Here are links to web sites that will help you develop, plan an interesting and rewarding career, and find a job. All of the links have been divided into these categories:

• Self-Assessment
• Career Development
• Diversity Sites
• Occupational Information
• Employment Trends
• Salary Information
• Trade and Professional Associations
• Educational Information
• Distance Education
• Seminars, Short Courses, and Certification Opportunities
• Financial Aid Information
• Apprenticeships and Other Alternative Training Opportunities
• Job Banks
• Job Banks Specialized
• Researching Employers
• Directory of Online Employment Information
• Online Counseling
• Useful Internet sites

SELF-ASSESSMENT
Career Interests Game
This site offers a simplified version of the Self-Directed Search, which helps you identify the kind of "people environments" that you would prefer in the work world. It is based on the John Holland theory that different jobs require different groups of skills, and that people have a preference for using certain skills. You can determine if you are Realistic, Artistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional. Using the game, you can determine your three letter Holland code, then link to information about jobs that relate to your code.

Monster.com: Career Center
Part of the popular Monster.com job posting site, the Career Center has question and answer forums for job seekers of all types. Check out the "Intern to CEO" link, choose "Campus," choose "General Resources," and then "Quizzes and Tools" which takes you to multiple online assessments that help you explore your personality, interests, abilities and more. You can also link to their job posting sites.

Mapping Your Future
This site is sponsored by a group of guaranty agencies who participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and are committed to providing information about higher education and career opportunities. You can link to information on assessments, financial aid, and selecting a school.

The Platinum Rule
Want to improve your compatibility with others and foster self-understanding? Use the Platinum Rule – "Do unto others as they want you to do unto them!" This assessment categorizes people into four behavioral types.

Keirsey Temperament Web Site
Two "personality" tests based on the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and the Character Sorter will give you personal insight which may help you understand why you thrive in some jobs and work environments and struggle in others. You can link to many related sites to learn more.

Personality and IQ Tests
This site has a large collection of assessments of various types, which might be interesting or fun to complete. All can be completed online with immediate results.

The Career Key
The Career Key, developed by Lawrence K. Jones, Ph.D., is based on Holland's work. Users sign in and are asked to take a few quick surveys of jobs that might interest them, what they like to do, their abilities, how they see themselves, and what they value. A RIASEC score is generated based on the answers, and users are encouraged to explore the areas with the highest scores and the occupations related to them. The inventory can be completed in less than ten minutes, and users are encouraged to bookmark the results page so that they can return and explore more options. The occupations that users identify as promising careers are linked to the Occupational Outlook Handbook so that they can learn detailed, accurate information about each. The web site includes self-help modules on topics like choosing a college major, making high-quality decisions, and learning more about the world of work. The professional manual is provided online.

CareerStorm
Career Storm in Finland designs interactive career development tools for professionals, and some are offered free through its web site. Storm Navigator is designed to assist users with career decisions and planning, whereas Storm Dream helps educated adults create a vision of their ideal career and map the actions necessary to make that dream a reality. Each tool starts with an overview of the process, time needed for each exercise, and whether you will need to print out or save any information to a diskette. Some of the tools requires the user to create a login and password; this same function has the advantage of allowing users to stop in the middle of an activity and continue at a later time. Storm Navigator is available in several languages through a partnership with Monster.com.

Introducing the E-R-A Model
The E-R-A Model was developed by the Employee Career Enrichment Program at the University of Minnesota to help employees solve their personal career/life puzzles. E-R-A stands for Explore-Reflect-Act, and it doesn't matter where users start in the model so long as they take the time to fully explore, reflect, and act. While much of the content relates to courses or programs at the university, many suggestions will benefit any reader. The site provides a simple process to encourage self-examination and activities to enrich a person's career and life.

MAPP - Motivational Assessment of Personal Potential
MAPP is an interest survey designed by the International Assessment Network in Minneapolis, MN. A free sample MAPP Career Analysis is provided to help individuals identify their preferences for working with people or things and other job characteristics; it also suggests some occupations that match these preferences. The assessment is offered in English, French, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish; it can be completed in about 25 minutes. It is possible to stop the test and resume at a later time. The resulting report is sent to the user via e-mail, outlining his or her "natural motivations and talent for work" and matching these to five occupational descriptions from O*Net.

Personality, IQ, and Entrepreneur Tests Online
This is another eclectic collection of online tests allowing users to try a variety of assessments with varying objectives. As many of these tests have no authoritative basis, counselors are urged to look at this collection carefully before directing clients to this resource.

Queendom.com
Queendom offers a variety of personality, intelligence, and health tests and quizzes. Its motto is "serious entertainment," a reflection of dedication to providing users with "an avenue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun." The people behind this site include psychologists, and statistics and background information on most of the tests are available online. Users can register free, but paying subscribers gain access to additional resources and services.

Self Assessment from the Career Development Manual, University of Waterloo Career Services
The first section of the award-winning Career Development Manual is a collection of six assessment tools that can be printed out and completed. These assessments cover personality and attitude, skills and achievements, knowledge and learning style, values, interests (based on Holland's theory), and entrepreneurism.

University of Missouri Career Center Interests Game
This game, based on Holland's work, is designed to match interests and skills with occupations. The Career Center at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) developed a separate web page for each of the six Holland groups (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional), each of which gives full information about this group and includes a list of possible occupations to pursue. Each page links to matching programs of study at the university along with occupational descriptions from the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). This is a simple way to start discussions and thought processes.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The Jobhunters Bible
Created and maintained by Richard Bolles, author of "What Color is Your Parachute," this site is a well-organized and comprehensive guide, with commentary, on Internet resources for all aspects of career development and job search.

True Careers
A meta-site, allowing you to search multiple job posting sites in one sweep. Also contains career management information, salary surveys, and employer information.

Career and Educational Guidance Library: Career Exploration Links
This site offers links to assessment tools, graduate school information, and career information.

Job Web
Part of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) web site, Job Web is a library of sources for job search, career information, and reference materials.

Flipdog
A comprehensive career management site, which offers job postings, employer profiles and research, links to resources for job seekers and more.

Minnesota Careers
This simple guide from the Minnesota Department of Employment Security helps younger persons answer the questions "What do I want to do?" and "How do I get there?" while also planning a career path. The site includes a short interest inventory based on Holland's RIASEC model and offers facilitator and parental resource guides.

nextSteps.org
This is a guide to career planning, exploration, and decision making for young persons aged 15 to 24 with interactive tools that can be used as they work through the steps and exercises. The career planning process is divided into three steps: Discover Yourself, Discover Your Options, and Make a Decision; and each step also links to additional resources. Users must have javascript and cookies enabled in order to complete the many online assessments and inventories. Teachers' guides are available for download, and there is a place for persons to submit questions via e-mail. NextSteps.org is a service of the Calgary Youth Employment Center in Canada.

University of Waterloo Career Services - Career Development Manual
The University of Waterloo's Career Services Center developed the Career Development Manual, a six-step process to aid users in career and life planning. Starting with Self-Assessment and working through Occupational Research, Decision Making, Employment Contacts, Work, and Career/Life Planning, users review articles under each area and work through various exercises designed to help them not only find a job but also develop and maintain a satisfying career.

DIVERSITY SITES
General Diversity
• Diversilink
• Diversity Employment

African American
• Black Collegian
• Blackworld
• National Black MBA Association
• National Society of Black Engineers
• Net Noir

IMDiversity
IMDiversity is a one-stop career and self-development site devoted to serving the cultural and career-related needs of all minorities. Sponsored by The Black Collegian, this is an excellent resource for all minority and diversity candidates. The many "villages" include resources and information specific for each group, and those without a separate village can find information in the global village.

Asian American
• Asia-Net
• National Association of Asian American Professionals

Hispanic
• Saludos Hispanos
• Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers
• Hispanic Online
• LatPro

Native American
• NativeWeb
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society

People with Disabilities
• New Mobility's Interactive Café
• President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
• Disabilities Resources Monthly
• Eastern Paralyzed Veteran's Association

Women
• Feminist Majority Foundation Online
• JAWS: Journalism and Women Symposium
• Women in Technology International
• Working Woman Magazine

OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION
America’s Career InfoNet
This service, part of America's Career Kit sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, provides information on hundreds of occupations and requirements for entry. The Career Information section shows wage and trend reports, occupational requirements, and much more. The Career Tools section help users check employability, explore occupations, look for employers, and review occupational licensing information for various states. There is also a financial aid advisor designed to suggest ways to pay for the training or education necessary or desired in order to move to the next step in a career path.

Career Exploration Links
Career Exploration Links is a collection of over 800 links to career information resources found on the Internet. Users can browse the information by category or search for a specific subject by keyword. The Counseling and Psychological Services Department of the University Health Services at the University of California - Berkeley provides this resource.

Career Guide to Industries
The Career Guide to Industries provides information on available careers by industry, including the nature of the industry, working conditions, employment, occupations in the industry, training and advancement, earnings and benefits, employment outlook, and lists of organizations that can provide additional information. It is a way to find out who is needed by various industries and assess a lateral move from one industry to another. Like the OOH and the OOQ, this guide comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Careers OnLine Virtual Careers Show
This directory contains over 1,000 job and occupational descriptions from the Australian Department of Education, Employment, Training, and Youth Affairs. Users can search the Careers Show by keyword, browse by interest group, or scan the list alphabetically. The information is written for citizens and residents of Australia. While it offers some interesting career options, non-Australian users will need to check resources more specific to their country for relevant education and training information.

Career Guides from JobStar
This site is one of the most comprehensive collections of career information, including career assessment, where to look to find trends, career guides in libraries, and links to descriptive information for hundreds of occupational fields. Other sections of this web site cover job information and salaries.

O*NET Online
O*NET OnLine was created to provide broad access to the O*NET database of occupational information, which includes information on skills, abilities, work activities, and interests associated with occupations. O*NET includes information for over 950 occupations, and the occupational titles and codes are based on the 1999 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Users can search for occupations by title or keyword in the description or browse by job family. The Skill Search allows the user to find occupations that match a list of current or soon-to-be-acquired skills. Users can also compare up to ten related occupations to one selected from the list. This is a powerful tool, and it is recommended that counselors become familiar with it before recommending it to clients. Low-vision and plain text versions of O*NET are available from this site.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)
This is the current edition of the printed guide produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Users can search the handbook using keywords to find where their interests fit in the top 250 occupations in the United States. Users can also browse occupational families, look for options, plan career paths, or see all occupations in alphabetical order by using the letters at the top of the front page. The OOH also includes well-written articles on how to find a job, evaluate a job offer, and locate career information. It includes predictions about tomorrow's jobs and links to related information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Occupational Outlook Quarterly (OOQ)
Published quarterly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this magazine features articles with practical information on jobs and careers. It covers a wide variety of career and work-related topics such as new and emerging occupations, training opportunities, salary trends, and results of new studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Articles are usually presented in HTML and PDF format, the latter requiring the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and/or print them. Past articles are also accessible by selecting either the topic-oriented Index or the individual issue Archive from the left menu.

JobStar Salary Surveys
JobStar has put together what many consider to be the finest collection of salary surveys online. Combined with lists of books to request from local libraries and articles from experts such as Jack Chapman, this site guides users for salary research.

Salary.com
This site offers users free access to more than just salary data. Salary.com gives users information on total compensation -- not only what is in the paycheck but also the benefits and perquisites received on the job. The Salary Wizard allows users to search for base, median, and top-level earnings in hundreds of jobs in many occupational areas; many of these projections are local as well as national. Salary.com uses a team of compensation specialists to add value to salary surveys done by others, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Users will find helpful articles and exercises on figuring things like benefits, stock options, bonuses (and how to get them), and salary negotiations. Users can also buy a Personal Salary Report, a very detailed examination of their earning power based on their personal work history and geographic location.

SalaryExpert.com
A free service of Baker Thomsen Associates, SalaryExpert.com offers two free salary tools with salary levels, benefits, and cost-of-living figures for job fields in specific regional areas. The first tool covers the United States and Canada whereas the second covers other international areas.

Wageweb
This site includes wages and salary information for a variety of typical jobs in business. Provides the weekly and annual averages, and highs and lows.

Compensation and Benefits Reports, Abbott,Langer & Associates
This site offers summary reports for hundreds of occupations and is free to users. More detailed reports can be ordered for a fee.

Salary Calculator
Thinking of relocating for a job? This site will help you compare your salary to cost of living factors in one state versus another.

DISTANCE EDUCATION
Distance Education and Training Council
The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) is a non-profit educational association that sponsors a nationally recognized accrediting agency for distance education programs. Users visiting the web site can find lists of accredited high school and college degree programs, including some offered by federal and military schools. There is also a list of general areas of study offered through the accredited programs, with specific course and institutional information under each.

Globewide Network Academy
The Globewide Network Academy promotes access to educational opportunities for anybody, anywhere. Users can search the catalog for distance learning opportunities ranging from pre-college to post-graduate, covering most anything in between. Users must contact the listed institution directly for admission and registration procedures. With over 23,000 courses in more than 2,000 programs worldwide, visitors can almost certainly find anything they need.

SEMINARS, SHORT COURSES, AND CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
Seminar Information Service
SIS lists over 360,000 live, in-person seminars, classes, workshops, corporate training events, and conferences offered annually. Users can use the Quick Search to find upcoming programs by title or topic, browse the category lists to see what is offered in any given area, or target upcoming programs by location. Users can enroll online.

SmartPlanet
Smart Planet offers over 600 online courses in information technology. Some of the courses are self-study; others are instructor-led. Smart Planet offers a money-back guarantee for customers who are not satisfied.

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
College is Possible
This is a resource guide for parents, students, and education professionals made possible by the Coalition of America's Colleges and Universities. This site walks a user through preparing for college, choosing a college, and paying for college with simple information as well as links to other resources. Some material is in Spanish, much of the cited resource material can be downloaded online at no cost, and the advice and information given is sound. There is also a section dedicated to adults who have decided to return to college or are now deciding to attend for the first time.

FinAid, The Financial Aid Information Page
Established in 1994, FinAid is possibly the finest single source for information and resources for all types of educational financial aid. It also offers a plan for figuring out debt loads and payback, facts on scams, and alerts.

Plan for College from SallieMae
Sallie Mae has helped thousands achieve their dream of higher education by providing funds for educational loans, primarily federally guaranteed student loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). This free site allows students and parents to learn about many ways to pay for college. The section called Wiredscholar helps students and families prepare for entrance exams, evaluate and select the best college, and apply for and finance the cost of college. Financial Aid 101 introduces users to key terms and concepts for reviewing various funding options. It also offers a free scholarship database and free Paying for College seminars around the United States.

The Student Guide to Financial Aid
The Student Guide is the most comprehensive resource on student financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. Grants, loans, and work-study are the three major forms of student financial aid available through the federal student financial assistance programs. Updated each award year, The Student Guide provides information about the programs and how to apply for them and includes the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The guide is available in English and Spanish.

Peace Corps
This site contains background information on the organization, recruiting, diversity, and reach of this volunteer service program. It is developed for audiences of various ages.

Career Volunteering
Smash Your Job Market Competition - Career Volunteering strategies for landing a dream job and eye-opening insights for creating a successful future.

JOB BANKS
Indeed.com

America's Job Bank (AJB)
This site is a joint effort of the 2,000 offices of the state employment service and the U.S. Department of Labor. Users can search the database by selecting a job category and entering a zip code to find all openings within a specific area. The Keyword Search allows a user to target jobs requiring specific degrees or licensing/certification or specific job titles. Transitioning military personnel can use the military specialty code to match skills to jobs in the public sector. America's Job Bank (AJB) is one of the largest job sources online and is not limited to the continental United States. Users can also connect to and search the databases of individual state, district, and territorial employment services. It is suggested that users search both the local state job bank and the main AJB site to review all available jobs in any given area.

CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder has evolved into one of the larger and more dynamic sites for job and career information. Registration is free of charge and allows a job seeker to store a resume online without posting it in the database. Registered users can create up to five personal search profiles to track new jobs added to the database, and an e-mail message can be generated to a user when a match is discovered.

College Grad Job Hunter
This website, based on the book of the same title, is a cornucopia of resources and information to guide college students and others through a complete job search. It has job databases for those seeking internships, entry-level job seekers, and experienced job seekers as well as a searchable database of more than 8,000 employers. It also offers advice on careers, the job search, resume preparation, and more.

FlipDog
FlipDog uses "crawler" technology to visit employer websites and copy those listings to its site. Employers can also list themselves voluntarily and have the option of paying to have their job postings featured in a more prominent position.

Monster.com
Monster.com is probably the most recognized name in the online job search industry. It offers an impressive variety of job and career resources for everyone from college students to contractors to chief executives; most are served with their own communities that include job listings and career advice. It also offers several industry/job field communities, including healthcare, human resources, and finance.

MonsterTRAK
Formerly known as JobTrak, this site has joined the Monster.com community. As in the past, users must be affiliated with a member college or university in order to access the job postings on this site. Students and alumni
should call the career center for access information. This site has been cited as an excellent resource for executive as well as entry-level opportunities

NationJob Network
This site features an impressive collection of job openings, company information, and a variety of ways to search the database. It divides into many sources of occupation- and/or industry-related resources, creating an excellent source of information for all.

Recruiter's Online Network
This network is "an association of executive recruiters, search firms, and employment professionals around the world who have created a virtual organization on the Internet." Job seekers can search the database of openings posted by the participating recruiters, post their resumes for consideration by all members, and search for recruiters working with a particular industry or occupational field for direct contact. This site also includes tips on job hunting and articles on using recruiters in the job search.

Top Echelon
Top Echelon is a cooperative network of over 2,500 recruiters. It has some good listings ranging from entry level to the six-figure range. Users can also search the recruiter listings and contact some of the recruiters directly.

Deepsweep
Deepsweep is a free non-profit job board which includes job postings from all walks of the non-profit sector. Positions advertised include entry-level vacancies and career opportunities for seasoned, non-profit staff as well as senior-level executives. *Note, this link was applied for by Deepsweep.

JOB BANKS SPECIALIZED
Sciencejobs.com
Primarily a site for biology related jobs, but with lots of categories and highlighted employers.

Teachers @ Work
This site is designed exclusively for teachers to perform a nationwide job search.

Careers in Education
This site lists a variety of positions available in the education field.

Women’s Economic Club
The Detroit Women’s Economic Club has job ppportunties listed by members and nonmembers. Scroll down the left hand index and click on "Job Opportunities" to view them.

Human Resource Association of Greater Detroit
Job Opportunities in Human Resource related positions are posted by area employers.

RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS
Company Research Guide, Rutgers University Libraries
The Rutgers librarians have created this resource to guide researchers through the process of learning about a company. Listings for the top business research sources (both print and online) are provided, and the site is organized by the logical steps of the research process.

Hoover's Online
Hoover's is a well-known and respected publisher of business almanacs. Users can access a tremendous amount of free information from the website, but paid subscribers will have access to even more detailed profiles. Hoover's online covers U.S. and non-U.S. companies as well as Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

Researching Companies Online
This step-by-step, interactive tutorial provides instructions for using the site's many resources to research potential employers. This tutorial was designed by a professional trainer and is an excellent guide to this research process.

Vault.com
Online services offer "insider guides to employers." These consist of interviews with employees of the organization or the employers themselves. They are good insights into the company's culture, interview process, and career development possibilities. In addition, both Vault.com and Wetfeet.com offer job and resume boards along with career and job search advice.

Wetfeet.com
Online services offer "insider guides to employers." These consist of interviews with employees of the organization or the employers themselves. They are good insights into the company's culture, interview process, and career development possibilities. In addition, both Vault.com and Wetfeet.com offer job and resume boards along with career and job search advice.

JobHuntersBible.com
This online guide to the job search is developed and maintained by Richard Bolles. The Job Hunter's Bible is a supplement to Bolles' bestseller, What Color Is Your Parachute?, and is spiced with his comments and observations on the job search and the decision-making process. Included on this site is his Net Guide to the best job search and career information sites online.

JobStar
JobStar began as a California job search guide, but it has always been a highly useful resource for everyone. Now it is purposely expanding to new regions in the U.S. JobStar is one of the best places to learn how and where to look for employment both online and offline. Included in the wealth of information are articles on the hidden job market, salary negotiation, and numerous other topics.

The Riley Guide: Employment Opportunities and Job Resources on the Internet
Having the distinction of being the first guide to the Internet as a tool for finding new employment, Margaret Riley Dikel started this site in January, 1994, and continues to maintain it as a free resource. The Riley Guide links to hundreds of sources of information for job leads, career exploration, and potential employers. It has information to help users explore new careers, new places to live, and new education and training options.