Careers Resources

The library is a great place to find career information. If you need information about the education and training necessary to work in a specific field, the kind of salary someone can expect in a certain position, or the employment outlook for a profession, use the following search tips to find what you are looking for.

Circulating Books

The following searches in One Search will lead you to helpful books in our General collection (these books may be checked out of the library with your student I.D.):

One Search subject keyword search: Vocational guidance

• By performing this search, you will be linked to all the books in the library dealing with vocational guidance. If you want everything the library has to offer about jobs, use this search strategy.

One Search subject keyword search: Careers

• Another way to do a similar very broad search for career information.

One Search subject keyword search: Vocational guidance AND [name of career area]

• If you want to narrow your search to a specific occupation simply enter it as part of your search. For example, if you need information about careers in Business, type in Vocational guidance AND Business. This will limit your search results to books specifically about Business careers.

One Search subject keyword search: Careers AND [name of career area]

• This is a similar strategy to narrow the focus of your search.

One Search subject keyword search: Careers in focus

• The library has a number of books published by Ferguson Publishing as part of its Careers in Focus series. Each volume addresses a career area (such as Law) and then discusses specific occupations within that area (Lawyer, Corrections Officer, Forensic Expert, etc.).

One Search subject keyword search: Resumes

• Use this search to locate books about how to write your resume.

One Search subject keyword search: Employment interviewing

• These books will tell you how to prepare for and do well in an interview.

Reference Books

The library also has two very helpful titles in our Reference collection (books must be used in the library; sections may be photocopied):

Occupational Outlook Handbook

• Published by the U.S. Department of Labor, this biennial volume provides information about hundreds of occupations in the United States and concludes each article with a helpful list of additional resources. It can be found in the Reference collection at call number REF HF 5381 .A1 O36.

Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance

• A four-volume set that begins by providing information about selecting and preparing for a career as well as applying for a position (Volume 1) and then provides full descriptions of more than 675 occupations (Volumes 2-4). A very good resource. Find it at REF HF 5381 .E52.

Electronic Resources

CAREERwise is a valuable website that provides extensive information about selecting a career that suits you and how to prepare for it. The focus of the site is on jobs in Minnesota but there is a great deal of helpful general information found here.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

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