Research Guides: FIRST YEAR SEMINAR RESOURCES: Books on Career Readiness

Resumes - Cover Letters - Job Hunting - Interviewing

The Essential Job Interview Handbook by Jean Baur
Call Number: Stacks - HF5549.5 .I6 B35 2014
ISBN: 9781601632821
Publication Date: 2013-09-23
Even with a fairly detailed job description or a briefing by a knowledgeable recruiter, job candidates rarely have all the tools they need to ace their interviews. This is one of the reasons why interviews are so harrowing - we have to pay close attention to what we're told, what we're not told, and the many non-verbal signals we receive. In addition, many people who conducts the interviews aren't well-prepared, haven't been trained in interviewing, and often don't even like the process. The Essential Job Interview Handbook will help job seekers prepare effectively for interviews and become familiar with different types of interview questions and styles of interviews. A unique feature of this book is the multiple answers it provides for each question, rated good, better, and best; with this feature, you'll learn what makes a winning answer and understand the strategy behind it. Whether you're just finishing school or have been working a long time, The Essential Job Interview Handbook will give you all the powerful tools you need to not just get a job, but to get the right one.
Building Better Students by Jeremy Burrus; Krista Mattern; Bobby D. Naemi; Richard D. Roberts
Call Number: Stacks - HD5706 .B85 2017
ISBN: 9780199373222
Publication Date: 2017-06-02
Led by a team of experts, Building Better Students: Preparation for the Workforce discusses a variety of issues surrounding workforce readiness in the 21st century by presenting the latest research, practice, and policy on what is continually emerging as a febrile field. By featuring suchtopics as how to define and measure workforce readiness; how to prepare students for the workforce; and bridging the gap between college and workforce readiness, this volume is a necessary contribution to today's "skills gap" literature as society works to not only secure our own economic futures,but our children's futures, as well.In this volume, world-class contributors from a variety of backgrounds (including industrial/organizational psychology, personality psychology, and educational assessment) all come together to share their unique perspective on the larger issues at hand. In addition to showcasing cutting-edgeresearch, Building Better Students offers insightful commentary and provides readers with the opportunity to not only reflect on these issues, but how to move the needle further for this generation and beyond.
Put College to Work by Kathryn Clowes
ISBN: 9781610352536
Publication Date: 2015-09-01
The future looks bleak for today's college graduates: 53 percent of Millennials are jobless or underemployed after graduating college, and 36 percent have moved back in with their parents. College tuition has tripled in the last decade, debt at graduation has risen to a full year's salary, and more graduates are forced to default on their student loans. Meanwhile, college is not preparing students for the modern job marketwages are stagnating, employers aren't hiring, and young people today can expect to change careers five or six times in their lifetime. The old rules for succeeding in college just don't work anymore. "Put College to Work" is the new rule book that shows how to make today's college environment work for you. "Put College to Work" presents a step-by-step plan to use the resources available to you in college (the resources you're already paying for!) to enhance your education with practical experience, make connections with employers, market yourself as a dynamic and creative employeeand land a job before you graduate. "Put College to Work" shows how to identify your strengths, find the right career field and major to pursue, leverage your skills, and create your own opportunities. You'll learn how to network to employers through your university's career center, alumni association, and major donors, plus the industry and research connections of your professors. Written by a Millennial for Millennials, "Put College to Work" is a supremely practical guide to how college really works today that will empower you to take action now to build your education, your career plan, your business contacts, and your job prospects.
How to Write Better Résumés and Cover Letters by Patricia K. Criscito
ISBN: 9781438001470
Publication Date: 2013-05-01
Written by an expert career advisor, this book shows job seekers how to summarize and advertise their skills clearly and effectively for rÃ©sumÃ© presentation. But just as important, it also advises on how to get the most out of word processing software by using an appropriate typeface and a logical layout to produce an elegant and truly effective rÃ©sumÃ©. In today’s job market, the rÃ©sumÃ© must also be Internet-friendly and adaptable for e-mail. Author Pat Criscito enlightens her readers with a virtually fail-safe 12-step process for producing that perfect rÃ©sumÃ© adaptable to all formats needed for a comprehensive job search. She also offers detailed advice on creating an attention-catching cover letter. Both beginners seeking their first job and professionals looking to advance their careers will find the help they’re looking for in this newly updated edition.
Power Verbs for Job Seekers by Michael Lawrence Faulkner
ISBN: 9780133158724
Publication Date: 2013-02-22
Electrify all your job search communications and build the great career you want! The right verbs * make you unforgettable * powerfully demonstrate your value * attract employers like moths to flame Grab the right verb and use it the right way to: Craft outstanding r#65533;sum#65533;s, cover letters, and thank-you notes Draw attention to your best achievements and accomplishments Get your face-to-face interview--and ace it Pitch yourself brilliantly, even if you only have a minute Weave crucial "soft skills" expertise into your career communications Prove you're the person they're looking for Jam-packed with examples drawing on thousands of years of storytelling, literature, and experience Indispensable for everyone who wants a rewarding, successful, well-paid career!
Resume Book by Nancy Schuman; Lin Grensing-Pophal
ISBN: 9781440550560
Publication Date: 2012-12-18
Expert advice and proven techniques for resumes that get you in the door! Whether you are searching for your first job or your fiftieth, you need to learn how to sell yourself and get your resume in front of the right people. Jam-packed with information on mastering everything from the first draft to the first interview, this expert guide is all you need to get your career on track. Hiring professional Lin Grensing-Pophal expertly walks you through: What to include on--and what to leave off--today's resumes Creating virtual or interactive resumes Using SEO keywords for optimum searchability Getting your resume social media-ready Even though social media, the Internet, and other platforms have changed the job hunting process, one thing hasn't changed: You still need to know how to craft the perfect resume! The Everything Resume Book, 4th Edition is the ultimate guide to building a standout resume and making sure it gets to the top of the stack.
ISBN: 9781682530528
Rethinking Readiness by Rafael Heller (Editor); Rebecca E. Wolfe (Editor); Adria Steinberg (Editor)
ISBN: 9781682530528
Publication Date: 2017-04-11
Rethinking Readiness offers a new set of competencies to replace the narrow learning goals of No Child Left Behind and, in chapters written by some of the nation's most well-respected education scholars, explores their implications for schools. Today's students must cultivate the full range of intellectual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal capacities that have been grouped together under the banner of "deeper learning." Rethinking Readiness focuses on how educators and policy makers should move forward to provide the educational experiences that students need to become truly well prepared for college, careers, and civic life, including changes in curriculum, teacher evaluation, and student assessment. As state leaders chart a new course for K-12 education in the Every Student Succeeds Act era, Rethinking Readiness offers a succinct and compelling vision for a new agenda for school reform so future generations can prosper in a rapidly changing world.
Preparing Students for College and Careers by Katie Larsen McClarty (Editor); Krista Mattern (Editor); Matthew Gaertner (Editor)
ISBN: 9781138656307
Publication Date: 2017-08-24
Preparing Students for College and Careers addresses measurement and research issues related to college and career readiness. Educational reform efforts across the United States have increasingly taken aim at measuring and improving postsecondary readiness. These initiatives include developing new content standards, redesigning assessments and performance levels, legislating new developmental education policy for colleges and universities, and highlighting gaps between graduates¿ skills and employers¿ needs. In this comprehensive book, scholarship from leading experts on each of these topics is collected for assessment professionals and for education researchers interested in this new area of focus. Cross-disciplinary chapters cover the current state of research, best practices, leading interventions, and a variety of measurement concepts, including construct definitions, assessments, performance levels, score interpretations, and test uses.
Now What, Grad? by Chris Palmer
ISBN: 9781475823653
Publication Date: 2015-12-17
Many soon-to-be graduates are worried about their future. They stress about whether they'll find a job, if it will be fulfilling, whether they will earn enough to pay off their student loans, and whether they will fail and disappoint their families. Young people need to learn many things that colleges don't teach, including how to behave professionally, how to collaborate, how to be life-long learners, and how to be resourceful, resilient, and ethical. This book will teach students the things they need to succeed in the real world, such as how to organize a job search, how to ace job interviews, how to manage time effectively, how to manage and reduce stress, how to be an effective leader, how to run a meeting well, how to survive a bad performance review, how to become a powerful speaker, how to network, and many other skills that are the keys to success and fulfillment.
Get an Internship and Make the Most of It by Patricia F. Hess; Joan E. McLachlan
ISBN: 9781475814651
Publication Date: 2015-06-10
Too often students automatically think that an internship is not for them. They seem to believe that internships are just for those students who are in AP or engineering and science programs or for students who know exactly what career they want to pursue. They don't take internship opportunities offered by their school or college or seek an internship on their own. Internships offer all students a way to find direction for their future. An internship will help them gain experience in the real world, find a career area that they like -- or don't like -- get focused on a possible college major, and build those skills critical for success in a career and higher education. This book is a resource for all high school and community college students who want to find, get, and make the most out of an internship. The book gives students a "heads up" on how to: - Use community, school, and college resources to help secure an internship - Get their act together by writing a compelling resume, cover email and elevator speech - Show the skills and attitudes every organization wants to see during the interview - Prepare for an interview by anticipating the typical interview questions - Know what the interviewer is looking for and what to say and do to make the best impression - Take on value added projects once the internship gets going - Deal with the ups and downs - Use the internship experience in their future Get an Internship and Make the Most of It: Practical Information for High School and Community College Students can be a help to every high school and community college student. It follows four students as they find, interview for and complete their internships. If you're thinking about doing an internship or are well on the way to starting one, this book is for you.
The New Rules of Work by Kathryn Minshew; Alexandra Cavoulacos
ISBN: 9780451495679
Publication Date: 2017-04-18
The world of work has changed. People in previous generations tended to pick one professional path and stick to it. Switching companies every few years wasn't the norm, and changing careers was even rarer. Today's career trajectories aren't so scripted and linear. Technology has given rise to new positions that never before existed, which means we are choosing from a much broader set of career options--and have even more opportunities to find work that lights us up. However, we don't discover and apply for jobs the same way anymore, and employers don't find applicants the way they used to. Isn't it about time we had a playbook for navigating it all? Kathryn Minshew and Alexandra Cavoulacos, founders of the popular career website TheMuse.com, offer the definitive guide to the modern workplace. Through quick exercises and structured tips, you will learn: · The New Rules for finding the right path: Sift through, and narrow today's ever-growing menu of job and career options, using the simple step-by-step Muse Method. · The New Rules for landing the perfect job: Build your personal brand, and communicate exactly how you can contribute and why your experience is valuable in a way that is sure to get the attention of your dream employer. Then ace every step of the interview process, from getting a foot in the door to negotiating your offer. · The New Rules for growing and advancing in your career: Mastering first impressions, the art of communication, networking, managing up and other "soft" skills - and make it obvious that whatever level you're at, you're ready to get ahead. Whether you are starting out in your career, looking to advance, navigating a mid-career shift, or anywhere in between, this is the book you need to thrive in the New World of Work.
201 Killer Cover Letters by Sandra Podesta; Andrea Paxton
ISBN: 9780071831574
Publication Date: 2014-04-02
THE BESTSELLING GUIDE TO WRITING COVER LETTERS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION With hundreds of ready-to-download letters--updated with strategies for networking online, social media, and responding to Internet job postings. "Wow, wow, and wow! Letters like these are what I want to see; they help me get to know the person immediately and create a very positive impression." -- Melissa Burke, co-owner, Blue Plate Minds Creative Staffing Agency "I recommend this book to all the job seekers I work with; it saves them time and expedites the search." -- Julie Hipp, Principal, Impact Partners Executive Search Firm "This book guides job seekers at every level in using social media and technology to compete with more tech-savvy candidates." -- Mary Gable, career and outplacement counselor "Podesta and Paxton's strategies are brilliant! The letters will impress hiring managers, and the advice on using the Internet is spot on!" -- Dave McGurgan, social media manager "These letters go right to the core of what is needed to get one step ahead of the rest." -- Jay Jamison, International Managed Service Leader, British Telecom "Letters like these bring both resume and applicant to life, so I can make the right decisions about whom to interview and ultimately hire." -- Loretta Kuhland, former Deputy Executive Director, Center for Disability Services, New York Capital Region
The Essential Job Interview Handbook by Jean Baur
ISBN: 9781601632821
Publication Date: 2013-09-23
Even with a fairly detailed job description or a briefing by a knowledgeable recruiter, job candidates rarely have all the tools they need to ace their interviews. This is one of the reasons why interviews are so harrowing - we have to pay close attention to what we're told, what we're not told, and the many non-verbal signals we receive. In addition, many people who conducts the interviews aren't well-prepared, haven't been trained in interviewing, and often don't even like the process. The Essential Job Interview Handbook will help job seekers prepare effectively for interviews and become familiar with different types of interview questions and styles of interviews. A unique feature of this book is the multiple answers it provides for each question, rated good, better, and best; with this feature, you'll learn what makes a winning answer and understand the strategy behind it. Whether you're just finishing school or have been working a long time, The Essential Job Interview Handbook will give you all the powerful tools you need to not just get a job, but to get the right one.
Career Adventure by Susan M. Johnston
ISBN: 9780132481199
Publication Date: 2013-09-03
This book leverages the power of peer and mentor support guiding students through a flexible, yet comprehensive, approach to career planning in a world in which change continues to influence the career landscape. The Career Adventure is a full-range approach for adult students who are seeking engagement in a systematic process to career decision-making. Whether students are new to career planning and trying to determine how their experiences prepare them for future careers or seasoned pros who are moving on to a new career opportunity, a series of steps helps them build on the growth and learning that has informed their prior work lives. Students will use their experiences as part of a process that contextualizes skills, knowledge, and background to inform future success. Grounded in 'doing' rather than 'explaining,' students are encouraged to move aggressively through these steps for life-long career development. The revision focuses on setting and achieving career goals that offer long-term growth, and uses social networking media to create a vibrant exchange that supports mutual value and meaning. The opportunity to capitalize on the knowledge of fellow career seekers maximizes information sharing and reflection for better, more illuminated goal-setting and decision-making.

Career Readiness: Handouts and Tools

Creating Your Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

What is a resume?

A resume is a one- or two-page summary of your education, skills, accomplishments, and experience.

What is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

A CV is often required when applying to graduate or professional programs, employment with international firms or when promoting oneself primarily within academic fields. In addition to the fields normally seen on a resume, a CV may also include publications, professional licenses or certifications, educational or professional awards, and relevant course work. Since the CV usually includes more information, they are most often longer than resumes.

The purpose of your resume or CV is to get your foot in the door.

A resume does its job successfully if it does not exclude you from consideration.

To prepare a successful resume, you need to know how to review, summarize, and present your experiences and achievements on one page. Unless you have considerable experience, you don't need two pages. Outline your achievements briefly and concisely.

Visit the following links for guides to help you create your resume or CV:

CareerOneStop - A great place to visit to start assembling your resume. This tutorial will take you step-by-step through the process of creating a resume, providing examples along the way.
Penn State Career Services - From Penn State. Explanation of parts of the resume & CV
Purdue OWL: Resumes and Vitas - From Purdue University. Includes parts of resumes & vitas. Includes information on how to make a resume scannable.
Susan Ireland Resume Guide - Guide created by Susan Ireland, author of The Complete Idiots' Guide series on resumes, cover letters & job hunting. Includes many free resources to creating resumes.
University of Notre Dame: The Career Center - From University of Notre Dame. Resume guide. Includes required and optional parts of a resume.

Resume Examples

Chronological Resume Sample - From Purdue OWL

Functional Resume Sample - From Purdue OWL

Skills Resume Sample - From Purdue OWL
CareerOneStop Examples

Explore Careers & Occupations on the Web

Career One Stop - Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Explore career information, find job listings, find job training.
Careers After College, Career Profiles - From the Princeton Review. Searchable career profiles.
Careers in Science - Explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Run by ScienceBuddies, a non-profit focusing on K-12 STEM education.

College Grad - Entry Level Job Site

Explore Careers - From Yale University's Office of Career Strategy. Each career link includes and overview of the field, typical positions within it, and an array of useful web links to help you learn more.

Explore Health Careers - This website is a joint initiative involving national foundations, professional associations, health career advisers, educational institutions and college students. The information on ExploreHealthCareers.org comes from health associations, educational organizations, universities and colleges, government databases, professional journals and published articles.

Majors and Careers - Run by The College Board. Suggested careers based on majors, and other career information.

North American Association for Environmental Education - This site includes career ideas that focus on helping protect the planet. Check out interviews, videos, and blog posts from professionals in all aspects of the environmental field.

Occupational Outlook Handbook - Find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations

Psychology Career Center - Curation of links focusing on careers in psychology for students and professionals. Curated by Wesleyan University social psychology professor.

Social Work Career Center - Information and job search for the fields of Social Work. Run by the NASW (National Association of Social Workers).

Salary Information

PayScale - What are you worth? What your skills are worth in the market is constantly changing.

Salary.com - A free basic report shows national average salaries adjusted by location.

Salary Expert - Access data trusted by the majority of the Fortune 500

Job Searching Websites

Arts Employment Index - A collection of places to job hunt in the field of the Arts.

Careerbuilder - Job and resume posting website. Search jobs or create an account to upload a resume.

College Grad Job Hunter - A job posting searching site, specifically for entry-level jobs for recent college graduates. Curated by the author of College Grad Job Hunter, Brian Krueger (http://www.consuls.org/record=b2207403~S16).

Engineering Jobs - Search engineering jobs by engineering discipline or location.

Indeed - Search jobs or upload your resume. International & local postings.

Kansas Labor Information Center - KLIC is a job search, career assessment, and labor market information system designed for all who are exploring local labor markets in Kansas.

LGBTQ+ Workplace Resource Guide - Half of LGBTQ+ employees remain closeted at work. Many fear that they will face discrimination and mistreatment if they come out. From finding inclusive companies, getting comfortable with the interview process, to coming out at work, here is a resource guide to help you navigate the corporate landscape as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

LinkedIn - Professional and career-focused social networking.

Monster - Job posting & resume uploading site. Also searches social media sites and newspaper ads.

Nonprofit Connect - For over forty years, Nonprofit Connect has linked the nonprofit community in Kansas City to education, resources and networking so that organizations can more effectively achieve their missions. Find nonprofit jobs in our career center, learn from local and national experts in our training programs, and sharpen your skills with our online resources.

Public Service Careers - Job listings of professional jobs in the public sector, advice on public service careers, and information about pursuing a degree in public service. This site is co-sponsored by the three most prominent nonprofit associations in public policy and public administration: Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA); American Society for Public Administration (ASPA); Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)

Riley Guide - Provides free career and employment information.

Science Careers - From the journal Science. Job posting search or resume upload. Postings are focused on scientific positions in government, academia, and industry, but also have job listings across a variety of areas within scientific organizations including sales, marketing, management, and more.

Social Services Jobs - iHireSocialServices is a niche job board dedicated solely to the Social Service industry. From child advocates to licensed social workers to counselors and more.

USA Jobs - USAJOBS is the official job site of the US Federal Government. USAJOBS.gov is a free web-based job board enabling federal job seekers access to thousands of job opportunities across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations, allowing agencies to meet their legal obligation (5 USC 3327 and 5 USC 3330) of providing public notice for federal employment opportunities.
What Can I do with a Major in... - This site will provide information on careers in a variety of majors. Not sure about where your major can land you in your career? Check out this site!

Zip Recruiter

BCC Library Database: Ferguson's Career Guidance Center (Infobase) - Provides profiles of nearly 3,400 jobs and 94 industries, invaluable advice on career skills, thousands of resource entries, and more! Includes job and internships postings; career interest assessment; scholarship information.