiles of colleges and offers full-text college Access it through Tri-C's library catalog.
• LearningExpress LibraryHas hundreds of online interactive practice tests that prepare you for several types of exams including the SAT, GED, U.S. Citizenship, and civil service positions. Access it through Tri-C's library catalog.

Finding Books @ your Library

• To find guides to colleges and programs, try a subject search in Tri-C's library catalog for "Universities and colleges -- United States -- Directories."
• You can use this same search at OhioLINK, CPL and CCPL.

Resumes and Cover Letters

While librarians are not able to offer you personal assistance creating a resume - instead try Tri-C's Key Career Place - we do have plenty of books on resumes and cover letters to help you out.

Finding Books @ Your Library

• Use a Subject search in Tri-C's library catalog to find books on "cover letters." Try the same searches at OhioLINK, CCPL, and CPL.
  
  
• Use a Subject search in Tri-C's library catalog to find books on "resumes." Rinse and repeat at OhioLINK, CCPL, and CPL.

For free online resources, try CCPL's Resumes & Cover Letters guide.

Finding Job Leads

The hardest part. Where are all the jobs?! Online, it seems. Companies post their job openings on their websites; local newspapers post them on theirs; and then there are sites like Monster.com that serve as a gateway to employment opportunities.

If you have a particular company you are interested in working for, try their website for employment opportunities. Most companies have a link to Employment on their home page.

Also, use CCPL's Career Information guide as a jumping off point. Their librarians have put together a number of online job boards for you to explore:

• Job Search Websites - General
  
  
• Job Search Websites - Specific Categories
  
  
• Job Search Websites - by Category
  
  
• Job Search Websites - Special Groups

Brush Up Your Interviewing Skills

You got the call to come in for an interview, so now what? Check out books to prepare for your interview, of course! Make sure you have an answer for whatever they throw at you.


Finding Books @ Your Library

• Use a Subject search in Tri-C's library catalog to find books on "Employment Interviewing."
  
  
• Try the same searches at OhioLINK, CCPL, and CPL.
  
  

Research Potential Employers

Part of preparing for your interview is knowing something about the company you'll be meeting with. It's much easier to find information about publicly-held companies than it is about private or local businesses.

Libraries subscribe to business databases that have company profiles on public corporations:

• Business Source Complete - Tri-C [on-campus | off-campus]
• Mergent Online - Tri-C [on-campus | off-campus]
• Business & Company Resource Center - CCPL, CPL
• Disclosure Corporate Snapshots - CPL
• View all of CPL's and CCPL's business databases.

Because private companies are not required by law to make disclosures, it can be more difficult to find information about them. Local companies can also be difficult to find information on because they are usually private or may not be large enough to catch the notice of large newspapers or magazines.

For private and local companies, your best bet is directory information from a database like ReferenceUSA or searching for articles about the company in a database like Regional Business News.

Directories:

• Reference USA - CCPL, CPL
• D&B the Million Dollar Database - CCPL, CPL

Articles:

• Business Source Complete - Tri-C [on-campus | off-campus]
• Regional Business News - Tri-C [on-campus | off-campus]
• Cleveland Plain Dealer - Tri-C
• NewsBank - Tri-C

Also try the company's website. Most have a link on their home page to History or About Us.

In Class Assignments

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