Job Seekers & Career Exploration

These resources are for those who are searching for jobs, contemplating a career change, or interested in professional development. Please see our Employment page for openings at the Library.

The Library offers a wide range of resources on job seeking, interview preparation, and writing cover letters and resumes. Please Contact Us for assistance.

JobNow

Job coaches offer constructive suggestions on resumes, assist with writing professional cover letters, and provide live interview practice and feedback through this resource offered by Brainfuse. JobNow also contains resume and cover letter templates, interview tips, and sample interview questions. Click here for access.

Career Research

• Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook: Locate information on educational and training requirements, salaries, and hiring trends for a wide variety of careers.
• Career OneStop: Find self-assessment materials and license requirement information.
• O*Net Online: Provides summaries and statistical information on a wide range of occupations and industries.
• AtoZdatabases: Provides information on millions of businesses, professionals, and households; as well as job listings, interview tips, and resume templates. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, marketing research, and employment opportunities.

Job Applications

You will probably be asked to provide an active email address when applying for jobs. Creating and using an email account is free. Popular providers include Gmail, Microsoft and Yahoo. Please visit the Library if you need assistance registering for your account.

Resume & Cover Letter Templates

Resume and cover letter templates can be downloaded at no cost from Microsoft’s Office website.

Assistance for Job Seekers

• Illinois Department of Economic Security (IDES): File unemployment claims, certify benefits, and search for jobs.
• Illinois WorkNet: Find training materials, interview preparation help, job boards, industry information, resources for people with disabilities, and more.
• Oak Forest Workforce Center Employment & Employer Services: Obtain career information and assistance finding and applying for jobs,

Job Boards & Career Fairs

• Chicago Job Resource: Find career fairs and networking and job clubs in the Chicago area.
• Indeed: This job search engine has a wide range of positions from numerous industries.
• Glassdoor: Useful resource for researching job opportunities, companies, salary information, and more.
• ZipRecruiter: Useful resource for researching job opportunities, and applicants.
• Moraine Valley Job Report: Listings are updated weekly, cover a wide range of industries, and are primarily local. You must register to view details and apply for jobs.

Interview Preparation

• How to Answer the 31 Most Common Interview Questions
• Interview Cheat Sheet
• Interview Checklist

Professional Development

• LearningExpress Library: Use the Career Center to explore different professions and prepare for entrance exams and occupational tests. You must be an Acorn cardholder to use this service. Please Contact Us with any questions.
• LinkedIn: Showcase your experience and connect with other people in your field. LinkedIn includes expertise-focused discussion groups and a job board.