Category Archives: MLIS Students

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | May 2, 2013 · 8:00 am

Residency Run-Down: Los Angeles Public Library Innovation Leadership Program

I know a lot of you readers are new librarians or current students. And we all know it’s a tough market for emerging information professionals. That’s why I’m really happy to be able to share this interview with Dawn Coppin, Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations for the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. Los Angeles Public Library has the only public library residency program that I know of. In this interview, Ms. Coppin describes the scope and goals of the program, as well as providing a few tips for those of you graduating this year or next, who may be interested in this fantastic opportunity to get a comprehensive introduction to working as a public librarian.

Can you give us a brief introduction to the Los Angeles Public Library Residency Program?

The Innovation Leadership Program (ILP) is a unique approach to cultivating the next generation of library leaders by teaming ‘residents’ who are recent library school graduates with ‘fellows’ who are mid-career librarians. The two-year, full-time, program provides them with resources to develop new library programs and the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to lead the Los Angeles Public Library in the twenty-first century.

Why did LAPL decide to develop this program?

The original planning started in 2010 at a time when the Los Angeles Public Library was experiencing early retirements, layoffs, and a long-term hiring freeze that meant we were in danger of losing a generation of newly credentialed librarians who were dedicated to public service. The ILP is a way for the Library to benefit from the new skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm of graduates *and* develop the leadership skills and experiences of ambitious, talented, mid-career librarians to expand internal capacity to ensure the Library’s succession plan.

What will be the main job duties of residents – do they differ from those of “regular” librarians?

The residents’ experiences will change over the course of the two year program. Initially, they will spend the majority of their time doing usual entry-level librarian duties. However, their location will change every three months as they rotate to different libraries to see how parts of the whole system are the same and different from one another: subject departments and branch libraries; suburban and urban branches; poor and rich neighborhoods; public-facing and back-of-house departments; etc. Residents will also be involved with many ILP-specific meetings, workshops, and interactions with other major cultural and educational institutions.

Are residents paid? Do they get any other special benefits?

Yes, residents are paid full time employees of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles at the equivalent entry-level librarian rate for two years. Health insurance, sick and vacation leave, and 401(k) matching are standard, plus they get a travel allowance for professional conferences and other leadership development opportunities.

What would you tell a potential applicants in order to convince them to apply for the program?

The Innovation Leadership Program will provide the successful applicant with unparalleled experiences to understand how a large urban public library system operates, to obtain the skills necessary to be in a leadership position, and with networking opportunities that are essential to a long successful career.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Applicants to be an ILP Resident must have graduated with an MLIS from a credentialed school within 12 months of the program start date. They must have a demonstrated commitment to public librarianship and be eligible to work in the USA.

What does the selection process entail? How does it differ from the regular job application process?

The selection is made by a sub-committee of the ILP advisory group that includes that cohort’s fellows. Initial selection is based on the written application essay and resume that show those with the best fit and strongest promise. The next step is an interview either in-person or via video conference, followed by background checks to the top candidates’ references.

Any tips for students? Is there anything they could do to improve their chances of winning a spot in your program?

Be succinct and don’t repeat in your essay what we can see in your resume. Instead, show us your commitment to public librarianship and innovative approaches to the future of the public library; that you desire to be a leader and know why that will make a difference to our society.

When will the next residents be picked?

We haven’t determined this yet but most likely it will be to begin late 2014.

Anything else you want to tell us about the program?

Please check in with the ILP online at http://ilpinfo.wordpress.com/ or follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@ilpLAPL). We will also be at the major professional conferences, including ALA in Chicago, so stop by and talk with us.

Thank you to Ms. Coppin for taking the time to answer my questions!

If you run a LIS residency program and you’d like to discuss it here, please contact me. I’d love to talk to you.

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Filed under Public, 200+ staff members, MLIS Students, Residency Run-Down

Tagged as ILP, InnovationLeadershipProgram, Librarian, library students, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Public Library, new librarians, Public library, residency, Twitter, United States

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | April 9, 2013 · 8:00 am

Author’s Corner: Jump-Start Your Career as a Digital Librarian

Our friends at the Library and Information Technology Association have published a brand new guide to becoming a digital librarian. I’m very grateful to editor Jane Monson, who has written today’s guest post. Not only will you get a glimpse of some of the topics covered in the book, but she’s put together some great advice for library students and entry level librarians.

During the past decade or so, the job title of “digital librarian” has become increasingly common as more and more libraries move their content and services online. In my recently published book, Jump-Start Your Career as a Digital Librarian: A LITA Guide, the specifics skills needed to position oneself for a job in this brave new world of librarianship – among them, familiarity with metadata, digital preservation, and web development – are explained by a cadre of experienced professionals in the field. However, when it comes to job searching, the would-be digital librarian faces the same challenges as any other new professional: namely, to stand out in an over-crowded field and somehow find a position that balances both desires (to land a dream job) and needs (to pay the bills).

With that in mind, I would like to share a few kernels of wisdom that both the book’s contributors and I have gathered in our own employment searches, as well as our experiences serving on hiring committees. Much of this advice is specific to entry-level librarians, as they are usually the ones with the greatest obstacles to employment.

Lay the groundwork during library school. In their chapter, “Getting the Most Out of Library School,” authors Micah Vandegrift and Annie Pho discuss ways that the savvy student can take optimal advantage of the opportunities available in library school and emerge as a desirable job candidate. They recommend surveying the job landscape early and often (ideally, before you even begin school); being creative with your coursework and fashioning your own specialty if your program doesn’t offer exactly what you want; putting in work through part-time jobs, practicums, internships, and volunteer work; and connecting with others through online and traditional venues. Knowing what skills employers are looking for by scanning job ads is a good way to target courses and part-time jobs that will give you the best experience in your chosen area. Some schools offer specialized tracks (for example, in digital libraries), but if yours doesn’t you can often create a close approximation using the DIY approach, cobbling together courses from other departments and initiating independent studies. Be willing to spend time outside of school teaching yourself relevant technology skills and keeping up on the latest journals and trade publications. Take advantage of any opportunity to attend professional conferences and workshops, and don’t be afraid to jump into online networking to get your face and name out there.
Get as much work experience as you can while in school. Of the items listed above, “putting in work” may well be the most critical. It seems unfair, but the sad truth is that employment begets employment. Many a new librarian, digital or otherwise, has complained that employers seem unwilling to train new hires with little prior experience. Therefore, one of your main jobs while in library school is to train yourself, outside of the classroom. Don’t graduate without at least one volunteer gig, graduate assistantship, or other library-related job on your resume (and ideally several). If this isn’t possible for you to do, think carefully about your decision to enter library school – unless, of course, you already have significant library work experience prior to enrolling, or you don’t plan on using the degree to work in a library. When choosing a graduate program, weigh heavily the opportunities for students to find work in libraries on campus and in the surrounding area. These experiences are often more important than the classes you take.
Be willing to relocate. There may be some fields that will easily allow you to go to school, undertake a career, and retire all in the same place. Librarianship, unfortunately, is not generally one of them. One important point that Elyssa Sanner and Catherine Wagner make in the chapter “Landing Your First Job,” is that unless you are willing to wait around for a relevant position to open up in your geographic area, the surest way to find a job after graduation is to cast your net as widely as possible. This is not to say that no one ever finds jobs within a targeted location, but these jobs are more likely to require a compromise – they may be part-time, or not in the area you trained for. Limiting yourself geographically may not allow you to make the best use of your library degree, and is bound to make the job search that much more difficult and drawn-out. A reality of librarianship today is that you may have to “pay your dues” by taking that all-important first job in a less than desirable location. But once you have those first years under your belt, you will have much more leverage to go after your dream job in your dream place.

The book has many more tips for navigating library school, applying for your first job in the field, transitioning from one area of librarianship to another, and further developing your career (Roy Tennant has some great advice in this chapter). It offers a wealth of information for both digital- and non-digital librarians alike, culled from the collective wisdom of more than twenty contributing authors – many of them hiring librarians themselves. I’m sure I can speak for all of them in wishing you good luck in your job search!

Jane Monson received her MLS from the University of Iowa, where she was an IMLS Digital Libraries Fellow. She is currently Digital Initiatives Librarian at the University of Northern Colorado; previous to that she was Digital Projects Librarian at Truman State University. She has been published in Computers in Libraries, is a book reviewer for the Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, and serves on various ALA editorial committees.

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Filed under Entry Level, Web/Computer Services, Guest Posts, MLIS Students, Author's Corner

Tagged as Job description, Job hunting, American Library Association, library school, new librarians, new professionals, University of Northern Colorado, Truman State University, Catherine Wagner, University of Iowa, Digital library

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | March 26, 2013 · 8:00 am

Author’s Corner: A Librarian’s Guide to an Uncertain Job Market

Today’s post is an excerpt from A Librarian’s Guide to an Uncertain Job Market, by Jeanette Woodward (2011. Chicago,IL: American Library Association). It’s got some excellent, very specific advice about the work you can do to be an engaged and smart job hunter. I’m happy to be able to share it with you.

For Applications that Make the Cut, Do Your Homework

At some point in the near future, you hope to be sitting opposite a library administrator or search committee convincing them that you are the best applicant for the job. However, that meeting will undoubtedly be preceded by many, many small steps. The secret is preparation and that preparation must begin long before the interview.

Focusing On the Job and the Employer

Actually, it all begins as soon as you discover the job announcement. Once you’ve decided that this is an opening you may want to pursue, immediately begin learning more. You’ll need to investigate not only the job itself but also the library and the people, especially senior staff, who work in that library. All of us, I suppose, tend to focus on ourselves. The people to whom you are sending your application are thinking not about you but about themselves and their library. They have a problem- in other words, there is work that’s not getting done and plans that are not being implemented. They are interested in how someone might solve their problem and how well that someone might fit into their world. Your task is not so much to tell them about yourself as to focus on their need.

What the Ad Really Says

Begin by examining the job ad carefully. Check to see if there are other versions online (the library’s own website may have a much longer and more complete announcement since some job lists charge by the word). You can do this by taking an exact phrase from the announcement, enclosing it in quotes, and pasting it into a search engine. Assemble all the versions you can find and keep your fingers crossed that they were written by a librarian and not a human resource professional. What do they really seem to be looking for? How is this announcement different from others you’ve seen for similar jobs? In one sense, your challenge is to become a mind reader.
The job that’s open in this particular library is unique. In many ways, it’s unlike other jobs with identical job titles in other libraries because this library has evolved differently. It has different goals, different needs, and a different cast of characters. Can you read between the lines to discover what these people are really looking for? Focus on them, not yourself. Don’t begin comparing your skills and experience with their requirements until you really understand what they are looking for.

Obtaining More Information

How can you find out more about this position? What do you already know about the library? Your friends and colleagues usually provide the best insights so ask around. Use your social network to get all the information you can. Is this a new position or is the opening the result of a recent resignation? It’s helpful to know whether you will be following in someone else’s footsteps or will help create a new position. Have two positions been merged and would you be expected to do both? These situations have their advantages and disadvantages but it’s a good idea to know what you’re getting into.

When the Library is Far From Home

At the moment, the job market is far from sunny so you may be applying to libraries far distant from home. If this is the case, you’re going to have to do some real detective work and as a librarian, you’re better equipped for the task than job applicants in other fields. Use the Internet to find out all you can about the libraries in which you’re interested, in other words the staff size, names and titles of senior librarians, budget, etc.
If the announcement asks you to reply to someone other than a human resource administrator, find out who that person is. You can probably gather enough information to make some educated guesses about the people who will make the hiring decision. Learning about the human side of libraries will help you better understand what they’re looking for. LIS professionals are so well represented online that you can often learn a lot about them as individuals including their perspectives and preferences. Some of the information will be useful in the cover letter and if you make the cut, it will be invaluable in the interview.

Investigate the Community

Also gather enough information to decide whether this is a place where you’d like to live. Find out about the cost of living, especially the cost of housing, the unemployment rate, the schools if you have children, and other quality of life indicators. As we all know, statistics can be boring and seemingly meaningless. Don’t just look up numbers. What do the numbers really say? Compare them with your home community. Consider whether unemployment numbers are improving or budget cuts have been so draconian that basic services like education and police protection are inadequate. Be sure to bookmark local newspapers to get a feeling for how residents view their area. Though you may be feeling somewhat desperate, you don’t want to have to go through this again. Job hunting takes a lot out of you both financially and psychologically. You’re looking for a stable, supportive environment where you can recharge your batteries and grow professionally. There really and truly are jobs that you should avoid.

Jeannette Woodward is a principal of Wind River Library and Nonprofit Consulting. After a career in academic library administration, most recently as Assistant Director of the David Adamany Library at Wayne State University, she began a second career in public libraries as the Director of the Fremont County Library System in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming.

Woodward is the author of several books including “The Transformed Library: Ebooks, Expeertise, and Evolution,” “Countdown to a New Library, 2nd Edition” (ALA 2010), “The Customer-Driven Academic Library” (ALA, 2008), “What Every Librarian Should Know about Electronic Privacy” (Libraries Unlimited, 2007), “Creating the Customer Driven Library: Building on the Bookstore Model” (ALA, 2005). She is also the author of “Writing Research Papers: Investigating Resources in Cyberspace”(McGraw Hill, 1999) and “Finding a Job after 50: Reinvent Yourself for the 21st Century” (Career Press, 2007). She holds a masters degree in library and information science from Rutgers University with doctoral study at the University of Texas at Austin.

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Filed under MLIS Students, Author's Corner

Tagged as libraries, Employment, Librarian, American Library Association, new librarians, new professionals, Wyoming, Job

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | March 12, 2013 · 8:00 am

Library School Career Center: University of Washington

Here is this week’s installment of the Library School Career Center feature, which is presented in partnership with the folks from the blog Hack Library School. If you’re interested in library education, or in new ideas and the future of the profession, you should check it out.

This interview is with Janet Matta, who is the Career Services Advisor for the Information School at the University of Washington, serving the career development of 850 iSchool students in four academic programs. Prior to her joining the University of Washington Information School, Janet was a Career Counselor at the University of Washington – Bothell, provided career support to high school students at a small nonprofit, Bainbridge Youth Services, and did her Career Counseling Internship with the University of Washington Evans School of Public Affairs. She has a Masters of Education from Seattle University and an undergraduate degree in History from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. In addition to her career counseling experience, Janet spent 6 years in environmental consulting for oil spill response, and gets excited about environmental science. Her diverse background means she’s great at connecting students to ideas and resources in a wide range of professional disciplines. Janet is deeply passionate about helping students find and create unique careers that are a perfect match for their interests and strengths, and loves teaching career skills like networking, interviewing, and salary negotiation to students. Learn more about Janet at www.linkedin.com/in/janetmatta/

Career Center Information

Who staffs the career center? Please talk a little about how it is managed and run.

Janet is the Career Services Advisor for the iSchool, which includes the Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program. Her office is in the Office of Student Services for the Information School which includes academic advisors, the admissions advisor, and support staff.

Are there “career experts” on staff? What are their credentials?

Janet has 3 years of experience in career advising and over 10 years of experience in training and education of adults and youth. She has an M.Ed. in Student Development Administration, and spends every free moment possible staying up to date on hiring trends and techniques to help students succeed in their future jobs.

Does the career center provide any of the following:

√ Job Listings √ Resume/CV Review √ Help writing cover letters
√ Literature/articles √ Interview Practice √ General career coaching
√ Networking events

Do you provide in-person services?

√ Appointments √ Speakers, or programs that present experts
√ Mixers or other networking events √ Job Fairs
√ Drop-in career center: Set drop-in hours each quarter, and students routinely pop in when my office door is open.

Do you provide online services?

√ Website with resources √ Blog: updated 1x per week
√ Facebook: updates to student group pages and the Office of Student Services Facebook page √ Newsletter: published online at http://ischooloss.wordpress.com/
√ Other: online and phone advising appointments to distance students, a jobs and internships database just for iSchool students and alumni.

What do you think is the best way for students to use the career center?

I augment the resources available through the main UW Career Center, so I recommend that students visit and bookmark the content on the UW Career Center website, or visit with Career Center professionals for resume/cover letter reviews, and then to schedule an appointment with me if they want more specialized support! Attend workshops and employer information sessions to learn about common topics and to network with professionals. The more you attend that will help you network with professionals across a variety of industries and sectors the better, and not just with traditional libraries!

May alumni use career center resources?

Alumni can use our job and internships database, called iCareers, and can utilize web resources and the resources available through the UW Career Center.

Are there any charges for services?

Nope!

Can you share any stories about job hunters that found positions after using the career center?

I have received a few thank you notes from students who credit their appointment with career services to increasing their confidence and helping them generate ideas and contacts that have led to internships or full time jobs. It makes me so happy to know that our services are helpful to students!

Anything else you’d like to share with readers about your services in particular, or about library hiring/job hunting in general?

I advocate creativity in the job search and career development process! I ask students to think about their values and what they want to be doing every day, and then to think creatively about all the different environments and organizations that might benefit from their skill set that an MLIS and their other professional backgrounds provide. In a market that’s tough for libraries, our students are active and successful in a variety of corporate, nonprofit, or government settings in addition to traditional library environments.

Students’ Career Paths

Can you share any statistics about employment rates after graduation?

We unfortunately have never had a response rate of over 51% to surveys of our graduates, so we don’t currently have very accurate data on employment rates after graduation.

Can you talk a little bit about the school’s approach to internships, practicums and/or volunteering?

Internships for our MLIS students are highly encouraged! The more experience a student has the better, and internships can lead to great contacts and skills that will help you land a job later. I advocate that students take on as much internship or independent experience as they can to bolster their experience, their network of contacts, and their resume. Students work with me to find great internship options, and with their academic advisor to figure out how to get credit.

Does the school have a stated approach or policy on helping students to find careers?

The mission of iSchool Career Services is:

Mission Statement

We make information work for your career. The iSchool Career Adviser offers information on job search skills, advising on career development, and connections to resources and employers tailored to the information field. We help you to stand out and be noticed no matter where you are in your professional career.

Commitment to Students

Our first responsibility is to connect the student experience at the iSchool to the professional goals of our students. We focus on the information profession and refer students to the UW Career Center for other general career counseling and workshops.

Commitment to Employers

Our students are highly qualified to fill roles as information professionals in a variety of organizations. We facilitate job recruitment through a fair and equitable process that is driven by the needs of our students. The iSchool supports and abides by theNational Association of Colleges and Employers Principles for Professional Practice.

Are there any notable graduates?

Too many to count!

Demographics

How many students in the library school?

Approximately 400

What degree(s) do you offer?

MLIS

Is it ALA accredited?

Yes

What are the entrance requirements?

Bachelors degree* or higher in any discipline (must be equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution)
Grade point average of 3.0 or higher (exceptions considered on a case by case basis)
Law MLIS program applicants must have:

○ JD from a law school within the US

Non-native English speakers must fulfill the UW English language proficiency requirements

When was the library school founded?

1911

Where are you?

√ Western US

Where are you?

√ Urban area

Anything else you’d like to share that’s unique about the school?

We’re so lucky to be in Seattle, it’s beautiful here!

This interview was conducted by Brianna Marshall, who is a second year dual-degree Master of Library Science and Master of Information Science student at Indiana University’s School of Library and Information Science. She is Managing Editor for Hack Library School and a 2012-2013 HASTAC scholar. Learn more about Brianna through her blog and portfolio or by following her on Twitter @notsosternlib

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Filed under MLIS Students, Western US, Urban area, Library School Career Center

Tagged as Interview, Employment, Job hunting, Education for librarianship, Library science, Information Science, Career counseling, Library School Career Center, Hack Library School, Professional Association, Career development, Internship, university of washington ischool

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | March 6, 2013 · 8:00 am

Author’s Corner: A Hodgepodge of Tips for Applicants

Laura Kane has two books which might be useful for you library job hunters and career builders:

Working in the Virtual Stacks: The New Library & information Science (ALA, 2011),

and

Straight From the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science (ALA Editions, 2003).

So in today’s post, she offers general advice to applicants, what she calls “ What’s Funny, What’s Not, and a Series of No-Brainers.” I hope from this post you will gain not only a sense of her writing style and viewpoint, but some wisdom for your application process.

I don’t like to think of myself as a Veteran Librarian, but with nearly twenty years in the field, I guess that’s exactly what I am. Though the thought makes me feel old, I will admit that experience has made me wiser. Throughout my tenure as an academic medical librarian, I have been a member of numerous search committees charged with filling professional librarian positions. I’ve come to the conclusion that there are certain aspects of a candidate’s application and subsequent interview that can instantly “make or break” them. I will cover each of these topics here, and hope that this hodgepodge of tips will be helpful to those seeking employment in the workforce.

That’s Funny!

Did you happen to see the OREO cookie commercial during this year’s Super Bowl? Set in a library, it’s all about the friction that exists between those who love the cookie part, and those who love the cream part of the OREO. The commercial is called “Whisper Fight,” and though the fight between the cream lovers and cookie lovers turns into complete chaos, nobody speaks above a whisper. Stacks are toppling, books are raining down, a fire starts, firemen arrive with hoses, and all the while a bespectacled, cardigan-clad librarian looks on in horror and then finally “shouts” a stage whisper, “I’m calling the cops!” When the police arrive, they whisper through a bullhorn, “You guys have to stop fighting! We are the cops!”

I could not stop laughing. I was so tickled that I had to immediately find it on the Web and play it again. And again. My 13-year-old son looked on with concern. “Um, Mom,” he said hesitantly. “You’re a librarian. Shouldn’t you be insulted?” I sobered up immediately and cleared my through. “Oh! Um… of course. Yes, indeed. I am terribly insulted!” Then I doubled over in laughter again.

Should I have been insulted by the obvious stereotyping going on in that commercial? No way. It was so clearly over-the-top that you couldn’t help but laugh. Yes, there is a pervasive stereotype in our field, but isn’t that the case for most professions? Most of my fellow librarians have “gotten over” taking offense at the stereotypes. In fact, many of my colleagues think it’s just plain funny. My nine-year-old son (I have three sons!) likes to grab some fake glasses, slide them to the end of his nose, and peer down them, saying, “I’m a librarian.” He’s trying to rile me but he just looks so silly that I end up laughing.

And that’s the point I’m trying to make here. Librarians have a sense of humor. I work in an academic medical library. We handle some pretty serious stuff. But you can always hear laughter in our meetings, in our offices, and yes – God forbid! – even out in the main library itself. It’s wonderful to work with a group of people who can be lighthearted and fun when appropriate.

So what does this mean for someone applying for a professional librarian position? It means that you can lighten up a little. Don’t go overboard, of course, but let your sense of humor show. Just two months ago I was on a search committee for a position that had around forty applicants. I was given a stack of ten applications and had to pick the top candidates from that stack. Only one candidate made it to the top of my list – the one who stuck a purposely amusing sentence in the end of her cover letter. Guess what? She’s the person we hired. Her cover letter stood out for me because it made me laugh. I thought, “This person is well-qualified AND she has a sense of humor.” No matter how qualified a person is, nobody wants to work with a stick-in-the-mud. A balance of skill, knowledge, and humor goes a long way in my book.

That Is SO Not Funny!

Check out this actual sentence from one of the cover letters in that stack I told you about:

I saw your posting for a Research Lab Assistant and feel that I am well-qualified for the position.

Not bad, huh? It might have been OK if that had been remotely close to the position for which we were advertising! Clearly the applicant was copying and pasting and not checking his/her work. This seems like a no-brainer, but I have seen this happen many times: we receive applications with cover letters that were obviously written in the past for completely different positions. So here is a tip: double-check your cover letter! The cover letter, for me, is the top tool for weeding out candidates. You can only get so much from an application form; it’s the cover letter that either allows a person to stand out, or causes that fateful toss to the bottom of the pile.

Smart

Here’s another tip about cover letters: prove that you did some research about the position and show interest in some aspect of what you’ve learned. Study the library’s website and see what kinds of programs and services they offer. In your cover letter, mention one or two things that stood out or caught your interest. For example, you could say, “I see that librarians at your institution are involved with developing LibGuides for library patrons. I have a nursing background and would love to develop a Nursing LibGuide to direct students to authoritative resources.” Prove in your cover letter that you have invested some time in determining whether you would be a good fit in the organization. Don’t take the easy way out by using a generic cover letter for all your applications. That’s the quickest way for your file to be dismissed.

Not So Smart

I always end an interview with the question, “Do you have any questions for me?” I am flabbergasted and disappointed that many people simply answer, “No.” Seriously?! No questions at all?

You should always be prepared to ask some intelligent questions during the actual interview. I am impressed when a candidate has prepared a list of questions beforehand. Here is another chance to show that you have given the position some thought and have done some background work to learn about the institution. Questions like, “Can you explain the requirements for tenure?” or “How does your organization interact with the other campus libraries?” can open up an interesting conversation flow. So don’t be afraid to whip out that notebook and say, “I’ve written down some questions about the position.”

Make a connection

My 3-year-old son has autism and rarely looks people in the eye. On those occasions when he does look directly into my eyes, I feel it – ZAP! – an instant connection, no matter how brief. I never knew the importance of eye contact until it was missing in my interactions with my son. I’m not a psychologist, so I can’t explain why direct eye contact is so crucial during an interview. I just know that when it’s completely missing, something is not right. It can be tough, but be sure to make frequent eye contact with your interviewers. I don’t mean you should stare continually into their eyes (that would be a little freaky), but just meet their eyes off and on as you answer questions. It’s a subtle yet very important connection.

A Final No-Brainer

There have been several occasions when the search committee has had trouble deciding between two candidates. Do you know what eventually tipped the scales in one direction? A simple thank-you note. Whether by email or snail mail, it’s always wise to send a letter of thanks to the members of a search committee. Not only does it show that you appreciate their time, it gives you an extra edge over those candidates who don’t take this simple step.

Just One More

If you only remember one point from this post, remember this one: don’t ever say, “I became a librarian because I love to read!” Nothing shows more ignorance about the profession of librarianship than that short phrase. Enough said.

Laura Townsend Kane, MLS, AHIP, is the author of “Working in the Virtual Stacks: The New Library & information Science” (ALA, 2011), “Straight From the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science,”(ALA Editions, 2003), and co- author of “Answers to the Health Questions People Ask in Libraries: A Medical Library Association Guide” (Neal-Schuman, 2008). She is the Assistant Director for Information Services at the University of South Carolina’s School of Medicine Library in Columbia, South Carolina. She has also written several book chapters about librarianship career opportunities and several peer-reviewed journal articles on various issues in librarianship. She is an active member of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and its regional Southern Chapter, and is a Distinguished Member of MLA’s Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP).

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Filed under MLIS Students, Author's Corner

Tagged as coverletter, Librarian, Library, Library and Information Science, Education for librarianship, Library science, Mentorship, American Library Association, library school, Master of Library and Information Science, OREO, Humour

by Emily@HiringLibrarians | March 5, 2013 · 8:00 am