Concise, simple, quick, and easy to use Saves hours of searching! Best and CAREER EDUCATION WEB SITES A Quick Guide to Online Job Search Fifth Edition Lists and reviews of the 340 VERY BEST sites on the Internet for information on careers, college, training, and job search—a carefully considered selection of the most helpful, crucial, and information-packed sites on the Web! • Addresses and objective reviews for the most helpful career sites on the Web—find and apply for job openings, research companies, choose a career, pursue flexible work arrangements, and more • Where to look online for help with choosing a training program or college, deciding on a major, getting financial aid, and keeping your skills fresh with distance and continuing education • New information on electronic resumes and how to post them to online resume banks • Tips and strategies for using the Internet in your job search campaign Anne Wolfinger Best Career and Education Web Sites A Quick Guide to Online Job Search FIFTH EDITION Anne Wolfinger Best Career and Education Web Sites, Fifth Edition © 2007 by JIST Publishing Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc 8902 Otis Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033 Phone: 1-800-648-JIST Fax: 1-800-JIST-FAX E-mail: info@jist.com Visit our Web site at www.jist.com for information on JIST, free job search tips, book chapters, and ordering instructions for our many products! For free information on 14,000 job titles, visit www.careeroink.com Quantity discounts are available for JIST books Have future editions of JIST books automatically delivered to you on publication through our convenient standing order program Please call our Sales Department at 1-800-648-5478 for a free catalog and more information Trade Product Line Manager: Lori Cates Hand Development Editor: Gayle Johnson Production Editor: Jill Mazurczyk Interior Design: Debbie Berman Cover Design: Nick Anderson Page Layout: Aleata Howard Proofreader: Linda Seifert Indexer: Tina Trettin Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wolfinger, Anne Best career and education Web sites : a quick guide to online job search / Anne Wolfinger — 5th ed p cm 4th ed entered under: Gordon, Rachel Singer Includes index ISBN-13: 978-1-59357-312-6 (alk paper) ISBN-10: 1-59357-312-X (alk paper) Job hunting—Computer network resources Vocational guidance—Computer network resources Labor market—Computer network resources Internet World Wide Web I Gordon, Rachel Singer Best career and education Web sites II Title HF5382.75.U6W65 2007 025.06’331702—dc22 2006015524 11 10 09 08 07 06 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews Making copies of any part of this book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyright laws For permission requests, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com or (978) 750-8400 We have been careful to provide accurate information throughout this book, but it is possible that errors and omissions have been introduced Please consider this in making any important decisions Trust your own judgment above all else and in all things Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners Previous editions published as Quick Internet Guide to Career and Education Information ISBN-13: 978-1-59357-312-6 ISBN-10: 1-59357-312-X Contents at a Glance Introduction: Internet Tips and Electronic Resumes Here you’ll find tips on searching the Web, using e-mail effectively in your online job hunt, and creating and using an electronic resume Chapter 1: College and Financial Aid Information 23 This chapter covers everything you need to choose a college, score high on placement tests, and find the money to pay for it all! Chapter 2: Distance Learning and Lifelong Learning 43 Learn about taking classes from home, as well as other training and development options and military offerings Chapter 3: Career Exploration Information Chapter 4: Finding and Applying for Job Openings 87 63 Explore your interests, skills, and career options to help choose the perfect career Search job banks and government sites to find the right position for you, and then get advice on resumes and interviews to help land it! Chapter 5: Career Clearinghouses 111 Clearinghouses are a good first stop for finding lots of links to career and job information on the Web iv Best Career and Education Web Sites Chapter 6: Researching Employer and Labor Market Information 117 Find out how to research employers before an application or an interview, and then see how government data can give you valuable insight into business, career, and workforce development issues Chapter 7: Military Careers Chapter 8: Self-Employment and Small Business 147 127 Learn about the different ways to serve your country as a service member in one of the military branches or in your civilian career, and then get tips on your transition from the military back into the civilian workforce You’ll find resources for succeeding in your own business or home office, plus information for women entrepreneurs Chapter 9: Temporary Work, Contract Employment, Freelancing, Teleworking, and Volunteering 165 Explore nontraditional ways of gaining experience and working flexibly in the new economy Glossary Index 181 193 Contents About This Book ix Introduction: Internet Tips and Electronic Resumes The World Wide Web Understanding Web Addresses Searching the Web Further Search Help 12 E-mail 13 E-mail Addresses 14 Free Web-Based E-mail 15 E-mail Etiquette 17 Using Electronic Resumes 18 Types of Electronic Resumes 18 Using Keywords 20 Getting Your Resume Online 20 College and Financial Aid Information Distance Learning and Lifelong Learning 23 Researching Colleges 23 Apply Online! 28 Getting the Scoop on College Entrance Exams 29 Your Money’s Worth: College Rankings 31 Money Matters 32 Interstate Student Exchange Programs 38 General Information on Postsecondary Education 41 43 Learning About Distance Learning 44 Distance Learning Directories 46 Distance Learning Career and Degree Institutions 49 Distance Learning Consortia 52 Continuing Education, at a Distance 54 Military-Sponsored Educational Opportunities 56 vi Best Career and Education Web Sites Career Exploration Information 63 Career Planning 64 Career Planning Steps 64 Self-Assessment 66 Informational Interviewing 70 U.S Department of Labor Career Information State-Based Career Information 76 Career Information Potpourri 76 Apprenticeships and Job Training 81 Salary Information 82 Benefits 84 Job Loss Strategies 85 Finding and Applying for Job Openings 71 87 Government Sources of Job Information 88 General Job Banks 90 Job Banks for Recent or Soon-to-Be College Graduates Other Specialized Job Banks 97 Regional Job Sites 101 Canadian Job Information 103 Getting the Job 104 Certify Yourself 104 Resumes and Cover Letters 105 Career Portfolios 107 Interviewing 108 Career Clearinghouses What Is a Clearinghouse? The Best Clearinghouses 111 111 112 94 Contents Researching Employer and Labor Market Information 117 Researching Employers 118 Company Research Tutorials 119 Company Rankings 120 Researching Labor Market Information Government Sources 122 Workforce Development 126 Military Careers 122 127 General Information 128 U.S Military Branches of Service 130 Air Force 130 Army 131 Coast Guard 132 Marines 133 Navy 133 U.S Service Academies 134 National Guard 136 Air National Guard 136 Army National Guard 137 The Reserves 137 Air Force 138 Army 139 Coast Guard 139 Navy 140 Civilian Opportunities in (or for) the Military Especially for Spouses 142 Post-Military Careers 143 140 vii viii Best Career and Education Web Sites Self-Employment and Small Business 147 Government Resources for Small Businesses 148 Small-Business Solutions 150 Franchises 154 Online Business Magazines 156 Business Associations 158 SOHO: Small Office/Home Office 159 Resources for Women Business Owners 161 SBA-Sponsored 161 Other Resources Mainly for Women 162 Temporary Work, Contract Employment, Freelancing, Teleworking, and Volunteering 165 General Information on Temporary Work, Contract Employment, and Freelancing 166 Work Sources for Temporary Work, Contract Employment, and Freelancing 167 Teleworking/Telecommuting 171 Volunteer Opportunities 174 Volunteer-Related Associations 179 Glossary Index 181 193 Contents About This Book One of the biggest challenges we face as we enter the adult world is finding or choosing a career path that supports us financially, challenges us mentally, and helps us grow our unique talents For many adults, this is an ongoing challenge as we make career shifts out of either choice or necessity This book is designed to help you take advantage of the Internet’s powerful resources You’ll find the Web sites carefully selected and grouped to help you find the information you want In most sections, you have a choice of Web sites to work with, so if you don’t find what you want at one you can visit another If you want to dig more deeply, we show you how Information is one piece of career decision-making, and an important one But there’s also you You are a unique mix of abilities, interests, talents, imagination, dreams, and possibilities You have a lot to contribute to your future, your family, your community, your profession, and the world in general When you take charge of your career, you look at who you are, figure out what questions to ask, look for information to help you, and filter out the rest So take charge, take heart, and let us help you along the way Best wishes —Anne Wolfinger ix 184 Best Career and Education Web Sites e-mail discussion list An e-mail group in which a message posted by any member is disseminated to all members of the group, any of whom are free to respond and participate in the discussion emoticon A sideways symbol in e-mail that is composed of keyboard characters It indicates the mood of the person writing the message For example, :) is a smiley face ETA (U.S Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration) The federal agency responsible for federally funded employment and training programs FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) A list of answers to the questions that Web site visitors are likely to ask repeatedly Favorites In Internet Explorer, a way to save the addresses of your favorite Web sites so that you can return to them easily in the future This feature is called “bookmarks” in Netscape Navigator file name The name of the document that contains the data on a Web page Many Web page file names end with the letters htm or html financial aid The combination of scholarships, grants, and loans that a student uses to pay for college Financial aid is limited to the amount of “need” that is determined for the student flex work Nontraditional work arrangements such as contracting, freelancing, and temporary work forum An online discussion group Sometimes called a bulletin board franchise A business in which you buy the right to use the name and the established procedures and products in exchange for a percentage of the profits free agent A self-employed individual who works on a contract basis, often for more than one employer freelancer A self-employed individual who works on a contract basis, often for more than one employer freeware Software (such as games and utilities) that you can download from the Internet and use for free FTP (File Transfer Protocol) A protocol for transferring files from one computer to another over the Internet graphical user interface (GUI) The graphical menus, tools, and buttons you see on-screen, which help you work with a particular program using the mouse’s point-and-click features Glossary GRE (Graduate Record Exam) The test taken by college seniors for admission to graduate programs guaranty agency The state agency or private, nonprofit organization that administers federally funded student loans home page A Web site’s initial page or starting page The page you set to appear when you first open your browser or click the Home button host Any computer on a network that is a repository for services available to other computers on the network HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) The coding that is used to turn regular text into a Web page that can be viewed by a browser hyperlink (link) A word, phrase, or graphic on a Web page that is connected to another Internet document By clicking it, you are taken to a related Web page, either on the same site or on a completely different Web site hypertext Text that contains one or more hyperlinks independent professional A self-employed individual who works on a contract basis, often for more than one employer indexed search engine A search engine, such as AltaVista, that locates Web pages based on text found on the page or keywords in metatags hidden in a document’s coding infrastructure The essential, underlying elements of an entity or organization that allow it to function instant messaging See chat Internet directory Reviews and organizes the information on the Web into categories Each broad category, such as “Business & Economy,” has more specific categories under it, and those categories have even more specific categories under them Yahoo! is an example of an Internet directory Internet Explorer Microsoft’s Internet browser program, used to view and move between Web pages Internet Explorer is built into Microsoft Windows Internet Service Provider (ISP) A national or local company that, for a monthly fee, lets you connect to the Internet Examples of national ISPs include America Online, AT&T WorldNet, and Earthlink internship A program in which a student works for an employer for a specified period of time to learn about a particular occupation The 185 186 Best Career and Education Web Sites intern is sometimes paid for the work in addition to receiving college credit interview To meet with a potential employer that has a job opening to determine whether you are the right person for the job In an informational interview, you meet with a person who works in the field in which you are interested so that you can learn about the job and what you need to to prepare for it job bank A Web database of job openings You can search for specific jobs by title, category, and geographic location, among other variables Job Corps A federally funded residential education and job-training program for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 job fair A meeting at which employers set up booths and speak with job seekers in an effort to recruit employees keyword A word you type into a search engine or Web site search function to help locate information you are seeking A “hot” word (usually a noun) used in a resume It is associated with a specific industry, profession, or job function labor market The pool of both employed and unemployed persons who are currently available and willing to work; the source of applicants for a job opening labor market information Data about workers, jobs, industries, and employers, generally used by program planners, analysts, administrators, researchers, employers, and job seekers leased employee Someone who works for a company that sells his or her services to another company for a specified period of time The leasing company (or temporary agency) administers the employee’s salaries and benefits See also temp link (hyperlink) A word, phrase, or graphic on a Web page that is connected to another Internet document By clicking it, you are taken to a related Web page, either on the same site or on a completely different Web site listserv™ Trademarked e-mail discussion-management software from the L-soft Corporation, often misused as a generic term for an e-mail discussion list load To open a Web page with your browser The computer temporarily copies the data from the server onto your computer’s hard drive Glossary Macintosh (Mac) A computer introduced by Apple Computer in 1984 The Macintosh was distinguished by its graphical user interface, which allowed users to point and click with a mouse in addition to using a keyboard to operate the system mailing list A list of e-mail addresses to which you can send the same e-mail message simultaneously message board A place on a Web site where people can post and respond to questions and discussion topics See also forum metalist A list of related Web sites posted on a Web site Also known as a clearinghouse metasearch engine A search engine that lets you use several search engines at a time after entering your search criteria only once Microsoft The software company that introduced the Internet Explorer browser program and the Windows operating system, among other programs modem The device (either inside or outside your computer) that translates information from your computer and from remote resources into a format that can travel over telephone lines multithreaded search engine See metasearch engine Netscape The software company that produced the Netscape Navigator browser program for viewing Web pages network Two or more computers or other devices connected to one another and capable of sharing data The Internet is a massive, worldwide computer network networking Using your personal contacts to learn about careers and possible job openings newsgroup A topical online discussion group in which you can read and post messages You can access newsgroups over the Web at http://groups.google.com occupational information Employment data such as wages, anticipated growth, number of people employed, number of new jobs, and other trends Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) A reference publication based on U.S Department of Labor data It describes the 250 most popular jobs, covering approximately 85 percent of the workforce O*NET The U.S Department of Labor’s electronic database of career and job information on specific occupations 187 188 Best Career and Education Web Sites on-the-job training Job training that occurs in the workplace path The location of a Web page on a server It includes the domain name, directories, and file name PDA (personal digital assistant) Usually includes scheduler, address book, task list, clock, and calculator software A PDA can be synched with a desktop computer, and many can now access the Internet through Wi-Fi or other technology phishing An Internet scam that attempts to collect private user information to be used for identity theft You receive an e-mail directing you to an authentic-looking Web site, where you are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, Social Security, and bank account numbers A legitimate Web site or organization would already have these To protect yourself from phishing, never provide personal information to a Web site based on an e-mail request PIN (personal identification number) A number you select or that is assigned to you for the purpose of verifying your identification for Internet transactions plugin A software program that works with your browser to display added information Examples of plugins include Adobe Acrobat Reader and Macromedia Flash Portable Document Format (PDF or pdf) A file format that allows documents created in any software program and saved in this format to be read through the freely downloadable Adobe Acrobat Reader software Allows documents to appear and be printed exactly as their creator intended protocol An agreed-upon format for transferring data from one computer to another query To ask a database to sort and show you all the data that meets your specified criteria Really Simple Syndication (RSS) A format that Web sites use to send updated headlines around the Internet RSS allows for the automatic distribution of Internet content from news-related sites via RSS aggregators or readers, letting you receive free updates by subscribing (or clicking buttons labeled RSS or XML) to information from sites that publish content, such as news outlets or bloggers You need an RSS reader to read a news feed Glossary Reserves Military personnel who are not on active duty but who can be called into duty during a war or national crisis resume An organized, written summary of your work experience, education, skills, and qualifications Many job postings request that you submit a resume for consideration resume bank A Web site where you can post a copy of your resume for potential employers to view robot (bot) A software tool sent out by a search engine to dig through the Web for your requested information ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) A cooperative program between colleges and branches of the military that allows undergraduates to receive officer training while they attend college SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) A standardized college admissions test Most colleges base admissions decisions on a combination of grades, activities, and scores on standardized tests such as this or the ACT search engine A Web site that lets you search for other Web sites of interest by entering a keyword or keywords in a search field Examples of search engines include Google and AltaVista self-assessment The process of working to identify, understand, and express your skills, knowledge, abilities, interests, values, personality, motivations, passions, and anything else about you that might affect your career decisions server A computer, connected to a network, that manages resources such as files or printers Web servers contain and serve up Web page documents in response to requests from browsers service academy An undergraduate college run by a branch of the armed forces that trains high school graduates to be military officers shareware Software that you can download from the Internet and use for a small fee signature Information that automatically appears at the bottom of every e-mail you send It can include your name, your contact information, or your favorite quote You can change your signature to say whatever you want Small Business Administration (SBA) The federal government’s primary source of small-business assistance programs under the U.S Department of Commerce 189 190 Best Career and Education Web Sites software A computer program that performs a specific task Examples of software include Internet browsers, word-processing programs, spreadsheets, and games SOHO (small office/home office) An acronym that reflects the growing trend of self-employed people operating small businesses from inside or outside their home environment teleworker (telecommuter, home worker) An employee who works at least part-time in a home office, communicating with coworkers and clients via telephone, fax, instant messaging, and/or e-mail temp A person who is employed by an agency to fill short-term positions in other companies This person’s salary and benefits are paid by the agency rather than by the companies TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Used to determine whether students are ready for mainstream classes with native speakers of English traffic (site traffic) The volume of users who view a particular Web site Increased traffic helps the owner sell advertising on the site upload To send files from your computer to an Internet location URL (Uniform Resource Locator) A Web site’s address, such as http://www.jist.com The first part (http://) specifies the protocol for the computers to use when transferring data; the second part specifies the computer and domain name of the site you are accessing user name Your unique identifier on a computer system Many Web sites that ask you to register require you to select a user name You use this user name and a private password to gain access again later Web page A document located on another computer elsewhere on the Internet that you can view with a browser; one page within a Web site Web site A group of related Web pages, compiled and sponsored by an individual or organization Welfare to Work Federal welfare reform legislation intended to transition welfare recipients to the paid workforce Wi-Fi Short for wireless technology network Wi-Fi allows laptops and PDAs to connect to the Internet at high speeds without the use of wires Windows Microsoft’s graphical user interface and operating system for IBM-compatible PCs Glossary workforce The sector of the population that is currently employed or that is ready, willing, and able to work workforce development Initiatives and programs addressing the growth and maintenance of an educated, skilled workforce, coordinating with multiple employment and training service providers Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 Federal legislation that replaced the federal Job Training Partnership Act in 2000 Workforce Investment Board A policy-setting board that administers programs under the federal Workforce Investment Act, which took effect in 2000 World Wide Web (WWW or “the Web”) A global network of information that is based on hyperlinks, which let the viewer easily jump from one Web page or Web site to a related page or site 191 192 Best Career and Education Web Sites Index A Aardvarks Home Workers Association, 160 AARP, 76–77 About Career Planning, 66–67 About Distance Learning, 44 About the U.S Military, 127 About.com, 115, 150 accounting, 79, 104 accreditation, 27, 44–46 ACT (American College Testing Assessment), 29, 181 ad-aware software, ad-blockers, 88 address books, e-mail, 14–15, 17, 181 administrative and clerical jobs, 104 admissions, universities and colleges, 25, 30, 181, 185, 189–190 adult learners, 36, 41, 51, 53, 182 Adventures In Education, 32–33 advertising jobs, 100 AdvisorTeam, 67 affiliate programs, 181 African American professionals, 38, 95 After a Job Loss, 85 AfterCollege, 94 Air Force, 57, 130–131, 138, 141 Air National Guard, 136 Air University, 57 Alabama, 40, 53 Alaska, 40 AllBusiness.com, 151 AllFreelance.com Freelance Jobs Directory, 166 Alliance for Nonprofit Management, 179 America’s Career InfoNet, 33, 72 America’s Job Bank, 88–89, 124 America’s Service Locator, 89 American Red Cross, 175 American Society of Association Executives, 77 AmeriCorps, 176 AOL (America Online), AP exams, 29–30 applications, college, 28 apprenticeships, 81–82, 91, 181 Aquent, 167–168 Arizona, 40, 51, 102 Arkansas, 40, 53 Army, 131–132, 135, 137, 139, 141 Army National Guard, 137 ASCII resumes, 18–19 Ask.com, 10–11 assessments, careers, 26, 46, 52, 64–70 associate’s degrees, 51, 53, 57 association management, 77 Association of Computer-Based Systems for Career Information, 76 Association of Fundraising Professional, 179 ASVAB Career Exploration Program, 127 @ symbol, 15 attachments, e-mail, 21 autoresponder, 181 awards, 107 B bachelor’s degrees, 26, 53 Back to College, 41 background checks, 105 Barnes & Noble University, 55 benefits, 84, 166 BestJobsUSA.com, 90, 121 Better Business Bureau, 172 The Big Five Personality Test, 67 BISON, 154 The Black Collegian Online, 95 blockers, pop-ups, blogs, 10, 150–151, 181, 188 Bolles, Dick, 113 bookmarks, 181 Boolean logic, 6, 181 bots, 182 Bplans.com, 151 broadband access, 182 browsers, 5, 182 bulletin boards, 182, 184 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 181 Business Owners’ Idea Café, 151–152 business schools, 26, 28, 31, 48, 50, 52, 79 Business.gov, 148 C calculators, 32, 35, 37, 44, 83–84 California, 40 CampusTours.com, 24 Canada apprenticeships, 81, 91 distance learning, 52–53 job banks, 103–104 telecommuting, 173 universities and colleges, 39 Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, 81 Canadian Virtual University, 52 Career Development eManual, 64 Career Guide to Industries, 73 The Career Key, 67–68 Career Planning Process, 65 Career Voyages, 73 CareerBuilder.com, 90 CareerCertify.com, 104–105 CareerJournal.com, 78, 105–107 careers assessments, 26 counseling, 112 military, 129 planning, 64–67, 95, 182 portfolios, 107–108 resources, 73, 79 technical, 79 Careers in Business, 79 Careers.org, 112 CCH Business Owner’s Toolkit, 152 The Center For All Collegiate Information, 41 Center for Distance and Independent Study, 49–50 Certification Finder, 73–74 certification, 45, 53, 73–74, 104–105, 107, 177 chat, 182 childcare, 160, 163 Citizens Development Corps, 175 civilian jobs, military, 127, 140–144 Civilian Online Applicant Staffing Tool, 142 clearinghouses, 111–112, 182 CLEP, 29 clusters, 11 Index CNNMoney.com, 156 coaching services, 113 Coast Guard, 132, 135, 139 College and University Rankings, 31 College Answer, 33 College Board, 29 College Is Possible, 33 The College Network, 53 College Savings Plans Network, 34 CollegeGrad.com, 95 CollegeNET, 28 CollegeRecruiter.com, 95 colleges See universities and colleges Colorado, 40 commercial sites, Common Application, 28 Community College of the Air Force, 57 Community College Web, 24–25 community colleges, 24–25, 27 companies, 4, 93, 97, 120–122 compensation See salaries competency-based assessments, 52 Connecticut, 39, 102 Consortia, distance learning, 52–54 consulting, 79 continuing education, 47, 54–56, 61, 182 Contract Employee’s Handbook, 166–167 contract workers, 165–167, 182 cookies, 14, 182 Cool Works, 98 Corporate Gray Online, 144 CorporateInformation.com, 118 Corporation for National & Community Service, 176 cost-of-living, 82–84 county government jobs, 99 cover letters, 95, 105–107, 182 Creating Your Portfolio, 107 Creative Freelancers, 168 creative professionals, 167–168 Credential Opportunities Online, 58 cruise ship jobs, 98 D DANTES Distance Learning Programs, 58 databases, 182 Degree.net, 46 DegreeInfo.com, 44 Delaware, 40, 53 demographics, 72, 123–124, 183 dial-up access, 183 Dice.com, 98 Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 183 Digital Subscriber Line, 182 Dikel, Margaret F., 115 diplomas, high school, 49–50 directories, 6–8, 46–49, 183, 185 disabilities, people with, 29, 41, 77, 80, 114, 153–154 discussion boards, 183 discussion groups, newsgroups, 187 discussion lists, e-mail, 184 Distance Education Clearinghouse, 45 distance learning, 40, 183 accreditation, 44–46 adult learners, 51 associate’s degrees, 51 Canada, 52–53 competency-based, 52 consortia, 52–54 continuing education, 54–56 directories, 46–49 electronic tuition rate, 54 financial aid, 48 graduate schools, 47, 51 high school diplomas, 49–51 military service, 56–61 Peterson’s, 48 rankings, 45–46 support groups, 44 universities and colleges, 49–52 USNews.com, 48 Distance.GradSchools.com, 47 doctorate degrees, 26 Dogpile, 11 domain names, 3–4, 152 domains, 183 downloads, 183 dual degree programs, 52 dude ranches, 98 E e-mail, 2, 183 addresses, 14–15, 17, 181 Ask.com, 10 attachments, 21 autoresponder, 181 discussion lists, 184 domains, 83 Google, 10 mailboxes, 17 mailing lists, 187 signatures, 15, 189 e-lancer, 183 e-newsletters, small businesses, 150–151 eArmyU.com, 59 earnings See salaries educational institutions, 4, 52 Edwards, Paul and Sarah, 161 Elance Marketplace, 168 Elaws Advisors, 144–145 Electronic Campus (Southern Regional Education Board), 53 electronic resumes See resumes emoticons, 184 employers, 118–120 engineering and applied science, 52, 104 Enneagram Institute, 68 Enterprising Women, 162 entrance exams, college, 29–31 Entrepreneur.com, 155–156 The Entrepreneurial Parent, 160 entry-level jobs, 94, 108 eResumes & Resume Writing Services, 106 eStudentLoan.com, 34 etiquette, e-mail, 17 ETS (Educational Testing Service), 30 Eudora, 13 executive recruiting, 78, 114 extensions, F FAFSA on the Web, 34 FairTest, 30 Family and Medical Leave Act, 124 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), 184 Farr, Mike, 79 Fast Company, 157 fastest-growing industries, 72 FastWeb, 35 favorites, 184 federal government See also local government; states, government resources; U.S agencies, 123 benefits, 84 193 194 Best Career and Education Web Sites government jobs, 101, 114 small businesses, 148 Federal Student Aid, 35 FedStats, 123 fee-based services, 88, 160 fellowships, 33 file names, 4–5, 184 filters, e-mail, 17 FinAid!, 35–36 finance, 79, 104 financial aid, 29, 32–33, 184 calculators, 32, 35, 37 distance learning, 48 electronic tuition rate, 54 forgiveness programs, 24 loans, 33–36, 42 firefighting, 97 529 college savings plans, 34 flex work, 184 Florida, 40, 53 FloridaJobs.com, 102 foreign languages, 48 foreign programs, 27 forgiveness loan programs, 35 Fortune, 121 forums, 182, 184 franchises, self-employment, 154–155, 184 Franchising.com, 155 free agents, 184 freelance work, 80, 165–166, 170, 184 freeware, 184 French-language sites, 54–55 apprenticeships, 81 Canada job banks, 103 temporary agencies, 169 volunteer work, 176 Frequently Asked Questions, 184 FrontPage, 19 FTP (File Transfer Protocol), 184 fund-raising, 179 G gays and lesbians, job searches, 114 Georgia, 40, 53 getcareersskills.com, 79 geteducated.com, 45–46 GI Bill, 59 Global Volunteers, 176 Globewide Network Academy, 47 GoArmy.com, 131–132 Google, 9–10 government resources See also federal government; local government; states agencies, job listings, 99, 101, 112 labor market information, 122–126 small businesses, 148, 159 Govtjobs.com, 99 GradSchools.com, 25 graduate schools, 25–26, 47, 51, 80 graphical user interface, 184 GRE (Graduate Record Exam), 30, 185 guaranty agencies, 185 The Guide to Internet Job Searching, 115 H Hawaii, 40 health and human services, 52 healthcare, 81, 84, 104, 160, 164, 166, 168, 180 HEATH Resource Center, 41 high school diplomas, 49–51 Hispanic professionals, 96–97, 99 Hispanic Scholarship Fund, 36 Holland’s Theory of Career Choice, 67 home pages, 185 home schooling, 50 A Home-Based Business Online, 160 home-based businesses See selfemployment; small businesses Homefair.com, 83–84 HomeworkersNet, 172 hosts, 185 How to Start a Small Business, 152 HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), 4, 19–20, 185 human resources, 78, 81, 116 Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 103 hyperlinks (links), 2, 185 hypertext, 2, 185 I ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), 4, 153 Idaho, 40 Idealist, 176 Inc.com, 157–158 independent professionals, 185 indexed search engines, 6–10, 185 industries fastest-growing, 72 job banks, 102 networking, 119 profiles, 117–120 Industry Research Desk, 119 information technology, 52, 98, 104, 167 informational interviews, 70–71 infrastructure, 185 InnoVisions Canada/Canadian Telework Association, 173 instant messaging, 182 insurance, 84, 164, 166, 168 Integrated Services Digital Network, 182 Internal Revenue Service, 148 International Assessment Network, 69 International Executive Service Corps, 177 international jobs, 94, 177 Internet, 6–8, 182–183, 185, 188 Internet Based Moms, 162 Internet Career Connection, 112–113 Internet Explorer, 2, 185 InternJobs.com, 96 internships, 27, 36, 80, 94, 96, 185 Interviewing Information, 108 interviews, 70–71, 108–109, 186 IQ tests, 70 ISPs (Internet Service Providers), 13, 185 J JIST Publishing, 79 Job Accommodation Network, 80 job banks, 87, 186 Canada, 103–104 cities, 102 entry-level, 94–97 firefighters, 97 general, 90–94 government jobs, 100–101 Hispanic professionals, 96–97, 99 industries, 102 information technology, 98 law enforcement, 97 library and information, 100 Index minorities, 95–97, 99 older workers, 100–101 pop-up ads, 88 registration, 89 sales and marketing, 100 states, 102–103 teaching profession, 100 U.S Department of Labor, 88–90 Job Corps, 82, 186 job fair, 186 Job Readiness Tests, 69 job searches Boolean logic, 181 federal jobs, 114 fee-based services, 88 local, 89–90 networking, 91 online tutorials, 120 by state, 89, 114 Job Searching Directory, 115 Job-Hunt.org, 113 Jobboom, 103–104 JobHuntersBible.com, 113–114 JobProfiles.org, 80 jobs descriptions and titles, 74–75, 80, 93 layoffs, 85 objectives, 65–67 screening, 94 seasonal, 101 training, 81–82 Jobs and Moms Career Center, 163 JobsByState.Info, 114 JobStar, 82–83, 106 JobWeb, 96 Jones International University, 50 Jones, Lawrence K., 68 junk mail, 14 K–L Kansas, 39 Kaplan, 31 Keirsey Temperament Sorter II, 67 Kelly Services, 168 Kentucky, 40, 53 keywords, 6–7, 18, 20, 186 Kimeldorf, Martin, 108 labor market information, 117, 122–126, 186 LatPro, 99 law enforcement, 97 law schools, 26, 31 layoffs, 85 Learn and Serve America, 176 leased employees, 186 Legal issues, 144–145, 153 letters of recommendation, 107 library and information jobs, 100 licensed occupations, 74 LinkedIn, 91 links (hyperlinks), 2, 112, 186 Lisjobs.com, 100 listserv™, 186 loading Web sites, 186 loans See financial aid; universities and colleges local government government jobs, 89–90, 99, 149 labor market information, 72, 123, 125 volunteer organizations, 179 LocalJobBoard.com, 102 long-term care insurance, 84 Lonier, Terri, 161 Louisiana, 40, 53 M Macintosh (Mac), 187 magazines, online, 156–158 mailboxes, e-mail, 17 mailing lists, 187 Maine, 39 majors, college, 66, 80 management, 52, 77, 79, 81, 104, 114, 147, 177 Manpower, 169 Mapping Your Future, 36 Maricopa Community Colleges, 25 Marine Corps, 61, 133 MarineNet, 59 Marines.com, 133 marketing, 79 MarketingJobs.com, 100 Maryland, 40, 53 Massachusetts, 39 master’s degrees, 26, 53 medical schools, 26, 31 mentors, 127, 162 Merchant Marines, 135 message boards, 187 metalist, 187 metasearch engines, 10–11, 187 Michigan, 39 Microsoft, 187 Midwestern Higher Education Compact Midwest Student Exchange Program, 39 military, 4, 127 aid, 35 Air Force, 130–131, 134, 138 Army, 131–132, 135, 139 branches, 129 careers, 129 civilian jobs, 140–142 Coast Guard, 132, 135, 139 continuing education, 61 distance learning, 56–61 Marines, 133 Merchant Marines, 135 National Guard, 136–137 Navy, 133–135, 140 newspapers, 129–130 Reserves, 137–140, 189 ROTC, 189 service academies, 134–135, 189 spouses, 142–143 transition to civilian life, 114, 143–146 Military Occupational Specialties, 58 MilSpouse.org, 143 Minnesota, 39 minorities, 14, 36, 38, 95–97, 99 Mississippi, 40, 53 Missouri, 39 modems, 187 Monster, 92, 96, 109, 169 Montana, 40 MSN Hotmail, 11, 16 multithreaded search engines, 187 My Future, 129 MyArmyLifeToo.com, 143 MyCareerBlast.com, 80 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 70 myFootpath.com, 25 MyRichUncle, 36 N National Association for Female Executives, 163 National Association for the SelfEmployed, 158 National Association of Women Business Owners, 164 195 196 Best Career and Education Web Sites National Council of Nonprofit Associations, 180 National Federation of Independent Business, 158 National Guard, 136–137 national job statistics, 72 national parks, 98 National Student Exchange, 39 National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse, 100 National Universities Degree Consortium, 54 NationJob, 92 Navy, 60, 133–135, 140, 142 Nebraska, 39 negotiation, salaries, 82–84 Nellie Mae, 37 Net-Temps, 170 Netscape Navigator, 2, 187 Network Solutions, 152–153 networking, 4, 91, 119, 147, 151, 187 Nevada, 40 New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Assistance, 39–40 New Hampshire, 39 New Jersey, 102 New Mexico, 40 New York, 54, 102 news resources, 90, 118, 129–130 newsgroup, 187 911hotjobs.com, 97 NMSQT, 29 Nolo.com, 153 nondegree coursework, 47–48 nonprofit organizations, 79, 176, 179–180 North Carolina, 40, 53 North Dakota, 39–40 Notepad, 20–21 Notess, Greg, 12 NowHiring.com, 93 nursing programs, 25, 28 O O*NET, 69, 75, 187 occupational outlook, 64–66, 71–75, 187 Occupational Outlook Handbook, 74, 124, 187 Oklahoma, 40, 53 older workers, 76–77, 100–101, 149 on-the-job training, 81–82, 181, 188 1-800-Volunteer.org, 174 online learning See distance learning online resources resumes, 20–21 small businesses, 156–158 support groups, 44 tutorials, 120 Online Women’s Business Center, 161–162 OnlineLearning.net, 55 Open Directory Project, Operating Your Successful Small Business, 153 Oregon, 40 out-of-state schools, 38–40 overseas jobs, 27 P Pam Pohly’s Net Guide, 81 parenting, 160, 164 part-time employment, 170 PDA (personal digital assistant), 187 Peace Corps, 177 Pegasus Mail, 13 Penn Foster Career School, 51 Pennsylvania, 102 personal services, 113 The Personality Page, 70 personality types, 67–70, 95, 129 Petersons.com, 24, 48 phishing, 14, 187 PIN (personal identification number), 188 plain-text resumes, 18–19 Planning a Career, 65–66 plugins, 188 Points of Light Foundation, 177 pop-unders/pop-ups, 8, 88 portable document format, 188 PortaJobs, 173 portals, Portfolio Library, 108 portfolios, career achievements, 107–108 postsecondary education See universities and colleges Price’s List of Lists, 121 The Princeton Review, 26 privacy policies, 14, 87 private loans, 34, 36 Professional Association for Contract Employment, 167 professional associations, 77, 81, 147, 158–159 professional development, 51, 53, 104–105 profiles, employers and industries, 80, 117–120 protocols, 3, 188 PSAT/NMSQT, 29 psychology, 52 public affairs, 31 Q–R Queendom.com Career Tests, 70 queries, 188 Quintessential Careers, 71, 83, 109, 115 rankings See also profiles, employers and industries companies, 120–122 universities and colleges, 31–32, 45–46 Web sites, Really Simple Syndication, 188 recruiting and staffing services, 114 regional salary reports, 84 Registered Apprenticeship, 82 registration, job banks, 87, 89, 93 relocation, 89, 143, 115 researching careers, 73–74 distance learning, 44 labor market information, 122–126 occupations, 65, 75 universities and colleges, 23–28 Researching Companies Online, 120 Reserves, military, 139, 189 resources, small businesses, 150–154, 170 Résumé Magic, 18 resumes, 189 ASCII, 18–19 banks, 189 electronic, 19–20, 105–107, 183 keywords, 18, 20 Microsoft Word, 18 posting online, 20–21, 90, 94–95 retirement resources, 125 Rhode Island, 39 The Riley Guide, 107, 115, 120 Index Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator, 68 robots (bots), 189 ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps), 139, 189 RWM Vocational School Database, 26 S salaries, 69, 78–79, 82–84, 93, 101, 104, 125 The Salary Calculator, 83 Salary Expert, 84 sales and marketing, 100, 104 Sallie Mae, 37, 97 Saludos.com, 96 SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), 26, 29–30, 189 ScholarshipHelp.org, 37 scholarships, 33, 35, 37–38, 76 SCORE, 149 Scout, P.J., 92 screening jobs, 94 Search Engine Showdown, 7, 12 search engines, 5, 189 Boolean logic, 6, 181 bots, 182 comparisons, 12 indexed, 6–10, 185 keywords, metasearch, 10–12 multithreaded, 187 quotation marks, Web browsers, seasonal employment, 80, 98, 101 Seed Business Network, 153–154 self-assessments, 46, 66–70, 189 self-employment contracting, 182 e-lancers, 183 fee-based services, 160 franchises, 154–155 government resources, 148 healthcare and insurance, 160, 164 independent professional, 185 occupations, 147 SOHOs, 159–161 taxes, 148 women, 161–164 Seminar Information Service, 56 Senior Corps, 176 SeniorJobBank, 100–101 SERVEnet, 178 servers, 189 Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, 50 shareware, 189 Sher, Barbara, 78 signatures, e-mail, 15, 189 ski resorts, 98 skills, assessments, 65, 69 Small Business Administration, 161–162, 189 Small Business Advisor, 154 small businesses disabilities, people with, 153–154 government resources, 148–150, 159 legal issues, 153 local government, 149 networking, 151 older workers, 149 online magazines, 156–158 professional associations, 158–159 resources, 150–154 SOHOs, 159–161 state government, 149 software, 13, 190 SOHO (small office/home office), 159–161, 190 South Carolina, 40, 53 South Dakota, 40 Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market, 40 spam, 14 Spanish-language sites career planning, 29, 32–34, 36 distance learning, 50 Hispanic professionals, 96–97, 99 military, 130 small businesses, 152 temporary agencies, 169 volunteer work, 174, 176 women-owned businesses, 162, 164 The Spider’s Apprentice, 12 spouses, military, 142–143 staffing firms, 94 Stars and Stripes, 129–130 State and Local Government on the Net, 149 states career information, 76 employer profiles, 118–119 government resources, 99, 149 job searches, 89, 102, 114 labor market information, 72, 123, 125 newspapers, 90 universities and colleges, 39–40 workforce development, 126 Statistical Abstract of the United States, 124 Student loans, 37 Students.gov, 42 study abroad, 27, 36, 39 Success Teams, 78 SummerJobs.com, 101 SUNY Learning Network, 54 SuperCollege, 38 SuperPages, 119 support groups, 44, 78, 85 T taxes, small businesses, 148 Teach For America, 178 teaching opportunities, 27, 100 technical careers, 26, 79, 177 Teleclass.com, 56 telecommuting jobs, 98, 159, 165, 171–174, 190 Telework Coalition, 173–174 teleworking, 171–174, 190 temporary employment, 165–166, 168–179, 190 Tennessee, 40, 53 tests ACT, 181 admissions, 25, 29–31, 97 ASVAB, 127 GRE, 185 SAT, 189 TOEFL, 30, 190 Texas, 40, 51, 53 ThomasNet, 119 Today’s Military, 130 Today’s Volunteer, 180 TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), 30, 190 traffic (site traffic), 190 training, on-the-job, 188 Transition Assistance Online, 145 197 198 Best Career and Education Web Sites transitioning from military, 114, 127, 145–146 Tripod, 19 TriStateJobs.com, 102 TrueCareers, 97 Tucson.Jobing.com, 102 tuition See financial aid; universities and colleges U U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis, 123 U.S Census Bureau, 23 U.S Chamber of Commerce, 159 U.S Department of Commerce, 123–124, 149 U.S Department of Defense TransPortal, 144 U.S Department of Education, 35, 42 U.S Department of Labor, 63, 71–75, 82, 88–90, 124–126, 181–184, 187 U.S Department of the Navy’s Civilian Hiring and Recruitment Tool, 142 U.S Military Academy, 135 U.S News & World Report, 31 U.S Office of Personnel Management, 84 unemployment insurance, 89, 126 United Nations Volunteers, 178 United Negro College Fund, 38 universities and colleges admissions, 20, 25 adult learners, 36, 53 applications, 28 college graduates, 94–97, 108 community colleges, 24–25, 27 continuing education, 182 distance learning, 40, 44–46, 49–52, 183 entrance exams, 25, 29–31 financial aid, 32–33 529 college savings plans, 34 graduate schools, 25–26, 47, 80 job banks, 94–97 majors, 66, 80 nondegree coursework, 47–48 out-of-state, 38–40 rankings, 31–32 states, 39–40, 76 study abroad, 27 vocational schools, 26, 28 University of Phoenix, 51 University of Texas, 51 University System of Georgia’s Student Online Readiness Tool, 46 upload, 190 URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), 190 USAJOBS, 101 user names, 15, 190 USNews.com, 31–32, 48 Utah, 40 V values, work, 69 Vault.com, 93, 107 Vermont, 39 veterans See military Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, 146 VetJobs.com, 146 Vietnam Career Network, 145–146 Virginia, 40, 53 virtual college tours, 24 Vivísimo, 11 vocational degrees, 26, 28, 48, 82 volunteer work, 27, 113, 165, 174–179 VolunteerMatch, 179 W wages See salaries WAHM.com, 164 Walden University, 52 Wall Street Journal, 78 Washington state, 40 Web Search Strategies, 12 Web sites, 3–5, 190 blogs, 181 browsers, 2, 5, 182 clearinghouses, 111, 182 discussion boards, 183 domain names, 152 e-mail, 15–17 home pages, 185 message boards, 187 paths, 188 rankings, search engines, 189 Web U.S Higher Education, 27 Welfare to Work, 190 West Point, 135 West Virginia, 40, 53 Western Governors University, 52 Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Student Exchange Programs, 40 What Can I Do With a Major In…, 66 What Color Is Your Parachute?, 113 What To Do If You’re Being Laid Off, 85 Whitcomb, Susan Britton, 18 WhitePages, 11 Wi-Fi, 190 Windows, 20–21, 190 Wisconsin, 39, 103 WomanOwned.com, 164 women professionals, 114, 161–164 Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training, 162 work values, 69 work-at-home professionals See selfemployment; small businesses Workforce ATM, 126 Workforce Investment Act of 1998, 123, 191 workforce development, 126, 189 Workindex.com, 116 working adults See adult learners Working from Home, 161 Working Mother, 121–122 Working Solo, 161 Working Today, 170 Workopolis, 104 World Wide Learn, 48 World Wide Web, 2–3, 191 Wyoming, 40 X–Z Yahoo!, 8, 11, 16, 94 yellow pages, employers, 119 YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com, 174 Ziegler, James, R .. .Best Career and Education Web Sites A Quick Guide to Online Job Search FIFTH EDITION Anne Wolfinger Best Career and Education Web Sites, Fifth Edition © 2007 by JIST Publishing Published by. .. career and education information online, we also point out when a Web site can lead you to further information and to other related sites, which many of them 2 Best Career and Education Web Sites. .. first stop for finding lots of links to career and job information on the Web iv Best Career and Education Web Sites Chapter 6: Researching Employer and Labor Market Information 117 Find out