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Launch Your Library Career: Finding, and Getting, Your Ideal Job
Part 1 of 2
Carrie Netzer Wajda & Susanne MarkgrenMay 21, 2013
Preparing Yourself, and Your Materials, for the Challenge
Overview
By the end of this program, you will know how to:• Analyze job descriptions • Find traditional and alternative job opportunities • Research potential employers • Write effective cover letters and resumes • Tailor application materials to a specific job • Avoid common resume pitfalls and understand
what employers look for in application materials
Agenda
10:00-10:15 Overview & Introductions10:15-10:45 Resumes10:45-11:00 Small Group Resume Review11:00-11:20 Searching for & Analyzing Job Descriptions11:20-11:30 Researching an Employer11:30-11:45 Break11:45-12:00 Dissecting a Job Description12:00-12:15 Cover Letters12:15-12:45 Writing Cover Letters12:45-1:00 Q&A, Wrap-up, Sharing, Next Steps
Resumes: What Are They For?• The purpose of a resume is to document your educational credentials, on-
the-job experience, and professional service and activity. • Generally limited to 5 pages, max (more commonly 1-2 in special libraries)• What’s the difference between a resume and a CV? Both ask for basic
employment information, education credentials and contact information. • CV or Resume?
– The CV is more commonly used internationally and in academia. In the US, the resume prevails.
– CVs may include information not commonly included on the resume, such as date of birth, nationality, and summaries of experience and research specialization.
– The CV is generally longer and follows a carefully prescribed format.
Elements of a Good Resume
• Clear – chronological or functional• Scannable – selectively use keywords• Tailored to fit the specific role• No typos• Must contain: education, work experience, contact
info, professional affiliations or publications• May contain: summary statement, keywords (bold
cautiously), extra training, specific skill sets
Page 1 Page 2
http://www.videosalvage.com/sampleresume.pdf
GROUP RESUME CRITIQUE15 minutes
Finding Job ListingsMETRO Job Bank: http://metro.org/jobs/ ACRL/NY: http://acrlny.org/jobs-2/SLA/NY: http://slanyjobs.blogspot.com/INALJ: http://inalj.com/?p=1441ALA Joblist: http://joblist.ala.org/NY Times*: http://jobmarket.nytimes.com/pages/jobs/index.html
Chronicle of Higher Ed: http://chronicle.com/section/Jobs/61/Inside Higher Ed: http://careers.insidehighered.com/
Simply Hired: http://www.simplyhired.com/CareerBuilder.com: http://www.careerbuilder.com/Indeed.com: http://www.indeed.com/Monster.com: http://www.monster.com/*Powered by Monster.com
EXERCISE: USING KEYWORDS, FIND TWO JOB LISTINGS, ONE YOU WANT & ONE YOU WOULD NOT CONSIDER APPLYING FOR
20 minutes
Analyzing Job Listings• Clear sense of the position’s essential duties – requirement vs. preferred• Reasonable expectations of experience (beware “BA in Library Science”)• Is compensation – if listed – in line with required degree & experience level?• Sense of the institution you would be working in• Some sense of how the role fits within the organization
Beware: • Mismatch between qualifications & duties (i.e., MLIS degree required for shelving
books)• Too many or unrelated responsibilities (i.e.
Cataloger/Instruction/Outreach/Children’s Librarian)• Too few or unpredictable hours, or both (“applicant pools”)• Expectation of professional experience & education for low wages• Requesting salary expectations – bidding on the job
Considerations: institutional restrictions, legal/HR language & how it affects listings
Researching a Prospective Employer
Can you find?• Who you would report to? • Is this a new position? Is there someone else in the same
role/position/title?• An organizational chart?• Who would be your departmental colleagues?• What are these colleagues doing? Are they professionally
active?• Is there a mission statement for the library/institution?• What makes the library /institution unique?
Break
HOW WOULD I FIT?
5 minutes: In two columns, write down your understanding of what qualities the prospective employer wants and how your experience fulfills that need.
Prospective Employer wants: I have:
MLS Degree MLS Degree
1-3 years of experience 1 year of experience
Leadership experience Led a volunteer group
Teaching experience Taught English to ESL students
Public speaking experience Presented at a conference
Cover Letters: Dos and Don’tsWhat You Should Do in Your Cover Letter: • Explain why you are right for the job. • Mention where you saw the job ad.• Relate your experience and skills to the job
requirements.• Explain gaps (if any) in your work history/resume.• Explain why you intend to (or want to) move for
the job.• Expand on one or two specific jobs or projects or
accomplishments (that relate to the job).• Highlight one or two specific systems or tools
that you have used in a current or previous job.• Demonstrate that you can write well.• Show a potential employer that you know
something about their library. • Convince the reader that you really want the job.• Be gracious.
What You Shouldn’t Do in Your Cover Letter:• Address it to the wrong person.• State that you are the best person for the job.• Discuss experience and skills that are not
relevant to the job requirements.• Ignore any gaps in your resume/work history.• Not express interest in relocating, if the library is
in another city or state or country. • Use generic language with no specific
discussions of jobs or tools or accomplishments.• Forget to convey interest/enthusiasm in the job.• Forget to include any mention of the job or
library you are applying for.• Not convince the reader that you want the job.• Write poorly, with spelling errors or problems
with grammar or sentence structure.• Be overly confident.
Cover Letters: Telling Your Story
• Use proper formatting and send as an attachment (unless otherwise directed)
• Separate file from your resume• Match your experience to the stated
requirements/preferreds• Explain any gaps in your resume. Be direct, but
brief.• Cover letters are writing samples, so use good
writing mechanics – active voice; avoid bullets
Cover Letters: Telling Your Story• Paragraph One: Say where you saw the job ad. State your interest in the
position, and explains why you are interested.• Paragraph Two: Summarize your current situation: your role and your library
and your organization/institution/etc. Pretend you are introducing yourself. • Paragraph Three: Address the first (most important) job requirement and talk
about specific examples to connect your background (experience and skills) with the job.
• Paragraph Four: Address the next job requirement (or next few job reqs.) and talk about specific examples to connect your background with the job.
• Paragraph Five: Discuss other skills that you have that are relevant to the job (these might be the “preferred” qualifications), and be specific. If the job requires technical skills or inter-personal skills, or foreign language skills, or a second masters degree, provide examples here.
• Paragraph Six (or final paragraph): Re-state your interest in the job and thank the committee for its time and consideration of your application. Do not say that you will call them. Do not say that you are best candidate for the job. Do not say that you look forward to interviewing with them. Just say “thank you.”
Cover Letters: Examples
http://opencoverletters.com/
Cover Letters: Examples
http://opencoverletters.com/
WRITING COVER LETTERS30 minutes
Q&A
Appendix of Resources• Surviving Your First Library Job Search: or, What I Had To Learn the Hard Way, Reproduced Here, for You,
So That You Are Not Driven To Drink as Well. Steven Hoover -- Library Journal, 09/15/2009
• Crafting a Winning Resume. Tiffany Allen. LIScareer.com. January 2005.• Making Your Cover Letter Work for You. Tiffany Allen and Richard A. Murray. LIScareer.com. March 2002.
How Do I Get There From Here? Changing Jobs, Changing Roles, Changing Institutions. Susanne Markgren and Tiffany Allen. College & Research Libraries News, 65 (11), 653-656. 2004.
• On Being an Experienced, Flexible Specialist: Finding Your First Professional Librarian Position. Jessica Moran. May 2005.
• Making the Shift: Using Transferable Skills to Change Career Paths. Deborah Taylor. LIScareer.com. March
2010.• Hey Library Graduates! The Lowdown on Finding Your Dream Job. Kasia Piasecka. LIScareer.com. May
2012.• Ten Simple Steps to Create and Manage Your Professional Online Identity. Susanne Markgren. College &
Research Libraries News. 72 (1), 31-35. January 2011.• The Library Career People, Career Q&As: http://librarycareerpeople.com/• Open Cover Letters: Anonymous cover letters from hired librarians & archivists:
http://opencoverletters.com/• Upcoming (in Oct. 2013). Career Q&A: A Librarian’s Real-Life, Practical Guide to Managing a Successful
Career, by Susanne Markgren and Tiffany Allen. will be published by Information Today, Inc.
