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Careers and Job Opportunities: Information on the Web and in the Library

Jump to: Career Choices / Job Listings / Resumes and Correspondence / Salaries / Interview Tips

Current economic conditions and projections for the future indicate that most people will have more than one career in their lifetime. Locating jobs within a chosen field can be a bewildering process, especially with the quantity of information now available online. Finding a job can be a full time job!

This listing is meant to give you a jump start as you begin your exploration of the current career market. The following list suggests some of the best sites to find online information and the best text resources in the library (not available on the Internet) about job opportunities, occupations, and careers. All locations and call numbers provided for books are for the California State University, Northridge Library.

Career Choices

Career and Occupation Websites

A Few Additional Very Good Books

  • Career Information Center. :New York, NY : MacMillan Reference USA, 2007. (Latest copy Reference Room, ref HF5382.5.U5 C32 2007). Volumes 1-12 are organized by occupational interest areas. Volume 13 offers employment trends and a master index.
  • The Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance. Chicago, IL: J.G. Gerguson, 1967- (latest copy is 2008; Reference Room, ref HF 5381.E52). Volume I, "Career Fields," describes more than 90 industries. Volumes 2, 3, and 4 contain over 500 individual job descriptions.
  • Professional Careers Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1990- (latest copy, Reference Room, ref HF 5381.A1 P76). Provides concise job descriptions, employment outlook, and salaries for 118 careers. Lists reference materials (some of which are available in the Oviatt Library) and professional associations offering additional information about careers covered.
  • Vocational Careers Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1992- (latest copy, Reference Room, ref HF 5381.V52). Provides brief job descriptions, salary information, and employment outlook for 135 vocational occupations. Lists reference materials and associations offering additional information about occupations covered.
  • Job Hunter's Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1991- (latest copy is 2007, Reference Room, ref HF 5382.75.U6 J63). Lists sources of job-hunting information for specific professions and occupations in part 1 and general job-hunting information in part 2.

Job Listings

Jump to: Job Listings Websites/ Helpful Books about Job Opportunities

Once you have determined what occupations interest you, your job hunt begins. The following web sites and print sources contain information that can help you find out about job openings.

Job Listing Websites

  • California State University Northridge Career Center provides the university's students access to job openings, employment interview opportunities, and more. Students should register with the Career Center and take advantage of their services.
  • Use your favorite internet search engine to find appropriate job listing websites. As you search, think about what kind of site will list the type of job you want to find. Is it a job that is likely to be advertised in a local newspaper or one that would be advertised via a jobs-available list at the website of a professionial association for people in a specific field that have specific credentials, qualifications, or academic degrees? If the job you want is industry-specific, are there websites for people who work in that industry which include employment opportunity listings? Be prepared to search at more than one website, as employers will make different choices about where to list job openings.
  • If you know of specific companies you would like as an employer, check their websites for job openings. Directories of companies and information about specific companies is also available in sources shelved on the Business Index Table in the University Library Reference Room and via the Business links in the Business section of the Library's Databases by Subject page.
  • If you want a job in a specific geographic area:

Helpful Books about Job Opportunities

  • The Career Guide: Duns Employment Opportunities Directory. Parsippany, NJ: Dun's Marketing Services, 2008. [Reference Room, ref HF5382.5 .U5 D8]. Brief descriptions of leading U.S. companies having at least 1,000 employees. Companies are listed alphabetically, geographically, and by industry.
  • The National Job Bank. Holbrook, MA: B. Adams, 1983- [latest copy, Reference Room, ref HF 5382.5 .U5 N38]. Brief descriptions of about 16,000 companies. Companies are arranged by state and the volume has an industry index and a section on how to write resumes and cover letters.
  • The Los Angeles Job Bank. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media, 1988- (latest copy, Reference Room, ref HF 5382.5 .U6 C23). Brief descriptions of larger employers and listings of smaller employers within each industry. The book also contains information about basic jobseeking techniques.

Resumes and Correspondence

Salaries

Interview Tips

Originally created by Mary Finley