You’re currently without employment or looking for that first job. Finding a job can seem very intimidating, but getting organized with your search can help with your progress.
The Job and Career Information Center can help you with finding the right resources to put together a successful job search. The steps outlined in this guide may not be necessary for all job seekers, but can be helpful for finding the right career path.
Before you start looking for a job, you’ll probably want to choose an occupational area to concentrate your search on. Some questions to think about include:
Looking at your answers to these questions can help you focus on the right kind of occupational area for your interests, abilities, and goals. An Assessment Worksheet (PDF) is available from the Commonwealth of Australia to further explore these questions.
Looking at your personality in relationship to what kind of career would be best for you can be done through assessment tests. Many of these tests can be helpful in determining what career areas would best suit your interests. The following print resources can be found in the Job and Career Information Center (Job Center).
Barrett, Jim. Career, Aptitude, and Selection Tests. London: Kogan Page Ltd., 1998. Job Center HF5381.5 .B26 1998.
Designed to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses in terms of aptitude, motivation, skills and personality and match them to the type of job or career to which you would best be suited. A profile matcher in the back allows you to match the results of the tests with a specific occupation.
Janda, Louis. Career Tests: 25 Revealing Self-Tests to Help You Find and Succeed at the Perfect Career. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 1999. Job Center BF698.9 .O3 J36 1999.
The tests included in this book will assist you with evaluating your personality and then matching your interests and abilities to the right job.
Tieger, Paul. D. and Barbara Barron-Tieger. Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2001. Job Center BF698.9 .O3 T54 2001.
After identifying your personality type, you can discover the key aspects that your work must have to be fulfilling. Includes a list of occupations that are popular with different personality types and a rundown of work-related strengths and weaknesses.
In addition to print career assessment tests, many tests are available online that will give you instant results.
This quiz determines a general area that the test-taker has an interest in. The site also links to a more in-depth career profile, which is not free.
Quint Careers - Online Career Assessment Tools Review
This site provides links to fee and non-fee assessment tests, as well as providing ratings for how useful the different sites are. Very useful for finding a wide variety of different career assessment tests online.
The Career Key goes through the skills and abilities needed for careers the individual is interested in and rates the test taker in personality areas. It provides descriptions of jobs that match the different personality types.
After determining what type of career would be best for your personality, aptitudes, and abilities, you will want to do some research into that occupational field. Answers to questions about education or training needed, job outlook, salary range, working conditions, and many others can be found in the following resources.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bulletin 2520. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Publishing Office. Job Center HF5381 .U54Q 2004-2005.
Also available online: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Updated every two years, this is the premiere resource for career exploration. The encyclopedia includes detailed descriptions of 260 occupations. Entries include nature of work, working conditions, employment expectations, education and training requirements, job outlook, earnings, related occupations, and sources of additional information.
This database (available from the Pratt Databases page at the library or with a Pratt library card) allows you to search for careers by industry, title, or keyword. Provides an in-depth look at salary ranges, advancement prospects, employment trends, online information, necessary experience, and relevant unions and associations.
The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, work activities, and interests associated with occupations. The database is also searchable through codes from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Registered Apprenticeship Information System, Military Occupational Classification, and Standard Occupational Classification.
Job Search
Now that you’ve determined what kind of career best suits you and researched the occupational field, it’s time to begin your job search. The job market can seem difficult to navigate, with many different avenues available to search online and in person.
You may want to consult a general job search guide which will guide you through the entire job searching process, from assessment to searching to writing your résumé and interviewing.
One of the best guides is What Color is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Bolles (Job Center HF5382 .B63 2005). Updated yearly, this classic manual provides readers with a variety of exercises to determine what they want to do and advice on how to get the job once they find it. Bolles also maintains a Web site, JobHuntersBible.com that includes annotated links to a variety of job and career Web sites.
Starting with traditional sources such as newspaper classified ads and job postings can be a good way to see what jobs are available in your area. The library is a great resource for finding these job ads, since newspapers from many local communities outside of Baltimore, including the Frederick Post, the Salisbury Daily Times, and the Annapolis Capital, are available to the public. Job postings, particularly those for Maryland government jobs, are also available in the Job Center.
Networking can seem difficult, but it is necessary for finding a job. Many jobs are not advertised in print or online, and you can often find out about upcoming openings or positions available by talking with your past coworkers and bosses, friends, acquaintances, and relatives. When you know that you are going to be looking for a new job, let your friends and relatives know that you are searching. Often they can let you know about companies that are hiring or will soon be hiring. You might even get other names of people who are in the same career field that you would like to work in.
You may also want to consult Networking for Everyone: Connecting People for Career and Job Success by L. Michelle Tullier (Job Center HD69 .S8 T84 1998) to learn more about strategies for networking to reach your career goals. The book focuses on providing the basic principles of networking for everyone, not just those with extensive work experience.\
The Internet has made finding jobs even easier with the advent of job Web sites like Monster.com and America’s Job Bank. New jobs are posted to online job Web sites daily and can allow you to see what is open in your career field very quickly.
Many of the larger job Web sites allow you to register with a user name and password. Registration can allow you to post your résumé for potential employers to search, save your search results, and even potentially set up automatic job searches that can be emailed to you on a regular basis.
Baltimore Sun Classified Ads Online
The Baltimore Sun provides its classified ads online through Career Builder. Baltimore City jobs are included, and the Web site can also be searched for jobs nationwide.
Part of America's Job Bank, Maryland Job Bank include job information for Maryland specific jobs. Job seekers can create their own account where they can post résumés and search through thousands of job listings for Maryland.
State and Local Government Job Search
Links to Maryland county and state government personnel offices.
Contains information on over 250,000 positions nationally. Most of the jobs are full-time and the majority are in the private sector. Openings represent all types of work, from professional and technical to blue collar, from management to clerical and sales. Search alphabetically by job title and state, by keyword or military code number.
Career Builder is an online job marketplace affiliated with 90 newspapers, including the Baltimore Sun. Their database is searchable by keyword, city, state, and category. Registered users can also post résumés and set up job alerts. Career Builder also includes career resources, such as career assessment, interview tips, and relocation information.
JobHunt: On-Line Job Meta-List
A large list of job resources arranged by category. Includes a list of recommended places to start your search and job resources by state.
Search jobs internationally by city and job category or keyword. Other resources include employer profiles, online résumé data bank and a career center with information on résumés, interviewing and more.
USAJobs
The official job site of the United States Federal Government. A one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information. The database is searchable by keyword, agency name, announcement number and can be limited by location, job category, salary range, and pay grade.
After exploring traditional and online job searching techniques, you might want to meet people face to face. Going to a job fair is an excellent opportunity to meet a variety of potential employers and network. Career fairs can focus on general or specific careers. If you attend a career fair, make sure to bring many extra copies of your résumé to hand out to potential employers!
The following Web sites can be used to find out when and where career fairs are going to be held in Maryland and the whole United States.
CareerBuilder.com Career Fairs
CareerBuilder.com provides information on their career fairs held throughout the United States. Career fairs are also held by affiliate newspapers, including the Baltimore Sun.
Idealist Nonprofit Career Fairs
If you are interested in finding a job at a nonprofit, Idealist's nonprofit career fairs provide opportunities for organizations, job-seekers, and Career Service professionals at local colleges and universities to meet face-to-face. Listings of current and past career fairs are included.
A career fairs database for colleges and universities nationwide. You may search by state locations and months to find out about activities in your state. Information includes the name of the college, date of the career fair, and a contact person.
Maryland CareerNet Job Fair Calendar
This Web site includes a calendar of Maryland job fairs by month. The calendar can also be searched for upcoming job fairs.
Another resource for finding a job is employment services. Through working temporarily in your occupational area, you can gain valuable experience and make contacts in the industry.
Temporary and staff leasing services. Nationwide site includes list of Maryland offices.
Manpower is a temporary employment agency that provides services to job seekers free of charge. Nationwide site includes list of Maryland offices.
Specialize in temporary, permanent, and temp-to-perm positions in accounting, finance, health care, office, administrative, and legal positions. Search by job category. Offices in D.C. and Maryland.
Search the nationwide database of over 10,000 listings for recruiters, headhunters, executive search consultants, employment agencies and staffing firms.
Now that you’ve found some potential jobs to apply for, you’ll need to put together a résumé and cover letter to send to the employer. Creating a résumé that shows off your work experience, education, and skills and abilities is very important. The résumé allows you to market yourself to a potential employer.
Before starting to write your résumé, it is helpful to look at a résumé writing book. Often these books include a wide variety of sample résumés which you can use as a template. Try to find sample résumés for jobs in your occupational area to find the right word choices and formatting style.
Farr, Michael. The Quick Résumé & Cover Letters Book: Write and Use an Effective Résumé in Only One Day. Indianapolis: JIST Publishing, 2005. Job Center HF5383 .F32 2005.
If you are in need of a résumé right now, this book will lead you through writing a simple résumé in just one hour. Advice for writing a more thorough résumé is also included, but the emphasis is on writing the résumé right now. A large selection of sample résumés and a career planning section make this an invaluable book.
Parker, Yana. The Damn Good Résumé Guide: A Crash Course in Résumé Writing. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2002. Job Center HF5383 .P35 2002Q.
Currently in its fourth edition, this excellent guide walks you through a series of ten steps to writing a résumé. Clear explanations and several examples of functional and chronological résumés make this guide especially good for the first time résumé writer.
Provenzano, Steven. Blue Collar Résumés. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press, 1999. Job Center HF5383 .P733 1999Q.
Leads the reader through the process necessary to write a résumé, including worksheets for a personal inventory, tips on organizing the résumé, and what to include and not include. The most important section of the book includes a large collection of sample résumés, covering numerous jobs from artisans to zookeepers and everything in between.
Career Journal - Résumé and Cover Letter Tips
The Career Journal from the Wall Street Journal provides advice for writing résumés and cover letters. Articles cover all aspects of résumés and cover letters, as well as other job searching topics, such as interviewing, networking, and changing careers.
eRésumés has many sample résumés, including profession-specific and industry-specific résumés. Many of the samples show the résumé both before and after revisions and include critiques by professional résumé writers. The Web site also includes articles for job searchers.
JobStar - Résumés & Cover Letters
If you are creating a résumé, this Web site has it all -- explanations of what a résumé is, suggestions on how to select the right résumé style, and many sample résumés and cover letters. Other résumé writing resources are also included, such as Yana Parker's Résumé Tips and Electronic Résumé Banks.
Résumés & Cover Letters: The Riley Guide
The Riley Guide provides information on writing résumés and cover letters, as well as a step-by-step guide for preparing a résumé for posting on the Internet. Articles on résumé databases and executive résumé mailing services are also included.
Once you reach the interview, the end of your job search appears to be in view. To have a successful interview, you will need to prepare yourself to answer the questions the interviewer asks and present yourself in the best light possible.
The first place to start your preparation for the interview is by researching the company.
The library is an excellent place to find information on companies and the Business, Science, and Technology Department at Pratt can assist you with finding the company’s Web site and looking at additional resources for useful information. You may also want to check out the Researching Companies How-to Guide.
Dressing for success is a crucial factor in your interview. First impressions cannot be taken back and it is important to make a good one on your potential employer. Some suggestions for proper interview attire include:
An additional part of your preparation should be going over a list of potential questions and deciding how you want to answer them. Make sure that you have an answer to the following questions:
You should also come up with several examples of situations you have been in that can be used to answer these questions. Most interviews will want you to give examples of real-life situations that you have been in and how you handled them.
Remember that the interview is a two-way street. The interviewer is looking for their best fit, but so are you! Make sure that you have a few questions prepared to ask the interviewer about the job.
Adams, Bob. The Everything Job Interview Book. Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2001. Job Center HF5549.5 .I1 A28 2001.
You can never be too prepared for a job interview, from researching the company to rehearsing your answers. The goal of this book is to answer each and every question you have when it comes to interviewing for a new job.
DeLuca, Matthew J. More Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Job Center HF5549.5 .I6 D45 2001.
Presents readers with a selection of interview questions and advice on how to answer them effectively. Includes a section on how to handle illegal questions.
Fein, Richard. 101 Dynamite Questions to Ask at Your Job Interview. Manassas Park, VA: Impact Press, 2000. Job Center HF5549 .I6 F45 2000.
Prepares interviewees for the other part of the job interview -- asking questions. Includes examples of well-asked questions and ideas for how to close the interview.
Guide to Interviewing Resources
Quintessential Careers provides a collection of useful resources, including an interview question database, articles, and links to other Web sites. Also includes a Job Interviewing Tutorial.
CollegeGrad.com is geared towards entry-level job seekers. Articles on all aspects of the interview process, including interview preparation, dressing for success, and questions to ask, are written in a straightforward and understandable fashion.
Prepare for your next interview using this comprehensive Web site. Articles on interviewing etiquette, interview answers, and many other topics are included. Most useful are the Mock Job Interviews, which provide a list of actual interview questions for specific occupations.
Monster.com - Job Interview Advice
Monster.com provides an Interview Center with articles and tips for landing the interview and interview preparation. Virtual interviews in different career areas allow the user to get feedback on how to answer questions. A random interview question generator also provides the opportunity to practice for an upcoming interview.
Congratulations! You’ve gone through the job search steps, written a great résumé, and had a successful interview. Now you’ve finally gotten a job offer. Now what do you do?
Don’t make a decision right away. Ask the employer for some time to think about it, even if you want the position. Allow yourself some time to think about the pros and cons of the position. However, make sure that you don’t extend your decision for weeks on end, and if you decide not to accept the job, tell the employer as soon as possible.
Some questions you will want to ask yourself while thinking about the job are:
Make sure that you get the job offer in writing. A verbal offer can be rescinded much more easily than one in writing. You should hold off on quitting your current job, turning down other job offers, or making moving arrangements until you have the job offer in writing.
If you would like to know more about how to conduct your job search, e-mail us through our Ask-A-Librarian service, call us at (410) 396-5317 or mail your question to:
Job and Career Information Center
Enoch Pratt Free Library
State Library Resource Center
400 Cathedral Street
Baltimore MD 21201
© Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland.
