Author: Susanne Markgren

Assistant Director of the Library for Technical Services
Q: How do I make my resume work for me?

Q: How do I make my resume work for me?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 1 Comment

Q: I just finished my MLIS degree and need to start some serious job hunting. I am seeking advice about my resume and previous job experience. I feel a bit intimidated that many of my classmates were already working in libraries as aides, library assistants, etc.

I know I have transferable experience, but I want to make it work for me in my resume. Much of my background is basic administrative clerical, e.g., secretarial, administrative assistant. This has given me many good skills, especially with computers, and also in working with people in a variety of settings. I actually temped for many years, and don’t want this to look bad on my resume. I have two internships under my belt, and I worked in a library in high school.

Please advise. Are there any good librarian-oriented resume services online that I can hire to critique my resume? Or should I just get the books and do it on my own?

TA: It’s good for you to start thinking about your job experience and transferable skills while you begin your search. For those reading this column who may still be in school, let me make a pitch that you, too, should be thinking about your job search strategy and skill sets. You may think you have plenty of time because you haven’t even graduated. Keep in mind, though, that the typical academic search takes anywhere from six to nine months – so start thinking, looking, and applying now!

However, back to our reader’s questions… While having previous library experience is always a plus, it isn’t necessarily a deal- breaker if you have other experience to draw on that you can show directly relates to the job for which you are applying. (Another note to those still in school: I know we’ve said this at least a hundred times, but it bears repeating. Get as much experience as possible while you are in school. It will be a practical supplement to the theory you learn in the classroom and will look excellent on your resume. Use field experiences, independent studies, student assistant experience, etc., to build your library experience. This makes for a better-rounded applicant, and, when given two candidates who are more or less equal, search committees are more likely to select the candidate with experience over the candidate without.)

And again, back to the reader’s questions. There are three areas to address: transferable skills, including your temporary experience on your resume, and using resume services.

Transferable Skills

When you are applying for positions, always look for transferable skills. You may not have experience as a library aide or assistant, but you may have experience that relates to the position for which you are applying.

You mentioned computer skills and the ability to work with a diverse clientele, both of which are incredibly important in today’s library. If you are able, draw direct parallels between your experience and the experience that is called for in the vacancy announcement. For each of the positions listed on your resume, emphasize the need for organization, flexibility, and communication that the job required. Also be sure to mention the different types of clients or constituents that you served, and, if applicable, the different settings in which you worked.

To highlight your computer skills, I would include a separate “Technical Skills” section on your resume (toward the end, after your professional experience and before your references), and list the computer skills, databases, and programs that you feel are relevant to the position.

Your cover letter is also a good place to state your case, explaining what makes you the best candidate for a given job. Use your cover letter as a bridge between the vacancy announcement and your resume, stating your interest in a position and demonstrating how you meet each of the required qualifications. Draw on all of your experience, in the classroom and in the workplace, in a library, or in another setting.

Including Temporary Experience On Your Resume

Temporary employment can be a valuable experience in a number of ways. First, it pays the bills! Secondly, you get firsthand experience at a number of jobs, in a variety of settings. You also have the benefit of working with a diverse clientele from position to position. The ability to jump right in, learn a new job and have the flexibility to adapt to a number of situations are all extremely valuable assets.

But you are right to be a little concerned about how a number of temporary positions will look on your resume. You don’t want to be mistaken for a “job hopper.” I would recommend listing your time with the temp agency, as opposed to placement-by-placement. For example, you could list your experience with the “ABC Temp Agency” from January 2000 to December 2000, with a brief description of your various placements, duties and responsibilities. I would caution against listing each placement as a separate item on your resume; the short durations of employment may raise red flags to folks who take a superficial glance. Just keep in mind that it’s all about the spin – be sure you are able to explain how your temp experience was valuable, the skills you gained, and the benefit your experience will bring to the potential employer.

Resume Services

As for resume services, there are a lot of excellent (and free) services that you can take advantage of before spending good money on a fee service. Take a look at the following list for articles on resumes and cover letters:

ALA’s New Members Round Table (NMRT) also provides a resume reviewing service, by mail, e-mail and on site at the ALA annual and midwinter conferences. The NMRT Resume Reviewing Committee schedules librarians from all types of settings (public, academic, school media centers, etc.), and the reviewers are available to sit down with you to review your resume materials, offer feedback and suggestions, and answer any questions you may have. They also have career materials available at the resume reviewing site for you to view while you visit.

If you are attending the conference, the resume service is free of charge. If you would like to have your resume and cover letter reviewed at any point throughout the year by mail or e-mail, you must be a member of NMRT. (NMRT membership is only $10 a year; probably much less than resume service, and you receive additional member benefits.) Visit the NMRT Resume Review Service web site to learn more about their services.

Q: Can you give me advice on finding a job in a health sciences setting?

Q: Can you give me advice on finding a job in a health sciences setting?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I am completing my MLS and will be looking for a job in a health sciences setting. Can you give me any advice on how to begin my search and what to emphasize on my resume? Thanks.

SM: As you probably know, there are many different types of health sciences libraries in a variety of settings – clinical, academic, and public. Health sciences librarianship can be a very diverse, exciting, fast-paced, and progressive field, especially if you enjoy working with digital resources. Health sciences librarians generally deal with the most current, up-to-date information possible, much of which is online. The magnitude of information in the biomedical field alone grows by staggering amounts every day. For an example, take a look at the primary bibliographic database for the biomedical world, MEDLINE, with its more than 12 million citations.

Where to Begin?

The roles of health sciences librarians can vary tremendously, depending on the type of institution or setting they work in. They may all work with similar materials and resources and deal with the same publishers and vendors. Depending on their clientele, though, they are probably in very different roles doing very different things.

You already know that you are interested in the health sciences. So, you have the “what” down, but how about the “where” and the “who?” Are you interested in working with physicians, residents, nurses, and other medical staff in a clinical setting, or working with the public in a consumer-health setting, or working with students or researchers in an academic/research setting? Think about what kind of patrons you might like working with and what type of environment you want to work in. The duties of a clinical librarian in a hospital can be quite different from those of a reference librarian in a university health sciences library.

What to Emphasize?

If you have a background in the sciences, took a health sciences library course, have experience with medical terminology, or are just very interested in the field, be sure to state this in your resume or cover letter when applying for jobs in a health sciences setting. Many jobs may not require that you have a health sciences background or experience, but it definitely helps if you do. At the very least, show that you have an interest in the subject area and that you are motivated to learn. You may want to take a class in medical terminology, a health sciences/medical reference class, or perhaps attend a mini-med school.

One of the best aspects of the biomedical/health sciences field is that so much of the information and tools are online, and some of it is free – like PubMed, MedlinePlus, and PubMed Central.

More…

For more information about the field of health sciences librarianship as well as professional development opportunities, visit the Medical Library Association’s web site and join the electronic discussion list MEDLIB-L. You can find job postings on both the web site and the discussion list.

The National Library of Medicine has a NLM Fellow program, which is “…designed to prepare librarians for future leadership roles in health sciences libraries and in health services research.” They also have an Informationist program. Informationists are “…information specialists who have received graduate training and practical experience that provides them with disciplinary background both in medical or biological sciences and in information sciences/informatics.”

Do your research before you start looking for jobs to try to determine what type of health sciences library you want to work in, and what type of health sciences librarian you want to be. Good luck!

Other Resources:

Q: How much time is reasonable for “considering an offer”?

Q: How much time is reasonable for “considering an offer”?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: My question concerns how to handle one job offer for a less-than- ideal position while waiting (and hoping) for the job offer that I really want. Besides any other advice you can give, I would like to know how to handle the concrete offer. How much time is reasonable for “considering the offer?” Do I need to explain that I am seriously looking at another job and would probably take it if it were offered? Knowing how long the search process can sometimes take, if I accept the concrete offer, is it unprofessional to change my mind if I land the other job before I start work on the first? If the search process takes a long time, and I have already started the first job, how do I manage to get time off for the interview process when brand new in a position? Is it then a “black mark” to quit the first job after having already started it? If you can refer me to some good resources on the subject, particularly in the field of library employment, that would be great!

TA: This is actually a pretty common question, with a rather simple answer, so my comments will be brief. The actual decision-making and implementation are more difficult, though, and may take a good deal of time and thought.

So, you have an offer from “Institution A,” and you would like an interview/offer from “Institution B.” The first thing you need to do is ask for time from Institution A to consider their offer. You do not need to tell them you are considering other options. All you need to say is that you need to consider the offer, and you would like to take a few days. Human resources personnel expect you to take your time to think things over, so you could probably negotiate four or five days to consider the offer. Ask for the time you need, and take your cues from the HR person. If they ask for an answer sooner, ask them how much time they are willing to give you, and decide if that is enough.

Then, immediately turn around and contact Institution B. Tell them that you remain interested in their position, but that you have another offer on the table (without mentioning the name of Institution A). Ask Institution B if they can tell you where they are in the search process, and if you are still a viable candidate in the pool. You will be able to tell a lot from their answer. If they are still reviewing applications, it may be a while before they contact candidates. If they are interviewing applicants, and you are not one of them, they may be able to tell you if your application is still active or if you have been eliminated from further consideration. If they really want you in the pool, Institution B may tell you, and may be able to expedite the search process to keep you.

I would strongly caution against accepting a position simply to “bide your time” until you hear from Institution B. This is a real disservice to Institution A, and, depending on how quickly you leave the position, you may not leave the impression you’d like. If at all possible, once you accept a position, you should plan on being there at least one to three years. I cannot stress enough that the library profession is very small – people know people who know people. It would serve you well to be the ultimate professional in all that you do, even before you take the job.

For other articles on the job search process, specifically in the library and information science profession, take a look at LISCareer.com.

Q: Am I being viewed as a “job hopper”?

Q: Am I being viewed as a “job hopper”?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I’ve been a librarian for nearly four years, and I am on my second job and third job title. I am not entirely satisfied with my current position and have been looking for other openings in and around my area; however, I do not want potential employers seeing me as a habitual “job hopper.” Please help!

SM: People change jobs for many reasons, and typically these moves are for the better – a promotion, more money, more responsibility, a change in environment, or an opportunity to learn new things. In many professions or industries, job hopping, defined as the “practice of changing jobs frequently, especially as a means of quick financial gain or career advancement,” is encouraged – and can be the only way to get ahead. In contrast, librarianship is a profession where loyalty and longevity have traditionally been rewarded, and “lifer” is a common term for employees. With its diversity and close ties to the information technology world, though, this can be an auspicious arena for job hoppers.

Newer librarians have less work experience, and do not necessarily know what kind of librarianship they want to pursue or what type of library they would enjoy working in. They may find themselves moving from one position to another in an attempt to find their place in the world of libraries. Outgrowing an entry-level position may also very well mean moving on, either to a different library or to a different position or role within the same library. This seems to be more and more common among newer librarians, as traditional library environments and librarians’ roles are changing rapidly with the technological age.

Librarianship is a very diverse profession, with so many different roles and types of libraries, that finding “the perfect position” may be downright impossible – especially if one is geographically limited. Many librarians, when they are starting out, take the first decent job that is offered to them. They soon realize that it doesn’t quite fit, so they acquire some experience, learn what they can, and start looking for other jobs. This doesn’t necessarily make them job hoppers. Having several jobs, or roles, in your first few years as a librarian can provide a (motivated) librarian with essential experience and wonderful fodder for a resume. It can convey positive clues to potential employers that you are motivated, not shy of change or added responsibility, and are eager to succeed.

But, if you think that you may truly be a job hopper, be careful. There are definitely negatives, if:

  1. You do not spend enough time in each position. This is generally one year, minimum. You need to give each position, along with your supervisors and co-workers, a fair chance. You need to stay long enough to gain something out of the position, and long enough to be sure that you do not want to remain in the position.
  2. There are stretches of unemployment in between jobs. Job hopping means moving from one position to another, not quitting a job and then looking for another one.
  3. You have changed jobs more times than you can count. Don’t make a career out of job-hopping. It might be fun to try something new every few years, but it will eventually make you look disloyal if you make a habit of it.
  4. You are hopping out of the profession and back in. Unless you have a good reason to leave the profession, or the position you left for is closely related to librarianship, it may be difficult to explain on your resume.
  5. Each successive position is not something more than the previous one. Your jobs should show a progression of skills and duties.

In all reality, switching jobs several times with a clear record of upward movement and responsibility will look better on your resume than staying in one position for a long period of time and not advancing in any way. But, ultimately, it all depends on how happy or satisfied you are. Some people find that perfect position, and they are very content doing the same thing and staying at the same level. Others enjoy, even crave, a constant challenge; if a position becomes monotonous or there are no new challenges in their daily activities, then they start to get an “itch” to move on.

Now, having said all that, you may not need to hop around so much after all. If you feel the itch to move, first try talking to your supervisor and letting her know that you are not fully satisfied in your current position. You do not need to mention that you might be looking for work elsewhere, but can provide some ideas on what you would like to be doing. You never know, there may be a great position, new role, or promotion right under your nose.

A couple of articles related to job hopping:

“As the Job Market Improves, Job Hopping Will Heat Up” by Laura Stevens

“Taking the Scenic Route: Following a Varied Library Career Path” by Priscilla Shontz

Q: How do I convince a library to hire me as a clerk? I really want this job!

Q: How do I convince a library to hire me as a clerk? I really want this job!

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I have an interview with a public library as a clerk. I want this job very much but I have no prior experience working in libraries. Please advise me on how I can convince them to hire me! I really would love to work in a library. What intelligent thing can I say during my interview, to convince them to hire me? Please help.

SM: First of all, congratulations on getting an interview! This is the first step to a career in libraries. A clerk position (sometimes called library assistant) is usually considered entry-level, which means no library experience required. Your interviewers will, however, expect you to be computer literate, detailed-oriented, and organized, and to be able to communicate effectively and pleasantly. So, play up the skills and experience that you do have, especially ones that relate to these traits.

Since you made it to the interview stage, assuming that you either filled out an application or submitted a resume, your interviewers already know your work history and your skills. Take comfort in knowing that you meet most, if not all, of their requirements. The interview is their chance to get to know you, and your chance to impress them. During the interview, keep in mind that you are also interviewing them. You should have some questions prepared to ask your interviewers (typically at the end of the interview). For general interviewing tips, look at the interviewing section of Lisjobs.com, which has a list of helpful web sites. In response to your more specific plea for help, I have the following advice:

Read the description of library assistant in the Occupational Outlook Handbook or of library clerk in the Essential Skills site from Human Resources and Skills Development of Canada. This will help you get a better understanding of the position and what it entails.

Brush up on your library searching skills by familiarizing yourself with several online catalogs, such as the New York Public Library’s catalog, the Boston Public Library’s catalog, the Los Angeles Public Library’s catalog, the Houston Public Library’s catalog, and (most importantly), the catalog of the library where you are interviewing.

During your interview, you may be given a shelf-reading quiz to determine if you know how to organize library materials, either by Library of Congress Classification (LC) or Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), which is used more in public libraries. If you do not know much about these classification systems, I suggest that you look at the following shelf-reading tutorials:

An online tour of DDC (from OCLC)

Let’s Do Dewey (from Middle Tennessee State University)

SatchLCall – Library of Congress Call Number System Tutorial (from the University of Pittsburgh)

Call Number Tutorial (from Hunter College, CUNY)

Public libraries are very community oriented. Depending on what city you are in, you will most likely be working with a diverse user population. Let your interviewers know that you are interested in working with different age groups and different cultures, and, by all means, let them know how interested you are to begin a career in libraries. Explain that it won’t be “just a job” for you, but a passion. For more information about public libraries and working in public libraries, look at the Public Library Association’s web site.

As for something “intelligent” to mention during your interview, try reading, or scanning, some articles in current library-related journals to give you some ideas. A few examples of journals are: Library Journal, D-Lib Magazine, LIBRES, and First Monday. To get a longer list of open-access library-related journals, go to the Directory of Open Access Journals.

Never be afraid to show your enthusiasm for working in libraries. Best of luck!

Q: How do I find the right library school for me?

Q: How do I find the right library school for me?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I recently became interested in the library profession, but can’t seem to find any schools that offer the library sciences degree. What schools would you suggest?

TA: This opens the door, not only to answer your initial question (how do I find a school?), but also to address the broader question: out of all of the programs, how do I decide which one is right for me? Answering your initial question is pretty simple: Go to the ALA web site for a lengthy list of accredited schools. But, with so many options, how do you evaluate which school is “best?” Let’s back up and look at the broader picture.

What To Look For

A quick Google search on “selecting a graduate program” yields many results. Glancing at some of these articles (many of which are listed below), you will see many common themes. Most advise students to look at the location of the school, the cost of the program, and the types of courses and degrees offered. In addition, when comparing institutions, most recommend looking at both academic qualities (differences in curriculum, academic requirements, faculty interests and research) as well as “quality of life” benefits (the campus, community, housing, distance from family and friends). Other factors to consider when researching and comparing graduate institutions include:

  • Accreditation
  • The cost of the program
    Tuition, housing, books, student fees, travel, cost of living
  • Financial incentives Fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships
  • Selectivity of the program
    Compare the number of applicants to the number accepted
  • University and department reputation
  • Diversity
    Of the faculty, students, university, community
  • Faculty interests, research and ranking
    What is the student to faculty ratio?
    Do full-time faculty teach classes? What percentage of the time?
    Are faculty members conducting research?
    Are they published?
    Are they respected by others in the field?
  • Does the program emphasize theory or practice?
    Are there specific courses of interest to you?
    Availability of internships and field experiences
  • Flexibility of the program
  • Quality of facilities and resources
    Library materials in your subject area, classrooms, technology, endowments that support student research
  • Are there opportunities to teach? To publish? To attend conferences?
  • Where do graduates typically find work upon graduation from the program?
    Do most graduates go into academia or into professional positions in the workplace?
    How much assistance is offered to job-seeking students (and/or alumni)?

ALA-accredited Schools

At the top of this list is accreditation. On its accreditation web site, ALA states that “ALA accreditation indicates that the program has undergone a self-evaluation process, been reviewed by peers, and meets the Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies that were established by the Committee on Accreditation and adopted by the ALA Council in 1992.” During the accreditation process, a program is evaluated in the areas of mission, goals, objectives, curriculum, faculty, students, administration, financial support, physical resources, and facilities. While accreditation is by no means a guarantee of quality or an indicator of “best fit,” graduating from an ALA-accredited program will allow greater career mobility and flexibility in your professional pursuits. Most major institutions call for an ALA-accredited degree when seeking candidates for professional positions. For a complete list of ALA- accredited schools, please visit: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=lisdirb&Template=/cfapps/lisdir/index.cfm

Resources

Never underestimate the power of research when deciding on the graduate program that best meets your needs. The definition of “best” is completely subjective. For some, it may mean attending the top- ranked program according to US News & World Report; for others, it means attending the ALA-accredited program in their area because of limited geographic mobility. Regardless, when making your assessments, do your research. Talk to current students and alumni. Speak with administrators and faculty. Look at department web sites and class offerings. Visit schools and look at the fit of the campus and the surrounding community. Last, but not least, use the following resources to help formulate and answer some of your questions. Good luck!

About.com Graduate School: Questions & Answers:

ALA’s 2004-2005 Directory of Institutions Offering ALA-Accredited Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies

ALA’s Office for Human Resources Development and Recruitment (general information about scholarships, placement, salaries and general career information)

The Directory of Graduate Programs (published by the Graduate Record Examinations Board) contains information on U.S. graduate programs in over 80 major fields

Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies (an annual compilation available from the ALA Committee on Education)

The Guide to American Graduate Schools (describes post-BA study opportunities at more than 685 accredited institutions)

Hansen, Randall S., Ph.D. Criteria for Choosing a Graduate Program

Hiatt Career Center Things to Consider When Selecting a Graduate School

JOBTRAK Selecting a Graduate School: Look Before You Leap!

Kuther, Tara, Ph.D. Choosing Among Graduate Programs

Peterson’s Annual Guides to Graduate Studies (profiles over 1400 accredited institutions offering masters and/or doctoral programs)

Q: What does the librarian of a library do, exactly?

Q: What does the librarian of a library do, exactly?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: Hello. I am currently a junior in high school but am looking forward to starting a career as a librarian as soon as I get into college. I had some questions and I was wondering if someone could answer them or if there was a resource that would answer them.

  1. Is there a high demand for librarians in the nation? (I live in Arizona, if that matters.)

  2. What does the librarian of a library do, exactly?

  3. What is the average degree of most United States librarians and is it a competitive job?

TA: Well, it is always refreshing to see such a thoughtful, focused and ambitious individual in high school. It certainly sounds like you are intelligent (indicated, of course, by your interest in becoming a librarian) and that you have a strong interest in pursuing this course of study. Let me answer your questions, and give you some free advice along the way.

What do librarians do, exactly? Librarians can do a lot of things. The beauty of librarianship is that you can specialize in a hundred different ways. We work in academic institutions, large and small. We work in corporate libraries, public libraries, school libraries, “cybraries,” and sometimes not even in a library at all. In addition to working in a variety of settings, librarians work with a wide variety of materials.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor is an excellent resource on the nature of work, working conditions, employment, education, and training for the field of librarianship. Perhaps the most significant statement from the Handbook regarding the work of librarians is the following: “Librarians assist people in finding information and using it effectively for personal and professional purposes.” Regardless of where or how, this sums up what all librarians have in common – they help people access information.

Below, find some summarized facts regarding librarianship from the Occupational Outlook Handbook. For complete information, please refer to the original source.

  • Librarianship centers around three primary components: user services, technical services, and administrative services. Librarians are involved in providing information, including determining user needs, searching for, and acquiring information. In small libraries, librarians may handle all aspects of the work. Those in larger libraries generally specialize in one aspect of librarianship, such as acquisitions, cataloguing, or reference. The Internet and the rise of electronic resources make technological skills very important.
  • Work schedules vary based on environment. For example, school librarians usually have the same workday and vacation schedules as classroom teachers, while academic and public librarians have varying schedules to staff desks and provide coverage for extended hours, including weekends and evenings, as well as some holidays. Special librarians usually work normal business hours, but may need to work extended hours depending on the nature of the business environment in which they work.
  • An ALA-accredited master’s degree in library science (MLS) is usually required for librarian positions in most public, academic, and special libraries, and in some school libraries. For a list of ALA-accredited programs, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/education/accredprograms/accreditedprograms.htm. In addition to the MLS, computer knowledge and training and knowledge of one or more foreign languages are increasingly important. Most special librarians have additional training or education in their subject area, and most states require school librarians to be certified as teachers as well as earning the MLS.
  • Employment of librarians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations over the 2002-12 period. Job opportunities in librarianship are expected to be very good, because a large number of librarians are expected to retire in the coming decade. This will be tempered, though, by government budget cuts and the increasing use of computerized information storage and retrieval systems, resulting in the hiring of fewer librarians and the replacement of librarians with less costly library technicians. However, there will still be a need for librarians to manage staff and perform the more complex work of libraries. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, jobs for librarians outside traditional settings will grow the fastest over the decade.
  • “Many companies are turning to librarians because of their research and organizational skills and their knowledge of computer databases and library automation systems. Librarians can review vast amounts of information and analyze, evaluate, and organize it according to a company’s specific needs.” (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05)
  • Librarian salaries vary according to the type, size and location of the library, as well as the education, skills and abilities the librarian brings to the position. In 2002, librarians’ median annual earnings were $43,090.

I encourage you to explore librarianship while you are in high school and throughout your college tenure. You may want to volunteer in your high school library or public library, and then work as a part-time student assistant in your university library. These work experiences will help you get an idea of the different types of clientele, work assignments and environments that you may encounter in the field. Prepare yourself during college with literature courses, foreign language classes and entry-level computer classes, all of which will be especially relevant to the profession in the coming years.

You’re very wise to be thinking this far ahead, and I hope I have given you some information to help chart your course toward your desired goals. For further reading, I would strongly recommend reviewing the full entry for librarians in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, as well as the web sites for the American Library Association and the Special Libraries Association. Also, check out http://www.lisjobs.com/states/arizona.htm for job opportunities in Arizona, which will help you get an idea of the salaries and types of jobs in your geographical area.