Wednesday, December 29, 2021 Gerald B. Moore / Workforce Development Team

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Planning a visit to a Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) Branch to search for a job? Need to spruce up that resume’ stored in your email, Google Docs, or the documents folder on your cellphone?  Maybe you want to look at some job ads or apply for few jobs online.

Here are a few helpful tips to assist you with being successful in your efforts.  A good idea is to plan out your visit in advance to maximize use of your time and effort.  Go online to check for hours of operation at your local CCPL branch offering in-person services.  Do you have a library card?  Click here to find out what is needed to obtain a library card.  You will need a library card and PIN number to access our research databases in-person and remotely.  While you are online perusing the website, check out the Let Us Help: Resources for Employment, Small Business, Finances, and More section and look at a few of the blogs that have been written by our Workforce Development Taskforce Team sharing useful information about jobseeker resources and services.

When you visit a library branch, you should stop by the Adult Services Service point and ask our staff how you can utilize resources like Ferguson's Career Guidance Center or LinkedIn Learning for your particular job search query.

Ask about some common services like mobile printing, regular copier printing, and scanning to email or USB. Knowledge of these services will be beneficial.  At some point, you will use one or more of these services in your job search.

Remember CCPL locations are connection points for the SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW).  The purpose of the Connection Points is for our library patrons who are also customers with DEW to have a location that includes free public access to computers and tools to guide jobseekers through the job search process.  Many materials have been provided to the libraries for the patrons.  These material includes instructions on how they may conduct their job search on the SC Works site and how to file for unemployment on the  SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW). If we determine that you need additional assistance at a SC Works Center, we can provide you with information on how to locate them.

At CCPL, we also have a Workforce Development Librarian (to assist with job seeker resources) and a Business Librarian available to assist you with guidance in starting your small business or locating resources for small businesses. These team members can be reached by calling the Phone Center at 843-805-6930.

If you are visiting one of the newly renovated CCPL library branches (right now Otranto, Hurd/St, Andrews, and John’s Island), be sure to check out the Win Way Resume’ software available on all public computers.  A staff member can assist you with accessing this software.

Should you happen to be visiting our Main, Baxter Patrick James Island, Bees Ferry West Ashley, Mobile, St. Paul’s /Hollywood, or Wando/Mount Pleasant branches be sure to inquire about our CCPL Career Connection Kits. 

Our Workforce Development Librarian Staci Henderson gives an introduction to the kits here in this video clip.  Check out this article on career connection kits for more information and for a history of the program at Charleston County Public Library.  The kits are available for checkout.

Basic Computer classes will start again in 2022 at the following CCPL Branches: Hurd/St. Andrews Library, Baxter-Patrick James Island Library, Main Library, Bee’s Ferry/West Ashley Library, and the Otranto Road Library. Call (843) 805-6885 for information about classes beginning the first week in January at these locations. Contact the CCPL Tech Team to register for classes.  You can also email [email protected] to register and learn more.

And lastly, do you want to check out some books on resume writing, online job searching, interviewing and a host of other job seeker topics? You can always call the branch before your visit and ask that we pull and place books on a particular subject on hold for you so that they are ready when you arrive.  We recognize and understand how busy life can get so our team members are available to research and curate a list of titles for you to check out.  We will need your library card number to place the hold on the materials.

Is one location better than another for pickup of materials? Just let us know and we can send the items to whichever location is more convenient for you.

With a little bit of practice and self-patience, you will be ready to take on the next steps in your future career.  If you would like more information about how to apply for jobs online, assistance in finding resources, tips on how to get the job-hunting process started or more, please reach out to us at CCPL by email, chat, or text. Remember, you are not alone.