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New free online careers guide aids job-seekers

April 15, 2013

Charting your after-graduation or summer path? Finishing your academic program and planning the next steps? Looking for a job or internship? Thinking about launching your own business or starting a nonprofit?

VCU Libraries, in partnership with University Career Services, now offers a handy, one-stop, online guide about how to use library resources to research companies and industries.  
 
Bettina Peacemaker, the libraries liaison to the School of Business and an expert in business databases, developed the guide.
 
"These resources take you beyond the classroom and into your career," she says. "Company and industry research is an important piece of a job search and interview process, and we've collected the major resources and strategies in one place." 
 
A little research does goes a long way in impressing employers, according to Kim Hanneman, assistant director, University Career Center. "Employers tell us that they notice the candidates who have done their research on the organization and the industry." she said. "This resource will also benefit students' career exploration."  
 
These online resources are deep and broad and, literally, at your fingertips. You can find: 
  • annual reports
  • up-to-date business news (Dow Jones Factiva)
  • company profiles (Hoover's, Mergent Online, Company Research Guide)
  • industry trends (IBISWorld, Plunkett Research Online, Mintel, Sandard & Poor's Net Advantage)
  • profiles of private and public companies
  • job seeker resources and tools 
  • information about nonprofits and government jobs (A-Z Index of U.S. Government and more)
  • an inside look at jobs and companies (Glassdoor) 
  • Securities and Exchange Commission filings (EDGAR) 

For one-on-one coaching on how to use the new careers guide, contact Peacemaker at bjpeacemaker@vcu.edu or (804) 828-8960.  

The research guide augments the career center's existing programming, which includes  a wide range of services to support students and alumni in career development. These include assisting at every stage of the job-search process--from choosing a major, to assessing strengths, from referring and managing recruiting events to helping candidates prepare for interviews. About the University Career Center

Members of the Friends of the Libraries and others with VCU electronic ID have access to materials.

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