College- or near-college-age people having trouble finding an ever-elusive job can find help at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. The library is hosting a Young Adult Job Bank, a program done in partnership with the Topeka Youth Project that will held in two sessions, Wednesday and again Jan. 5. Preregistration is required and can be done by calling (785) 580-4606. The sessions are scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. both days.

The sessions, which will be conducted in the library's computer training center, are designed to help job seekers ages 15 to 20 improve their skills in completing job applications and handling job interviews. Officials from the Topeka Youth Project will be on hand to answer questions about online applications and common mistakes young job seekers make.

"Whenever the economy shifts for the worse, all job-seekers shift their expectations a bit during the job hunt," said Ken Easthouse, a business representative with the Topeka Youth Project. "Jobs that teens traditionally apply for become flooded with full-time applicants, sometimes people with much more experience than teens competing for the same jobs," he said. "Teens must be able to distinguish themselves and be prepared to compete against not just their peers for jobs, but sometimes even adults."

The Topeka Youth Project also offers more extensive workshops monthly through its Jobs for Young Adults program that covers online applications, mock interviewing, employer expectations and financial literacy.