I’m really pleased to highlight the Career Services Commons provided by the Society of American Archivists (SAA), offered by the Membership Committee’s Career Development Subcommittee. They provide high-quality help for anyone in the archives field including students, as is evidenced by the stories of success they share below. Please keep reading to learn more about the Career Services Commons.
What is it? Please give us your elevator speech!
The Career Services Commons is a permanent online space for members of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) to access and offer career advising sessions, resume review services, and mock interviews. SAA Career Counselors offer guidance and support to emerging and developing professionals and offer flexible monthly schedules. Sessions are one-on-one and last between thirty minutes and one hour.
When was it started? Why was it started?
It started in response to the continued success of the Career Center at the SAA Annual Meeting in 2020. Members of SAA requested ongoing help relating to career counseling and the Career Commons was the solution.
Who runs it?
The Career Development Subcommittee of the SAA Membership Committee consists of three professional archivists. In addition, 10 archivists volunteer as career counselors.
Are you a “career expert”? What are your qualifications?
Our Career Counselors are the experts. Many of them have been in the archives field for years and have moved between jobs in various areas – academic, public, governmental, corporate, etc.
Who is your target audience?
The Commons is a space for students, early-career archivists, and others to connect with experienced archives professionals.
What’s the best way to use your site? Should users consult it daily? Or as needed? Should they already know what they need help with, or can they just noodle around?
Anyone is welcome to review the webpage and see our counselors and their qualifications. To make an appointment, you must be a member of SAA.
Do your counselors provide:
√ Interviews
√ Coaching
√ The opportunity for interaction
Advice on:
√ Cover Letters
√ Resumes
√ Interviewing
√ Networking
Should readers also look for you on social media? Or is your content available in other formats? Please include links, subscription information, or other details if pertinent
√ Twitter: @CareerCommons
√ Magazine or other periodical: Archival Outlook
√ Other: Society of American Archivists website
Do you charge for anything on your site?
There is no charge for the site, but to make an appointment, you must be a member of SAA.
Can you share any stories about job hunters that found positions after using your site?
After a frustrating job search in which the applicant had applied for more than a hundred positions, one of our career counselors helped the applicant to narrow down the search to more relevant positions. The applicant was excited to share that they just made it to the second round of interviews for the first time ever.
One of our counselors shared that one of the people with whom she was working just contacted her to let her know that they got the job. The candidate signed up for a resume review and mock interview and then went on to successfully land the job at a state archives.
A student landed her first archives internship after meeting with one of our counselors for a career counseling session. The counselor encouraged her to apply for an internship and to practice for the interview.
Another counselor shared that she was able to connect with one of her job seekers at a recent in-person conference for further networking.
Anything else you’d like to share with my readers about your site in particular, or about library hiring/job hunting in general?
We encourage people to use this service! It’s a great opportunity to have an impartial person review your resume, as well as to practice your interview skills. Career advising offers an opportunity for students and new professionals to gain advice from more experienced professionals. Members may sign up for up to 2 appointments per month.
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