Hello!

I am a new professional who is currently looking for work out of graduate school. I have a lot of experience in academic libraries, but in my two years during my masters I was never able to break onto the reference desk as an assistant, so I had to settle for lower level assistant tech. work.

As you can read in an earlier post, I think I have been having trouble finding a job because of my lack of practical experience. It seems that all my interviewers say that while I am an excellent candidate, there were others with a year or more of experience beating me out. Partially this may have to do with the fact that I am in an urban centre, and others may have gained experience elsewhere and are now applying to where they want to live.

I had been resigned to the fact that I would have to move to get experience. However, today a applied arts and technical college called me today for an interview at the end of the week.

Knowing that I want to end up (right now at least) working in an academic library preferably, and a research library in the end, what are people's thoughts about "settling" for a 2-year college vs a 4-year university. I don't know if the fact that Canada makes a sharp distinction between the two matters either.

I am afraid that if I were to take this job I would be branded as a college guy and have an equally difficult time breaking into the university arena later as I am having now. I will say that I do publish book reviews of academic works regularly, and I am sure I could publish articles focused on universities. Or I was even thinking about writing about college students doing bridging work, and serving them---that is unique I think.

What are people's thoughts, particularly those doing the hiring?

I agree. I work in a public library and probably advanced in part because I started in the organization and could use my knowledge of the organization as something in my favor. Professional positions in public libraries are sometimes hard to come by. The folks who have them tend not to want to leave them unless they move to a different location or something truly better comes up or they have gone as far as they can go.

Now, that I've said that, I personally would like to explore opportunities in local community colleges...and I'm finding those jobs are few and far between! :)