Career Building
Submitted by Business Librarian Kevin Harwell, William and Joan Schreyer Business Library
The fact that most people change careers many times in a lifetime is well documented. However, no one really knows how many times the average worker changes careers. The U.S. Department of Labor simply does not have a good handle on data for “career change.” For those who are contemplating a change or looking for that next fabulous position in their current field, accurate and useful information is a valuable resource. The Alumni Library “Career Center” offers several good resources. Additional useful tools are available through the Schreyer Business Library “Career Resources” guide. The resources listed below are a sampling of Web sites available for career exploration and development.
Exploring Career Choices
Those who are considering a new career direction may benefit by using tools for self assessment and resources that describe occupations in a way that supports careful evaluation.
JobHuntersBible.com and JobStar provide a wide range of practical resources, including self assessment tools, tips for developing a professional network, resume-writing guides, links to salary surveys, and strategies for finding job openings. JobHuntersBible.com is maintained by Richard Bolles as a companion to his well-known and frequently updated book, What Color is Your Parachute? JobStar maintains a database of job openings that would be particularly helpful for people who want to relocate to California.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) is a well-respected directory of occupations compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Utilizing data gathered nationwide, this resource provides descriptions of careers and occupations of all types. Each entry describes the occupation in terms of the nature of the work, typical working conditions, training and other requirements for entry and advancement, current employment and projections, typical earnings, and suggestions for additional information. The hallmark of this resource is its objective presentation of useful information.
A companion to the OOH is the Career Guide to Industries, also from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While OOH looks at the world of work by occupation, Career Guide to Industries looks at the same data compiled by industry. Users can learn what it is like to work in the automotive industry or the telecommunications industry. Both industries may hire accountants as an occupation, but the nature of the work and the climate will vary from one industry to the next.
Job Openings
Position openings are posted in numerous ways: classified advertisements in newspapers, position openings listed in professional journals and magazines, announcements sent to college placement offices, openings described in “job bank” databases on the Internet, and many others. Monster.com ranks as one of the worlds largest, with more than a million job postings and 34-million resumes posted by job seekers. America's Job Bank is also one of the largest.
Some job searchers may prefer to use a more focused service. Career Journal from the Wall Street Journal lists openings from corporations and government agencies. This service also hosts discussions about the current job market, trends in various fields, interview advice and sample resumes. CollegeGrad.com is dedicated to matching recent college graduates to entry level positions. JobStar, mentioned above, provides job bank services focused on positions available in California.
Employer Information
Job candidates may find information about a potential employer in one or more sources. Knowing basic facts about the employer’s operations and recent events may give the candidate an advantage. Many companies have informative websites that can be found with a search engine like Google or a general directory, such as Switchboard. Hoover’s Online is a business directory that usually provides information about a company’s line of business, corporate officers, and other facts in addition to basic contact information.
ProQuest ABI, available to alumni members, is an ideal source for articles from the business press. ABI provides access to articles from popular business magazines, trade and industry publications, scholarly business journals, business newsletters and newspapers.
Networking
A job seeker’s employment potential can be enhanced by tapping their personal and private networks. Friends, colleagues and alumni contacts are often aware of people who can provide first-hand knowledge of what life is like in a specific career field. They may even know about position openings. Penn State Career Services can be a part of the network. It provides alumni access to campus recruiting events and an online job board for posting résumés. Career Services also offers one-on-one, confidential career assessment and career planning services.
For more information about career development and career resources, visit the Alumni Library “Career Center”, and the Schreyer Business Library “Career Resources” guide.