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Career Prep


Library Resources


Free and easy to access from home with your library card and PIN, or from any of our libraries' computer stations.


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Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center

Assess your career goals, plan your education, learn workplace skills, find internships, conduct a job search, and more with Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center.

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Tutor.com

Tutor.com provides resume and cover letter review, live help, career coaching, and other career resources.

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Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow

Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow is a versatile online service that supports job seekers, veterans, and their families with all stages of job searching, employment transition, navigating the VA, standardized tests, and more.

City and State Resources


LA City WorkSource logo

WorkSource

WorkSource offers a wide range of employment services from the City of Los Angeles including services specifically for adult (ages 24+) and youth (ages 16-24) job-seekers.

CalJobs logo

CalJobs

CalJobs is a county-by-county jobs database for job hunters and employers. Job seekers can create, store, and send resumes to any job opening.



Suggested Reading

  • 100 side hustles : unexpected ideas for making extra money without quitting your day job

    100 side hustles : unexpected ideas for making extra money without quitting your day job

    Guillebeau, Chris
  • 201 killer cover letters

    201 killer cover letters

    Podesta, Sandra
  • 50 ways to get a job : an unconventional guide to finding work on your terms

    50 ways to get a job : an unconventional guide to finding work on your terms

    Aujla, Dev
  • ABA consumer guide to employee rights : understanding and asserting your rights on the job

    ABA consumer guide to employee rights : understanding and asserting your rights on the job

    Freking, Randy
  • Can I wear my nose ring to the interview? : the crash course, finding, landing, and keeping your first real job

    Can I wear my nose ring to the interview? : the crash course, finding, landing, and keeping your first real job

    Reeves, Ellen Gordon
  • Career development : all-in-one

    Career development : all-in-one

    Alidina, Shamash
  • Careers : the graphic guide to finding the perfect job for you

    Careers : the graphic guide to finding the perfect job for you

  • Civil service exams : power practice

    Civil service exams : power practice

  • Getting your first job

    Getting your first job

    Angulo, Roberto
  • Great jobs for everyone 50+ : finding work that keeps you happy and healthy...and pays the bills

    Great jobs for everyone 50+ : finding work that keeps you happy and healthy...and pays the bills

    Hannon, Kerry
  • HBR guide to changing your career

    HBR guide to changing your career

  • Knock 'em dead

    Knock 'em dead

  • Moving forward in mid-career : a guide to rebuilding your career after being fired or laid off

    Moving forward in mid-career : a guide to rebuilding your career after being fired or laid off

    Weiss, John Henry
  • Resumes for dummies

    Resumes for dummies

    DeCarlo, Laura
  • Roadmap to federal jobs : how to determine your qualifications, develop an effective USAJOBS resume, apply for and land U.S. government jobs

    Roadmap to federal jobs : how to determine your qualifications, develop an effective USAJOBS resume, apply for and land U.S. government jobs

    Adams, Barbara A
  • Sweaty palms : the neglected art of being interviewed

    Sweaty palms : the neglected art of being interviewed

    Medley, H. Anthony
  • The 2-hour job search : using technology to get the right job faster

    The 2-hour job search : using technology to get the right job faster

    Dalton, Steve
  • The damn good resume guide : a crash course in resume writing

    The damn good resume guide : a crash course in resume writing

    Parker, Yana
  • The job search checklist : everything you need to know to get back to work after a layoff

    The job search checklist : everything you need to know to get back to work after a layoff

    Birkel, Damian
  • What color is your parachute?

    What color is your parachute?

    Bolles, Richard Nelson
  • Career Prep
    • Careers, Education, & Training
      • Careers Internet Sites
        • From the Balance: Careers: site offers career and employment resources listed by career field and industry.

        • Covers hundreds of careers and gives general information including job descriptions, working conditions, employment outlook, wages and hours, entrance requirements and training, advancement, and related fields.

        • Created for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, by the National Center for O*NET Development. Search for careers by keywords, browse by industry, or by matching with your interests and training. Also available in Spanish and offers a special site for Veterans.

        • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a profile for careers covering the nature of the work, working conditions, employment, training, job outlook, earnings, and related occupations.

        • Comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations.  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, and developed by the National Center for O*NET Development.

        • Ranks and profiles careers that offer strong outlooks and high job satisfaction: best jobs lists for a variety of categories.  Includes feature articles with career and job seeking advice.

      • Education & Training Internet Sites
        • U.S. Department of Labor website offering a one-stop source to connect career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources. Discover apprenticeships across industries, how programs are started by employers, and how to become an apprentice.

        • Information on military schools in the U.S.

        • Searchable directory that allows users to obtain information about California public schools, private schools (including nonpublic nonsectarian schools), school districts, and county offices of education. Provides a variety of data on schools, including academic performance, graduation rates, student-teacher ratio, course offerings and more. Searching under Adult Education Centers will cover occupational and adult school programs.

        • Trade schools offering bachelors degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.

        • State of California’s official college and career planning platform, free to all California educators, students, and families.  Managed by the California College Guidance Initiative, a nonprofit, funded in part by the state of California, that partners with school districts across the state to advance local college and career readiness goals.

        • Searchable guide to college programs, career schools, financial aid, and test preparation.  Registration required to see detailed content beyond the list of search results.  Test preparation guides offered with subscriptions.

        • Undergraduate, graduate/professional schools rankings and online programs.

      • In-Person & Telephone Resources
      • Library Databases
        • A versatile online service that supports job seekers, veterans, and their families with all stages of job searching, employment transition assistance, navigating the VA bureaucracy, preparing for standardized tests, and building marketable academic skills 
        • Accessible from any computer via the web, LAPL Library Card required.  Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center is an electronic resource for lifelong career exploration and planning. It offers resources for career goals, education planning, workplace skills, finding apprenticeships and internships, conducting job searches, and much more.

        • Accessible from any computer via the web, LAPL Library Card required.  A collection of reference eBooks on a wide variety of topics. Portions of the books can be downloaded onto eReader devices.  Includes large selection of titles on various careers, educational and career examinations, and directories of educational programs.

      • Salaries & Wages Internet Resources
    • Research Potential Employers
      • In-Person & Telephone Resources
        • Employment Development Department and America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM (AJCC) partners offer workshops for career guidance and job search skills throughout California.  Listings are divided into three regions in California: Northern, Los Angeles/Coastal, and Southern.

        • WorkSource centers offer services to employers and job seekers.  The free employment services offered to adults, dislocated workers, Veterans, the homeless and the re-entry population include: free job training, telephone and computer access and literacy skills workshops; employment referrals; customized job matching, placement and listings via CalJOBSSM; resume and interview skills building; career guidance and program placement assistance.  Map provides alternative way to find locations.

        • Lists Job Skills Workshops in the L.A. Youth at Work program.

      • Internet Resources
        • Search job listings, company reviews, and salary information. Reviews include what the employee liked and disliked about the company, as well as advice for candidates looking for a position at that company. Salaries by industry, company, and positions.

        • Discover the best companies to work for, and find out what life is really like at some of the world’s top companies.  Information and ratings about careers, companies, working conditions, available positions, and other aspects of getting a job.

        • A comprehensive website for: current and historical company data, investment information, stock quotes from major U.S. and Canadian exchanges; insurance information, loan & mortgage rates, tax information, and quotes from foreign markets; and a special company search feature.

      • Library Databases
        • Company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Requires LAPL Library Card or e-card to use on computer outside the library.

        • Bibliographies, abstracts, and location of reference tools (including business directories) kept in the reference area of the Central Library's Business & Economics Department. Accessible from any computer via the web: no library card required for this database.

        • Offers resources to search for people, businesses, and demographic information. Search for an individual company or create a mailing list of multiple companies from over 23 million businesses. Requires LAPL library card or e-card to use outside the library.

        • Detailed descriptions of more than 135,000 international and U.S. national, regional, state, and local membership organizations in all fields. Requires LAPL Library Card or e-card to use on computer outside the library.

        • Formerly called General Business File ASAP and Business Collection (Gale).  Provides coverage of all business disciplines, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management and strategy, as well as business theory and practice. Research activities of companies and industries worldwide through business and trade publications, complemented by a selection of international, U.S., and regional news publications.  Requires an LAPL library card or e-card to use outside the library.

        • Database is part of the library's Proquest Central set of databases.  Information about more than 40,000 public and non-public companies and 225,000 key executives.  Requires LAPL Library Card or e-card to use on computer outside the library.

        • Access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, facts and figures, executive contact information, the ability to access industry profiles and much more. Company information from Dun & Bradstreet.  Requires LAPL library card or e-card to use outside the library.

        • Provides independent analysis and real-time data on over 14,500 stocks, 24,800 mutual funds, 1,500 exchange-traded funds and 700 closed end funds, plus analyst reports on over 3,500 securities. MIRC also provides screening tools, current articles and videos and financial educational resources. Accessible from Central Library only.

        • Financial, contact, and hierarchy reporting details (including subsidiaries, affiliates, and divisions) on 137,000 companies and their key professionals worldwide. Accessible from Central Library only.

        • Over 20 million businesses searchable by name, industry, geography, size, etc. Requires LAPL Library Card or e-card to use on computer outside the library.

        • Descriptive and financial data on U.S. and non-U.S. corporations. Requires LAPL Library Card or e-card to use outside the library

        • Value Line Library grants access to a vault of investment research, approximately 3,400 stocks, data, expert analysis, and unbiased commentary with a time-tested and performance-proven Ranking System.  Database offered by the library and accessible outside the library to those with a currently valid Los Angeles Public Library card or e-card.

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