This is a listing of resources for those looking for job leads, job listings, job networking, and other job-hunting information.

In Person & Telephone Resources

Many public and private agencies, services, organizations, and schools in the Los Angeles area assist with job hunting, including: 

WorkSource/One-Stop Centers in Los Angeles County:
WorkSource centers provide access to job listings, local education and training, and help with filing claims for unemployment insurance.  Most services are available at no cost to workers, job seekers, and businesses.   http://www.worksourcecalifornia.com/centers/WS_find_a_center.htm 
or telephone (888) 226-6300.

Los Angeles Workforce Investment Board (WIB): Job Fairs, Events & Workshops http://www.lacity.org/WIB/about_topics.html
Web site posts listings of upcoming job fairs, events, workshops and inks to other web sites.

LA Youth at Work: Job Skills Workshops [ages 16-24] http://www.layouthatwork.org/JSW.html
Lists Job Skills Workshops in the L.A. Youth at Work program.

 

Internet Resources

General

Los Angeles Public Library – Database featuring job skills, job hunting skills, and examination preparation:
LearningExpress Library  (Requires LAPL Library Card)
Online interactive practice exams covering adult basic, academic, job related, civil service, real estate skills and more.  Includes a “Job Search & Workplace Skills Learning Center.”

Resumes & Cover Letters

CareerLab: Cover Letter Library
http://www.careerlab.com/letters
Acclaimed as “the first and best cover letter samples on the Internet,” features how to write a great letter and "200 of the world's best letters."

Damn Good Resume
http://www.damngood.com 
How to write resumes, includes resume tips, questions and answers, problems and solutions, and sample resumes. 

EResumes
http://www.eresumes.com
Electronic resumes and online networking.

Gary Will's WorkSearch
http://www.garywill.com/worksearch 
General information and advice on resume writing, cover letters and interviewing.

Resume Help
http://www.resume-help.org
How to write a resume, distribute resumes to hiring managers, and other tools.  

JobStar: Resumes
http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/index.cfm
Essays and links for resumes and resume banks, plus sample resumes and cover letters.

Riley Guide: Resumes and Cover Letters
http://www.rileyguide.com/letters.html
Resume, cover letter and personal reference help, including preparing and posting online resumes.

Susan Ireland Resume Guide
http://susanireland.com
Online workshops to help prepare resumes, e-resumes, and cover letters. 

Interviewing & How to Dress for Interviews

Collegegrad.com: Interviewing Information
http://www.collegegrad.com/intv/
For college graduates: how to successfully interview and get the job.  Includes mastering interviews, dressing for interview success, 50 interview questions and more.

Dress for Success
http://www.dressforsuccess.org
Helps low-income women make tailored transitions into the workforce. 

Dress to Impress: A Guide [Washington State University]
http://amdt.wsu.edu/research/dti/
Guidelines for interview attire, dress examples, dressing on a tight budget, and researching specific dress codes. 

Gary Will’s Worksearch: Employment interview resources
http://www.garywill.com/worksearch/intres.htm
Short essays on interviews including "unbelievable collection of bonehead questions and incredible incidents from actual interviews." 

Quintessential Careers: When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success http://www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_success.html
Hints for Dress for Success for women 
(www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_women.html)
and men
(www.quintcareers.com/dress_for_men.html)
Also has links to other Dress for Success resources.

Riley Guide: Interviewing
http://www.rileyguide.com/interview.html
Interview preparation, what to do after the interview, and video conference interviews. 

SYMS Dress to Achieve
http://www.symsdress.com
Educates college seniors about the basics of proper dress and other helpful tips to present themselves during job interviews. 

 

Book Resources

Resumes & Cover Letters

Criscito, Pat
How to Write Better Résumés and Cover Letters
Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 2nd ed., 2008
(658.339 C932-1 2008) LAPL Call Number

The Guide to Basic Cover Letter Writing
Chicago: VGM Career Books, 2nd ed., completely rev. and updated, 2004
(658.339 G9465-3 2004) LAPL Call Number

The Guide to Basic Résumé Writing
Chicago: VGM Career Books, 2nd ed., c2004
(658.339 G9465 2004) LAPL Call Number

Kennedy, Joyce Lain
Cover Letters for Dummies
Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, 2nd ed., c2000
(658.339 K35-3 2000) LAPL Call Number

Kennedy, Joyce Lain
Résumés For Dummies
Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 5th ed., 2007
(658.339 K35-4) LAPL Call Number

Whitcomb, Susan Britton
Résumé Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Résumé Writer
Indianapolis, IN: JIST Pub., 3rd ed., c2007
(658.339 W581 2003 and
658.339 W581 2007) LAPL Call Numbers

Interviewing

Beshara, Tony 
Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job
New York: American Management Association, c2008
(658.3115 B554) LAPL Call Number

Fry, Ron
101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions
Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning, 5th ed., c2007
(658.3115 F947-1 2007) LAPL Call Number

Kennedy, Joyce Lain
Job Interviews for Dummies
Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley Pub., 3rd ed., 2008
(658.3115 K35 2008) LAPL Call Number

Medley, H. Anthony 
Sweaty Palms: the Neglected Art of Being Interviewed
Various editions and publishers, 2005
(658.3115 M491) LAPL Call Number

Yate, Martin
Knock 'em Dead: the Ultimate Job Search Guide
Avon:  Adams Media.
(658.3115 Y31 2009) LAPL Call Number

Job Exams

Civil Service Arithmetic and Vocabulary
Lawrenceville, NJ: Arco/Thomson Learning, 15th ed., c2005.
(351.3GEN E66 2005) LAPL Call Number

General Test Practice for 101 U.S. Jobs
Lawrenceville, NJ: Arco; Thomson Learning. 5th ed., c2000
(351.3CIV G3265 2000)

Master the Clerical Exams.
Heuer, Christi, Sharon S. Saronson, and John J. Niesz.
Lawrenceville, NJ: Peterson's, 5th ed., c2007
(351.3CLE H592 2007) LAPL Call Number

Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests.
New York: Prentice Hall, 2004.
(351.3MEC L668) LAPL Call Number

 

Additional Resources

For more books, check catalog under the key words or search these call numbers.  For assistance, contact the Los Angeles Public Library at (213) 228-7000:

Key words and phrases	Call Numbers
Applications for positions	658.339
Business etiquette	651.44
Civil service—Examinations [also the subheading Examinations under various job areas: such as Postal service—United States—Examinations]	351.3 Examinations in specific subjects may also be in call number to go with subject: for example, nursing would be in the number 616
Clothing and dress	746.5
Cover letters	658.339
Employment interviewing	658.3115
Job hunting	658.339

In addition to the Los Angeles Public Library, other public libraries may be found at: http://www.mcls.org/library

 

This guide includes information compiled by the Los Angeles Public Library, the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System Reference Center and the Brooklyn Public Library.