This Web page serves as the syllabus for Jobs and Career Resources on the Internet, a class regularly taught by staff at the Main Library. Check the Library's calendar for a schedule of classes.
- Skills Assessment and Career Counseling Centers
- Labor Market Information, Job Descriptions, and Vocational Training
- Help Wanted Postings
- Networking
- Cover Letters, Résumés, and Interview Tips
- Researching Companies
- Wages and Salary Negotiations
- Civil Service Exams
Skills Assessment and Career Counseling Centers
- Personality and Skills Tests - Enhance your career potential by assessing your interests and abilities.
- California CareerZone
- Career Gateway
- JobScout
- My Skills my Future
- Skills Profiler by America's Career InfoNet
- Local Career Counseling Centers - Career counseling centers can provide assistance with your job search, résumé preparation, career exploration, and job training skills.
Labor Market Information, Job Descriptions, and Vocational Training
- Employment Outlook Statistics - Find out which jobs are in demand or decline. Get reports at the local, state, and national level.
- Job Descriptions - Job descriptions can further define the skills involved, licensing information, or the training and education needed. - Find out which jobs are in demand or decline. Get reports at the local, state, and national level.
- California Occupational Guides
- Licenses and Licensing Boards in California from America's Career InfoNet - Select California from the list of states
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Vocational Training and Apprenticeships - Learn a specific trade or occupation through vocational training programs or apprenticeships.
Help Wanted Postings
- Private and Public Sector Jobs
- Government Jobs
- Non-profit Jobs
- Phone Hotlines
Networking
- Professional Associations - One of the best ways to find employment is through networking.
- Ryze.com
- Linkedin.com
- Professional and trade associations from America's Career InfoNet
- QuintCareers.com
- Hidden Job Market from JobStar
- Find an association by accessing the San Francisco Public Library's subscription database, Gale Directory Library. Available to SFPL card holders only.
- Volunteer Organizations
- Job Fair announcements from JobStar
- Job Clubs in San Francisco - Job clubs provide free job search help. Members participate by helping each other.
- Experience Unlimited, a program of the EDD (State Employment Development Department) View San Francisco listing
- Graceworks - Established by Grace Cathedral in partnership with secular resources"
- Job Forum of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Cover Letters, Résumés, and Interview Tips
- Cover Letters
- Résumé Writing
- Tips for success from the EDD
- job-hunt.org
- Quintessential Careers
- How to upload or email a Resume
- Job Interviews
Researching Companies
It's a good idea to do some research about a company before you go in for an interview. Take a look at our Local Company Research page, a research guide prepared by the staff of the Business, Science & Technology Center.
Many of our subscription databases are also helpful in researching companies and more. View the Quick guide to using SFPL’s business databases (PDF 89K). The databases are available in the library to all and remotely to SFPL card holders only. Go to SFPL's Articles and Databases page.
You can build lists of companies by location (for example, San Francisco) and type of business (hotels, hospitals, real estate firms and so on) using our subscription database, Reference USA.
Click here to see how -- Using Reference USA in your Job Search (PDF 142K)
- Wages
- Wages by Area and Occupation - National
- California Wages by Area and Occupation - Scroll down to San Francisco County and click on "Excel" under most recent quarter.
- JobStar Salary Guide
- Salary.com
- Cost of living comparison by Homefair.com
- Salary Negotiation
Civil Service Exams
You will find some Civil Service Exam books near the Business, Science & Technology Center. They are shelved in alphabetical order by job title. It is important to note that not all civil service jobs titles have a corresponding civil service exam book. In some cases a general civil service book may be useful. Ask a librarian for help.
Learning Express Library - online practice exams and eBooks for jobs like firefighter, postal worker, police officer, California real estate broker, and many more. Access to Learning Express Library and other resources is available on the Articles & Databases page. You must be a San Francisco Public Library cardholder to access this database.
