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Striving Toward Specialization
by Kristina KeoghIt certainly was challenging to find that first post-MLS position. You applied to a variety of jobs over a period of months, interviewed repeatedly, and waited with bated breath for an offer. Finally, you obtained that professional job you had been working so hard for since (at least) the first day of library school.
As you embark on your new career you will continue to learn and refine the skills necessary to succeed in the library profession. However, you will eventually decide to re-enter the job search arena. Perhaps you have education, abilities, or subject knowledge that you are unable to apply in your current position. What can you do to prepare for the next step in your career? The following methods may aid you in your pursuit of a new, more specialized role.
Make the most of your experience
What is unique about your current institution? How can you apply your experience to the position you want? Consider how you can take where you are now to the next phase in your career. You are gaining experience every single day. When it comes time to interview, highlight the relation of these transferable skills to a more specialized role. Do you do any outreach? What types of users (public, undergraduates, grads, faculty...) do you work with? Potential employers will look favorably on your practical skills, so don't hesitate to promote your expertise!
Mentors
Keep in contact with those you have worked with in the past. Tell them you are interested in committee work in your specialty and offer to contribute to projects or publications. Let them know you are interested in keeping up in the field. Utilizing old contacts in this way gives you the chance to work in areas related to your desired specialty, even if your current position doesn't allow you access to such projects. If you lack a strong mentor relationship, many specialized organizations offer programs to match mentors and mentees.
Professional development (or, getting your name out there)
Other than looking for opportunities to publish, another important aspect of professional development is committee work. I would highly recommend volunteering to do publicity for a committee's activities. Working in publicity can be tremendously helpful just in getting your name out to the wider community. ALA's New Members Roundtable (NMRT) is a great place for new librarians to get their feet wet, and many of their activities need publicity. The simple act of sending out reminders about events and soliciting volunteers for activities can be extremely effective when it comes to name recognition. Look for possible opportunities in professional societies that relate to your unique subject area. There are usually mechanisms for new members to get involved, especially in smaller organizations that look to the creativity of new members to keep themselves relevant.
Continuing education
Try to take classes/workshops on topics that will encourage your growth. Chances are that your local library consortium offers very specific workshops (often free of charge to members) designed to help you strengthen your job skills. If you work for a university, you may be able to take classes at little or no cost. This can help you to stay current in your subject field or let you learn more about an area in which you are weaker.
Lists, blogs, RSS...
Keeping up to date on current issues in your field of specialization will be important when you move toward your next position, and it will save time later on to keep up with the issues now. It is never too early to become active in your community's conversations. Take 10-20 minutes every day to scan through current items. Then, when it comes time to prepare for an interview or for a presentation, these new ideas will be right at your fingertips!
Networking
Get over your shyness! When attending professional meetings and conferences, it's important to move outside your familiar (and safe) arena to meet and talk with others who are working within your intended specialization. You may be surprised at how eager many highly experienced professionals and leaders are to offer advice, or simply an encouraging word.
Apply, apply, but be selective
Finally, when you feel ready to begin the process of applying to a more specialized position, think about your goals and your needs. What kind of position is going to fulfill and nurture you as embark on the next phase of your career? Keep an eye out for job notices that may help you fulfill that role. When you already have a professional position, why waste your time and everyone else's applying for something that doesn't bring you closer to that next step in the career path. You've taken the time to prepare yourself to function in a new role and a new environment. Don't fall into the old trap of applying to everything that crosses your path. Look at the position description and the organization, and ask yourself if this could be the one!
Applying for a new position is an always stressful and often long process. The second time around, draw upon everything you learned from you first experience. Remember, you are now an expert at this. Think carefully about how every aspect of your current position might relate to the one that comes next. But, at the same time, do everything you can to keep yourself current in your subject specific field. Your job has its demands, but it is vital to start today to prepare yourself for the future.
Kristina Keogh is enjoying her second post-MLS position as the Reference Librarian for the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.