Greensboro Public Library
Greensboro Public Library
What’s small and rectangular, available to everyone, absolutely free, yet infinitely valuable to job seekers in Guilford County?
It’s a Greensboro Public Library card. They’re easy to get, but even without one you can walk into the library for a variety of resources, including workshops and one-on-one job counseling. And that magic number on each library card unlocks a treasure trove of online resources that can be accessed remotely.
On the second floor of the main branch on Church Street, career counselor Doris Jessup directs the library’s Job and Career Information Center, while business librarian Martha Thomas Larson handles Business Advantage, a support program for the local business community or those interested in becoming entrepreneurs.
“I help people decide if they are ready to start a business,” Larson says.
Whether your aim is to get ready for work, find work or to make the leap from a 9-to-5 job into your own business, the library is a great resource.
Start at the beginning
For those new to the job market, the library offers a combination of counseling, job-search workshops and classes, as well as basic computer courses. Jessup and Larson also host “Job Talk and Java” sessions at 10 a.m. each Wednesday. The sessions allow participants to network with one another and help them sharpen their job-search skills.
“We try to hit topics that we’ve heard people raise,” Larson said, adding that the library frequently brings in guest speakers for the weekly gatherings. “It livens it up a little bit and adds a different flavor.”
Hit the books
The library’s traditional resources include career and business reference guides, books available for checkout, and a variety of useful handouts and brochures.
Library patrons will find materials with information including detailed profiles of various careers, industries and individual businesses, as well as guides to educational opportunities, résumé writing and strategies for job hunting.
JobSpot, a touch-screen kiosk, features job listings updated daily. Advanced searches and printing are available.
Polish your résumé
From first-timers to savvy revisers, résumé-writers of all stripes can get one-on-one help through the library’s resume-writing workshops or through ResumeMaker, an online résumé template that offers thousands of recommended phrases and keywords that can make the document more marketable to employers.
Work the Internet
From the library’s home page (www.greensborolibrary.org), click on “Job & Career,” which will take you to a list of resources.
• Upcoming classes and other training opportunities are listed.
• Premium resources include ResumeMaker, which helps you build a résumé step by step; the Learning Express Library, which offers preparation tests for school, career and citizenship; and Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center, which has detailed profiles of more than 2,900 jobs.
• Links to other useful Web sites for job seekers include Career Journal, sponsored by the Wall Street Journal, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Military Career Guide and the Job Hunter’s Bible.
Make an appointment
For one-on-one help, job seekers should contact Jessup, while those interested in business should schedule time with Larson. They can guide you through the wealth of the library’s resources, both on the shelves and online.
Jessup helps patrons explore career options, develop career plans, fine-tune job-search techniques and get a better understanding of themselves and their strengths through self-assessment tools such as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
On the business side, Larson helps patrons navigate online and traditional resources, including those that typically cost users money to access.
Go online to access Business Advantage by selecting “Business” from the home page. There users will find:
• Business research tools such as Reference USA, Mergent Online and Business Decision, as well as a downloadable guide to the business databases.
• A calendar of upcoming business-related events and classes.
• A directory of local small businesses.
Here to Help
An occasional feature that spotlights local community resources available to assist job seekers. For more information about this feature, and to ask questions or make suggestions, contact Patrick Collins at 412-5934 or patrick.collins@news-record.com
Tob Talk & Java 082309
Books on display at “Job Talk & Java,” a weekly support group held at the Greensboro Public Library where job seekers can network and sharpen their job-search skills. The group meets 10 a.m. on Wednesdays.
ABOUT THE LIBRARY
The Greensboro Public Library offers career counseling, weekly job-search events, basic computer skills classes and online resources to help people find a job, make a career change or start a business.
■ Location: 219 N. Church St.
■ Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday
■ Info: For information regarding your job search, contact career counselor Doris Jessup at 373-3764 or doris.jessup@greensboro-nc.gov. You can also visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/Library/career.
For help with starting a business, contact business librarian Martha Thomas Larson at 373-4559 or martha.thomas@greensboro-nc.gov. You can also visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/Library/business/
HIGHLIGHTS
■ Access to premium career resources such as ResumeMaker, Learning Express Library and Ferguson's Career Guidance Center, and to premium business research tools such as Reference USA and Business Decision.
■ One-on-one assistance with a job search or in exploring starting a small business.
■ Job Talk & Java, a job-search meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays
■ JobSpot, a touch-screen kiosk with daily-updated job listings.
