Q: Where do I go to find vacancy announcements for librarian positions?

A:  My experience lies primarily with recruitment in an academic setting, so my suggestions will focus on those resources.  There are a lot of free places to advertise these days that provide quick and easy access to a large population of job seekers.  Listserves and websites are the most common sources of advertising these days.  I would recommend joining specialized listserves that focus on the areas of librarianship you are interested in, for example ACRL, Autocat for catalogers, Serialist for serials specialists, Cons DistList for conservation…  I would also recommend your graduate school alumni listserv if your school has one– I know that we post a lot of our jobs to our local graduate school alumni list.  You may also want to check out a few websites.  Specifics ones that we use are ARL (arl.org) and LISJobs.com, as well as the general state library association website.  And of course, if you have a specific institution that you are interested in, check their employment opportunities website often to see what’s currently available.

We rarely use print advertising because it can be rather slow and expensive.  That said, you still may want to take a look at a few professional journals to see what kind of opportunities they are showcasing.

Anyone else have ideas?  All suggestions welcome!

Q: How does a reference assistant work effectively with librarians in serving together to meet the needs of patrons?

Reference Assistant positions are great places to start your library career. Typically, you will learn a ton of stuff from the librarians you work with, and you will get invaluable experience behind the reference desk. These are usually sought-after appointments and can lead you far in your career. I should know, I worked as a reference assistant in academic libraries for two years before getting my library degree. I probably learned more from those positions, and the people I worked with, than I did in library school.

Working effectively with others can be tricky, and changing an ineffective or stale work environment can be hopeless. But, when your goal is the same — to meet the needs of the patrons — it should make things easier. From my experience, the job of a reference assistant is just that, assist the reference librarians and do a lot of reference work. If you feel like you can and should be doing more than what you are doing, you need to talk to your supervisor.

Reference assistants typically spend much of their time behind the reference desk, which means that you might have a better sense of what the patron needs or wants than the librarians do. It is your job to communicate this to the librarians: to share patron feedback, discuss problems, and throw around new ideas and solutions. The librarians will appreciate this feedback and information. If you do not meet regularly in person with the librarians, you could communicate via email on a regular basis. Communication is key. Try your hardest to get the lines of communication open.

Ask your supervisor for more responsibility, and get the “go ahead” to develop something new that might benefit the reference staff and the patrons like a social software tool [blog, Facebook page, wiki, bookmarks, etc.], and show off your skills and motivation at the same time. Perhaps you want to try your hand at creating or updating web pages, surveying the patrons, creating new user guides and handouts, conducting library tours, trying out a chat widget, evaluating new databases, designing marketing tools/signs, teaching a workshop (either for the librarians or for patrons). You must have some ideas of what you would like to do, if you’re asking this question, so share your ideas with the librarians, and show them that you are willing and able to run with them. If this does not impress them, then I’m not sure what will.

If there is one librarian who you admire or you can relate to better than the others, ask your supervisor if you can shadow him or her for a while. Learn more about what this person does in your library, and see if you can get involved in, and offer your assistance with, their work. If you are able to prove to this person that you are a valuable asset to the library, you will have an important ally, advocate, and collaborator.

Finally, learn as much as you can in this position, but also share your knowledge with those you work with. Divisions within libraries, whether based on age, professional status, department, or role, need to be torn down. They only hinder growth and progress for the library as a whole.

Additional information:

Resources for Library Support Staff

Q: Do I need to relocate to get a job?

We’ve been following a recent discussion on the NEWLIB-L list about the necessity to relocate for jobs. Relocation can certainly enhance your chances of getting a job, because it allows you to apply for more positions. We wrote a similar post a while back on the benefits of geographic mobility when job searching. However, relocation is not possible for some and not desirable for others who want to stay where they are. We have been on both sides of this “debate” and want to share some advice on this topic.

TA: Having moved around a lot when I was growing up, I would have never predicted that my perspective in this debate would be from the side of “staying where you are.” Of course, maybe some would argue that’s precisely why, but psychoanalyzing my childhood is a whole other discussion.  Anyway, here I am, sharing my thoughts with you about finding a job without relocating.

As we’ve said a number of times in our column posts, experience is a key factor to your “employability”. The more experience you have that relates to the job you’re applying for, the better position you’ll be in during the initial review of applications. There are a few approaches to gaining this experience, but the first four that come to mind are:

Get a library job while you’re in school—be sure to supplement your academic education with some real world, practical library experience. You’ll be surprised at how different these two can actually be!

1. Take advantage of internships, practicums, field experiences — whatever your school calls them, be sure to make use of the programs where you are assigned to work on a real-life project, while earning classroom credit. Even though it’s not paid work, it still counts as experience and it is something you can draw on and discuss in your cover letter, resume and interview.
2. If you are fortunate enough to work in a library position while also attending school, be sure to take advantage of professional relationships to build a professional network; remember that your experience on teams, committees, and other library work groups are all opportunities for you to demonstrate leadership, and effective interpersonal, communication, and project management skills, etc.
3. Don’t undervalue any experience you may have had prior to library school just because you weren’t working in a library, doesn’t make the skills you’ve gained any less relevant. Managing (people, resources, budgets, etc.) in one setting can oftentimes easily translate to managing in a library context.

Personally, I tried to take advantage of all of the above, as well as the personal connections I built before, during and after the MLS. Undergraduate student library experience led to a support staff job in a corporate library after getting my BS. I then took a job back on campus that had tuition support as a benefit so that I could work full time and take classes toward the MLS (half of which were paid for by my employer). After graduating with the MLS, I applied for and was hired in a permanent librarian position, in large part because of all of the library experience I had as well as the professional network I had established through my employment and education. I had the good fortune to serve on library-wide committees, work with others throughout several library departments, and the opportunity to establish a strong and positive professional reputation.

If you’re planning on staying in a geographic area, be sure to remember that as you chart your course, every step builds on the next. The library profession is small, and we have good memories. A favorable impression from the beginning will only serve you well as you progress in your career.

SM: I did not move at all as a child and maybe that’s why I crave it as an adult. I relocated shortly after getting my MLS, which was always my intention. I had the advantage of being mobile, and better yet, I was working as a librarian in a temporary professional status which allowed me more time in my job search. I was able to get this position because I worked my way through library school –mainly in reference assistant positions, and even prolonged library school to work full time in order to advance within my (academic) library system.

I am a wanderer at heart. I moved to a different state the day after I got my BA. A few years later I moved across the country to pursue my MLS and to experience a completely different lifestyle in the South. However, it had always been a dream of mine to live in New York City and so, once I had my MLS, I knew exactly where I wanted to go.

Here is my advice to those who are eager to relocate, and to those who are perhaps slightly less eager, but willing and able to relocate:

Before you begin:

Be choosy! Just because you are mobile doesn’t mean you should take any job anywhere. Do your research on places before you go there. Make sure you can live in an area before you agree to move there. If you are not happy living in a particular city or region, then you probably won’t be happy in your job for too long. If you are mobile, you can focus your search on any city you want. It might be tempting to send out resumes to every open job, in every state (or province), and see who wants you. I would recommend focusing your efforts on one or two locations. Interviewers will want to know why you want to move and you need to have a better answer than I’ll go where the job is. Show that you are committed to moving to that area, and talk about why. I know you are thinking “Now, now, I need a job now!” but try to envision the future, and picture yourself living there in 5 or 10 years.

While looking for jobs:

Use your current connections. As Tiffany mentioned above, it is important to be involved in the profession as much as you can while in library school. Once you know that you want to relocate, ask around to see if your employer, professor, colleague, or friend, knows anyone or knows of any libraries and/or library organizations in your target region. Ask advice from others who have relocated.

When you get the interview:

Find out about travel expenses for interviewing before agreeing to interview. If a place is not willing to reimburse you for coming in for an interview, how much do they really want you? Think hard before you spend your own money. I have turned down interviews because they did not reimburse for travel expenses.

When they offer you the job:

Find out about relocation money. Will they provide you with any money that will cover part or all of your relocation expenses (moving companies, rental vehicles, storage, etc.). Many places do not offer money or assistance for relocating, but it can’t hurt to ask. I know of places that were not in the habit of providing money for this purpose, but did so anyway after a candidate asked for it. Just as you might negotiate your starting salary, you can (at least attempt to) negotiate moving expenses. If they really want you, they will at least try to get you something. Relocation is a difficult and expensive process.

Finally, don’t rush into moving and don’t uproot yourself (and potentially your family) until you have done your homework on the area, have visited at least once, and have given a lot of thought to what the future might hold in a new setting.

So, after eight years, I am still in the New York City area, although no longer living in the city. I didn’t think that I would stay this long, but life happens whether you’re standing still or moving. Two kids and two jobs later, I am still thinking, or dreaming, of my next move.

If you’re looking for information on cities across America, check out these sites:

• Relocate-America’s Top 100 in 2008
• Kiplinger’s Best Cities 2008
• Money Magazines Best Places to Live 2007
• Cost of Living Calculator

Q: In the business field, there are headhunters who can help match a person to a particular position. Is there anything similar in the library field?

Funny you should ask because there’s an interesting conversation happening right now on the New Librarian’s Listserv (newlib-l@usc.edu) about this very topic: Library placement Services.There are a number of these agencies out there that specialize in placements for librarian positions. And they can work in both directions — finding a job or a librarian, and finding a librarian for the job. In the end, I guess it’s the same outcome… the right placement in the right organization to get the job done.Here’s a website with a listing of several placement agencies, many of which specialize in a geographic region: http://www.libraryjobpostings.org/placement.htm. Take a look and best of luck with your search.

How about our readers??? Anyone out there with a related experience? Any thoughts/advice/warnings you want to share?

Q: I am just approaching my 28th year in public school library services. I’d really like to try something different and am considering applying for a public children’s library position. Any thoughts or tips on making such a change?

We get this type of question about moving from one area of librarianship to another quite often. The desire to move (or change roles) leads us to believe that librarians crave variety; that they are able to do so leads us to believe that librarians possess skills that transfer well between different roles, libraries and institutions.

For many of us, one of the major draws of a career in librarianship is the immense variety of roles/libraries/institutions/clientele to choose from. It is certainly a diverse and exciting profession, and you are not alone in your quest to find a new position in a different type of library.

To make sure that this is truly the direction you want to go in, you might want to start by volunteering in your community library or taking a part time position, if possible, which is something that you might have in mind already.

Moving from a public school system to a public library system should be a fairly easy move, and your extensive experience working with children in a school library will carry across wonderfully to a public library setting. You will probably find that the roles in these two types of libraries can be quite similar as they often rely on each other, especially when it comes to educating our children.

If you haven’t yet, start looking at job ads for children’s librarians in public libraries and see what skills are required and preferred. Then spend a good deal of time tailoring your resume and your cover letters to address those needs. When you’re reviewing the job ads, pay close attention to qualifications that relate to technology and make a special effort to stay current with the trends. This might mean taking a few continuing education courses to update your skills (a lot are online now!) or familiarizing yourself with the latest tools by trying a few of them out in your personal time (e.g., blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, RSS, etc.). If you have experience using some of the tools and new technology, you will be able to talk about and demonstrate a certain level of knowledge that will be required in the job. A lifelong learner and someone who demonstrates flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to continue growing is welcome in any kind of organization.

Finally, we will point you to an article that we wrote a few years back (but still relevant today) on moving from one area of librarianship to another, that provides some helpful information and links to useful resources:

How do I get there from here? Changing jobs, changing roles, changing institutions
by Susanne Markgren and Tiffany Allen
C&RL News, December 2004, Vol. 65, No. 11

Good luck!

Q: I have been out of the library field for awhile. I relocated, then was diagnosed with cancer, then decided to have a baby. Meanwhile, I was job searching locally but nothing worked out. I have worked, just not in libraries. Now it is time to widen my library job search geographically. So how do I explain - or do I need to explain - my absence? I am very aware that I cannot mention cancer (passed my five-year mark, odds are in my favor, thankyouverymuch) or motherhood (my child is getting close to school age).

TA: Welcome back to librarianship! Congratulations on motherhood and passing your five-year mark. For most us, even without a diagnosis of our own, cancer touches our lives through family, friends, or acquaintances, so kudos to you for your strength and determination to fight and overcome.

It’s encouraging to hear that you’re ready to get back into libraries, and you’re wise to consider a gap in employment as something you need to address. In my opinion, you want to address this head on, but keep it brief, simple and not overly personal. I would suggest one or two lines in your cover letter, something along the lines of “After a period of time off for personal reasons, including relocation with my family, I am enthusiastic about returning to librarianship, and I’m especially excited about this opportunity at XYZ Library. I feel confident that my education, experience and skills make me a strong candidate for the position of XYZ Librarian.” The statement is brief, slightly personal but not too much, and is optimistic and confident. You address the gap without going into too much detail.

Beyond your cover letter, there are a couple of other things I would recommend. First, have a really nice resume. Part of the resume is work experience, which as you say, is not work in libraries, but look for transferable skills. If you have worked in public service, customer service, web authoring, organizing volunteers, etc., think about these things as they relate to libraries (and to the specific position you’re applying for) and highlight them in your resume. Even volunteer work counts as long as the experience you gained directly relates to the position for which you are applying. It’s your job as the candidate to do all the work for the committee - show them how you meet the qualifications of the position and how your experience relates. You are your own best advocate.

Second, stay connected professionally. Be sure to join listservs, read blogs, attend workshops, join professional associations, etc. By staying connected, you’ll not only stay aware of current issues and trends in the profession and be ready to discuss those during an interview, but you’ll also begin to build a network of other professionals who will be able to support your job search. Additionally, potential employers will see that you’re active professionally as you build your resume with professional development and professional memberships. Furthermore, take advantage of technology training and be sure to keep these skills current - that’s another great thing to highlight on your resume. It not only shows initiative, but it’s also one less thing for a potential employer to worry about with someone who’s been off the job market for several years.

And finally, when you’re called for an on-site interview, be sure to stay open, positive and optimistic. Don’t shy away from or downplay the experiences you’ve had outside of librarianship. And if you feel that you’ve developed a rapport with the interviewer and feel comfortable sharing a little more personal detail than you’ve included in your cover letter, you can do that. I would still keep it fairly brief (this is, of course, still an interview, not speed dating) but at least in person you are able to judge a reaction and tailor your responses accordingly. At the cover letter stage, it’s just you “on paper“; during an interview, it’s you — the real you, the healthy you, the professional you — “in real life.”

SM:
You say that you are

“very aware that I cannot mention cancer … or motherhood.”

This statement, although understandable, is somewhat disconcerting. It shows your fears and reluctance to put yourself out there again. Gaps in your resume will stand out; and if they are not explained, they will send up red flags and leave the potential employer wondering what you were doing for those missing time periods. Don’t let them wonder, explain yourself first, eloquently and convincingly, and make them believe that you are ready to re-enter the workforce. You are certainly aware that your family decisions and your illness have impacted all aspects of your life, including your professional life, and you are trying to get yourself back into the profession that you want to be in. Make sure that your self-esteem is ready as well.

Be tactful, sincere, professional, and bold when addressing gaps in your resume. Keep the wording and tone optimistic, confident, and slightly personal in your cover letter (as Tiffany mentions above). In the interview stage, expect that you will be asked about the gaps. This is when you can say a little more, if you feel comfortable, without setting off alarm bells (as you might fear).

Tactful:
Be tactful when talking about personal matters - you wouldn’t go on and on about a painful divorce, or about losing a job, so make sure that you keep your personal matters still slightly personal. In your case, you have a few things to celebrate - a healthy outcome, and a child. These are not things to be ashamed of in any way, and have most likely made you a stronger person. Use this strength in your job search, and promote yourself and your experiences confidently.

Sincere:
I can appreciate and understand your unwillingness to mention an illness and protectiveness of your decision to stay at home for a few years, which many new parents make. And, it can be extremely difficult, not to mention uncomfortable, to discuss personal decisions with people you’ve just met. Having said that, I’m not advocating that you actually have a discussion about why you chose to stay at home to raise your child, or provide details about your battle with cancer. I only mean that you should be as honest and up front as possible without getting too personal. Hiding information will only hurt your chances at getting a job.

Professional:
When you get to the interview stage, remember that you are interviewing them as well. You need to find a workplace that you will be comfortable in and a workplace that suits your needs. Your interviewers can not (or should not) ask you certain personal questions, but you can share as much or as little as you like. How much you share will depend entirely on the situation, timing, and comfort level. Just remember, if your interviewers feel that you are hiding something, or that you are closed up, they will project that into the workplace and wonder if they can work with a person who is, or may be, overly guarded. Collaboration is a major part of librarians’ roles, and you will most likely (depending on the job you are applying for) have to prove that you can work comfortably with others in a collaborative environment. A large part of any in-person interview is finding a good fit for the library, so personality, sincerity, and rapport with key people are very important.

Bold:
Finally, be bold - ask your interviewers if they have any concerns about hiring someone who has been out of the workplace for a few years, and if so, find out what they are and see if you can address them. This is your chance to shine and to alleviate any fears they might have, while (hopefully) leaving your own fears behind. Best of luck!

Related articles:

“Gaps in Your Resume: Addressing an Interruption in Your Career Path” by John Lehner

“Mother’s Hone Leadership Skills on Career Breaks” USATODAY

“Tips To Handle Employment Gaps” by Nathan Newberger

“How to Handle a Gap in Your Job History” by Cynthia Wright

“When Stay-at-Home Fathers Return to Work (Elsewhere)” by Julia Lawlor
“Workforce Re-entry for a Stay at Home Mom” by Stacie Cathcart

“Coping With Chronic Illness When You’re on the Job Market” by Mary Morris Heiberger

We will be moving our old columns to this site, so if you subscribe (using RSS) you will notice a lot of new (yet old) Qs&As coming through your readers. By putting them all on this site, it will be easier to search through the entire contents of the column. Enjoy!

Question:

“I am preparing for a 2nd round interview with my Board of Trustees for the director’s position. I have spent most of my time in middle management and need to impress the Board that my ‘on the floor’ rapport with staff and patrons can translate into being a great director. What should I focus on for my next interview?”

Answer:

Play to your strengths. Be sure to think and talk big picture (because that’s what they’re going to be worried about—Is she a “good librarian” or can she make the leap to “leader/manager/director”) but also stay grounded and provide real world, “on the floor” examples. For example, when you talk about setting policy, outreach, budgets, etc., put a face to those concepts—talk about your experience with patrons, boards, citizens of the community, and how those experiences and interactions will better inform your decisions as a director.

What you have over other candidates is current/real-life/library/in-the-trenches experience, and you need to make that an asset. But be sure to also impress them with your ability to raise the level of knowledge to the bigger picture and to prove that you’re able to make the big and important decisions. Can you do “the job” AND see the big picture? Can you serve the client, while also managing budgets, setting priorities and leading a staff? In short, think big picture, drawing on your experience locally to illustrate your ideas and outcomes. Best of luck with the interview!!!

Ahhh! A new year begins. It is time to stretch the old bones and the weary brain cells, and say farewell to substandard work habits of yesteryear. As we all know, it is extremely difficult to focus on specific tasks when your office, or work environment, is chaotic and disordered.

The image of the stereotypical librarian lends itself to a very organized person, someone who revels in classification and order. This always amuses me because most of the librarians I know (myself included) work amidst chaos as they juggle daily tasks and multiple roles, forcing organization to take a backseat to getting things done.

The New Year is the best (although by no means the only) time to take stock of, reorganize and prioritize your current work habits, work environment, and work goals. And, if you happen to be looking for a job, or wanting a change from your current job, you need to get organized, make a plan and set some goals!

Let’s look at ways to become more organized, which will hopefully lead to a successful and productive 2008.

1. Clean up your space and de-clutter. Whether you inhabit an office, a cubicle, or a desk, you probably have extra paper, books, projects, and random items piling up. It is time to climb out from under the piles of stuff, get out the trash can and be realistic about a.) What you can accomplish, b.) What you need to complete, c.) What is impossible or unrealistic, and d.) What you want to take on if you have time. Everything else can go in the trash except for the books, you need to return them, as they are probably overdue.
2. Create working (useful) piles and put those (not so useful) piles that are less urgent aside for now. Use file cabinets, bookshelves, or your desk to contain these files, just try to keep them small, neat and manageable. If you have to, go shopping to find functional containers to store your piles and files, rearrange your space to make it more usable, and utilize personal items that work for you. You will be much more content and productive in an environment that suits your needs, your style, and your work habits.
3. Clean out your email! This is got to be one of the worst clutter magnets for any librarian I know. It is appalling how much time we spend emailing and checking our email, and how little time we spend on organizing and de-cluttering our email files, folders, and boxes. We should treat our online documents (email included) as we treat our printed documents.
4. Start writing lists. Lists of goals, lists of things “to do” for the day, for the week, for the month, and don’t forget the wish lists. Once you write them, you need to use them and update them as you go. Make this an ongoing task for the year.
5. Once you find an organization tool or trick that works for you, put it into practice and see if you can continue for the year. Make that a resolution. Getting organized can be extremely satisfying, and setting goals and making plans for the future can be both energizing and inspiring. So, what are you waiting for?

Here are a few resources that just might inspire a little de-cluttering and goal-setting in your life.

Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist: Advice at the intersection of work and life
How to make a New Year’s resolution that you’ll keep

Productivity Cafe by Susan Sabo

Psychology of Clutter by Dr. Amie Ragan

Real Simple - Organizing Strategies

Successful Organizing Solutions (S.O.S.) by Nancy Kruschke McKinney

A couple of friends of mine just published an article as guest columnists in the Informed Librarian titled, What Do You Wish You’d Learned in Library School? (http://www.informedlibrarian.com/this_month.cfm)

A couple of questions for you:

• For all the students still in school-Do you think this information will help you select courses or shape your academic experience to better prepare for the job market?
• And for all those new (or not-so-new) professionals-As you reflect back on your days getting started in the profession, is there something you would add to Murray and Shontz’s list?

Just curious to know what you’re thinking…