MUNCIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Job Seekers and Career Development

About this Guide

Illustration of a baker, an electrician, a writer, and a security guard

This is Muncie Public Library's guide to resources for Job Seekers and Career Development.

If you are looking for information about filing for unemployment assistance, searching for jobs online, avoiding scams, writing a resume, building workplace skills, and choosing a career, you have come to the right place!

Click through the tabs to explore the guide. Click Contact at the top of every page to send librarians an email, or call the Information Desk at Kennedy or Maring-Hunt with questions.

Indiana Unemployment

Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits are available to Hoosier workers who are out of work through no fault of their own; this includes employees impacted by a temporary layoff.

Claims must be filed online using a smart phone, tablet, or computer. There is no requirement to go to a local office to apply.

For general instructions, frequently asked questions, and video tutorials visit unemployment.in.gov

To begin the claim process, use the Uplink button at unemployment.in.gov.

You will need the following information to file: (source)

  • A valid email account (Note: your email address will become your Uplink Username)
  • Your personal information, including your:
    • Indiana Driver’s license or Indiana ID card;
    • Address;
    • Social security number (SSN);
    • Date of birth; and
    • Phone number.
  • Information about your last employer, including:
    • Employer’s name/company name;
    • Employer’s mailing address;and 
    • Employer’s phone number.
  • Information about your employment, including your: 
    • Dates of employment; and
    • The reason you are unemployed. 
  • Your bank routing number and account number if you choose direct deposit as your payment option (Note: a Key2Benefits debit card is another option.)

Unemployment Contact Information

If a person has questions about their specific situation that remain unanswered by the guides at the DWD website above, contact the UI Help Center:

Advice for Job Searching Online

  • Avoid Scams. Don’t get caught by a scammer during your job hunt. This easy-to-read article from the FTC explains key warning signs of a scam and how to report them.
  • Avoid Pyramid Schemes. This short article from the FEC teaches readers how to recognize a pyramid scheme and explains how pyramid schemes collapse, causing investors to lose their money.
  • Understand Applicant Tracking Systems and Resume Parsers. Many hiring companies use software called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to organize job applications. Many ATS also automatically parse, or analyze, resumes so that hiring managers receive only the most relevant, qualified candidates’ applications. This article reviews “do’s and don’ts” for writing your resume so it works best for ATS systems and humans.

Indiana Career Connect (ICC)

Image of the Indiana Career Connect logo

Indiana Career Connect (ICC) is a “one stop shop” with a search engine that collects job openings from over 16,000 sources throughout the State of Indiana, a resume builder, career and job market exploration tools, and numerous annotated links to sources for more assistance and training.

This service is provided by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, and is free to Indiana residents.

To get to the Job Search, start at the ICC homepage, then scroll down to the “Find a Job” button. Registration including email, phone number, and Social Security Number (SSN) is required to save searches and access some services, however it is not required to simply use the job search feature.

Major Employers in Delaware County

Below is a list of 30+ major employers in Delaware County, with a link to the website of each organization when available. Many of these employers post job openings on their websites. 

Tip: Look at the website's menu or footer (bottom) for links such as, “Careers,” “Join Our Team,” “Employment,” “Job Opportunities,” “Apply Now,” “Work for Us,” or “Human Resources.” If you cannot find the organization’s online job application, you may consider calling the organization to inquire about their job opportunities and application process.

(Source: Muncie-Delaware County, Indiana Economic Development Alliance)

Job Search Engines and Websites

Job search engines can be an efficient way to search for job opportunities and also put your resume out for recruiters. Major job search websites are linked below. When a job search website has a known specialty, it will be noted in parentheses.

Note: If you post your resume publicly, be careful about responding to interview or job offers that seem too good to be true or require you to pay money to make money. Unfortunately, some scammers and pyramid schemes do take advantage of the popularity of these websites and the urgency felt by many job seekers to find a job fast.

Many industries and professions also have job boards or job banks. You can often find job banks from the professional associations or government agencies linked to your field. You can also try a simple search online such as “[YOUR PROFESSION] job board” or "[YOUR PROFESSION job bank" to discover some. For example, Indiana Teachers may monitor the Indiana Department of Education job bank for current job opportunities.

About Resumes

A resume, or résumé, is a document for sharing information about a person's work background, education, skills, and accomplishments. Most often they are used to obtain employment.

Resume builders and templates help you create a resume with minimal technology, design, and writing skills required so you can focus on representing yourself. It can also be helpful to look at example resumes, especially from others in your field or with the same level of experience. The other boxes on this page contain resources that will help you prepare an effective resume.

Regardless of how you make your resume, be sure to save a digital copy of the resume in DOCX or RTF format so you can easily make changes in the future without starting over.

Sample Resumes

The library collection contains many books of sample resumes. These can help you see examples from your job industry or people with similar backgrounds. Sample resumes can also help you with writer’s block if you are struggling to summarize your work and educational experience.

There are also many sources of sample resumes online. Here are a few suggested websites:

Resume Builders

Indiana Career Connect Resume Builder

Image of the Indiana Career Connect logo

Register and sign in at indianacareerconnect.com

This website is a “one stop shop” with a search engine that collects job openings from over 16,000 sources throughout the State of Indiana, a resume builder, career and job market exploration tools, and numerous annotated links to sources of assistance and training. This service is provided by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, and is free to Indiana residents. To use the resume builder, go to the homepage and create an account, then, click Resume Builder on the Main Menu. Registration including email, phone number, and Social Security Number (SSN) is required to use the resume builder.

Resume Templates

Microsoft Word Templates

Open Microsoft Word. Go to File, click New. Type resume into the search box. Click a template you want. Click Create to open the template and personalize the resume.

You can also make a resume without a template. If you want to improve your Microsoft Word skills to create your own resume design, there are many free sources online such as GCFlearnfree.org and Microsoft Training.

Google Docs Templates

Sign into your Google account, navigate to Drive or Docs. (Hint: From a computer, use the menu dots next to your account picture or initials.) Click New, point at the arrow next to Google Docs, then click From a Template. Click a template you want and personalize the resume.

You can also make a resume without a template. If you want to improve your Google Docs skills to create your own resume design, there are many free sources online such as GCFlearnfree.org and Google Training.

Skill Development

Skill development can help you reach your goals. There are two different types of skills you may develop. One is Technical Skills, which are acquired through education, training, and on-the-job experience. The other is Soft Skills, which are acquired through everyday life. Soft Skills include critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, work ethic, leadership and more.

Find several websites for skill development below:

  • Adult Education - The Department of Workforce Development’s webpage for Adult Education.

  • Win Learning - Win Learning is a place to help you get ready for the workforce.  There are on-line foundation courses in math, reading, and locating information. You may need the DWD license to access these courses for free.

  • Making English Fun - Making English Fun has games and an app to help anyone practice their English skills.  This site is free. Be careful about what links you click because there are a lot of ads on this site.

  • USA Learns - This is a free website for learning English. They recently added a US Citizenship course. You will need to sign up with an email address and create a password.

  • North Star - North Star is offering 2 of their courses to the public for a limited time. Check out Basic Computer Skills and Career Search Skills courses.

  • Learn My Way - Learn My Way is a place to improve your skills on the internet to help you stay connected and safe in the digital age.

  • Tech Boomers - This site has courses and videos to help you learn about popular websites and apps.

  • Excel Easy - Excel Easy is a fully illustrated Excel tutorial + 300 examples. It's 100% free.

Career Guidance

Career guidance refers to helping individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to identify their career options, explore alternatives, and succeed in society.

Selected websites for Career Guidance are listed below:

  • www.indianacareerexplorer.com - Indiana Career Explorer is a place to explore jobs in demand, assess your skills, and develop a plan to get the education and training you need. You will need to create a free account.
  • www.indianacareerready.com - Indiana Career Ready is a place to explore career options, search for jobs, and seek career guidance. You will need to create a free account. For a list of job postings by field go to https://www.indianacareerready.com/Indemandjobs.
  • Next Level Jobs - Next Level Jobs provides free training for Hoosiers and reimbursements for Indiana employers for training employees in high-demand fields.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook – The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a publication of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics that includes information about the nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings and job outlook for hundreds of different occupations in the United States.
  • O*NET OnLine – The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledges, work activities, and interests associated with 900+ occupations. This information can be used for career exploration.
  • Idealist – Idealist is an online resource for learning about careers in the the nonprofit sector
  • Vault – Vault is a 24-7 online reference that students can use to get help with their entire job or internship placement, admissions, and career preparation needs whenever and wherever they want. The source includes extensive industry rankings as well as in-depth company profiles.

Eastern Indiana Works/WorkOne 

Local career guidance is available through Eastern Indiana Works and Indiana WorkOne. Services include career guidance, job search assistance, training programs, veterans services, and more. Telecoaching is available.

  • Muncie office (765) 289-1861 (Note: During the COVID-19 Pandemic, offices may be open by appointment only.)

  • WorkOne - The Work One website for East Central Indiana 

  • Eastern Indiana Works - The Eastern Indiana Works website

Other Offices:

  • Blackford and Delaware County (765) 289-1861
  • Fayette County, Connersville (765) 825-8581
  • Henry County, New Castle (765) 529-3010
  • Jay County (260) 726-8316 ext 2000
  • Randolph County (765) 584-5627 ext 2506 
  • Rush County, Rushville (765) 932-5921
  • Wayne County (765) 962-8591

Ball State University Career Center

Ball State has some resources on-line that can be used without being enrolled as a student.

  • First Impressions - First impressions go a long way. This is a place to get some tips and tricks for making a great first impression with a potential employer. 
  • Myers-Briggs Personality Types - BSU offers a free or premium version of this test to help you determine what careers might be the best fit for your personality type. There are 16 personality types and the descriptions of each are also on the website.
  • Career Guide - This website is geared toward Ball State students but there is some information that can help anyone looking for work. There is a pdf to download. You can find helpful information starting on page 7. There are  tips on networking, cleaning up your social media sites, using LinkedIn, resumes, interviewing, and much more.