SCILS placement website * Other listing sites * International job opportunities * Interview tips and techniques * Individual and group counseling * Networking opportunities * Using placement firms * Salary information * On-campus jobs * Alternative careers for library students
The first place to go when you want to find a full-time or part-time job in libraries and information services is the SCILS Placement Website at http://scils.rutgers.edu/placement/ This site offers you:
(1) A searchable database of jobs posted by employers. The jobs are searchable by geographical area and type of library work (e.g., children's services, technical services, etc.). At any given time there are several hundred jobs posted on the SCILS Placement website.
(2) Links to many other sites that have job postings, including sites run by ALA and other associations, sites maintained by individual library systems that list employment opportunities, and websites from a number of placement agencies that serve the information field. Be sure to check many of the other sites, especially the New Jersey ones, because some employers only list with one.
(3) Links to other helpful career development websites, including some on writing resumes, salary guidelines, and much more. Don't miss the American Library Association's Employment link, which has a wealth of information.
(4) The chance to increase your exposure to potential employers by making it easy for them to find your resume through a link from the Placement website. If you don't already have a resume online, you can easily convert your word-processed resume into an html document, and then post it to your SCILS directory or any other place where you have Web space. Then submit the webform on the Placement website at http://scils.rutgers.edu/placement/postresume.jsp and a link will be created to your resume.
The Links to other sites with job listings on the SCILS placement page is excellent, but there are others to consider. The Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) offers an online career center with job postings as well as information on career development called the Metro Magnet. Don't ignore the home pages of smaller library systems. Jill Ratzan, a recent SCILS grad sent a list that included:
BCCLS (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic Counties) www.bccls.org/buckles/jobs.shtml
Ocean County -- http://oceancounty.lib.nj.us
and regional cooperatives like:
South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative -- www.sjrlc.org/employment.shtml
Library Job Postings on the Internet (http://www.libraryjobpostings.org) is a great all-encompassing site for everything from school media to academic library positions.
Electronic discussion lists are another good way to keep track of job postings. There are lists that address virtually every aspect of librarianship, and that are career AND location specific (such as the NJ's Youth Services listserv: see http://www.njyac.org/listserv/). For a look at the great variety of interests addresssed in American Library Association lists, see http://lists.ala.org/wws/listaves.
At the risk of repeating some sources, here are a few recent additions:
http://www.njschooljobs.com
http://www.joblist.ala.org
http://www.indeed.com
Look to LISJobs.com has an excellent
listing of Job Banks for Information
Professionals
Outside the United States. Search their newsletter archives for articles
on librarianship abroad (September 2003 -- Branching
Out by Working Abroad -
Opportunities in School Libraries by Chris Tovell, and May 2001 -- Working
Internationally: Getting
There, Being There and Coming Home by Sam Werberg).
The New Members Round Table of ALA offers an excellent Job Hunting Resource Guide addressing many aspects of the employment process from resume writing to sample interview questions. Under "Job Interview Websites" you can even access audio lectures sponsored by LEEP (Online Education Program of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne).
Library Juice (www.libr.org)
has a neat (though slightly dated) job search supplement with both practical
and amusing anecdotes. You can reach it through the Library Juice archives:
vol 3, 11, March 15, 2000.
From DSavino@ETS.ORG Wed May 9 14:05:04 2007
Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 13:54:20 -0400
From: "Savino, Donna"
To: scils_lissa@email.rutgers.edu
Subject: [Scils_lissa] Job hunting tips ..
I've had several people ask me how I got my job, so I thought I'd summarize some tips based on my job-hunting experiences. Hope this helps smooth the way for recent grads.
Here's what I did:
1. Network. Do as much networking and professional functions as you
can. And don't be shy when you go to them. Make sure you're a member
of SLA (or ALA or ASIST), and any other association you think might be
of assistance.
2. Exchange business cards. That obviously means that you need to have
some printed. I got several hundred printed for less than $10 at
www.vistaprint.com. They should be paying me commissions for as many
people as I've sent to them. Hand them out at all the networking events
you go to, and get cards in return.
3. Identify the companies you want to work for. I went into the SLA
membership directory and went through every company in the greater NJ
area. I picked companies that I was interested in, and sent them copies
of my resume through the SLA member roster -- that way it went directly
to the library folks.
4. Sign up with library recruiters. ProLibra, InfoCurrent, Wontauk.
Make friends with a recruiter at each firm, send them your resume and
talk to them. I'd encourage you to take the time to meet them
personally before any interviews are set up. Don't be afraid to take
contract work even if it doesn't lead to full-time employment. They're
great resume builders and you get more experience to boot.
5. Post your resume on all the big sites (monster.com,
careerbuilder.com, etc.).
6. Get on listservs and check all the library job posting sites on a
daily basis. These jobs are few and far between, so the sooner you get
your resume out to the company, the better your odds of getting an
interview.
7. Polish up your interview skills. That means taking interviews for
jobs you may not really be interested in, but better to make mistakes
during those interviews than during the really meaningful ones.
8. Polish up your wardrobe at the same time. I don't care if the
atmosphere is "casual" -- wear a suit to the interview and carry a
professional portfolio or briefcase.
Finally, turn off your cell phone, take three deep breaths, and don't
forget to smile!
Good Luck,
Donna Savino
Information Specialist/Reference Librarian
Educational Testing Service
---------------
From tammyle@eden.rutgers.edu Wed May 9 15:38:47 2007
To: mradford
Cc: scils_lissa@email.rutgers.edu, "'Savino, Donna'"
Subject: RE: [Scils_lissa] Job hunting tips ..
Add to that list:
Decide who you are going to use as references and contact them to make
sure they are comfortable giving you a positive recommendation. Your
references may also want to know more about your goals or the specific
position so they can emphasize the most important characteristics. No
matter how certain you feel that a person will recommend you highly, NEVER
give out reference information to a potential employer until you have
double checked with that person.
While letters of reference are nice, most potential employers prefer a
conversation or at least email access because they can ask more specific
questions.
---------------
Donna has provided a really useful list of tips.
One caution about posting your resume to monster and career builder - if you decide to do this make sure you put a date prominently on your resume so that down the road your employer will not think you are looking to jump ship.
MR
If you would like one-on-one help writing your resume, developing a cover letter, or preparing for job interviews, you can make an appointment to speak with a counselor at Rutgers Career Services. They have offices right on College Avenue. Check their website for information: http://careerservices.rutgers.edu
If you would like one-on-one advice about library careers, the following professionals are willing to discuss career options in librarianship with you on an individual or group basis. These people are members of the MLIS Program Associates, a group of representatives from library-related organizations who consult with the director of the MLIS program. Your best bet is to contact these people via email first, and then set up a time to talk on the phone or visit them.
Barbara J. SikoraThere will be opportunities during the year to attend group sessions with a Rutgers Career Counselor on resume writing and interviewing, and to chat with working library and information professionals. So keep an eye out for announcements from SCILS Placement and the Rutgers University Special Libraries Association Student Group (RUSLA).
Networking with alumni and local members of professional associations can be extremely helpful in finding a job. Get in the habit of reading position announcements and want ads -- knowing what qualifications employers are seeking will help you to choose a career path and select appropriate courses. Also, keep your resume up to date so that you are ready to apply for part time jobs and/or internships.
Finally,
consider attending meetings of one of the dozen library-related associations
in New Jersey. Most are happy to have
students come at reduced prices. For
information about the New Jersey Library Association, check http://www.njla.org Other
New Jersey library associations are listed at http://www.njla.org/resources/organizations.html
There are a number of placement companies in the regional area that can help you find a permanent or temporary job. They are listed on the SCILS Placement website under "Sites with Job Listings" (http://scils.rutgers.edu/placement/links.jsp). Among them are Infocurrent, The Library Co-op, Pro Libra Associates, and Wontawk.
For jobs in other parts of the country, job hotlines may be useful. These are printed occasionally in American Libraries in the section containing position announcements. Some examples are:
California Library Association --
916-447-5627
Medical Library Association -- 312-553-4636
New England Library Jobline -- 617-521-2815
Special Libraries Association -- 202-234-3632
Job listings on association Web sites are becoming ubiquitous. See, for example, http://www.aallnet.org/committee/placement/listings.htm for law library position announcements.
Library Journal publishes salary information about each year's graduating
master's students in its October 15th issue. American
Libraries occasionally includes a regional salary guide as a sidebar in
its "Career Leads" section. The New Jersey Library Association publishes
recommended salaries for library staff; see http://www.njla.org/resources/salaries.html. Currently
their recommended minimum salary for a degreed librarian is $45,787. See also the salary section of "Libraries by the Numbers" under "The LIS Field" on the Web site.
Here are contacts for Rutgers University Libraries part-time employment:
o Alexander, Douglass, LSM, Kilmer Libraries: Charlene Houser,732-932-7129 (campus phone 2-7129)
o Dana Library, Newark: Christine Ingram, 973-353-5223 (campus phone from New Brunswick 122-5223)
o Paul Robeson Library, Camden: Libby Hart, 609-225-6036 (campus phone from New Brunswick 121-6036)
o RUL Graduate Assistant positions: Sandra Troy, 732-932-7505 (campus phone 2-7505)
Not everyone who graduates with an MLIS intends to follow a traditional librarian career path (is there such a thing these days?) A number of sites that discuss possible divergent careers are listed below:
Seminar in Information ScienceTopic: New and Alternative Careers For Librarians and Information Professionals (syllabus addressing this issue at San Jose State University).
Librarians in the Information Age: Alternative Uses of MLS Degrees from LISJobs.com.
"Places an MLS Can Take you" -- Linda K. Wallace, American Libraries, March 2002.
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