Career Transitions Now Available at Troy Public Library

Are you daunted with the thought of having to conduct a job search? Do you need help writing a resume? Are you interested in exploring new career options?

With Career Transitions, a new eResource provided by the Troy Public Library, you can do all of this and more. Career Transitions walks you through each step of the job search process. It features personal assessment tests to help you discover careers in which you may be interested, and shows you projected growth rates of careers by state.

Career Transitions features a self-guided resume builder that allows you to quickly create a resume that can be saved in a variety of file formats. Additionally, there are tips during each step so that you create a quality resume.

Best of all, you can look up and apply to jobs directly through Career Transitions.

To access Career Transitions you will need a Troy Public Library card. Go to the Troy Public Library website and click eResources on the left under Library Links. Click on the Job Seeker link, and then click on Career Transitions.

Operation ABLE Job Fair Today

Job Seekers -- mark your calendars for this free event. Today only, March 24, Southfield-based Operation ABLE of Michigan is hosting a unique recruiting opportunity aimed at mid-career and older job seekers and those who are thinking about a career change and need to update their computer and other office skills.

Michigan Makes It Easier to Search for State Jobs

Looking for a job in Michigan State government?

On September 14, the State will implement a new online employment application and selection system hosted by NEOGOV. Michigan government will become one of the more than 400 public sector clients, including several states, which are using NEOGOV for recruitment and hiring.

As the State implements NEOGOV, the existing job vacancy posting site will no longer be available. Applicants will find a link to the new site in the same location as the current posting site, on the Michigan Civil Service Commission website. Included on the site will be applicant resource materials including a First Time User Guide, Returning User Guide, and NEOGOV Applicant FAQs.

Among the many benefits of the new system, it allows applicants to save and store multiple applications and keep transcripts and other relevant documentation in one place. This eliminates the need for applicants to repeatedly upload and attach the same materials for each vacancy. Additionally, applicants will receive automated responses regarding their applications, reducing the need to contact the agencies to confirm receipt.

Be Prepared for Your Job Interview

One of the hardest parts of job searching is the interview. You have only a few minutes to make a great impression, show you can handle the job, be knowledgeable about your prospective employer, and have a personable and pleasant attitude. For even the seasoned veteran, the job interview often causes sweaty palms, nervousness, and anxiety.

Here, from getdegrees.com, are 20 Excellent Tips to Help You Crack That Dreaded Job Interview. Though this is geared toward new graduates with little experience, the tips -- among them, do research to get to know the employer, practice your answers, and be prepared to ask questions -- are good things to keep in mind no matter if this is your first or five-hundredth interview.

Helping Hand Helps Michigan Residents

The State of Michigan has launched Helping Hand, a new website for people who are dealing with economic hardship. This site contains information about jobs and training; unemployment; health care; family support; and housing. It will allow Michigan residents to find out whether they qualify for state help and, in many cases, let them apply online.

Libraries Throw a Lifeline During These Tough Times

Tough times can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn.

To help, the Troy Library has joined up with several other area libraries to create Tough Times: Recession Resources. This website has resources that can help you during today’s difficult economy. The site has information on

• Filing an unemployment claim;
• Finding affordable health insurance;
• Finding a job;
• Keeping your home;
• Repairing and maintaining credit; and
• Receiving assistance with utilities, food banks, and general assistance.

Take a look. There is some great information here that might help in these tough times.

How Blogging Can Help Boost Your Career

According to Anthony Balderrama of the Detroit Free Press, creating and maintaining a blog can help supplement a resume or find a new job. A blog can also show potential employers that you are tech-savvy and motivated. The article suggests that blogging and developing a following should start when you are employed, if possible. Adrienne Waldo, a freelance writer and blogger, recommends writing about something about which you are passionate, but don't pretend to be an expert on the subject if you're not.

The Troy Public Library offers a Blogging for Beginners class on July 28 and again on August 24. To register online, go to our website at troylibrary.info and click on Sign Up for Exciting Classes and Programs at TPL at the bottom of the page. You will be directed to our calendar. Or you can call the Technology Department at 248.524.3542.

Job Search Logs May Help Your Job Search Be More Successful

When job searching, sometimes it is easy to lose track of all the places to which you sent a resume, as well as pertinent information, such as when you interviewed and to whom you spoke. Following up with contacts can be key to a successful job search.

To help you organize all your job search information, Microsoft has made available a Job Search Log template. This template allows you to easily reference many aspects of your job search, such as the date you submitted your resume, the status of your application, and even notes to yourself about that particular job.

To access this template:

• Open Microsoft Excel 2007.


• Click the Microsoft Office Button.


• Click "New", and type "job search log" in the search box.


• Double-click on the image to view the log.

You can also access this template as well as other job search log templates by going to Microsoft's website and typing in "Job Search Log" in the search box. If none of these templates quite suit your needs, you can always use Microsoft Excel 2007 spread sheets to create a customized job search log.

Useful Resource for Job Seekers

If you are currently in the process of job hunting, you may find this article from Lifehacker, Top 10 Tools For Landing a Better Job, valuable. It contains useful information to help you with your job search, such as tips for using Craigslist and RSS feeds to find jobs, and tells you which are the five best online job search sites. It also includes resume writing tips and information to help you prepare for your interview.

Job Resources Online from the Michigan eLibrary

In these times of economic hardship, people are losing jobs and spending countless amounts of time looking for new ones. There are many online resources available to help in finding a job in a fast and efficient manner. The Michigan eLibrary Business and Jobs Gateway -- a project of the Library of Michigan -- is especially helpful in guiding job seekers. It covers a variety of different fields, and helps in preparation for a job with sample resumes, cover pages, etc.

Troy Public Library Wins World Book/ALA Information Literacy Award

I am pleased to report that the Troy Public Library has received the 2009 World Book/ALA Information Literacy Goal Award. This annual award of $5,000 is given only to two libraries in the country each year: one public and one school. It is designed to encourage and support innovative and effective information literacy programs.

As you can image, we are excited to be recognized.

Our program – Information Literacy for the Job Seeker – will focus on individuals who have little computer literacy and are seeking jobs. Participants will be trained on how information is organized electronically, how communication is handled electronically, and how job sites are searched on the Internet. They will create an electronic resume and an email account to communicate with prospective employers. The program will include hands-on classes, individualized instruction, and a comprehensive workbook.

This Award will be presented at the American Library Association Award Ceremony and Reception on July 14, during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The winning school is the Brockport Central School District in Brockport, New York, for the Brockport Central School District’s Information Literacy Continuum.

No matter your view on federal aid to the automobile industry, in this area we see the impact of the current economic recession in real and personal ways. We all know someone who has lost a job or a house. Those who have limited computer skills are at a disadvantage in this economy. We hope that this program will help at least some of those seeking work to find it.

We will keep you posted on the progress of our project on The Tech Desk.

New Website Helps You in Looking for a Green Job

Looking for a job in a green industry? You might take a look at 5milliongreenjobs.org.

The site, created by job recruiters Ryan Drummond and Chris King, hopes to serve the emerging green economy. The site’s name comes from President Obama’s pledge to create 5 million green jobs in the next ten years.

The site already boasts jobs from more than 60 companies. In the future, the creators plan to include a section to connect military veterans with green jobs after they return to the United States. Other sections will allow for social interaction between job seekers.

[via Got2BeGreen]

Ten Social Sites to Improve Your Resume

Looking for a job?

Here are ten social sites with features that let you create your own resume-like profile, edit your resume online, get it reviewed by experts, print it, and share it on social networks.

[via mashable]

Free Resume Printing at FedEx Office (Kinko's) on March 10

If you are a job hunter, here is a good suggestion from Lifehacker on how to save a couple of dollars:

FedEx Office (formerly Kinko's) is giving away free resume printing Tuesday, March 10. They will print 25 one sided, black and white sheets on resume quality paper for you for free.

Most jobs require you to send your resume electronically, but if you are going to an interview or have another need for paper resumes, this is not a bad deal.

More Use the Internet to Search for Jobs

Another from the comScore 2008 Digital Year in Review (requires registration and .pdf download):

The top-growing Internet site category in 2008 was Job Search, growing 51% to 19 million visitors in December. Category leader, CareerBuilder.com, jumped 78% to 9.1 million visitors.

As another sign of the worsening economy, Coupon sites witnessed a 46% increase during the year, reaching more than 31.5 million Americans in December. Women’s sites -- the largest category with 100 million visitors -- also increased 46% for the year.

And, as we have blogged about, the presidential election was played out, in large part, electronically: the Politics category went up to nearly 12 million visitors. BarackObama.com attracted an average of three times as many visitors as JohnMcCain.com during the course of the year on the road to victory.

Libraries in the News

The Wall Street Journal today has a front-page article about libraies and the financial crisis:

Folks Are Flocking to the Library, a Cozy Place to Look for a Job.