Greetings! Since this is a brand new forum I’ll take the time to introduce myself. My name is Jess Bruckner, and I am a public librarian in Wisconsin.

Today I want to take the time to list five ways to jumpstart your career in librarianship. If anyone else cares to contribute to the discussion, please feel free to do so.


Jess’ Five Ways to Jumpstart Your Library Career:


1. Take charge of your career from day one of library school. Get involved (library associations, fieldwork/volunteer, student organizations) and network. If you wait until after graduate school to get serious about your career you might find yourself afloat in choppy waters.


2. Market your skills. Ask yourself the question, “Am I marketing all my skills?” By asking yourself this question, you can start to truly inventory all your skills, and discover some you might have overlooked. Build a portfolio of your skills that you can refer to in your cover letter, resume, and in the interview. Use one or two keywords to keep track of your skills in your notes, and look for these same keywords (or similar traits) in job postings/invitations. Finding common ground in what the employer is looking for and the skills you possess will help build your self confidence about the opportunity right off the bat. Remember that it is not enough to mention that you possess a certain skill; you must be able to give examples to effectively market it.


3. Your attitude is the key. You should always strive for ways to improve your self confidence (see above.)


4. Find a mentor. A mentor is someone you can turn to for all kinds of advice, and be frank with at any time. A good mentor is willing to share knowledge and will play a part in your professional development. More importantly, they will lend an ear when you are encountering a challenge, or even having a bad day.


5. Be dynamic! I was at a friend’s wedding this summer, and he pointed out one of his old college professors sitting at a dinner table. Since my friend and I both went to the same university, I wanted to introduce myself and catch up on the latest news at UW-Whitewater. We started to talk about the new chancellor at my alma matter, and he happened to mention he was on the hiring committee to hire this person. I was intrigued, and I asked the professor about the process; what separated the candidate who got the job from the others. “They all had the networking, fundraising, administrative skills, and experience necessary for the job” he said. “The candidate who ended up getting the job was dynamic! The way she greeted us (the hiring panel) and made us feel in the interview made all the difference.”