Q: I’m currently a library branch manager and want to make the jump into administration. What’s the best way to make my resume stand out and to cultivate the skills I need for this type of position?

Q: I’m currently a library branch manager and want to make the jump into administration. What’s the best way to make my resume stand out and to cultivate the skills I need for this type of position?

by Tiffany ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I’m currently a library branch manager and want to make the jump into administration. What’s the best way to make my resume stand out and to cultivate the skills I need for this type of position? Do you know any career coaches or advisers that specialize in library management?

TA: Well, you are certainly in good company. When we conducted a national survey to gather data for our book, 45% of respondents were in a management position and wanted to be, and an additional 26% of respondents were not currently in a management position but hoped to be someday. (For what it’s worth, there were also 5% of our survey respondents who were in management positions and didn’t want to be. Yikes!)

While nothing substitutes for real, practical, hands-on experience in administration, there are several steps we recommend for preparing for the challenge:

1. Draw on transferable skills.

As a branch manager, you’re likely to have direct experience with managing people, budgets, resources, and facilities. This experience will transfer nicely to a position in administration, where you will probably deal with many of the same issues, just perhaps at a different level.

2. Read—a lot.

Read management texts, articles, blogs, everything you can get your hands on to learn from the experience of others. (You can also check out our book, Career Q&A: A Librarian’s Real-Life, Practical Guide to Managing a Successful Career…It has several chapters that relate to your question, including profiles of professionals who offer their personal experience and pathways into management and administration.)

3. And speaking of learning from the experience of others…Talk with lots of people.

If you have a mentor, draw on this relationship for guidance, suggestions, and advice. Also, work your professional network, reach out to conduct informational interviews, and learn a little more about how folks got into their position that may be similar to the position you’re seeking. Be sure to ask them about the challenges and opportunities they see in their position and how they best prepared (and stay prepared) for the work they do.

4. Explore what your professional association offers to you.

Some associations offer leadership development programs, mentor partnerships, and other benefits of membership. Be sure to explore what’s offered and take advantage of what fits for you.

5. Build a successful track record of leadership and management.

Even in your current position, you have the opportunity to take on new projects, lead a new assignment, and manage people and resources. Be sure to position yourself to take on new things and expand your repertoire of skills and experience.

6. Lastly, be sure you know what you’re getting into and be prepared for it.

Look at vacancy announcements and position descriptions: read the description of work (Do you find it interesting? Exciting? Terrifying?); review the required and preferred qualifications (Do you have the educational credentials? Do you meet the required qualifications? Is there work you can do now to prepare yourself for this position in the future?). Also check out online resources like the materials available from ALA that describe, from an outside perspective, the work of libraries and library employees (see, http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/librarycareerssite/whatyouneeddirector and http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/librarycareerssite/whatyouneedlibrarymgr).

Q: How can a part-time librarian get the right experience for career advancement?

Q: How can a part-time librarian get the right experience for career advancement?

by carriewajda ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: I am, and have been a part-time librarian for four years. In my department, the part-timer’s do not get the experience the full-timer’s get. When I interview for full-time positions, I often do not get these positions, because I do not have the experience they are looking for. How can I get the experience I need? I feel like I am not advancing in my career. It is upsetting to me because I truly love what I do. Because many of these libraries are downsizing, they are looking for librarians with experience that I do not have, and I’m afraid I never will.

CNW: Many part-time jobs are created to fill a particular need that falls outside of the responsibility of full-time staff. It sounds like you are getting interviews, which is a good sign that your cover letter and resume match the experience that prospective employers are looking for. Before you put time into acquiring specific experience, it’s worth asking yourself whether you aren’t defining your own experience too narrowly. Employers aren’t going to think broadly about your transferrable skills if you don’t help them see your qualifications in the best possible light.

If a lack of experience truly is the problem, you have several avenues to gain the experience you need. You can:

  • Approach your current employer with a request to take on a specific responsibility. You’ll be most successful if you first consider how your request fits into your employer’s needs. You might identify a gap area, or start by reviewing the organization’s strategic plan.
  • Look for volunteer or internship opportunities. You will need to be objective in evaluating the position to be sure you will actually get the experience you want. The goal is not simply to provide unpaid labor to downsizing libraries! Both parties should gain something from an internship or volunteer role.
  • Get involved in local or national professional organizations. In addition to being an effective networking opportunity,  professional groups often have specific projects they need help with. Raising your hand can help you gain the experience you need quickly.

Any – or all – of these paths can be effective. As you look for the experience you need to advance in your career, carefully evaluate the marketability of the experience you seek. If you are looking for a very niche role, you could be waiting years for a full-time job to become available. If you truly want to advance your career, focus on growth areas – and keep in mind that for some newly created jobs, directly applicable experience may not yet exist.

Q: School librarian or archival studies? I can’t decide which path to choose in library school.

Q: School librarian or archival studies? I can’t decide which path to choose in library school.

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: Hello! I’ve just been accepted into the graduate program of my choice and am incredibly excited to get into the field. But I am having a really difficult time trying to decide whether I want to complete the school library sequence or the archive studies sequence. The school I will be attending in the fall has excellent programs for both of these fields, so the quality of the program is not really an issue. I realize there are many great attributes to both of these career paths, and that ultimately I must decide for myself, but I wondered if you had any advice on how to choose or could talk about things that ought to be considered as I make my decision.

SM: First off, congratulations! That’s wonderful that you got into the program you wanted. Second, this is a tricky question, and a rather difficult decision, so I’ll turn it back to you and ask:

  • What’s your gut decision?
  • What made you choose that particular school/program in the first place (was it one of the sequences you mention)?
  • What’s your dream job?
  • Have you worked as a teacher, or in a school library?
  • Have you worked in archives?

These are both rather specialized fields, and quite different from one another.  I would suggest, if you haven’t already, to attempt to get experience working in one or both of these areas (internship, part-time job, volunteer) to get a feel for the work and for the daily activities and skills needed. I know that each place of work is different, but (seriously) there is nothing like hands-on experience to make you realize what roles you want to pursue and which ones you don’t.

Perhaps, you may say, you are equally attracted to both areas and you’ve gained experience working in both types of roles. And to that I would say, good for you! You may be perfectly suited for both of these specialized roles. If this is the case, you may want to look at the existing job market for archival positions and school librarian positions. Study the job listings, see how many jobs are available, and take note of any requirements that you may need to acquire in order to be a school librarian or archivist, depending on where you live and the specific qualifications of the job. Other things that can help:

  • Interview (see Q&As on informational interviews) librarians working in both of these fields – ask them how they like their jobs, how they got their jobs, and what they would recommend you do while you’re in school, to make you hire-able when you get out.
  • Talk to someone in your library school’s career center. As an accepted student, you should be able to use their services and ask questions about the different sequences and see if they can offer some advice since they know the courses and instructors as well as the job placements of their graduates.
  • Talk to your advisor when you start the program. Find out what it would take to transfer from one sequence to another.

And finally, don’t sweat it too much. You’re just starting out and many people change their minds, and many others try several different roles and that’s all right. You’ll find your path, and it may be completely different from what you originally planned. Just make sure that while you’re in school, use your professors and classmates and colleagues to help guide you along the way, and try to get experience to supplement your education.

Q: I’ve been in my job for almost a year. I love it, but my husband’s job is taking us elsewhere. How do I tell my current supervisor and will it look bad on my resume?

Q: I’ve been in my job for almost a year. I love it, but my husband’s job is taking us elsewhere. How do I tell my current supervisor and will it look bad on my resume?

by Susanne Markgren ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: In February 2013, I finally landed the public library job of my dreams. I had been working as an on-call substitute for two years before landing this professional, permanent, full-time job. I love what I am currently doing, and I love where I work. Sure, there are difficult days, but as far as jobs go, I am really content with where I’m at. I am grateful to my supervisor for hiring me and for giving me this amazing opportunity to be a public librarian.

My husband’s job is eventually going to take us 60 miles north of where we currently live. The commute would be terrible if I stayed in my current position. Ultimately, we will end up moving north; it’s not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when.

A professional, public library job in this northern city has just opened up, and I’m tempted to apply. Problem is, my resume will say that I have only worked in my current position from February 2013-present, which is obviously a little less than 12 months. Normally I like to stay in a job for 2 years or more; I was in my last two positions for 2-4 years before moving on to new opportunities.

My question for you is: How do I go about telling my current supervisor about my family situation? I am new at this, and I know things come up in life, but how do I do this when I have only been in my current position for 12 months? I feel guilty. Thank you for your help.

SM: If you know (I mean, you are absolutely certain) that you will need to leave your current position, then the sooner you talk to your supervisor, the better. You feel guilty because you are a nice person and you genuinely care about your job and the people you work with; and you feel like (if you leave) you are not fulfilling your obligation to them. I get it. I’ve been there. I left a job after six months, not because I wasn’t happy, but because I decided (a bit spur-of-the-moment) to move to another state – to go to library school. I was terrified of telling my supervisor that I was leaving because she was so nice to me and spent so much time training me. But, lucky for me, she took it quite well, and ended up writing a very nice letter of reference for me, which helped to get me a new job in a public library in my new city.

You need to remember that you don’t have any kind of obligation to stay a certain amount of time at your job. And, one year is a pretty decent amount of time – enough time to get to know your job well, to learn new skills, to build new relationships, and to make long-lasting connections.

Our professional lives are often times interrupted by sacrifices and decisions that we didn’t expect to make; decisions that may change the course of our careers… but life happens and moves on around us, and we need to move with it. We can learn many great things in a short amount of time, and it is important to get the most that we can out of each and every job, because you never know when life will throw another curve ball and everything (unexpectedly) changes, once again.

So, here’s some advice on your current job:

Ask to meet with your supervisor and tell her about your situation and why you need to leave. If she is a reasonable person, she will not only understand, but be supportive of you during this stressful time. She may ask for a specific date of departure, so you should have something to tell her – not just “I will be leaving at some point in the future.” If you don’t have this figured out yet, then hold off on talking to her until you have a more specific time frame, but plan on giving her enough notice (at least four weeks, if possible) to prepare.

By telling her early, she can start searching for your replacement. And you can stop feeling guilty as you help her plan for your departure by completing projects and paperwork, writing up documentation on your job duties, and training others. By easing into your departure, you can continue to cultivate good relations with your supervisor, which is important because you need her to be a good reference for you as you seek out a new job.

On the other hand, if you think she might take it badly or make your life miserable while you are still employed, then I would hold off on the conversation until you have an exact date of departure (but still giving as much notice as you can, or is required — in this case you may want to contact your HR department).

As for the new job opening in the new city – you should definitely apply for it. Keep in mind that they may have a specific start date and if you don’t know when you are moving, or when you could actually start the job, then that might put you in a difficult position should they offer it to you. Don’t worry about being at your current job for only a year. This shouldn’t hurt your chances, as long as you explain it in your cover letter. Let them know why you are leaving your current position (moving for your spouse’s job), and let them know that you’ve done your research on their library and their city – and convince them that you are excited about all of it. And hopefully, with the support of your current supervisor, you’ll have an excellent reference to help with your job applications.

It can be both invigorating and nerve-wracking to start fresh, in a new place and a new role. Take time to get to know your new locale and meet new people by reaching out to professional networks and organizations and groups. Best of luck!

Here are some articles that might be useful:

An Employer’s Opinion on How to Quit Your Job
by Akhil Gupta

How Can I Quit My Job on Short Notice Without Burning a Bridge?
by Adam Dachis

The Librarian Has Not Yet Left the Building: Resignation After-Effects
by Doreen Sullivan

Q: How do I overcome the catch-22 of having experience that is often disregarded?

Q: How do I overcome the catch-22 of having experience that is often disregarded?

by Tiffany ♥ 1 Comment

Q: I am in a strange situation that I am unsure how to change. I currently work in a paraprofessional position at a small public library. After working for five years and obtaining every possible promotion, I realized that if I wanted any chance of a decent salary and a decent career, I needed to make a significant change.  About two years ago, I received my library degree but have yet to find an opportunity to make a change. Because of the nature and flexibility afforded to me by my library’s size, my resume runs the gambit from Circulation assistant to two different department heads and shows that I performed the duties of each for a year before being promoted to another position (and often doing multiple positions simultaneously.)

Since each of these positions were prior to receiving my degree, they are often disregarded as actual experience despite performing the duties of each. On the rare instance that I am able to interview for professional opportunities I am often questioned as to why my experience is even on there or why I have switched positions as often as I have.  After explaining size, staffing constraints, promotions and skills, I am often told that I am in essence lying about titles that I have held. This level of disbelief is compounded by the fact that I have nearly ten years’ experience across a broad spectrum in nearly every department before reaching my mid-20s. I have tried to obtain extra skills by gaining extra certificates and doing continuing education following my degree to overcome any inadequacies anyone may consider I have. To offset any of the title disputes I have tried applying for part-time experience only to be told I’m over qualified and they know I will leave quickly.  From the few interviewers who have spoken to me after the interview, I have been told that I will have a successful career ahead of me and they understand that I am more than capable and qualified, but the titles matter to them. Some have even gone as far as saying that they would love to hire me but they know it would have been harder for the other candidate to find a job because of their age so they chose them.

Since this problem has been haunting me for a few years, I’d like to find a way to make a change for quality of life reasons. However, I am starting to get more than a little disheartened. I would consider switching concentration away from public libraries if that was the answer but I feel I would run into the same situation anywhere. My real questions are these:

1) How do I overcome the catch-22 of having experience that is often disregarded?

2) Is it worth changing my job titles?

3) Since my age is often questioned, should I take off my degree dates?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

TA:
Wow.  There’s a lot going on in this one question.  It’s hard for me to choose where to start, so I’m going to just jump in and answer your three specific questions.  Then I’ll add some additional commentary that I hope will also be useful.

1) Overcoming experience.  Most of the time, when we hear from folks the question is usually “How do I get experience without experience?”  It’s not often that we hear that having experience is what’s holding people back.  But there is some reality to it, and you should know you’re not alone.  Sometimes when you have the track record of being good and reliable, you’re given certain experiences not afforded to others.  And sometimes this experience can seem accelerated.  What I mean is, it can be judged by others as being too much, too soon.  It can also often result in quick promotions that might be perceived by potential employers as job-hopping and can cause concerns about whether you’ll stay in a position for any amount of time.

To combat these perceptions, you can do a couple of things.  First, address some of these things in your cover letter.  In your question to us, you describe the “nature and flexibility” afforded by your library’s size…this information should also be in your cover letter.  You should also talk about the duration of time and level of commitment you’ve displayed at your current institution, by staying on board for years and stepping up to assist when asked to move into new roles and positions.  What you want to do is shape the perception you’re presenting to employers:  Are your materials presenting an employee who constantly needs to be moved, who is overly ambitious and never content?  Or are you the kind of employee who is so dedicated to the life and success of the organization that you are willing to step up to new challenges, take on new responsibilities when asked, and who leaves behind a track record of successful projects and activities?

Second, be prepared to talk about your experiences (and your successes) during the interview.  Be sure to present a logical pathway from one position to the next, especially if you were asked to assume additional responsibilities based on success in another position.  (I say to folks all the time, “the reward for good work is more work”!)

2) Job titles?  They vary from state to state, institution to institution, so the meaning is difficult to translate from one context to the other.  My advice here is to be honest.  If you’re worried about how a title will be perceived by a potential employer, go with the simplest form.  But still be honest.  One of the greatest risks to a successful candidacy is being dishonest, even if you were trying to help.

3) And about the age thing…From what you’ve written, I just don’t think this is about age.  I would encourage you to leave the grad dates on (it’s actually very helpful information, and not a true indicator of age—librarianship is one of the most common second careers) and try to address what you perceive to be the age thing in a different way.  Let me give you one example…

In your question to us, you say “I have nearly ten years’ experience across a broad spectrum in nearly every department before reaching my mid-20s.”  I know that you hedge a little bit with words like “nearly” and “mid” but at the roughest calculation, that would mean you started working in the library at the age of 15, which most employers would not consider relevant professional experience.  In this case, it’s not the age that’s the problem, it’s the hyperbole.  You may have been writing at a time of great frustration, but these kinds of statements can be interpreted by employers as embellishment or a magnification of your real experience.  Don’t devalue your real experience by making grandiose overstatements.

And finally, let me add one other note about something you mention in your question.  You state that you have started applying for part-time positions only to be told you’re overqualified.  This may actually be true.  Given the fact that you have had all kinds of opportunities over the years in your full time job, it is natural for a potential employer to wonder why you are interested in their (possibly somewhat limited) part-time position.  If you are really interested in the part-time position, you need to make a case for it in your cover letter.  Maybe you’re looking to try librarianship in another context, or a different type of library.  Maybe you’re looking for an opportunity to develop new skills.  Or maybe you’re looking to relocate.  Whatever the reason, offer an explanation in your cover letter.  Don’t just let the hiring supervisor or hiring committee guess, or worse, speculate as to your reasons.

To summarize, let me mention a few action items:

  • Have an excellent cover letter and resume.
  • In the cover letter, address some of these lingering questions (Why did you move around so much in the same organization? Why are you interested in this new position?)
  • Have someone outside of your organization review your resume.  How does it read?  Does is make sense in terms of promotional opportunities?  There are a lot of professional associations who will hook you up with a resume reviewer…
  • Be aware of how you describe things and how that might be interpreted by others.  Avoid hyperbole.
Q: What transferable skills are helpful for librarians embedded in business groups?

Q: What transferable skills are helpful for librarians embedded in business groups?

by carriewajda ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Q: It seems as though embedded librarians have to be especially attuned to/aligned with the needs of their organization. Perhaps in a similar way that business owners are attuned to clients’ needs. I was wondering how your experience of being a self-employed freelance librarian is helpful to you in your current position as an embedded librarian, and any cross-over of skills?

CNW: This is a great question. You are correct: typically, embedded librarians either have or develop through experience a strong understanding of the organization and the specific group they work with. Librarians are embedded in all kinds of libraries and fields,  not just special libraries. For example, a public librarian may be embedded in a workforce development or community liaison role; academic librarians are often embedded within a specific subject or discipline(s), and special librarians may be embedded within a specific business group or practice.

The time I spent as a freelance librarian and writer taught me how to quickly understand the client’s needs and expectations, set goals and outcomes, negotiate deliverables and communicate proactively with clients at all stages of each project. These skills have served me very well in my current capacity as the global new business librarian at Y&R. While I didn’t have specific work experience in the advertising field at the time I was hired, many of my freelance clients were marketing and communications companies. That gave me the ability to talk about the transferable skills that would enable me to be successful during my interview.

If you’re interested in becoming an embedded librarian within a particular industry or field, it helps to know as much as possible about the business before going into an interview. For example, before interviewing for my current role, I researched the company, read some of the major advertising publications, and looked up some of the people I interviewed with. Informational interviews with librarians currently working in that field can also be tremendously valuable.

Many companies are finding value in having librarians embedded in key practice areas to orchestrate and smooth the flow of information-sharing. These opportunities often require familiarity with the industry, but it is your librarian skills in combination with the soft skills of active listening, project management, and communication that will help you get you the job.

One last note: don’t wait for these roles to be posted and offered. Network with and observe upper management within your organization. If you hear a recurring theme of fragmented knowledge assets, especially in an area with an impact on efficiency or productivity, consider making the case that a knowledge manager or embedded librarian could help smooth the flow of information and help teams produce better results. Careful, attentive listening can sometimes help you create your own ideal job.

Resources:

Informational Interviewing Tutorial (Quintessential Careers)

Join Us in New York This November for Panel Session and Workshops

Join Us in New York This November for Panel Session and Workshops

by carriewajda ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The Library Career People will be presenting throughout November. On Thursday, November 7th, join us for Career Q&A, Live and In Person, at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. This program is jointly sponsored by METRO, ARLIS/NY, ACRL/NY, InfoToday, New York Library Club, New York Technical Services Librarians (NYTSL), and the New York Society Library. Speakers will include Susanne, Tiffany, Carrie of LCP, as well as several contributors to Career Q&A: A Librarian’s Real-Life, Practical Guide to Managing a Successful Career.

On Friday, November 22nd, Susanne and Carrie will present Launch Your Library Career parts 3 and 4 at METRO. In the morning workshop, The Interview: Putting Your Best Foot Forward, we’ll take the stress out of interviewing by teaching participants to interview with confidence through preparation and practice. In the afternoon, The Next Steps: Getting Started with Networking, Publishing and Presenting, we’ll conduct an intensive workshop on finding and developing an idea for a professional presentation or article. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of how to successfully submit proposals for publication and find opportunities for collaboration through networking. Register for both sessions and receive a discount.