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Times are tough!!! Did you know that it was recently reported that the unemployment rate was 9.4 percent which means that approximately 14.5 million people were out of work (Bureau of Labor Statistics)?  However, there is some good news.  Also according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3.2 to 3.3 million jobs available for the taking.  Those statistics tell me that jobs are available for about 4.5 percent of those 14.5 million people, and this is where the Bossier Parish Library can help!!!!  

The Bossier Parish Library is now offering a free online job resource tool called Career Cruising. Career Cruising uses a comprehensive approach in planning a successful career.  This leading online career exploration and portfolio development system provides detailed occupation profiles, comprehensive post-secondary education information, and industry-leading assessments. With these tools, you are able to determine your interests, job related strengths, and educational requirements for your desired occupation.  After exploring various career choices, you are then in a better position to decide on which career best suits you.  Career Cruising also assists with interviewing skills and resume writing.  How great is that?!

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Career Cruising allows access to hundreds of detailed occupation profiles. The Career Matchmaker component is based on an internationally acclaimed interest assessment that is used and respected around the world, while the My Skills component matches patrons’ skills to careers. Personalized Feedback will help you understand how careers relate to your skills and interests. You can input and store career and education related documents and your professional looking resumes on the site by simply creating a Portfolio.

As you can see, Career Cruising can help everyone from the recent high school graduate trying to figure out what he or she wants to do after graduation to those who are changing careers mid-life either by choice or necessity.  With all of the wonderful features in Career Cruising, anyone can easily determine which careers interest them, what is required in order to obtain that career, and even how to make a good impression at the interview!

How to Access Career Cruising:

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Connie has been the Reference and Education Coordinator since August 2010 and has been with the Bossier Parish Library since 2006.  Since becoming the Reference and Education Coordinator, she has been training staff and the general public on how to take advantage of Career Cruising.  There has been a lot of positive feedback from everyone including the local high schools that have introduced the database to their students. 

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