Free Reference

“When,” implored my recently i-sci (or info sigh-ence, as I prefer) master’s-degreed public service librarian comrade, after a particularly exhausting episode assisting a library customer to complete an online job application, “were we expected to become employment counselors, job coaches, and headhunters?” “Oh,” I nonchalantly responded, “about the same time we assumed duties as social workers, mental health providers, and educators.” Which is to say...always.

Now, as we are acutely aware, is the time for all good employed librarians to come to the aid of their disenfranchised patrons, the unemployed whose ranks continue to swell. There can be no clearer and timelier clarion call heralding our right to exist and keep our doors open than the critical function we serve as an institution that actively facilitates the yoking of job hunters with jobs. One of the more dynamic gratis electronic sources available to assist librarians in this pursuit is Indeed.com, a 2008 Best of Free Reference Web Sites poster child of the Machine-Assisted Reference Section of ALA’s Reference and User Services Association.

A comprehensive, turbocharged search engine, Indeed.com enables job seekers to review millions of available employment postings on thousands of company and career sites and job boards. Particularly noteworthy for reference librarians dealing with functionally computer-illiterate patrons, the site is blissfully easy to navigate.

The austere and simple home page introduces two juxtaposed windows to initiate a basic search. The “what” window allows the user to enter job title, company name, or job-skill keywords. Next to this the user can isolate geographically a specific city, state, or zip code. For example, selecting pharmacy technician in Seattle yields a total of 219 job listings on the results page. A default setting automatically gathers jobs within 25 miles of the location specified. This preference can be altered by clicking the distance dropdown menu and selecting among options ranging from exact location to within 100 miles of the area specified. Each job listing gives the title, description, company name, exact location, qualifications, salary, source of the job listing, and date posted. Embedded links enable the user to apply directly for the jobs.

Additionally, enhancements are provided in both margins. On the left, search results can be narrowed by salary, company, title, location, and job type (full-time, part-time, etc.). Conversely, the right-hand margin expands search opportunities via sponsored links to schools and vocational information. An excellent feature of the site is the ability to create a job alert that notifies the user via email whenever new jobs matching his or her profile are posted. The advanced job search option allows for modified Boolean capabilities and field restriction. Several video tutorials are available in the FAQ section for a quick orientation.

BOTTOM LINE When the next wave of harried and beleaguered job seekers storm your reference parapets, turn to Indeed.com for instant job-search fortifications.—Barry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX