Work Life
A Brooklyn Public Library blog for workers, entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Red Flags - Part 1: From the Employer's Point of View
This is Part 1 of a two-part series; Part 2 will be "Red Flags from the Applicant's Point of View".
Unrealistic Expectations During the Job Search
Job searching can be challenging, even when unemployment is low(er), and at times can be discouraging. Having unrealistic expectations can make things even more difficult, unnecessarily. The more you understand about the hiring process, the more realistic your expectations will be, and the less frustrated you will feel.
Discussion of "Out of Office" by guest writer Valerie Livingston
This month’s post is by guest writer Valerie Livingston, a Business Librarian in the Business & Career Center – a discussion of questions on changing workplace norms raised by the book “Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home”, especially as they pertain to librarians.
Into the Details: Salary Negotiation
[This post has been updated]
Into the Details: References
Employers can ask for references with your resume and cover letter, during an interview, or after an interview. But exactly what are they looking for when they request your references? In this post we’ll discuss do’s and don’t’s, tips for cultivating references, and how to be prepared when you are asked for them.
Into the Details: Lean Staffing
Many employees have experienced understaffing at their workplaces, especially recently, a situation exacerbated by COVID. They may not realize, though, that the circumstances they find themselves working in are not necessarily incidental or accidental. In this post we’ll discuss “lean staffing”, what the experience of this practice is like for employees, and what you can do as a job seeker to avoid it.
Into the Details: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs)
When job seekers are writing or editing their resumes and cover letters, they are not always thinking about what happens to their application documents once they are submitted. In this post, we’ll talk about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs), which are often the first hurdle to get past in the job search process.
Resource Spotlight: Career Cruising’s Matchmaker Feature for Choosing a Career
In addition to many other career and job search resources and services, the Business & Career Center has online resources you can access 24/7 for free with your library card. Career Cruising is one of these; an interactive database available in Spanish and English, for people who are choosing a career, changing careers, and/or choosing a school. It also has information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
Interview with the Entrepreneur: Jaden Ordonez and Leo Liu of Everbooks
Soon after the start of the pandemic, Brooklyn Tech High School students Leo Liu and Jaden Ordonez founded Everbooks, a site providing free student-written and -illustrated books for young children. In this interview we discuss their early days, what they've learned along the way, and their passion to continue and expand their work.
Interview with the Entrepreneur, In Depth: Jamila McGill of Brooklyn Tea - Part 2
Interview with the Entrepreneur, In Depth: Jamila McGill of Brooklyn Tea - Part 1
Into the Details: Virtual Interviews
Musings: Introverts, extroverts, WFH, and returning to the office
Dishonesty During the Job Search - Part 2
Book recommendation: The Queer Advantage by Andrew Gelwicks
This month we have a bonus guest blog post!: a book recommendation from Djaz Zulida, one of the Job Information Resource Librarians in the Business & Career Center.
Dishonesty During the Job Search - Part 1
This is Part 1 of a two-part post, where we discuss some of the ways people lie and misrepresent themselves while looking for work.
Jumping to Where the Jobs Are
Into the Details: The Resume Summary
This is the first of a series, “Into the Details”, where we discuss a specific aspect of freelancing, job hunting, entrepreneurship, or other work-related topic. For this post we’ll be covering do’s and don’ts and tips for writing the Summary section of your resume. Summary vs. Objective
Cover Letters: Beyond the Basics
Cover Letter Writing: Beyond the Basics “Is a cover letter really necessary?” “If I am sending the resume, why do I have to send a cover letter too? Doesn't the resume have all the information the employer needs?” “Do employers actually read cover letters?” “What is a cover letter for, anyway?”
Interview with the Entrepreneur: Yong Yan (Crystal) Liang and Cynthia Lei of OpportuniTeens
In our latest in the “Interview with the Entrepreneur” series we are speaking with Yong Yan (Crystal) Liang and Cynthia Lei, seniors at Staten Island Technical High School, who founded OpportuniTeens, a for-teens-by-teens database of internships, volunteering events and other programs compiled by high school students in the United States.
Interview with the Entrepreneur: Jon and Lisa Suneesa of ONE NYC Shop
Our second series is “Interview with the Entrepreneur”, in which we talk with small business owners about what it is like to run (and/or start!) a business during a pandemic. Jon and Lisa Suneesa are owners of ONE NYC Shop, which specializes in well-fitting and highly comfortable reusable face masks, and canvas tote bags. Lisa is the interviewee.
Interview with the Freelancer: Larry Fitzmaurice
Welcome to the first post of the Work Life blog! We are looking foward to covering work-related topics including job hunting, workplace situations and advice, workers' rights, entrepreneurship and especially, freelancing. We're starting with an interview with a freelancer; the first of a series documenting diverse experiences of freelancing in and around NYC in the time of COVID and beyond.
