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Can anyone add insight to how to get that first management job? I'm in a Catch-22. I need to have management experience in order to be considered for management positions but the university I work in doesn't allow faculty to do any supervision of anyone.
Otherwise I'm in a great position -- professional activities, publications, solid work record (15plus years), technology/collection development/reference experience. International reputation in the field, etc etc.
But potential employers ask "How many people to you directly supervise?" and when I say "None" they literally hang up the phone on me. Or, they tell me "great experience, great enthusiasm, great attitude, great vita/cover letter, etc etc but we simply can't hire anyone to manage who isn't already doing it." And they don't buy my spin e.g. I supervise paraprofessionals, I participate in hirings, I help with evaluations, I run the department when my boss is gone. They want to see that I directly supervise other professionals on a formal basis. That's it. And nothing else will satisfy.
And I do get calls for jobs -- sometimes big jobs -- $10 million budgets/100 person staffs -- but as soon as they hear I'm not already a manager it goes out the window.
Any suggestions for ways around this. (and if someone cares to and indicates their willingness I'd be happy to send them my vita privately so they can see what the problem is or how I can pitch my experiences in a better way) I think this is a solvable problem, but I'm out of ideas.
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This is always a hard nut to crack. From what you have posted, it sounds to me like you do have supervisory experience, but the organizations/positions you are applying for want someone who is already "officially" in a management position. The best (and only) advice/suggestion I can offer is try applying for assistant manager or assistant department head positions. They will provide you with concrete management experience and after you have been in the position for 1-2 years, you can make the next move up the management ladder.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 1/2/2008
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Guest wrote:Can anyone add insight to how to get that first management job? I'm in a Catch-22. I need to have management experience in order to be considered for management positions but the university I work in doesn't allow faculty to do any supervision of anyone. OK, than I am confused. Who does the supervision than if not faculty?
Brian C. Gray Head of Reference & Engineering Librarian Kelvin Smith Library Case Western Reserve University http://blog.case.edu/bcg8bcg8@case.edu
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Rank: Newbie
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Location: MA
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I realized this is an old thread, but I find myself in the same position. I work in a public library and I have been looking for a department head job for a few years. There are so few out there to start with, plus I live in an area with a library school so there are TONS of librarians here, many of whom have more experience than I do. Partly, I just try to be patient. I'm not planning to move away from this area anytime soon (I just bought a house 2 years ago) so I know that I'm limiting myself.
But I am very involved with a local non-profit organization on a volunteer basis. I'm on the board of directors and I'm chair of a very active committee. I think I have demonstrated leadership abilities in this capacity and shown that I can manage people and workflows and resources. Hopefully this will be a little boost to me even though it's not related to my job.
I want to get more professionally involved as well. I haven't gone to a conference in a couple of years as I have to pay for it out of pocket, but I plan to go to NELA this fall, and my goal is one conference per year in the future.
Is there anything else I can do to prepare myself while waiting for department head jobs to open?
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Location: Lake Villa, IL
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Getting involved with local professional organizations is a good start. Being a workshop presenter is excellent ... you become someone others might look up to.
A lot depends on what type of department you want to manage, though. You can't focus so narrowly as to seem uninterested in whatever job actually becomes available.
Also, keep tabs on where the technology/society nexus is driving us. You don't have to have an IT person's skills but you do need to be able to understand where social networking may be taking us in a Library 2.0 era.
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