Jamie Lambert is a Youth Services Assistant with Laurens County Public Library, which cultivates a friendly, small town atmosphere. She says,
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get some sort of smile or happy ‘hello’ from a patron as they come in – and that definitely makes the job worth it
Ms. Lambert has one more semester to go before finishing her Masters. She has not been hired within the last two months, and has been looking for a new position for less than six months. She is looking in Library vendors/service providers, Public libraries, School libraries, at the following levels: Requiring at least two years of experience, Supervisory, Department Head, Branch Manager. Here is how she describes her internship/volunteering experience:
I worked for 2 years in an academic library, specifically the computer labs and as an assistant to an art history professor with building a digital slide library. After graduating from college, I worked 16 months at one library, then 3 years at another – both working in teen services.
Ms. Lambert is in a rural area, in the Southern US and is willing to move anywhere. In her spare time, she enjoys building desktop computers and plotting new ways to put her graphic design/illustration background to use. You can follow her (at her library) on Twitter @lcpliteens. Here is her advice for those considering pursuing a MLIS:
Do it. If money is an issue -which was why it took me so long to get started- think of the process as an investment in your future. I hear so many in our field gripe and complain about librarians being a profession that will die with emerging technologies; not only is it not true, but that is a nearsighted assumption. There is so much you can do with an MLIS that you don’t realize. I’ve had offers to be a consultant for a database and web development firm, part of the staff at a medical database agency, and even a job with a museum. The degree can take you anywhere, not simply the walls of a library.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Technology focus, rural setting, east coast
Where do you look for open positions?
State Library website
Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?
√Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?
Thirty minutes to an hour, depending on what the job is and how I want to present my information (research, updating info, etc)
Have you ever stretched the truth, exaggerated, or lied on your resume, or at some other point during the hiring process?
√ No
When would you like employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application
√ To tell me if I have or have not been selected to move on to the interview stage
√ To follow-up after an interview
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Phone for good news, email for bad news
Which events during the interview/visit are most important to your assessment of the position (i.e. deciding if you want the job)?
√ Tour of facility
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
√ Meeting with HR to talk about benefits/salary
√ Being able to present
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Look beyond the community they serve; sometimes the best employees come from outside a social circle of the Friends and are often the most eager for the job.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Start with a tour of the facility!
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Being familiar with the area that you’re applying to, even if all you’ve heard is things via word-of-mouth. Show interest in the community you want to serve and give evidence why.
For some context, take a look at the most recently published summary of responses.
Are you hunting for a new LIS job? Take the survey! http://tinyurl.com/hiringlibJOBHUNTERsurvey
This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!
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