Resume-Writing Advice
Resume writing advice and resources, both librarian-specific and general. Also find resources on related topics, such as writing a great cover letter, creating an electronic resume, crafting a CV, and creating a portfolio. For information on interviewing and other job-hunting advice, see search strategies. You can also browse through others' resumes on LISjobs.com if you need examples. Want to suggest an additional resource? Email rachel@lisjobs.com.
Library-specific Resume Advice and Resources
- LISjobs.com's Resumes & Interviews forum provides a place to discuss resumes and ask for advice.
- "Vita vs. Resume: Get Unstuck by Knowing the Difference" by Susan M. Frey talks about the differences between a resume and a CV.
- Getting Started with the NMRT Resume Review Service -- a video with Sarah Johnson, who gives some tips on common mistakes.
- "Objective Statements on Resumes" from the Library Career People gives advice on whether to include one.
- "Resumes, Interview Success, and the Library Job Market" by Jess Bruckner -- tips for success.
- Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviewing from the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. This 37-page Word document walks you step-by-step through the process; useful advice on targeting your resume and cover letter to job ads.
- ALA-NMRT Member? Try their Resume Review Service. (NMRT is only $10 over a basic ALA membership, so a pretty good deal even if you just want your resume reviewed. They also provide free resume reviews in-person at ALA conferences.)
- "Making Your Cover Letter Work For You from LIScareer.com. Tells what you should include.
- "Top of the Heap, or Bottom of the (Trash) Barrel?" reprint from NMRT Footnotes on cover letters and resumes for librarians.
- If you're within 6 to 8 months of your MLS graduation or post-MLS residency, you can post your resume for free at ARL's Graduate Student Resume Database.
- You can also post your resume in ALA's JOBLIST database.
- "Punch Up Your Portfolio" from LISCareer.com addresses why librarians need portfolios and what to include.
- "Gaps In Your Resume" from LISCareer.com tells how to address employment gaps on a resume.
- "The Perfect Resume" by Amy C. Whitner gives a top ten list of "resume don'ts."
- "The Librarian's Portfolio" by Patte Weathers-Parry -- what's a portfolio, and how do you create one?
- "Crafting a Winning Resume" from LISCareer.com talks about how to present information effectively.
- "Five Tips to Stand Out" from Library Journal -- advice from a search committee veteran on making a good impression.
- "Ten Tips for Resumes" by Ulla de Stricker is posted at the Toronto SLA chapter.
- "Too Many Resumes, Too Many Mistakes" by Nancy Larrabee lists common mistakes.
- Robert Newlen's Resume Writing and Interviewing Techniques That Work is the only librarian-specific book of its type.
General Resume Advice and Resources
- Try the Practice e-resume tutorial, a step-by-step tutorial on creating an effective electronic resume.
- See Creating an Online Resume from Skidmore College; how do electronic resumes differ from their print counterparts?
- Creating ePortfolios With Web 2.0 Tools by Dr. Helen Barrett.
- "From CV to Resume" from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
- "Wrting a CV" from the University of Buffalo Libraries. How to do so, how this differs from a resume.