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This Entry-Level Position is NOT What I Expected!
by Rachel AugelloAfter months of sending out resumes, interviewing, and dealing with rejection, you finally celebrate landing a position - you begin working as a librarian! Things seem fine at first, but after a few months (or even weeks) you begin to realize something is amiss. The salary seems a bit low, especially after apportioning a certain amount to a student loan corporation. The duties seem less glamorous than described during the interview process or implied during your LIS classes. You begin to wonder if librarianship was a huge mistake. Many newly minted librarians remain blissfully unaware of the overarching realities of the less-than-optimal job duties and lack of compensation common to the entry-level librarian.
Paying Dues
As an entry-level librarian fresh out of an LIS program, several aspects of your position may cause you to run in the other direction prematurely. Even though the MLS is a terminal professional degree, it is only part of the dues paying process. Now, you must prove yourself in the work environment. Management classes in LIS programs often mislead students into thinking they will gain immediate entry into a supervisory position. While sometimes this may occur, it is more likely that you will neither supervise paraprofessional staff nor other librarians, but will be supervised yourself. Your supervisor will scrutinize your work (and, hopefully, offer productive feedback).
Particularly frustrating to many new librarians is the fact that the achievement needed for advancement is often simply a certain number of years of experience. Accept your role as a new librarian, and draw upon those experiences to propel you to advancement several years down the road!
Salary Realities
After spending months trying to land your first professional position, you finally receive a salary offer that is, shall we say, paltry for someone who spent a lot of money on a master's degree. Unless you live in a major metropolitan area, your starting salary will probably fall below 40k. There are always exceptions, but more often than not, higher entry-level salaries are often seen only in cities with a cost of living index far exceeding the national average. The higher salaries in major metropolitan areas often barely cover housing costs.
While most entry-level salaries are deplorable, it is best to be forewarned. After receiving the initial offer, try to negotiate for slightly more money and/or moving expenses. Realistically, you may not have much negotiating power as a new grad, but why not exhaust all your options?
Feeling Trapped
First of all, you are never stuck anywhere! It is not uncommon for new graduates to have their first job fall far below their expectations in terms of type of library, duties, and/or responsibilities. So, how do you address this dilemma? Several approaches, when combined, will hopefully make your time more tolerable.
Obviously, learn as much as you can about your current position. Even though you may be sorely disappointed, it is imperative that you perform all assigned duties to the best of your abilities. When you have days of extreme despondency, view your current position as an extended seminar in which you are receiving a professional education beyond the MLS.
Try to discover better ways to do your job and be open to learning from others. During this time, refuse to allow yourself to become stagnant; one of the best ways to avoid becoming professionally stagnant is to focus on your professional development.
Try to make the best of your situation and eschew a defeatist attitude. This means trying to bring innovation to your library by developing a network beyond its walls. Attend conferences and get involved in professional organizations, at least at the state and/or local level. If you are unable to attend conferences, take advantage of webinars and other online learning opportunities.
Another way to contribute to the profession while you are biding your time is by writing. Honing these skills could serve you well in the future, especially if you are seeking a tenure track position. Plenty of journals in our field need reviewers, so this is a great place to start.
Geographically Tethered
People are often reluctant to relocate for a myriad of reasons, many practical and some more sentimental. Perhaps the best opportunities for you are not in your hometown. If you took a job, say, at the local public library, but you really want to work in a medical library, then you may have to relocate for the desired position.
I had to relocate 1500 miles away to escape the metropolitan public library morass. Years later, I can honestly say that that position, nestled in the upper Midwest U.S., ultimately helped get me what I wanted in a gentler clime. If you are unable to relocate, then continue to look for opportunities in your area - but expect it may take longer to land your ideal position.
Workplace Dysfunction
Unfortunately, the library environment is not immune to dysfunction. Internecine rivalries and bullying supervisors can directly mar your work quality, not to mention cause severe emotional distress. In severe cases, it is often best to cut your losses as soon as possible.
My first position was at a large metropolitan public library. For a few months, I blithely ignored the high attrition rate as well as the fact that my colleagues were obviously beleaguered. After a while, though, I began to realize that most of my long-term colleagues had become inured on the surface to the dysfunctional environment, but that their discontentment was realized in absenteeism and lack of enthusiasm.
After a few months, I realized the environment would probably never change, so I began to search for other jobs. After seven long months, I was able to escape. I landed a position more aligned with my interest in technical services. I even took a small cut in salary for the position, but I knew it would be more beneficial to my future career. If you plan to apply for other positions within the first year of employment, be prepared to defend your reason for an early exit. No matter how tempting it is to vent to prospective employers, avoid this at all costs, or you may end up staying in that dysfunctional environment longer than desired!
Focus on personal and professional preservation, mastery of your duties, and continual professional growth. Look at your current unpleasant position as an extended LIS seminar. Armed with this knowledge and these coping strategies, you will be able to move on to a more suitable position commensurate with your newly acquired experiences.
Rachel Augello is the Head of Technical Services at Greenville Technical College in Greenville, SC. She obtained an MS in Library Science from Florida State U. in 1997.