Career Resources

Following are examples of materials the library has to help jobseekers find information about companies and potential employers. Job hunters can find businesses to target or use the information to prepare for interviews.

Circulating Books | Reference Books | Databases

Circulating Books

Career Exploration 331.7

331.702 OCC
Occupational Outlook Handbook 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook includes up-to-date information on over 250 occupations, including the earnings, training requirements, and employment outlook associated with each job. It is also available online at http://www.bls.gov/oco.

Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviewing 650.14

650.14 BOL
What Color Is Your Parachute? 

What Color is Your Parachute has set the standard for career guides since 1970. The 2004 edition includes exercises to help identify a favorable work environment that matches a job seeker's skills. It includes sections on job hunting, finding a dream job, interviewing, and salary negotiation. It also includes a directory of career counselors and coaches in the United States, Canada, and overseas.

650.14 BIG
Big Book of Jobs 

The Big Book of Jobs, published by VGM career books and the U.S. Department of Labor, combines an overview of the job search process with statistics and information on over 250 careers. Section I includes information on choosing and researching a career, career management skills, and effective cover letters and resumes. Section II has job descriptions, working conditions, outlook, qualifications, salary, and other data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

650.14 CHI
Chicago Jobbank

This guide to finding jobs in the metropolitan Chicago area includes company profiles, industry associations, online career resources, employment services, and vocational counseling, as well as sample resumes and cover letters.

Reference Books

REFERENCE 338.74 ALM
Almanac of American Employers

This resource features profiles of the most successful companies in America, including such detailed information as benefit plans, stock plans, salaries, profits, brands, affiliates, and contact information. Companies are arranged alphabetically, and additional indexes organize companies by location, by subsidiaries and affiliates, by job type, and by number or employees.

REFERENCE 658.40711 DIR
Directory of Executive Recruiters

This directory provides name, address, specialty, contact information, and a description of more than 7,000 retainer and contingency recruiting firms. Firms are listed alphabetically by company name. The geographical index lists recruiters by state; the industrial index lists firms by major industry classification and the functions index is organized by position classification. There is also an index organized by recruiter specialty, such as the interior design, merchandising, or purchasing fields.

REFERENCE 658.407 DIR
Directory of Temporary Placement Firms for Executives, Managers & Professionals (9th edition)

This resource focuses on temporary employment and high-level talent. Entries include contact information, key principal, general description of the firm, geographic service area, and functions and industries covered by the firm. Entries listed alphabetically by state make it easy to find agencies in specific locations. The industry index lists companies by industry, for example, aerospace, construction, and telecommunications, and the function index is organized by position title or type.

REFERENCE 331.702 ENH 
Enhanced Occupational Outlook Handbook

This book combines three Labor Department occupational information sources into one comprehensive resource. It includes descriptions of the 253 major occupations featured in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, followed by descriptions of related jobs from the Labor Department's Occupational Information Network, and more specific positions within each field from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

REFERENCE 331.702 ENC 
Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance

High school and college students are the intended audience for this reference book on occupations. The first volume of this set includes articles on career preparation and essays on over 90 career fields. Volumes 2, 3, and 4 profile over 1,500 specific occupations. For each occupation there is short overview followed by sections on history, training and education required, earnings, advancement, work environment, and job outlook. Each profile also offers sources for additional information.

REFERENCE 650.14 JOB
Job Hunter's Sourcebook

This sourcebook explains where to find employment leads and other job search resources. Part 1, alphabetically arranged by career, lists sources of help wanted ads, employer directories, employment agencies, placement services, electronic resources, and other information sources. Part 2 provides sources for essential job-hunting information such as opportunities for independent contractors, liberal arts graduates, older workers, women, and minorities.

BUSINESS REFERENCE 650.14 NAT
National Jobbank

This 20th edition, published by Adams Media Corporation, lists more than 21,000 employer profiles. Companies are listed geographically. Entries include address, contact name, Web address, and company description. Some entries provide additional information such as email address, common positions, educational backgrounds hired, and number of employees.

REFERENCE 650.14 PET
Peterson's Top 2,500 Employers

This book includes suggestions on how to track industries and companies and make yourself a standout candidate, as well as checklists for applying for jobs and interview preparation. Company entries, listed alphabetically by state, include address, telephone number, human resources contact person, number of employees, number of employees for the previous year, and a brief description. Some entries include Web address and top competitors. Also included are lists of the top 50 companies by sales, percentage growth, and number of employees, along with the 25 best companies for women, Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics.

REFERENCE 650.140285 PLU 
Plunkett's Employers' Internet Sites with Careers Information

This publication provides an analysis of online data posted by the 500 largest and most successful companies in the United States. Company profiles are listed alphabetically and include Internet address, guidelines for Web site navigation, internships available, contact information for employment, college recruiter names, standard benefit information, and the number of women and minority officers and directors. Additional indexes organize companies by location, by subsidiaries and affiliates, by job type, and by number of employees.

Databases

The library has several online databases to help job seekers prepare for interviews with prospective employers. These databases provide full text articles and citations to articles on companies and industries.

ABI/Inform

This database provides abstracts of articles from U.S. and international journals and trade magazines. Some articles are full text on topics such as business, health care, management, and public administration. The database is updated weekly and contains information from 1971 to the present.

Business and Company Resource Center (Infotrac)

Use this database for company profiles, histories, and industry news. Type in the company name and then click search. If the subject guide search isn't productive, try the keyword search.

Hoover's Online

This database provides company capsules and profiles, current news stories and analyses, press releases, archived newspaper and journal stories, and information on competitors.

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