Research Blog : jobs

Is there a silver lining to knowing in advance that you're going to lose your job?

SuDocQueen@evpl — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:29:00 GMT

When faced with that imminent pink slip I would think it would be hard to see any upside to the situation, but I read an article on MSN.com a few days ago that made lemonade out of losing a job. The article was primarily pointing out the famous businesses (like Microsoft) that had been started during similar past recessions, and pointing out that a few of those very founders had been laid-off workers thanks to their recessions. Now, I'm not advocating that everyone who's lost their job go out and start their own business. That's very hard work. You can learn more about the involved process and if it's for you at www.sba.gov.

But, the article did get me thinking about another silver lining that's been pointed out regarding losing one's current career and having difficulty finding a new job in the same field, the opportunity to explore a new, possibly even more enjoyable, career. And that is the only silver lining I can see in knowing ahead of time that you're losing your job...the opportunity to plan ahead, to get those applications out, or explore other possibilities while you still have an income.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration is a good source of online resources for exploring new careers, dealing with job loss, and learning about financial support while pursuing career training. Some of the information they offer is generated directly on their website, but the majority of the information is accessed through links to other sites they are affiliated with, such as O*NET and Career One Stop.

O*NET stands for the Occupational Information Network. The service was started through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (learn more about O*NET's origins and the organizations behind its continued development and implementation). When you visit O*NET be prepared to spend some time. The site offers a vast array of information for job searchers and employers. The main page (O*NET OnLine) is a tad intimidating. On one hand I found the O*NET Resource Center to be a nicer place to start. It gives explanations of all the tools available through O*NET, but once you get off the introductory page there isn't a quick and obvious way back to O*NET's main page -- you have to click "OnLine" from the left hand list of links (under Products) and from there click on O*NET OnLine.

Now, I did like the Interest and Ability Profilers from the Resource Center better than the Skills Search available from O*NET OnLine. For those of us who are clueless about what we'd be good at these Interest and Ability tests are designed to give us some insight into "our work related interests." Note, when you're looking at the drop-down menu, if you want to take the tests via computer, you'll need to choose "Computerized Interest Profiler." Otherwise all you'll get are PDFs that will need to be printed out so you can take the tests by hand. Also be aware that if you want to take the computerized version, you will need to download software for it. The download was quick and painless and I thought it well worth it not to have to fill out and then tabulate the tests by hand.

You can also skip the Profiles and the Resource Center all together and just search O*NET OnLine. That's a good idea when you're already sure of the jobs you're interested in. You can search for a specific job; you can find out what jobs are most in demand within industries; you can broaden your search by choosing a career group ("education, training & library" rather than "librarian" for example) -- that will give you a larger results list in comparison to the specific job title search; and you can search for a job by how much preparation (training) you're willing to put in -- from a little to a lot. These aren't the only choices for searching, but they are the most obvious.

I did a search for the job title "editor." That brought up obvious choices like technical writers and editors and less obvious choices like order clerks -- I guess order clerks sometimes have to edit mistakes on orders that come into them... The breadth of the list is nice to help remind the searcher that they don't have to be locked into one interpretation of their career choice. Another of O*NET's nice touches is the "Indemand" label. It clues the searcher to which jobs are expected to grow in the coming months/years.

Once you choose a career/job to look at, you get a report that includes a summary of a dozen aspects of the career such as expected tasks, knowledge needed, and wages & employment. There's also a more detailed report of all those aspects as well as a custom version that allows the searcher to view the results depending on what aspects are important to the searcher.

Beyond that information, you can also find out about the job's prospects in each state, but that takes you to Career One Stop, and at this point I think that needs to be a separate blog.

New Unemployment Filers Have Online Tutorial Help

Bufkinite@evpl — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:03:00 GMT

Many folks are feeling the brunt of the recession, and are having to apply for unemployment for the first time in their lives. Even if you found yourself needing unemployment assistance at some point in the past, much has changed in the last ten years, and you'll find you're spending less time in line at the unemployment office, and more time online, at the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) website. The development of the "UpLink Claimant Self Service" (CSS) section of the DWD website makes it very easy to file your unemployment claims, but knowing what to do, and how to do it, can help the assistance you need arrive that much sooner.

The DWD has developed an online video tutorial that will show you how to create a user profile and apply for unemployment benefits online. Uplink is the name of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s automated self service Unemployment Insurance system. You can find out much more about the Uplink Claimant Self Service at the DWD Uplink CSS page.

Would you like to work for the federal government?

SuDocQueen@evpl — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:04:00 GMT

If so, take a look at www.usajobs.gov.

This is a great resource for people interested in working for our federal government. On their main page this morning they showed 33,530 jobs available worldwide with the United States government. Now before your jaw hits the floor and you start drooling on your keyboard, let's do a reality check and remember that none of us are qualified for all 33,000 jobs. They're sure not going to hire me as a NASA engineer. And, I don't think I want to fill a librarian position in Timbuktu - okay, when I did a search for librarian positions, I didn't see any in Timbuktu, but you get the picture. :-)

The search was easy as pie. I just typed librarian into the search box right under "Search Jobs" on the main page and hit "Run Search." 14 positions popped up. With the exception of a couple all were positions looking for actual librarians, and even the two that weren't were for positions with the Library of Congress. For example, one was for a General Engineer working out of the Office of the Librarian; maybe a position similar to EVPL's building manager?

That was the simplest search. You can customize your search by clicking on the "Search Jobs" tab on the main page. From there, you can narrow your search by choices like agency, occupation, and location, to name a few.

Say you'd like a job with the government, but you don't know what job you'd enjoy. They have an area to help you with that as well. I couldn't find a direct link from the main page, but I saw links to it from the Search page and the Information Center page. Once you're on either page, look for the Career Interest Center and click on the "learn more." From there you'll find a list of subjects that lead to interactive questionnaires that will help you figure out what job would be right for you.

What else? Too much to go over everything in what's supposed to be a "short" blog. :-) But, two last things I've got to mention before I go. Be sure to check out the "My USAJOBS" tab. You'll be able to create your own account which will allow you to post your resume (I thought I read somewhere on the site you could post even more than one), apply for the jobs online, and receive email updates tailored to jobs that you're interested in.

And the other "thing," be sure to play around with the "Information Center" page. Among the many services it offers, it provides help in understanding the convoluted federal hiring process. You can get help creating your resume. There's also an area where you can find out about the top agencies hiring, the most popular jobs, the areas in the country looking for the most jobs, etc.

Is There a Web Site with Local Job Information? Indeed, There IS!

Bufkinite@evpl — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Some of the most popular workshops being offered at the library recently have involved how to polish your resume, or sharpen you interview skills. With the tight job market, even highly skilled and trained people are getting all of their job-hunting tools sharpened, and are ready to take the next step. Now, where can they go to find information on local job opportunities?

Indeed.com, the second largest employment web site in the world, has a website about Evansville area employment opportunities, which aggregates all the information they have about employers, companies, jobs, and employment resources in one easy-to-navigate interface. The top section, "Popular Jobs and Salaries," provides a bar-graph style comparison of different jobs based on how much they pay, while lower sections list links to Evansville companies that are currently hiring, as well as links to pre-selected searches, such as production jobs, or clerical jobs.

Once you have performed a search for jobs, and have a list of jobs, you can limit it further in a number of ways. You can limit it to within 5 miles of your location, by salary range, by company, or by any combination of these and many other criteria.

This site is listed on our Useful Websites web page, where a huge variety of resources, selected by librarians for accuracy, timeliness, and dependability, are sorted and classified for your convenience. For instance. the Indeed.com web site is listed under both "Job Search" and "Employment Information and Services."

Check it out!

Crackdowns on "government grants" and other scams

googler@evpl — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:11:00 GMT

I was very happy to see this release from the FTC, about crackdowns on a large number of scammers who have been taking advantage of the economic turndown. And not just the fake government grant schemes -- the list includes an amazing array of scams, including an admittedly imaginative ruse involving non-existant jobs as "certified rebate processors."

The scammers used websites, robocalls, telemarketing, infomercials, classified ads, and internet ads to push their schemes. They promised earnings, money-back guarantees, refunds; they claimed to be associated with government agencies, with Google, with shopper's clubs. To a con artist, tough times just present new opportunities to bilk people.

The FTC has produced a new consumer education video featuring a former scammer who hawked phony business opportunities and ultimately served prison time for deceiving investors. In the 10-minute video, the former scammer gives an insider account of how these operations use high-pressure tactics and celebrity endorsers to trick cash-strapped consumers, and how consumers can protect themselves by demanding written disclosures on earnings and other sales data. (More FTC videos can be found here.)

If you find yourself with unexpected charges or unable to secure promised refunds, you can file a complaint at the the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

Libraries Lend a Hand in Tough Times

Bufkinite@evpl — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:01:00 GMT

This morning the Today Show ran a segment on the important role libraries play during economic recessions. The current economic downturn is no exception, as the clip discusses.

Here at EVPL we have responded to the recession in many ways. For one thing, we have hosted and are hosting workshops on finding employment. For another we make workstations available at Central Library's Tech Center on Sunday afternoons from 1 to 2 p.m. just for people needing to file their weekly unemployment claims.

What do YOU think the library could or should do to help Evansville residents during these hard times?

Upcoming Computer Classes in May

HoodooVoodoo@evpl — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:30:00 GMT

During these tough economic times, everyone is trying to gain that competitive edge by sharpening their technical skills by going back to school to take classes or taking computer training skills courses, but in most cases these options cost money. Did you know that you can take computer classes and computer skills training at and through the library for free?

Registration is now open for the following classes being offered in the Tech Center at Central Library:

Google Explored (Tuesday, May 5, 2009 from 10:00-11:00 AM) - Did you know that Google was more than just a great search engine? In this class we will learn basic searching techniques along with other cool features like Google Maps, Google Translator, and Google Documents.

Requires some basic computer/Internet knowledge and experience.

Using the Library Databases (Tuesday, May 12, 2009 from 6:00-7:00 PM) - In this class we will learn about the different databases available through the library’s website. We’ll take a look at some of the databases we offer and how to use them to find information. The library databases are accessible anywhere through our website with a valid library card number.

Requires some basic computer/Internet knowledge and experience.

Welcome to the Internet (Wednesday, May 13, 2009 from 10:00-11:00 AM) - This class is an introduction to some of the basic functions of the Internet. We'll learn web basics, including accessing and navigating websites. Discover how the Internet works and why everyone’s using it.

Seating is limited to 15 individuals, so register today to reserve your spot in class. You may register in person, by phone (428-8200 ext 1515), or by email using the contact name link on the class description pages (click on class links above).

For a full listing of all free EVPL computer classes Click Here.

Also, if you don't have time to take advantage of our free classes, you can still take online computer skills courses for free through our database Learning Express Library. Once on Learning Express Library, choose Computer Skills on the left hand side of the page and then appropriate course you desire. Everything from Microsoft Word (97-07) to Windows Vista training is offered, with skill levels ranging from beginner to expert.

Check it out today!

Census Bureau is hiring in preparation for the 2010 Census!

SuDocQueen@evpl — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:13:00 GMT

These are tough times for everyone. Some people have lost jobs; others just need a little extra income to help make ends meet. For those people even a temporary job can be better than no job at all. If you're in that situation, you should checkout http://www.census.gov/rochi/www/2010Jobs.html. From there you can access all the 2010 Census job opportunities the Bureau has available. You'll have to click on each link and read through the different PDFs. It looks like most of their current hiring is for office work, but Evansville is one of the geographic areas they're hiring for... And, as we get closer to the Census kick-off date of April 1, 2010, they'll no doubt start hiring part-time temporary help as well so if you don't see a job that fits you right now, keep checking back.

Upcoming Workshops for Employers and HR People

Bufkinite@evpl — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:27:00 GMT

A series of three workshops taking place in April will address issues all employers must address when looking to hire new employees. The workshops are co-sponsored by Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s Business Central and the Evansville Branch of Manpower. Beth Delano, Branch Manager of Manpower, and Steve Cochran, Reference Services Supervisor at EVPL’s Central Library, will lead all of the workshops. All three workshops begin at 9:00 a.m., and take place in the Large Group Room on the second floor of Central Library.

Registration is required for all workshops, and is limited to 20 participants. You can register online now!

April 15^th: Writing Successful Position Descriptions

The best way to attract the most highly qualified applicants to your business is to have well written job descriptions that spell out in detail the qualifications sought and responsibilities entailed. This one hour workshop will cover how to format position descriptions, why formal job descriptions are something you should have, and address issues with ADA compliance.

You’ll also learn about library resources available for developing formal job descriptions, including online resources available through the library's web site.

April 22^nd: Hiring Right the First Time

It’s estimated that the hiring and training of an employee costs the employer the equivalent of one and a half times the employee’s annual earnings, so hiring an employee to doesn’t stick around can be a very expensive proposition. The first workshop in this series looked at how to develop position descriptions that target the talent you’re looking for.

This one hour workshop will take the next step, outlining how to market those position descriptions so that you get the best applicants available in the pool, how to look at review resumes to match qualifications with expectations, and give you tips for interviewing that will reveal the candidate best suited to your position.

You’ll also learn about library resources and tools that address recruiting, interviewing, and hiring.

April 29^th: Retaining Employees

The first two sessions of this series showed participants how to write position descriptions to attract the best candidates, and how to then recruit, vet, and interview those candidates to hire the very best person for each position.

The final workshop in this series will examine strategies employers can use to retain high-performing employees, including developing retention-focused managers, being aware of generational differences in work style, engaging employees in challenging responsibilities, and developing a recognition program.

You’ll also be shown library resources and tools that address motivating, challenging, retaining, and recognizing employees.

Upcoming FREE Computer Classes

HoodooVoodoo@evpl — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Registration is now open for the following classes being offered in the Tech Center at Central Library:

Searching the Library Catalog (Tuesday, April 14, 2009 from 10:00-11:00 AM) - In this class we learn to use the library’s online catalog to find books, DVDs, CDs, magazines and more. These valuable search techniques can be applied to many of today’s online search engines.

Introduction to Microsoft Excel (Thursday, April 16, 2009 from 6:00-7:00 PM) - You have asked for it and we have listened. We will be offering an hour long course in using Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program that can be used for storing, organizing and manipulating data. Come find out how to use Excel to keep data for home, business, or financial records as well as graphing or charting information.

Computer Basics (Tuesday, April 21, 2009 from 10:00-11:00 AM) - In this class we will learn to use the mouse and keyboard to open programs and navigate through Microsoft Windows. We will also learn a little history of the evolution of computers from their beginnings to today as well as discover the differences between hardware and software.

For a full listing of all free EVPL computer classes Click Here.

Check it out today!

Best job search sites

googler@evpl — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:01:00 GMT

There is plenty of help available online for job seekers. You probably know of some of these sites, but probably not all.

Career Builder is probably the web's largest online job site, with over a million openings listed. Besides allowing you to search for jobs, they also offer a job recommendations service, based on keywords in your searches and your resume. There's a career aptitude test, a salary calculator, resume help, and more.

Monster is another large site, and also offers advice on resumes, interviewing, etc.

Many sites and articles recommend Craigslist, although I'm not sure if the Evansville page has really taken off. It's certainly worth checking, though, particularly for those looking to relocate to larger cities, like Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Louisville.

The federal government's official site is currently listing over 45,000 jobs. Besides the openings and all the information you need to apply, there are specialized services for veterans, students, and people with disabilities.

Hound aggregates job listings found on employers' own websites. There is a good possibility that many things listed here are not listed elsewhere.

Indeed is another aggregator, pulling items from employer websites, job sites, and other online sources. You might like the very simple interface.

Need more? Head over to PC Magazine's list of twenty best job search sites.