Are you struggling with finding the local jobs?  Open your eyes wide, and why don’t you look for the global jobs or the nationwide jobs? Have a big dream to work in the United Nations or in the Federal Government.

• United Nations NCRE
• UN Young Professionals Program
• Federal Government Jobs

San Jose Public Library Collections:

• United Nations: Books
• United Nations: Digital Resources
• United Nations: E-Books
• Government Publications

Additional Information:

• Useful Information for Job seekers
• College and Jobs
• Tutor.com (Academic Tutor, Career Tutor)

I have not interviewed for a job in several years, but recently find myself in that process again. As such, I thought it wise to consult books on interviewing. Of the many books I skimmed through, two books were undeniable standouts and have provided me with a wealth of practical information. They were, The Essential Book of Interviewing by Arnold B. Kanter, and 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, by John Kador. I highly recommend these books for any readers interested in learning more about the interview process.

One idea from The Essential Book of Interviewing that really appealed to me was to create a commercial that sells oneself as a product. The author reasoned that creating a commercial gets one to be creative, to tell something personal while using simple and easy to understand language, to be positive, upbeat, and direct, and to have a theme. This exercise struck me as a great way to develop an opening or closing elevator speech. And, I can attest that envisioning myself as a product sold through a commercial advertisement was a real help as I prepared myself for upcoming interviews.

In closing, I’d like to include some ideas I’ve picked up from most interview skills books. For example, it’s very important for the interviewee to take their time, listen fully to the questions being asked, and answer each part of the question fully, without rambling. Every book mentioned this point. Additionally, the interviewer needs to learn if the candidate can think and solve problems, plan projects and meet deadlines, and interact well with others while taking the leadership role, when needed. It is the candidate’s job to ensure they address these key areas.

Best of luck to everyone reading this blog! Ciao.

With the economic recession, today’s young adults seem to connect more with their grandparents than parents. The Legacy Project made “surveys of over 1200 of the oldest Americans, to see what advice they would offer new graduates hitting the job market.“ A summary of the survey results is presented in Next Avenue.

The advices from these people of the older generation are grouped into 5 lessons; and the biggest lesson of them all is:

Say “yes” - "People who passed up promotions, or opportunities to do things like work abroad, or who didn’t apply for a job because they thought they were underqualified said that not saying “yes” was their No. 1 career regret...”

There is one other lesson that I, myself, appreciate profoundly: Improve your people skills. “Don’t just be an interesting person, be interested in other people,” advises one of the respondents.

Steps you need to take to improve your attitude and skills are also listed for each of these lessons. These older Americans have experienced life through challenging historical events. Their words of wisdom will help us navigate our landscape.  Do you have an older person in your life to ask questions?

For more information on careers and jobs, the library’s webpage on employment would be of help to you . (Your library card is needed to logon some of the databases.)

San Jose public Library and Kaplan will be offering a series of practice tests in April that give you the opportunity see how you would score on the SAT and ACT tests.  In this 4 hour practice exam, you will take half of each test, and try your hand at the types of questions you will see on the actual tests.  These practice tests are open to all High School Students. 

Evergreen Branch Library

Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 1:00pm

Berryessa Branch Library

Saturday, April 14, 2012 - 1:00pm

King Library (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library)

Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 11:00am

 Santa Teresa Branch Library

Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 1:00pm

Willow Glen Branch Library

Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 1:00pm  

Please note that pre-registration is required for all of these events.   Please contact the library where you would like to take the practice test, in order to pre-register. 

In addition, you can check out a variety of new study books for both the SAT and the ACT.

Lastly, you may also want to look at the LearningExpress Library Tutorials, Tests, eBooks which are accessible with you library card, and have great College Preparation materials, including tools and tips for both the SAT and ACT.

A Family Learning Center with a special emphasis on Career Exploration for Teens formally opened on January 25, 2012 at the Biblioteca Latinoamericana. This new center is the fifth to operate within the San Jose Public Library system. The four other Family Learning Centers are located at Tully, Hillview, Alum Rock and East Carnegie Library branches. The Family Learning Center is the recipient of a grant from the Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation to establish a center within the Biblioteca.

The Family Learning Center programs focus on adult literacy, reading classes for elementary students and career exploration for teens. The ESL classes held at the center are taught by a certified ESL teacher.  A special collection of ESL materials, computers, and software enhance the various classes and workshops offered.  FLC offerings support the Latino population, youth at risk, underachieving youth, and new Americans.  All programs are free and open to the public.

KimNhung Nguyen, Senior Branch Manager for the Biblioteca and East Carnegie brings a wealth of experience to the Family Learning Center, previously managing a successful FLC at Hillview library. Cris Johnson, FLC coordinator will assist in promoting and presenting the programs.

Are you searching for a job?   Here are some helpful web pages. 

Resources for Job Seekers     from the sjpl.org website

Teen College and Job Resources      from the sjpl.org website

Work2Future     a helpful local organization

Indeed     a search tool

Interviewing     from monster.com

Research and Homework     from the sjpl.org website