Job searching is all about who you know.
Think of the Racine Public Library as one of your greatest networking partners. We can help you find job leads, improve your resume, learn new skills, and impress the right people.
Get started by browsing the resources on this page. When you’re ready for more — for example, if you need to dig up information on a company or need to be connected with someone who can offer individualized support — give us a call at (262) 636-9217.
Career Development Services at the Library
The Job Center of Wisconsin is hosting pop-up services in the Racine Public Library! Stop in during their open sessions to get help with:
- Resume writing
- Interview preparation
- Strengthening your job search
- Applying for unemployment
- Registering on the Job Center of Wisconsin website
See the job support service’s dates and times. No registration is required — just drop in! They also offer virtual workshops for those who aren’t able to stop in during these times.
Local Job Search Tools
The Department of Public Instruction has put together a new tool to help people seeking employment.
Racine County Workforce Solutions has a skills-based job search tool. It also offers no-fee professional development to assist you in your search.
Greater Racine at Work is another great plate to start your search if you live in or are looking for work in the Racine area.
Career Connection Kits
Now available for checkout. Ready to get started on your job hunt? Our career connection kits have everything you need to get started. Stop by the second-floor staff desk to check one out — keep in mind that these kits can’t be placed on hold and are available first-come, first-served. They can be checked out for up to three weeks at a time.
Equipment includes:
- Chromebook
- USB ring light
- Android TracFone (prepaid)
- Mobile hotspot (prepaid)
- Wired mouse
Books include:
- “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard Bolles
- “How to Answer Interview Questions” by Peggy McKee
- “How to Write the Perfect Resume” by Dan Clay
Our Career Connection Kits are brought to you in partnership with the City Library Collective.
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How do I use the equipment in the kits?
Using the Phone
The phone comes with a prepaid phone plan so that you can make calls and texts and access the internet. If you need to make phone calls, you can either use the phone’s built-in number — make sure to let callers know that it will only be a temporary number for you — or, you can set up a Google Voice phone number for free. Since a Google Voice phone number is tied to your Gmail address, you can continue to use it from any other device after you return the Career Connection Kit.
Using the Chromebook
- Turn on the Chromebook.
- Connect to the internet using your home internet connection or the prepaid mobile hotspot included with the kit.
- The Chromebook will ask you who is using it. Click “You.”
- Click “Next.”
- Click on “Browse as Guest” in the lower left corner of the screen.
- You’re all set to get started.
Using the USB Hub
- Plug the USB hub into one of the Chromebook’s USB-C ports.
- Plug any regular USB devices into the USB hub, and they’ll now be connected to the computer.
Using the Mouse
- After plugging in the USB hub, plug the mouse into the hub.
Using the Ring Light
- Clamp the light carefully onto the edge of the computer screen or another nearby surface.
- After plugging in the USB hub, plug the ring light into the hub.
- Turn on the ring light by clicking the power button on the ring light’s cord.
- Use the + and – buttons to adjust the light’s brightness.
- Adjust the angle of the ring light until the light is focused where you want it.
- To turn off the ring light, press the power button on the cord again.
Need More Help?
If you have more questions about how to use the equipment, we offer tech help. Once you set up an appointment, we can answer your questions in person or over the phone, or we can even sit down with you and walk you through how to use everything.
Information About Companies
Trying to find more information about a company you’d like to work with? The links below are a great place to get started. If you still have questions, stop by the library’s second-floor staff desk, or give us a call at (262) 636-9217. We’re happy to help you dig up more information for your job search or direct you to someone who can help further.
- Reference Solutions is an online listing of companies that can help you learn more about a prospective employer.
- The Wisconsin Business Service Directory includes brief information such as a company’s location, phone, business or product, officers, numbers of employees, and annual sales.
- Value Line (ask for this at the Reference Desk) gives more in-depth information, such as company history and financial statistics.
- The SEC’s Edgar database compiles annual reports from public companies.
- BadgerLink’s magazine and newspaper indexes are a great place to find stories and articles about different companies.
- Business Source Premier is a database of business and management information — and it also includes profiles on the world’s largest companies. You can access from within the library without a library card number, or from home with your library card number and PIN.
Digital Resources for Your Search
LinkedIn Learning
Browse LinkedIn Learning’s career development courses and become your own expert. This service is free — just use your library card number and PIN to log in.
Brainfuse Help
Get help writing a resume, learn how to use MS Office or explore careers. This service is free — just use your library card number and PIN to log in.
BadgerLink Career Resources
Wisconsin’s digital database, BadgerLink, offers a whole section of resources just for job hunting and college searches. (Are you getting an error when you open BadgerLink? See this article for ways to solve a common error we’re seeing right now.)
Job Hunting & Career Information
The library has circulating books, DVDs, and Reference materials on Job Hunting & Career Development. If you need help finding information call 262.636.9217 or ask one of our friendly Reference Staff for Assistance.
Resume Preparation, Employment Interviewing and Job-Hunting Strategy
All of our job hunting materials are under the call number 650.14 in the Non-Fiction Collection, and include resume preparation, cover letters, employment interviews, and general job hunting tactics and strategies.
Most of these books are in high demand. Visit the Adult Services Reference Desk to get help placing holds on materials that are not available.
Ebooks
The Racine Public Library belongs to the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium. The WPLC has purchased ebooks for job hunters. All you need to check them out is a valid library card and your PIN. Contact the Racine Public Library Adult Services Reference Desk at 262.636.9217 if you have questions about downloading ebooks.
Employment Tests
The Library maintains a wide selection of civil service test study guides. These are not geared specifically to the State of Wisconsin civil service test, but we may be able to help you find one that covers similar job skills. We also have study guides for general employment tests which some private employers use, as well as study guides for general aptitude tests.
Do you need a proctor for an upcoming test? We also offer a free proctoring service.
Career Information
If you are considering changing job fields, you may wish to begin in the with the Library’s occupational guidance encyclopedia and dictionaries. Sources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Career Information Center, Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, and College Majors Handbook. All cover a wide variety of jobs. These sources provide information such as the nature of work, the types of jobs that are generally available, what skills are needed, what training and/or education are required, approximate salaries, sources to contact for more information, and outlook form employment in the field.
The library also owns titles like The Big Book of Jobs and Top 300 Careers. The reference librarians can show you how to use the computer catalog to find these sources, as well as many books on specific career fields.
