Q: I will be starting my MLIS training soon and I have a question about gaining experience before I complete my degree. The type of program I will be completing combines elements of distance based education and a localized scope in its application. I will be able to maintain full-time employment and complete my degree within two years. That being said, I wanted to ask your advice on the type of job I should be seeking while I am still a student in order to garner the type of experience I will need to secure a position after obtaining my degree. I am hoping to be strategic in building my resume so that I am a more attractive candidate. I know that there are Library Assistant jobs that I may be able to obtain before I receive my degree, however, I am curious if you believe that it may prove more advantageous to look for internships or mentoring in lieu of gainful employment or not? I am very eager to begin my training and hope that you may be able to aid me as I begin my journey as a librarian.

SM:  First off, paid employment, if you can do it, is better for several reasons:

1. You’re getting a paycheck.
2. You are held accountable for doing what is required of the job. You will be reviewed by your supervisors, which means you will (or should) care more about doing a good job.
3. You get to learn what it is like to work (really work) in a library. You will discover the good and the bad and you will take this knowledge with you to each successive job.
4. It is (generally) a longer commitment than non-paying types of work, and (usually) you can stay in it post-graduation while you look for a professional job.
5. You will meet people who will become your mentors, serve as references, and perhaps give you a job down the road.

Internships can be wonderful opportunities, but they are usually short-lived and focus on one specific project. Mentorships are also a good idea, and I would encourage you to find a formal mentorship program or seek out a potential mentor on your own, but this should not be in lieu of actual work experience (if at all possible).

Much of what we learn in library school is meaningless until we apply it on the job, and there is no better way to learn about the profession and learn to be a librarian, than working in a library while going to library school.

To answer the second part of your question, library assistant jobs can be difficult to get and you should expect to encounter lots of competition, especially in universities or cities that have library school programs. Because of this, you will probably not have the luxury to pick and choose the exact job you want. But, a good thing to remember when you start looking for professional positions is that employers want experience, any experience. They won’t expect a new graduate to have the specific skills and experience that a working librarian will have. As a student, you should try to get experience in the type of library (academic, public, special) that you want to work in after you graduate. Any specialized experience you acquire along the way is icing on the cake.

To supplement your work, I recommend seeking out mentorship or internship opportunities that address the specific skills and experience you hope to gain to prepare you for the job you hope to get. Also, you should talk to the Career Services department at your school and let them know about your strategy to gain specific types of experience before you graduate. They will be able to help you fulfill your goals. Being strategic about gaining the right experience and skills (to get the job you want), before you even start library school, is very smart. I have a feeling you are on your way to a successful career.

Q: I am considering a career change and have been thinking about getting my MLS. I am wondering what the job prospects are like for school librarians. Also what is the day to day career like? What do librarians like the most about their jobs? What do they like the least? What kind of job satisfaction do they have? Thank you so much for any information you can provide.

SM:  Since neither Tiffany nor I are school librarians  (often called school library media specialists), we cannot give you firsthand advice on what it is like to be one. However, we are quite good at providing information that might be useful:

• The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) site (although somewhat outdated) provides good information on recruitment to the profession, education and licensing, and finding jobs.
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, has information on the nature of the work, job outlook, and training and advancement.
• Meet Your New School Library Media Specialist by Eric Weil
• The School Library Media Specialist — Designed as a tool for a university course at Indiana University at Indianapolis.
•  School Library Media Specialist Programs by Jonathan Swartz
• A Day in the Life of a School Librarian and Media Specialist Teacher
• 50 States’ Certification Requirements for teachers.

Find out if your State has a school library media association, and if so, check out their web site. They can provide you with information on specific certifications you may need and offer educational resources and tools. You can also look at your State’s Department of Education web site for information on teacher certification. Check out library job postings online to get a sense of how many jobs are available right now, and read the job listings to get an idea of what employers are looking for in an ideal job candidate. And finally, look into some library schools that offer a school library degree program to see what the curriculum is like and to find out more information on what it takes to get started.

I have a few friends who currently work, or have worked, as school librarians (or school library media specialists) and they tell me the best parts of the job are working with students and the schedule (which definitely has its advantages especially if you have school age kids yourself). I’ve heard that the job can be more like that of a classroom teacher than a traditional librarian, and in many schools, your closest colleagues are teachers. We would love to hear from our readers who happen to be school librarians. Please tell us what you love, and don’t love, about your job.

Q:  I have been applying for academic librarian positions in southern California for just over two years. I received my MLIS in 2004 from Florida State University and have six years full-time elementary librarianship experience, three years part-time college reference librarian experience, and a year of part-time public reference librarian experience– all in the state of Florida. Since it was my goal to expand my experience and horizons as far as I could, I worked these jobs concurrently. When I returned to my hometown to help care for my aging father two and a half years ago, I managed to gain employment as a technician/circulation supervisor in a community college library. While my current position has set me back directionally in my career path, many of my current responsibilities include management, collection development, committee involvement and collaborative skills that parallel those of many academic librarian positions. Is there are real possibility that college and university librarian hiring committees might accept my experience as appropriately transferable or will I be deemed an unsuitable candidate?

TA:  It’s hard to make such a sweeping blanket statement like being “deemed an unsuitable candidate” forever.  The end.  It’s never as easy as All Yes, or All No, but some people are able to switch specializations very successfully.  I’m not personally acquainted with the California job market, but I would bet there are many similarities to other job markets across the country.  Here are a few pointers:

As we’ve stated many times before, it’s the candidate’s job to give the hiring committee what they’re looking for in the ideal candidate.  Don’t make assumptions and don’t expect the committee to deduce that you have what they need from simple statements on your resume or in your cover letter.  Make it very clear what you’ve accomplished and how it relates to the job for which you’re applying. 

Use vocabulary in your letter that reflects current terms in use in academic libraries.  Your statement above about your current responsibilities including “management, collection development, committee involvement and collaborative skills” is a good example.

Address your reasons for moving from position to position in your cover letter.  Don’t make it autobiographical essay, but be sure to give some idea about why you changed jobs and specializations.  Even being as brief as “For personal reasons, I returned to Florida where I now serve as a supervisor in a local community college that has over 9,000 enrolled students on 4 campuses.  In this capacity, I manage/lead/supervise/coordinate…” will work in the letter.

Apply for positions that will give you good experience for the next position.  Remember, your career will build over time, and while you may have taken a sideways step, you’ll still get there with careful planning and execution.

Q:  I completed my MLIS degree in 2010. I have 7 years of public library experience working as a Library Page and 4 years as a Library Assistant in a special library. While job hunting, it seems I am either overqualified since I have my MLIS, or underqualified since I don’t have years and years of experience. (But how do you get experience when you can’t find a job?) I have been sending out applications, but haven’t heard back from anyone. How can I get a full-time job? What am I doing wrong?

TA:  We hear often from others on the market who feel the same or similar…folks who are looking for a good fit and a good fulltime position in the library profession.  Unfortunately for many, that job is hard to find, and it’s not because they (or you) are doing anything wrong.  Many libraries are having to scale back on recruitment due to the economy, and many librarians close to retirement are staying in positions longer because of their own personal finances and the economic uncertainties.  This results in very large applicant pools for the few positions that are actually being filled.  Be sure that you apply for positions for which you are truly qualified.  Sometimes, I hear entry-level librarians say that they’ve just gotten so discouraged that they’re applying for “everything” they see.  While this might seem to be an effective strategy (it’s got to increase your chances of landing a job if you have a lot of applications out there, right?) I think it actually works against a candidate’s chances because you’re not targeting your efforts and spending time where it belongs.

You may also want to have someone look over your resume and cover letter to get feedback on how it’s perceived by the reader—Is it too advanced for entry level?  Is it too general for higher level positions?  ALA’s New Members Round Table offers a resume review service (year-round for members, and on site for everyone who makes an appointment during ALA Annual and Midwinter conferences), as well as similar services provided by local and statewide professional associations.  You may also want to consider information interviews with HR professionals or subject specialists in institutions where you’re looking.  (Take a look at our previous articles on Informational Interviews)

Most importantly, stay positive and stay active professionally.  Attend professional association meetings in your local area.  Follow blogs, listservs, and literature…just stay involved with the current conversation.  It will serve you well on the job market, during your interviews, and in your first position.