So you are thinking about a job...

Many of you are starting to think about jobs in library and information science. Others are considering jobs in information science and associated fields. It's really important to build a network of colleagues and mentors who can help you find a position, write letters of recommendation, and introduce you to others.

 

• Build a network. Think about your social media persona. Lock down your Facebook page and flesh out LinkedIn. Build a positive, work oriented social media presence on all social media sites. 
• Look at job ads. What skills are prospective employers looking for? What skills can you emphasize? What do you need to learn?
• Get some practical, hands-on experience at a cultural institution. Build a positive working relationship with your colleagues and supervisors. Think about this position as an entry into the profession. 
• Brush up your writing skills. Write reviews, memos, letters, articles. Polish your spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and writing skills. 
• Read widely. Read the newspaper or news feeds. Read reviews of current fiction, non-fiction, literature, current events. Read a few books. Haunt the bookstores looking at flyleaves and blurbs.

 

See what types of jobs are available through LAC Group https://lac-group.com/ and sign up for their blog.

​Follow HLS (Hack Library School) ​http://www.hacklibraryschool.com to see what other students on the east coast are talking about in terms of jobs and careers.

Attend local meetings for Georgia archivists, librarians, paraprofessionals, special librarians. See if there's a local or regional ASIS&T or SLA group. Attend their meetings. Talk about your job, your career, and ask them about jobs and career advice.

Schedule some informational interviews asking other professionals for their advice.

Librarianship is all about networking. Talk to people and see what's out there. Don't be afraid to look outside traditional librarianship for jobs.

Blogs for LIS students and professionals

As I start to think about the Fall semester (2015), I wonder how to introduce my Foundations of LIS students to the profession. What words of wisdom can I share and how will they learn about the amazing world of Libraries, Archives, Museums, Historical Societies and more? 

I've come to realize that not only is it impossible for me to stay current, but that what I understand and know is radically different from what my students need to know. To that end, I've started following some amazing blogs that provide insight into what LIS students are learning and struggling with, or what they need to know when they graduate. 

My favorite blog, hands down, is Hack Library School HLS http://hacklibraryschool.com/.
This blog is written by a cadre of students in various LIS / IS programs. They describe what they are learning in the classroom, online, in practicum and internship programs, and in real life. As a professor and a long-time librarian, a very analog librarian, I learn a lot from the students who take the time to write something every day. Today, I was reminded that LIS students need a combination of theory and practice. http://hacklibraryschool.com/2015/08/10/theory-matters-constructing-a-personal-philosophy-of-librarianship/ It should be balance. Not all one or the other. As a practicing librarian, researcher, and historian, I know that LIS students have to know how to do research, answer questions at a reference desk, parse questions, and search the web. They also need to know how catalogs and databases work. Do we all have to know how the bits and bytes move from place to place? No, but a basic idea is good. Do we all need to know every MARC tag or how the catalogs communicate with one another using Z39 standards? Again, No! but we do need to have a basic idea about connectivity, interoperability, and, yes, discoverability. The rest, the really techy stuff, I'll leave to my students.

The other blog I read regularly is the LAC Group Blog http://lac-group.com/ A recent posting included advice for Job Seekers. http://lac-group.com/blog/2015/05/14/lac-group-publishes-advice-for-job-seekers/
If you are looking for a job, what skills do you need? This head-hunting group will fill you in.

There are other blogs of interest? You bet. I'll find some more and post them here. In the meantime, explore these blogs and let me know what you think.

Librarians Know a little about everything

NPR's article "Before The Internet, Librarians Would 'Answer Everything' — And Still Do" (Dec 28, 2014):  http://www.npr.org/2014/12/28/373268931/before-the-internet-librarians-would-answer-everything-and-still-do  is definitely true. As librarians, you need to stay intellectually active, learn new things all the time, and be open to new experiences.

After listening to NPR's interview, do you think that the mantra is true?
What did you learn today?