Tag Archives: Job hunting

by | March 6, 2015 · 9:00 am

Will you vote? Julie Todaro Talks about Hiring Librarians

It’s almost election time!  ALA presidential candidate Julie Todaro has graciously agreed answer a few questions about her thoughts on ALA’s role in library hiring. Voting instructions for ALA members will be sent out starting March 24. Visit this page for more details.

Julie Todaro Dr. Julie Todaro,  Dean of Library Services, Austin Community College

In broad strokes, what do you think the ALA’s role is in library hiring and employment?

Professional associations have a responsibility to both lead and support professionals in hiring and employment and ALA has long been committed to providing members and potential members with a depth and breadth of hiring and employment information. I first experienced this years ago when I was asked to serve on ALA’s Office of Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR) Advisory Committee. It was one of my most enjoyable service roles in ALA as we learned about not only what the office did but also what ALL of ALA’s groups did for our membership. HRDR’s website today should be visited by everyone to not only see what HRDR does but what else is available throughout the Association and in related library areas. The office brings it all together – literally – online and everyone from stakeholders to potential employees as well as employers can find what they need. In addition, those needing assistance in interviewing – for example – should search ala.org to find the most recent guides and program content. So…”yes,” ALA should have a significant role in hiring and employment and “yes” ALA does have a significant role in hiring and employment.

How can ALA serve unemployed (or underemployed) librarians?

It seems odd to answer question #1 with “we’re doing a great job” and then answer #2 with “we could do more.” It makes sense; however, that we recognize the fact that bringing resources together is critical but opportunities for illustrating navigation and identifying successes never seem to be enough. One great article from ACRL identifying processes (with valuable comments from others) articulates different and excellent approaches to seeking employment. In addition, job seekers – either new to the profession, in jobs or returning to the field, should access American Libraries and search for “Working Knowledge,” an excellent monthly column on the workforce and hiring issues.These articles – coupled with the HRDR website I identified in the answer to #1 – offer insight to not only the programs and services of ALA (AASL’s with links everyone can use, ALAJoblist) but also to working through what is available at state level and through library education – an organization that should have paramount interest in and commitment to finding employment for the unemployed. Now – my idea is to pilot a program (By division? Through any area?) with employment coaches. These coaches could be advertised and hired (with a stipend funded by ALA? ALISE?) through HRDR and be matched with unemployed professionals– much like the mentor programs match people – but with the different focus of going beyond the resume assessment and into engaging networks of managers, application, hiring and in general following the processes outlined for using the resources available much like the processes introduced in the articles/postings mentioned above. A perfect use of digital networking, these coaches should form a cohort of talented people who trade on experience and education to play one of the most important roles – that of one who ensures that the profession remains vital and growing.

And while we can’t tell library education what to do – more information (like the 2013 Researcher’s Corner: Comparative Employability of ALA and CILIP Accredited Degrees) needs to be systematically gathered and distributed to provide those seeking educational programs with additional data for decision making.

LIS job hunters are increasingly urged to look outside of libraries to careers in other aspects of information work. Why do you think this is, and should this be an impetus for any particular changes in ALA?

It stands to reason that professions want their terminal degrees to be preparatory for a breadth of careers. The broadest applications bring strength to the profession and reinforce – beyond “us” – that the value of what we do goes far beyond our more traditional expectations. And, although there are many reasons why we are urged to look outside the field, the obvious answers to “why” include reasons that are common to many professions – a bad economy that has many declining to retire, a bad economy that has open jobs not being filled, and libraries filling jobs, such as tech positions, from other professions. So how should ALA address even some of this?

  • The ALAJoblist includes much broader choices for job searching; however, if one searches under “all,” the jobs listed (for example under “knowledge management”) are all located in more traditional environments….therefore the JobList might review it’s criterion for including institutions and organizations and go beyond the more traditional.
  • ALA should update and expand the non-traditional job page, Non-Traditional Jobs for Librarians.
  • ALA should increase aggressiveness for the annual conference recruitment event with a focus on non-library employers. (Reduced dollars for attendance? special invitations to an event just for these targeted individuals?)
  • ALA’s pages should list important web content for this area…and we have a number of great columns of librarians in alternative, unusual jobs and can use more. (Syracuse, Linked-In discussions, a variety of good articles on Hiring Librarians (see LL Cool Lists and Blogroll), and – of course – Infonista!)

How can ALA support library students in order to help them be best situated for future employment?

Content that focuses on successful employment for graduate librarians always emphasizes the need for students (obviously still in school) to get as much experience as possible, no matter the length of employment, no matter the type of size of library and no matter if the position is paid or not. While association current job sites (and ALA in general) do not appear to include specific recommendations for library school student employment while in school, the majority of library schools have content for their students that speaks to employment while in school. These links are found on school websites under “employment,” “financial aid,” and so on.

Issues regarding ALA support for students includes:

  • ALA should continue to have reduced costs for membership and conference attendance as well as workshops and so on for library school students and other student populations. ALA should explore additional opportunities for supporting these individuals such as reduced costs for publications.
  • ALA conference planning committees and local arrangement groups use library school students in a variety of ways and although this experience doesn’t replicate work experience specific to libraries, these opportunities should not be missed because they include customer service, project management, leadership experiences and – most importantly – networking opportunities. (see ALA’s Student-to-Staff program)
  • While it isn’t realistic for ALA to manage a placement for library school students while in library school, it wouldn’t be difficult (in partnership with ALA student chapters?) to create online pathfinders, online forums and even conference programs for guiding graduate students on what to consider and how to value experience (paid and volunteer as well as service learning and internships) while in school.
  • ALA’s New Members Round Table provides guidance for internships and service learning and although many of these speak primarily to recent graduates, students should explore the content.
  • ALA groups (divisions, committees and so on) offer a variety of student and new graduate experiences. Searching “internships” as well as reviewing NMRT content (linked above) provides an overview of what in-person/conference and year round digital experiences are possible.

Finally, because many graduate schools and other library programs will offer a variety of other “experiential” opportunities for students such as internships, service learning and volunteerism and obviously, partnerships with library schools, undergraduate programs, library school partners, area employers and library school ALA chapters are critical to the success of any student program. In addition, online content should be continuously updated and include ALA’s content on such areas as:

  • General “Career Development Resources”
  • Specific “Hiring” content including
    • Resume information
    • Interviewing

It should be noted that although this blog is about “librarians,” ALA and ALA-APA support paraprofessionals and support staff who choose careers in library and other environments other than masters-degreed employment. Because librarians seek excellence for all employees and workers and because recruitment for masters-degreed often comes from professionals at other levels and in other areas, those interested in the career should become familiar with association support for these professionals through the Library Support Staff Interests Round Table and other groups.

In general, are library schools adequately preparing students for work in today’s libraries? What are they doing right, and what could be improved on?

Library school students today are facing employment in a variety of types of environments categorized as “today’s libraries” BUT rather than looking at academic, school, public and special as the “types” instead, we need to look at organizations and institutions categorized by their levels of currency. That is, I would say MOST institutions are a hybrid – a blend of the old and the new – and other libraries are VERY far out in front while still more may not be as far along as others in technology or change.
Given that – I have observed in both my own work with students and with students in workshops, etc. that we are seeing students well prepared with expanded skills sets but at higher levels than possible employment situations. These students – expecting higher levels of technology, for example, are often disappointed that their first professional environment might not be making use of the skills sets they have worked hard to build. In addition, many students are experiencing that contemporary management styles, leadership opportunities, staff development and continuing education funding as well as standards and practices are not as prevalent as they might have been led to believe. They are also concerned that given funding levels “keeping up” with funding may be problematic.
Overall, therefore, I would say library schools ARE preparing students for work in libraries; however, schools should make sure that:

  • they prepare students for a variety of positions;
  • they ensure their skills (including value, attitude and commitment) include techniques for keeping up their personal and professional development; and,
  • they ensure students take the “long look” at their career to be able to not only improve their existing position but look at their next position as well.

That being said, I think one area for improvement in library education is that they expand their service learning, internship and in-library class assignments. And although core curriculum doesn’t always have “room” for these experiences to be required, the more students apply what they know and build experience on real-world situations, the more they can fine tune their processes for deciding what type of library or library function will match their career aspirations. To make this happen; however, is the sticking point. Factors that should be in place should include: library school faculty being compensated fairly for supervising this experiences; area/host libraries benefiting from the experience through remuneration for the library or – for example – “credits” for in-person or online continuing education opportunities for their staff or a continued commitment to well-designed products such as collections assessed, policies drafted, procedures reviewed, etc.

What do you think is the secret to a successful career as a librarian?

A successful career can be characterized by workplace success – of course – but also a broad involvement in the profession beyond workplace walls. And although it is hopeful that individuals get considerable satisfaction from success in the workplace, this broad involvement can include publication and writing, association membership AND activity, community activism related to the vision and values of the profession, and a strong network of people not only at the workplace but in the field in general.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about ALA or your candidacy? Any advice specifically for library job hunters?

Well, the obvious answer is “vote for me!” I have experience in all types of and sizes libraries and – as an employer – I have broad supervisory experience.
The not-so-obvious answer is an invitation to review my website to read the job-seeking content I have prepared for job placement training programs and ALA’s ALA-APA newsletter Library Worklife. They include general information on libraries and some type-of-library content as well as some content specific to job seekers. I hope it aids someone in finding a position in our profession!

The Application Form. TXLA. 2011 to the present. Helpful Handouts are posted on the TLA jobline web pages and are also used for training during TLA’s placement center activities.

The Art of the Job Description. Library Worklife. ALA-APA. 2005. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

A Book by Its Cover. Library Worklife. ALA-APA. 2007. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

Crafting Your Cover Letter. 2011 to the present. “Helpful Handouts” are posted on the TLA jobline web pages and are also used for training during TLA’s placement center activities.

Identifying and Conveying Transferable Skills. Library Worklife. ALA-APA. 2005. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

Preparing For Your Application Process. 2011 to the present. “Helpful Handouts” are posted on the TLA jobline web pages and are also used for training during TLA’s placement center activities.

Professional Associations…Moving Past Membership into Involvement. Library Worklife. ALA-APA. 2005. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

Thinking Outside the Hiring “Box.” Library Worklife.  ALA-APA. 2005. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

To Supplement or Not To Supplement: Post-Interviewing. 2011 to the present. “Helpful Handouts” are posted on the TLA jobline web pages and are also used for training during TLA’s placement center activities.

Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Your First Ten Days of Work. Library Worklife.   ALA-APA. 2007. APA’s HR newsletter web content offers members extensive career content.

I’d like to thank Ms. Todaro for taking the time to answer my questions! I encourage you to visit her website, or to use the comments section to ask any questions you might have. Most of all though, I encourage you to make your voice heard and VOTE!

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by | March 6, 2015 · 9:00 am

Will you vote? Joseph Janes Talks about Hiring Librarians

It’s almost election time!  ALA presidential candidate Joseph Janes has graciously agreed answer a few questions about his thoughts on ALA’s role in library hiring. Voting instructions for ALA members will be sent out starting March 24. Visit this page for more details.

Joseph Janes Joseph Janes, Associate Professor and Chair of the MLIS program at the University of Washington Information School

In broad strokes, what do you think the ALA’s role is in library hiring and employment?

I remember when there was a large placement center at the Annual and Midwinter conferences, and those were important centers for recruitment and job seeking. Now that environment has changed; it’s considerably more decentralized and much more happens at a local, regional and specialized level, not to mention online, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. So ALA’s role is likely to be a venue more broadly for networking, professional development, and advocating for the value of our work in the wider world and to increase support for libraries, something I intend to emphasize if I become president.

How can ALA serve unemployed (or underemployed) librarians?

There are a couple of important aspects to this: the reduced membership rate for those not fully employed helps, as can the range of continuing education and professional development programs the association offers, plus more targeted initiatives in a number of the divisions. (By the way, I just did a quick check of the American Bar Association to see what they offer, and other than a slicker web site, it looks pretty similar.)

LIS job hunters are increasingly urged to look outside of libraries to careers in other aspects of information work. Why do you think this is, and should this be an impetus for any particular changes in ALA?

Why? That’s simple. Because it increases the range of options for jobs, and to be blunt, many of those jobs are higher paying and more satisfying than some jobs in libraries. We all know why that’s often the case, and we also know that nobody ever got into library work for the money. There are great opportunities to be innovative and creative within libraries, and also great opportunities for people to do quite similar work in lots of other contexts. And if ALA could woo more of those people to join and be members, as many already are, that would broaden our reach and scope and further make the case that the work we do is valuable and critical in a wide variety of venues and settings, which would be a win all around.

How can ALA support library students in order to help them be best situated for future employment? 

There are a number of good programs here as well; the reduced membership rate for students, of course, as well as the student chapters in many programs across North America. NMRT and their programs can be a great stepping stone for students and those new to the profession to make their way into ALA and into the larger professional community. ALA also offers a number of scholarship programs, including Spectrum, and the student-to-staff program at the conferences, all of which have been really beneficial to a number of my students over the years. There’s also all the informal mentoring and networking that happens in the conferences: Annual and Midwinter, the state chapters, the divisions, and so on.

In general, are library schools adequately preparing students for work in today’s libraries? What are they doing right, and what could be improved on?

There’s no one good answer to this, because no two programs are the same…which is how we’d all want it to be. There’s a wide diversity of programs with varying goals and intents, in institutions ranging from small teaching schools to large research universities and everywhere in between, from a few dozen students to over 2,000, so it’s next to impossible to generalize in any meaningful way. I always encourage potential students to shop around, to find the one that meets their needs and will help to prepare them for the kind of career they see for themselves. Who has the right faculty, the right curriculum, the right support mechanisms, the right special features or strengths for you? What kinds of work do their alumni do? How well are they connected to their local professional community? I want all our programs, of all kinds, to be strong, vibrant, well supported, and looking forward to best prepare leaders and visionaries for what is to come.

What do you think is the secret to a successful career as a librarian?

Always be learning, trying new things, challenging yourself. Find institutions and organizations that value you, and mentors who will help you to the next step along the way (and become one yourself). Make professional connections and networks. Like what you do, have fun, and a sense of humor, particularly about yourself, never hurts!

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about ALA or your candidacy? Any advice specifically for library job hunters?

I want to do two things as president: make the case in the wider world for the importance of libraries and librarians in as many ways as I can, and to help us all think through how we can move forward to thrive and grow as the information environment continues to evolve. I think each of those will ultimately benefit us all, generating support for libraries and helping to raise our profile.

As for job hunters, I’ve always found that flexibility is important – in geography, type of work, type of institution – the more open you’re willing or able to be, the more opportunities are available and the more success you can have. Be your own best advocate. And remember, the first job is rarely the last job, so getting a foot in somebody’s door, even a position or place you’re not entirely thrilled with, can often be the first step that leads to the next and the next and the next. As our environment and institutions change, so will our profession and necessarily our professional positions, so being nimble, thoughtful, and creative in how you view your career will always help in continuing to find the right, best position for you. All the best to everybody reading this for a great career, and I’d appreciate your support and your vote.

I’d like to thank Mr. Janes for taking the time to answer my questions! I encourage you to visit his website, or to use the comments section to ask any questions you might have. Most of all though, I encourage you to make your voice heard and VOTE!

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by | March 6, 2015 · 9:00 am

Will you vote? JP Porcaro Talks about Hiring Librarians

It’s almost election time!  ALA presidential candidate JP Porcaro has graciously agreed answer a few questions about his thoughts on ALA’s role in library hiring. Voting instructions for ALA members will be sent out starting March 24. Visit this page for more details.

In broad strokes, what do you think the ALA’s role is in library hiring and employment?

In broad strokes, I’ll say that if there’s anything the ALA (and, as an extension, ALA-accredited LIS programs) has done a poor job of, it’s supporting librarians in their transition from degree-to-career. This created a gigantic vacuum in our field that was almost completely filled by INALJ; for many LIS students, recent graduates, and job seekers, the ALA is an expensive after-thought while INALJ is a way of life.

ALA shouldn’t be an organization only for the privileged in our field, but in many cases that is what the ALA represents. ALA should play some, ANY, role in influencing best practices in library hiring and employment, and this is one of my professional concerns when I am president.

How can ALA serve unemployed (or underemployed) librarians? 

The ALA can first begin to solve this problem for future students by imposing new standards on LIS programs similar to what we see in other academic disciplines. At the very least, every program should be required to collect & report accurate placement information. The fact that the most talked about & relevant data we have about this comes not out of LIS programs, or the ALA, but rather the Library Journal employment survey, is a clear indication that this issue isn’t taken as seriously as it should be.

If ALA wants to serve the unemployed and underemployed, it first needs to recognize that this is a real issue. Only after that recognition can we answer “what next?”

LIS job hunters are increasingly urged to look outside of libraries to careers in other aspects of information work. Why do you think this is, and should this be an impetus for any particular changes in ALA?

I have what I think is a pragmatic view: it’s a tactic employed by LIS programs to justify the amount of graduates that they are churning out vs. the actual rate of employment in libraries for those graduates. I do know lots of recent (last ten years) graduates who are doing information work outside of libraries, but I can also say this about the ones that I know personally: they ALL wish they were working in a library, but would rather have a job than be unemployed. Of course that does not apply to everyone in information work, but it’s an unfortunate reality rather than this “cool new twist on LIS education!” that the programs seem to be putting out there.

I’d have to have this dialogue with a lot of people, though, professors/students/new librarians/hiring librarian, in order to work out an impetus for particular changes. This conversation shouldn’t be relegated to a few blogs and tweets (which it seems like is the only place it happens), but should be started and opened to the entire ALA.

How can ALA support library students in order to help them be best situated for future employment?

NMRT is a good place to meet new folks, get matched up for mentoring, and be generally supported by the ALA. Our current ALA president was once a president of NMRT. One of the best ways for ALA to support students it to let them know the NMRT 1) exists, and is 2) there for everyone!

In general, are library schools adequately preparing students for work in today’s libraries? What are they doing right, and what could be improved on?

As a whole, LIS programs are doing an extremely poor job of recruiting diverse students, as well as an arguably poorer job of educating students on diversity issues. This needs to change.

LIS programs have been doing a great job at preparing librarians for changes in technology. This needs to continue.

What do you think is the secret to a successful career as a librarian?

To make it happen, you need to keep your spirits up – that is very important. The other secret is to do it with friends; the whole reason we started ALA Think Tank was just to have a space to talk about librarianship with a few friends…and then our friend list grew to over 11k people.

I’d suggest checking out this presentation by Peter Bromberg titled Influence (when you have no power or authority). It’s a great outline for the future for new librarians and a just-as-great reminder on recentering for those already established in the field.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about ALA or your candidacy? Any advice specifically for library job hunters?

Libraries have a bright present and a brighter future, but we need to work together to attain it. On many of my issues & concerns, the profession and the ALA is at a do-or-die moment, so my advice is to be involved in building that future if at all possible. Let’s fix these problems together, because library job hunters are the ones most vested in the future of libraries.

I’d like to thank Mr. Porcaro for taking the time to answer my questions! I encourage you to visit his website, or to use the comments section to ask any questions you might have. Most of all though, I encourage you to make your voice heard and VOTE!

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by | February 17, 2015 · 8:00 am

Job Hunter Follow Up: Marcus Walker

Marcus WalkerMarcus Walker took the Job Hunter’s survey on May 28 2014. His responses appeared as Many of them also have library staff experience, and if there is anyone who should know how valuable that can be, it’s librarians.

Your Background

How long has it been since you got your library degree?

It’s been a little more than a year since I completed the actual work that went into the degree.

How many years of library work experience do you have?

Including my time as an undergraduate library assistant, I have over nine years of experience. Without it, seven.

How many years of work experience outside of libraries do you have?

About three and a half.

How old are you? 

I’m in my mid-30s.

Your Job Hunt

How long did it take you before you found your job?

It took about six months.

How many positions did you apply to?

Five.

How many interviews did you go on?

One.

What was your work situation while you were job hunting?

I was still employed full-time where I was before.

Were you volunteering anywhere?

No, I wasn’t.

Did you travel for interviews? If so, who paid?

I didn’t have to travel for any interviews.

Did you decline any offers?

No.

Your Job

What’s your new job?

I’m the Digital Collections Librarian at the University of Louisville Law Library.

Is your job full or part time? Permanent or temporary?

Full-time.

Did you relocate? If so, who paid?

Sure. My desk moved from the middle of the floor to the back.

How did you find the listing for your job?

I was told about the position being created, and I was encouraged to apply for it once it was.

Did you meet all of the required qualifications? How many of the desired qualifications?

It did meet the qualifications.

What was the application process like? How many interviews did you do?

It was rather humorous, frankly. Since I was applying for a position at the same place I worked, I couldn’t use the references at the library, nor could I be there when the other applicants were.

How did you prepare for the interview(s)?

I looked at the digital collections at the main campus library and at other libraries, and I went over the accomplishments I made, just as I would if it were a job somewhere else. (Want to know something odd? I felt more stressed during that interview than the one I had to get the library assistant position, despite knowing exactly what they were expecting, as it was a position they had wanted to create before I started the first time.)

Did you know anyone in the organization that hired you? If so, how?

Yes. It’s the same library. 🙂

Is your job commensurate with your skills, experience and expectations?

The job is appropriate for my skill set and experience. (It would have been without the degree, too.) And so far, it exceeds my expectations.

Is the pay scale higher or lower than you were looking for?

You know how you were told as a child that patience is a virtue? Well, so is prudence. 😉

What do you think was the biggest obstacle in your job hunt? How did you overcome it?

I cringe at this, because I know what so many of my fellow new grads and colleagues are going through, but the biggest obstacle was waiting for the position I have to be approved. I applied to other jobs in the meantime, and while I thought my colleagues did like me enough to keep me around, not knowing when the position was coming made me feel just as stressed as if there was no position crawling through university bureaucracy.

What set you apart from the other applicants? Why did they hire you?

Frankly, they knew me and my work. I was somewhat familiar with one of the applicants from school (as familiar as you can be with someone you take online courses with), and she was brilliant enough to make me worry.

State of the Job Market

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen on a job announcement?

Can I change that a bit? I have seen two part-time job announcements that clearly are the same position advertised as different positions in order to keep from paying full-time benefits. Close are the part-time positions that are scheduled an hour (or even a half-hour) short of paying partial benefits. I get it, but, wow.

Has job hunting been a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

I’m sure you figured this out already, but this job hunt was about as positive of an experience as it could have been. And I still wouldn’t want to go through it again.

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

I wouldn’t change it, necessarily, but I would add a suggestion. While I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had a position created in the same library I worked, if I were someone that did not do good work and they did not want around, they could have just as easily given the position to someone else or not have bothered with the position at all. So my suggestion to anyone going to library school or going through library school is, if at all possible, find yourself a job in a library and let your work make a positive impression.

Anything else you want to tell us?

I was on the committee to hire my replacement for the library assistant position. There are a few things I can say, but one stands out, since it was one of my peeves as an applicant: The cover letter does make a difference. Let the committee know why your work experience fits the position, and you will likely outshine three-quarters of the applicants by doing that alone.

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by | January 20, 2015 · 8:00 am

Job Hunter Follow Up: Michael Grutchfield

Michael Grutchfield

Michael Grutchfield took the Job Hunter’s survey on January 7, 2013.

His responses appeared earlier today as I Want to Put My Training to Use.

Your Background

How long has it been since you got your library degree?

2 and a half years

How many years of library work experience do you have?

about four years

How many years of work experience outside of libraries do you have?

Well, my first job was 24 years ago, though to be honest, I’ve been in and out of school and unemployment, so it’s somewhat less than that

How old are you? 

44

Your Job Hunt

How long did it take you before you found your job?

Two years

How many positions did you apply to?

104

How many interviews did you go on?

Six

What was your work situation while you were job hunting?

Mixed. I started while still in school, was employed part time part of the time, and self-employed part of the time.

Were you volunteering anywhere?

Yes.

Did you travel for interviews? If so, who paid?

I did travel, and in all cases I paid for it.

Did you decline any offers?

No.

Your Job

What’s your new job?

I have two now: the first is Reference Librarian for Rogue Community College and the second is Collection Development Librarian for Josephine Community Libraries

Is your job full or part time? Permanent or temporary?

RCC is part time and temporary. JCLI is part time (expanding to full time some of the time) and permanent.

Did you relocate? If so, who paid?

I did, and I paid.

How did you find the listing for your job?

RCC was I think through the Pacific Northwest Library Assc. They were the ones who told me about Josephine.

Did you meet all of the required qualifications? How many of the desired qualifications?

Almost certainly yes to the first question. I don’t recall now, but I’d say at least half of the desired qualifications.

What was the application process like? How many interviews did you do?

RCC: the application was the usual HR online form, followed by a single telephone interview. JCLI had a Word document I had to fill out and print to sign, then scan and send back to them. I had a screening interview with an HR contractor via Skype. Then they set aside a day for interviews in person. I think there were three distinct interviews that day: one by the current collection development librarian (that was more like an informal conversation about collection development and the reality of working here), one by several members of the staff, and one by a couple of members of the board.

How did you prepare for the interview(s)?

I seem to recall that the RCC interview happened within 24 hours of their first contact with me, so there wasn’t much time to prepare! I took some time to look at their website and resources, and to familiarize myself with the school’s website. For Josephine, I had more time, so I looked at their business plan and spent some time going through their catalog to get an idea what they had and where I might find “holes” in the collection.

Did you know anyone in the organization that hired you? If so, how?

No.

Is your job commensurate with your skills, experience and expectations?

For RCC: yes. For Josephine, I’d be inclined to to say that I came in with less experience than would be preferable, but the opportunity for experience was too good to pass up.

Is the pay scale higher or lower than you were looking for?

RCC is higher than I expected per hour, but of course it’s only part time. Josephine is much lower than I’d have taken without the second job.

What do you think was the biggest obstacle in your job hunt? How did you overcome it?

Probably living in an area with a LOT of unemployed/semi-employed librarians, and also a library school putting new people into the market each year

What set you apart from the other applicants? Why did they hire you?

Well, apart from being personable and brilliant, I bring a certain amount of life-experience as an older candidate, which gives me a broader set of skills than many recent library school graduates.

State of the Job Market

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen on a job announcement?

I think I used it in the initial interview.

What was your favorite interview question? What was the worst?

Ugh. Actually, I like the part where they ask if there’s anything I’d like to tell them about myself. Also, what’s my favorite book (my new manager admitted that my answer to this question sealed the deal for me). I hate the one about my biggest weakness, but it’s always going to be there.

Any good horror stories for us?

There’s one issue that’s bothered me for some time, which is the way HR depts at academic libraries are dismissing ALA accreditation. Because I went to school outside the country (Canada), I had to pay an independent company $200 to “evaluate” my degree in order to apply to most schools in California, and even some in Oregon. I think that’s a ridiculous requirement – the ALA has already “evaluated” my school, and they have far more qualification to do so than any contractor or HR dept does. I think ALA should issue a statement on this

Has job hunting been a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

Job hunting is not positive, but the interviews are usually enjoyable opportunities to meet other librarians.

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

I said “persistence” and I’d stand by that. Maybe I’d add “luck” and “flexibility.”

Anything else you want to tell us?

Nope, that’s it for now! Thanks.

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by | January 15, 2015 · 8:00 am

Job Hunter Follow Up Year Two: Sarah Brown

sarah brown job hunterSarah Brown took the Job Hunter’s survey on January 4, 2013.

Her responses appeared as as If you let us know up front, you’ll get quality applicants that you can afford.

We last followed up with her on January 8, 2014.

Your Job

What’s your current work situation?

Employed full time AND part-time

Is this job the same as you had when we followed up with you last year? If not, please describe briefly how you got this new job.

Yes to the FT position. The PT is new. PT position was strictly word of mouth – someone who knows my boss was looking for a evening/weekend librarian. My boss knows I have an interest in academic libraries, and passed the info along. One short phone conversation and an email with my resume later, I was hired. This survey will focus on the FT position.

Is your job commensurate with your skills and experience?

For the most part. I feel it is a good fit with my skill level in every aspect of the job but instruction – this is something I was doing quite a bit at my first job, and something I would like to do again in the future. Unfortunately, I’m not currently gaining much experience with it. Last year I also lamented the lack of supervisor experience in this position, but I was “promoted” to the Page Supervisor eight months into the position, so I’m gaining that experience again.

Is the pay scale higher or lower than you were looking for?

Pay scale is what I would expect (lower than what I ideally think the position should command, but not outrageously so). The problem is the freeze on performance-based raises.

How is your job different from what you thought you might do, when you first embarked on your job hunt?

When I first started looking, I was only looking at museum libraries, since I focused on that type in grad school, and did my internship at a museum library. I was convinced that my strengths lay in reference, instruction and outreach to a museum community. My current job’s main duties revolve around around many of these same things – being a supervisor to paraprofessionals, reference, outreach, and creating library instruction sessions for volunteers to teach – but for the public community.

Have you had a chance to participate in hiring any LIS workers? Any lessons or observations from the experience?

I have been on the hiring committee for two paraprofessional employees. Through this, I’ve learned that competition for these positions is fierce, and that it is important to hire the person, not their experience. Personality goes a long way towards a fulfilling employer/employee relationship. Also, I more fully understand what a great cover letter can do for increasing the chances you’ll at least get an interview.

Have you had a chance to negotiate a raise and/or title change? What was that like?

Unfortunately, no. I’m in a public library, which is part of county administration where I am. There has been a freeze on performance-based raises since for several years (since 2008 I believe). I have taken on more responsibility since I’ve been here – I’ve been “promoted” to a supervisor and have the responsibility that entails (hiring, firing, in charge of building when branch manager is absent, etc), but it is not within the county’s pay structure to give me a new title or move up the pay scale.

What’s the next step for your career?

My career path is not straight. Hopefully my venture into public librarianship will not derail me, and I’ll be able to either get back into academic libraries or get my foot in the door at a museum library soon-ish. My new part-time position is at an academic library, so hopefully that experience will help me make the leap to full time in the future. I’m growing a lot and have gained more experience than I would have thought possible at this public library in the past 1 ½ years. However, I am ready to get into a position where my efforts are geared towards the needs of a more research-based community. I said last year that I planned to stay here for five years, but due to several factors that’s been shortened to three (so another year and a half from now). I plan to spend the next year or two continuing to grow where I am, including completing a state-wide library leadership institute and doing more outreach and program-building for my library system. Then, I’ll start my more focused, less frenetic job search.

Your Perspectives

Was job hunting a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

There were certainly positive aspects to the experience, but the overall was negative. So many hours spent on cover letters, resumes, and applications that disappeared into a HR black hole. It was really mentally rough to not only not get these jobs, or even interviews for these job, but to not even know what I was doing wrong so that I could take steps to fix it.

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

I originally said you needed to be genuine and slightly aggressive. I still think that’s true, but I’ll add to it. Now that I’m not a complete “entry-level” candidate, I’m starting to realize the importance that “knowing someone” and having a good reputation will be in my next search.

Do you have any advice for job hunters and/or library school students?

Don’t block yourself in to one type of librarianship – be open to different types of positions and organizations. Remember that hardly anyone gets their dream job right away – its more important in the long run to start getting professional experience than hold out for the perfect position. That being said, its also important that you interview your interviewers and make sure you think you’ll be at least moderately happy in the position before you accept.

Do you have any advice for hiring managers?

Remember that you can train someone new skills, software, etc. You cannot teach someone to get along with their co-workers, have drive and dedication to the field, etc. Be willing to be a little flexible on that required two years (or more) experience in x type of library. When writing the job announcement, try to really describe the position – some ads have lists of skills a mile long, with no information on how often or in what type of environment those skills will be used. Finally, remember that all your applicants are people that worked hard on their application – at least let them know where they stand when HR says you can.

What’s your ideal work situation?

Ideally, I’d like to work at either a research university or large museum (Smithsonian, National Gallery, Boston MFA, etc). I am pretty flexible with hours, but would really prefer to work evenings or weekends only if there is an event going on – being there just to be there is frustrating for me. Really, my ideal would be a flex schedule, where I could work 9 hour days and have three day weekends every other week, but that’s a long shot. I want to work as a part of a team, and would love to continue doing outreach. I’d like to live and work in a more urban environment – where I can either walk, bike or take public transit for most things. I’m looking at a few ideal cities that meet these requirements – hopefully some positions will become available when I’m ready to get serious about renewing the search.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Can’t think of anything. Thanks for doing this!

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by | January 15, 2015 · 7:58 am

Job Hunter Follow Up: Sarah Brown

This post originally appeared on January 8, 2014. A year two follow up will post shortly.
sarah brown job hunterSarah Brown completed the original survey on January 4, 2013. Her responses appeared earlier today as If you let us know up front, you’ll get quality applicants that you can afford.

Your Background

How long has it been since you got your library degree?

It will be 2 years as of December 17, 2013

How many years of library work experience do you have?

FT professional: 1 year, 8 months. If you include my internship and volunteer experience (some which was part time) I’ve been working in libraries for 2 years, 10 months.

How many years of work experience outside of libraries do you have?

8 ½. I got my first job at 16 and have been working ever since.

How old are you?

28

Your Job Hunt

How long did it take you before you found your job?

I looked pretty continually for about 1 ½ years.

How many positions did you apply to?

I’m unsure. I would estimate in the 80-100 range.

How many interviews did you go on?

5 phone, 2 Skpye, 6 in-person (for 7 positions)

What was your work situation while you were job hunting?

In the 1 ½ years it took me to find this position, I was many of these at some point. I started the job search 2 months before I graduated. After I graduated, I was working part-time. I found full-time employment (that I knew wasn’t right for me, but I was broke) and continued the search.

Were you volunteering anywhere?

During the first 6 months, yes. After I started working FT, no.

Did you travel for interviews? If so, who paid?

Yes. I did for 2 in-state positions. They did for 1 out-of-state position.

Did you decline any offers?

Yes.

Your Job

What’s your new job?

Reference and Adult Programming Librarian

Is your job full or part time? Permanent or temporary?

FT, permanent

Did you relocate? If so, who paid?

Yes. I did.

How did you find the listing for your job?

GovernmentJobs.com

Did you meet all of the required qualifications? How many of the desired qualifications?

Yes. Only 1 desired qualification – I did not meet it.

What was the application process like? How many interviews did you do?

Because it is a county position, there were many forms to fill out. I did two interviews – 1 phone, 1 in-person.

How did you prepare for the interview(s)?

Read over job description and my application I submitted. Researched library system and county on web.

Did you know anyone in the organization that hired you? If so, how?

The library system I work for is a department of the county. I did not know anyone in the library system, but I have two in-laws in other departments. Their departments are in no way related to the library and they were not involved in the hiring process. I did have to disclose that I was related to them during the initial application.

Is your job commensurate with your skills, experience and expectations?

The job is commensurate with my years of experience and what I expected of this position. It unfortunately does not give me a chance to utilize and grow my instruction and supervisory skills, of which I have 1 ½ years of experience in a library setting.

Is the pay scale higher or lower than you were looking for?

It is at the low end of what I could accept.

What do you think was the biggest obstacle in your job hunt? How did you overcome it?

Myself and my unrealistic expectations. Coming to grips with the fact that my dream jobs and dream employers had A LOT of applicants for open positions was hard. As someone just starting my career, I could not compete with more established librarians for these coveted positions. I had to realize that if my second job out of grad school isn’t my dream job in my choice location, that’s ok. I decided to apply to some organizations that are large enough to give me an opportunity have mentors and (hopefully) earn a promotion or two in the next 5ish years. Then I plan to revisit my dream jobs as a more qualified applicant.

What set you apart from the other applicants? Why did they hire you?

I actually have no idea. My 6 month review is coming up though, so I’ll ask.

State of the Job Market

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen on a job announcement?

I saw a full time professional position in Manhattan (NYC, not Kansas) with a $30k salary listed about a year ago. This equates to less than $15/hr – what NYC fast food workers say they need as a minimum wage.

What was your favorite interview question? What was the worst?

Favorite: a very blunt, “Why should I hire you?”
Worst: “If I asked your last supervisor, what would s/he say you need to improve?” (I hate this one because you either have to sound conceited and say “nothing to improve”, or try to be self-depreciating and find a flaw that’s not a flaw to expound upon.)

Any good horror stories for us?

I received a form email from a government agency informing me I was disqualified for a position I had applied to because I didn’t have the required degree (MLS/ MLIS). I did have the degree. When I emailed to find out if this email was sent mistakenly, as my unofficial graduate transcript showing MLIS and date awarded was submitted with the application, they said HR couldn’t find the statement of degree awarded on it. Even though I walked HR through and showed them exactly where it did indeed give them that information, I was not able to be moved to the eligible pool of applicants, as no one had the authority to reverse the original disqualification. Ah, bureaucracy….

Has job hunting been a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

Negative.

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

No.

If you took the Job Hunter’s Survey some time in the last year and are interested in doing a follow-up, even anonymously, please contact me at hiringlibrarians AT gmail.

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by | January 14, 2015 · 8:00 am

Check Out the Library/Institution (and the City) on Wikipedia

This post originally appeared on February 20, 2013. A follow up with Mr. Miessler will post in just a few moments.
RC MiesslerR.C. Miessler is a recent graduate of Indiana University, Indianapolis (MLS, 2012); previously he graduated from Christian Theological Seminary with an Master of Theological Studies degree (2010) and received his BA from Franklin College (2002). When not filling out job applications, he works as technical support specialist for a small helpdesk and volunteers at a seminary library. Mr. Miessler has been job hunting for six months to a year, looking in academic libraries at the entry level. Here is how he describes his experience with internships/volunteering:

My internship was at a small theological seminary, where I spent a lot of time in public services and cataloging. I am still volunteering on a part-time basis in order to continue to grow professionally and strengthen my CV.

Mr. Miessler is in an urban area of the Midwestern US, and is willing to move anywhere. His professional interests are in reference and instruction in theology and religion, open access publishing, information-seeking behavior, and video games in the library; in his free time he enjoys writing fiction and cooking. You can follow him on Twitter (@iconodule), or find him on LinkedIn.

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

1. Proper fit – do my career goals and previous education/experience match the requirements and duties?

2. Development – will this library/institution further my professional and personal development?

3. Geographic proximity – is the job located close to friends and family?

Where do you look for open positions?

National library job sites (ALA JobList, ARL Job Announcements, etc.)

Regional job sites (OhioNET, RAILS, etc.)

Individual library/institution sites

General career sites (careerbuilder.com, indeed.com)

Job blogs (INALJ, SLIS Jobs)


Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?

√ No (even if I might think it *should* be)

What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?

Review the job posting, visit the library/institution webpage and review mission/vision statements, check out the library/institution (and the city) on Wikipedia, customize resume/CV, customize references, customize cover letter, complete online application … this generally takes about 1-2 hours per application

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?

√ Email

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

What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?

Provide clear job descriptions with open and close dates and make sure that the qualifications (required and desired) are specific. Provide salary ranges and benefits in job descriptions.

What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?

Communication … let applicants know where they are in the process, even if it is just a form email/letter. If a “desired” qualification is really going to be a “required” qualification except for a very few exceptions, just make it a required so we can know if we should spend time on the application. Note entry level jobs as such. When jobs are closed, remove them from the websites … it’s a horrible feeling to spent time working on an application just to find that they’ve already filled the position.

What do you think is the secret to getting hired?

Networking and knowing the right people. It’s hard to get recognized on merit/education/experience alone …

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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by | January 14, 2015 · 8:00 am

Job Hunter Follow Up: R.C. Miessler

RC MiesslerR.C. Miessler took the Job Hunter’s survey on January 13, 2013.

His responses appeared as Check Out the Library/Institution (and the City) on Wikipedia.

Your Background

How long has it been since you got your library degree?

I graduated in December 2012, so 2 years.

How many years of library work experience do you have?

Less than 2, I didn’t start working in a library until my last year of school.

How many years of work experience outside of libraries do you have?

14

How old are you? 

35

Your Job Hunt

How long did it take you before you found your job?

I applying for librarian jobs in April 2012, so pretty much 2 years on the nose.

How many positions did you apply to?

Over 100.

How many interviews did you go on?

14 first round, 8 second round.

What was your work situation while you were job hunting?

In school for 6 months of the job hunt, and also working 60 hours a week between 2 jobs.

Were you volunteering anywhere?

Yes, in an academic library where I got my first master’s degree. That led to a part-time position there. I also volunteered for INALJ.

Did you travel for interviews? If so, who paid?

Yes. When I had to stay overnight, my rooms were taken care of by each institution, but only two institutions reimbursed me for travel expenses (and for one of those institutions, I had 3 on-site interviews for 2 different positions and only got reimbursed for 1 trip, so go figure).

Did you decline any offers?

I declined one part-time position as it wasn’t a good fit and didn’t pay enough.

Your Job

What’s your new job?

Systems Librarian at Gettysburg College.

Is your job full or part time? Permanent or temporary?

Full time, permanent.

Did you relocate? If so, who paid?

Yes, from Indiana to Pennsylvania. The college reimbursed me for most of my expenses.

How did you find the listing for your job?

I’m pretty sure I found it via a listserv posting, it might have been on my radar via the ALA JobLIST as well. I wasn’t looking to relocate to PA so I wasn’t actively looking on PA job sites.

Did you meet all of the required qualifications? How many of the desired qualifications?

All of the required, 3 of the desired.

What was the application process like? How many interviews did you do?

It was an online application system, which I normally despise, but it was better than most of them. I had one phone interview, one on-campus interview.

How did you prepare for the interview(s)?

I studied the library’s strategic plan, as well as the college’s curriculum, and spent a lot of time reading up on digital humanities. I also read Engard & Gordon’s The Accidental Systems Librarian (2nd ed.) and Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think (Revisited), and reread The Killer Angels since I was getting the chance to visit Gettysburg.

Did you know anyone in the organization that hired you? If so, how?

No.

Is your job commensurate with your skills, experience and expectations?

I believe so. What I don’t know, I’ve been willing and able to learn. It’s been a great fit for me.

Is the pay scale higher or lower than you were looking for?

A little higher than I expected, and very thankful for that.

What do you think was the biggest obstacle in your job hunt? How did you overcome it?

Relocating was one of the bigger obstacles. I didn’t really want to relocate, and if I did, it had to be somewhere that I really wanted to be and vice versa. The lousy job market didn’t help either.

What set you apart from the other applicants? Why did they hire you?

I think my strong general background in technology, IT support and intellectual curiosity were big factors. As much as I hated doing retail and call center work at times, I did get a lot of useful experience. I would say they had pity on me … but I think overall they hired me because I was a good fit for the position, library and college.

State of the Job Market

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen on a job announcement?

Any announcement that asks for letters of reference up front is ridiculous. There were a couple of jobs I didn’t apply for because of that requirement, not because I couldn’t get them, but it puts a burden on my references to have to create a generic letter and send it out, when an email or phone call after the fact is more effective and tailored towards a candidate. Overall, I think that most job announcements are too jargon-y and full of buzzwords, and need to be written like a human is reading them.

What was your favorite interview question? What was the worst?

Nothing stands out as a favorite, but I enjoy questions that let me tell a story why I am passionate about doing something and invite follow-up from the interviewers. I think a conversation works a lot better than a canned list of questions, and I was able to have real conversations in some cases (including the interviews for my current job). As for worst, super-generic questions that get asked at most interviews are awful. I think this post from The Oatmeal sums up my feelings: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/interview_questions

Any good horror stories for us?

One on-site interview involved several group interviews throughout the day, I think I met about 100 people and it was incredibly overwhelming. After my presentation one of the faculty at the presentation was very aggressive in their questioning and I kind of just deflated, and they weren’t involved with the hiring committee in any way, so it was kind of pointless to be putting me through the wringer like that. Another on-site interview tried to keep me away from the person I would have been replacing, but they found me anyway, and it was a rather odd and uncomfortable moment of my day.

Has job hunting been a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

I was fortunate enough to have jobs during my job hunt, and managers who knew my career path and were willing to let me take time off for interviews and even serve as a reference. There were a few hiring committee chairs who also took some time to talk to me about the interview, after I didn’t get the job, to encourage me to keep looking and to not settle for anything less than a professional librarian position. But it’s an incredibly discouraging process overall.

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

I really think it’s right place, right time, along with hundreds of other intangibles that can’t be quantified, so I guess the secret is, there is no one secret to getting hired, and if there were, it would constantly change. Ask 10 employed librarians how to get a librarian job, you get 20 answers, and none of them are right for everyone. They might have worked for them, but like all job seeking advice, take it with a grain of salt. You get lucky with the right opportunity, right hiring managers, and how you present yourself. As I found, even knowing the people involved in the hiring process doesn’t guarantee anything. I really hate to say that willingness to relocate is important, since not everyone can for various reasons, but it does open up options. Casting a wider net just helps statistically, it doesn’t say anything about your work ethic or personality. It’s really easy to get discouraged, angry, cynical, etc. about finding a job as a librarian, and that’s ok. Persistence, a sense of humor, and a good support group are vital.

Anything else you want to tell us?

If you work for a non-profit and have federal student loans, see if you qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

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by | January 13, 2015 · 8:00 am

Job Hunter Follow Up: Raymond Wang

This post originally appeared on December 18, 2013. A year two follow up with Mr. Wang will post shortly.
raymond wangRaymond Wang took the Job Hunter’s survey on February 27, 2013. His responses appeared as This Should Be a Profession That Cares and Has Empathy, Not a Profession That Reinforces a “Dog Eat Dog World.”

Your Background and Situation

How long has it been since you got your library degree?

3 years

How many years of library work experience do you have?

2 years part time off and on

How many years of work experience outside of libraries do you have?

2 years as a middle school math teacher

How old are you?

33

What’s your current work situation?

driving for a private car service ( Uber) and freelance tutor

Are you volunteering anywhere?

Not right now, I have in the past.

Your Job Hunt

How long have you been job hunting at this point?

over 2 + years

What kinds of jobs are you currently applying for?

entry level librarian position

Approximately how many positions have you applied to?

50 +

Approximately how many interviews have you gone on?

10+

How do you prepare for interviews?

look over the job description, pull some sample interview questions from a website or commonly asked interview questions for librarians. Write the responses out and rehearse them with a friend or mentor.

Have you traveled for interviews? If so, who paid?

Yes, I have paid all expenses

Have you declined any offers?

Yes I have declined interview offers, not job offers.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle in your job hunt? How are you working to overcome it?

The interview process, getting the interview, and then delivering your responses perfectly. Some of the interviewers are stone faced and almost robotic. It makes you feel even more anxious, so you have to just smile and keep smiling even if they don’t smile back.

Have there been any major changes in your job hunting strategy? Are you doing anything differently than from when we last heard from you?

I got a mentor to look over my application before I submit, resume, cover letter, and answers to supplemental responses Also, I try to do a mock interview practice before the real thing.

State of the Job Market

Has job hunting been a positive or negative experience, for the most part?

pretty negative because I was never prepared to deal with such a competitive job market

Would you change your answer to “what’s the secret to getting hired”?

networking, timing, and answering the same old interview questions that make you stand out from the rest.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Thank you for letting us participate and I hope this will be useful to everyone in the library profession including (library employers)

If you took the Job Hunter’s Survey some time in the last year and are interested in doing a follow-up, even anonymously, please contact me at hiringlibrarians AT gmail.

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