The Division of Government Information is delighted to be posting on the Future Ready 365 blog this week. DGI is a diverse community of knowledgeable information professionals who share an interest in government information and government librarianship. Our posts this week come from librarians in a variety of government library environments including federal, military, and academic. These DGI blog contributors share their insights on navigating the complicated landscape that today’s information professional must travel — from getting that library job to staying on top in a rapidly changing field once you’re there. Maybe you’d like to join us on the journey! Come check out the Division of Government Information at:  http://govinfo.sla.org/.

Nancy Faget, Federal Librarian

In our 4th year of Careers in Federal Libraries activities, about 50 of us are helping students and job seekers learn about federal librarianship. Many of us speak at webinars for library schools, national virtual convergence, annual networking/career fairs, and conference events. Some have even taken on the role as an official federal liaison to a library school and career center.

Good things are happening, but there’s got to be a better way of doing this! One-to-one conversations are wonderful in building relationships and delivering personalized advice, but we must raise our game. Not everyone is following the hiring reform changes, so would everyone know that job openings are sometimes advertised as thus: “Closes April 29 or when the first 75 applications are received”?

Is there a benefit to building a “many-to-many” online way to share tips from several advisors with whoever cares to read it? Would it benefit us to have an online way for students and job seekers to request a mentor or request a resume review?

As evidence of the great advice that could be provided (many-to-many), here is just a sampling of advice and testimony from a small but diverse group of volunteers and accidental advisors. They all contribute something different and valuable to the conversation. You’ll also get insight into why they dedicate their time and effort to being an accidental advisor.

And lastly, here is the next challenge. How we do leverage or build an online space where advice can be sought and provided in a many-to-many environment? This project will produce a long-lived valuable resource. Work with University of Illinois Urbana Champaign begins soon to explore how best to connect our federal community of advisors to a library school career center. Something wonderful may just happen.

Jennifer McMahan, Supervisory Librarian, US Department of Justice

For the last couple of summers, I gave a presentation at the CUA Institute on Federal Library Resources. I liked doing the presentation and talking to students because I was completely clueless when I first applied for federal jobs and several people were kind enough to help me. And, selfishly because I want to see the best new librarians applying for federal jobs! Here is some of what I told them:

• When looking at the announcement, make sure it’s something you actually want to do. But just because you’re more familiar with certain library positions, doesn’t mean you can’t try something new. That’s why it’s good to take advantage of practicum and internships now to try to figure out what kind of environment you like to work in. If you don’t have time for an internship or practicum,  consider job shadowing for a day or two. Most librarians I know, myself included, would be happy to host a student for a day who wanted to learn more about what we do.
• Don’t sell yourself short and don’t be afraid to apply for a job for which you don’t think you have the exact right experience/skills. For example, a lot of students are scared off by the “law librarian” title in our job announcements, but much of what we do is not legal research and typically we are looking for a well-rounded person with good research skills in any discipline.
• You might not feel like you have enough experience to be applying for certain jobs. But you might be overlooking experience that’s not library-related but is very relevant. One of the KSAs I see most often and that we always use: ability to communicate orally and in writing. I remember seeing a resume of someone who had little library experience, but she was involved in her local Toastmasters organization; another one was a former journalist. Those skills are incredibly important and very relevant.
• Even if KSAs are not required, still write a cover letter detailing your experience and what you’d bring to the job. Use specific examples. I like reading/hearing about examples of how a person has shown creativity and initiative with projects.
• Bring something to the interview, such as a “pretty” copy of your resume and a writing sample or a product that you created.
• In the interview, brag about your accomplishments, rather than yourself. Saying, “You should hire me because I’m smart,” doesn’t tell us anything about what you can do.
• A question that gets asked at most interviews is, why do you want this position, or why do you want to work here? Be prepared to answer that! Make sure you learn whatever you can about the mission of the agency and specifically the library. At least one part of your answer should be, “because I believe in what you do,” or at least that you are interested in government service.
• This is your opportunity to interview the library and organization as well. Try to find out what the work environment is like. Does it support creativity? Most of what I’ve done in my job since I started at DOJ has not been in my job description. I created it on my own. Try to determine how rigid a place is and whether it’s a good fit for you. Talk to employees who would be at the same level as you if given the opportunity. The federal hiring process can take a really long time, so you don’t want to waste your time or the agency’s if you’re not going to be happy there.
• Always write a thank you note – I can think of one situation where it helped make the decision to hire one person over another.
• References – make sure any person you list as a reference knows you’re doing so and will give you a good reference. It seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve talked to people who didn’t remember the person in question, were surprised to hear he/she was applying for other jobs, or couldn’t say anything good about the person.
• If I were hiring someone right now, I would love to find someone who doesn’t necessarily have a lot of experience, but lots of energy and enthusiasm. Someone who wasn’t afraid of not knowing everything, or anything, at first, someone who was constantly curious and wanting to learn new things and take on new challenges. Also, someone with strong attention to detail, and really good written and oral communication skills.

Blane Dessy, Executive Director, FLICC/FEDLINK

I generally tell students that the MLS degree is a starting point in the job search. Having an MLS does not guarantee a job, so the applicant must add value to their resume and their interview by explaining how his/her skills will be a complement to the agency. Applying for a job is much like a sales job; you have to understand the Agencies being applied to and you have to make yourself unforgettable (but in a good way!).

Aimee Babcock-Ellis, Librarian, Drug Enforcement Agency

• Don’t be so picky about your first job; it’s not your last job.
• Increase your chances of getting hired: be mobile!
• The time is to learn how to instigate change is NOW. Practice by setting up your own mentoring relationship or finding your own practicum.
• Listen and attend as many events as you are able to. There are free career events at EVERY conference.
• Students are responsible for their own future.
• Consistency and proper grammar do count! Use your on campus Career Center to your advantage.
• The more approachable you can be, the more likely it is that you can help the candidate.

Jessica Hernandez, Librarian, FDA Biosciences Library

As a recent graduate and new federal librarian, I benefit a great deal from advising students and job seekers. Promoting federal careers is a wonderful way to keep a pulse on the latest job trends. Each interaction is an opportunity for me to refresh my knowledge of the hiring process, learn about different career paths, and reflect on my own skills and future plans.

Virginia Sanchez, Federal Information Professional, 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker

What advice do I usually give when I review someone’s resume? Never assume, especially in the use of acronyms. It is tempting to use acronyms in order to save valuable white space, but as one resume reviewer said to me, “I have no idea what that means,” and he did not have the time for me to explain as he moved on.

Whenever I can, I give information specific to the student when counseling them on how to find a job. I also launch into Story Time mode and share personal anecdotes, complete with sound effects and arm waving.

What do I get out of the experience? Bug eyed wonder. Seriously, not only do I get an opportunity to assist an aspiring employee in attaining a goal, which would in itself be enough, it does cause me to take a close look at my own resume. It goes back to something I learned in my martial arts training: teaching forces you to examine and refine your own techniques to ensure your students receive proper training.

Eugenia Beh, Texas A & M University, Electronic Resources Librarian on “Why I help manage the CiFL group”

My involvement with the Careers in Federal Libraries group has enabled me to connect with outstanding librarians at all levels of federal librarianship. The group is the first place I look for information on the latest federal library positions and/or to get a question answered about applying for a federal position. I highly recommend joining this group to anyone interested in federal librarianship, whether you are a student or someone considering a mid-career change.

Rich Louis, Information Resources Specialist on “Why I help manage the CiFL group”

Involvement with CiFL has been invaluable as far as meeting librarians employed by the federal government. Getting to talk with current federal librarians has allowed me to gain a much better understanding of what it is that the federal government is looking for and how I can tailor my skill set to federal employment requirements. Being a part of CiFL has allowed me to be of service to my colleagues and, for once, to really feel a part of a professional organization.

Marianne Giltrud, Librarian and Adjunct Faculty, Catholic University of America on “Careers in Federal Libraries: Uniting Professionals in Service to America”

Anyone looking into the possibility of federal service as a professional librarian need look no further than the Careers in Federal Libraries Google Group. Collaboration, Engagement and Agility are why I belong to the group. While the purpose of the group is to develop a cadre of service oriented staff that are committed to their agency mission and at the same time are current with the rapidly changing information environment, this group provides a lens into the rich, deep and varied opportunities in the profession. Truly, library skills translate across many areas, in many contexts, and many media. Information, Resources, Mission, and Competencies are benchmarks that define this group’s success.

When I talk to individuals about this group, I highlight the benefits:

• Open group
• Vacancy announcements, internships, fellowships, student temporary employment and student career experience, Presidential Management Fellows program information
• Career advice
• Resume Reviewers
• Presentations, Documents, and Webinars
• Get involved!

Nancy Faget works as a federal librarian in Washington, D.C. She enjoys volunteering with professional associations and mentoring information professionals in Careers in Federal Libraries activities. Nancy’s most recent article appears in “Mid-Career Library and Information Professionals: A Leadership Primer”. At the ALA 2010 Annual conference, her peers awarded her the ALA FAFLRT Distinguished Service Award.

Jennifer McMahan is the Head Librarian for the Civil, Criminal, and Civil Rights Divisions at the US Department of Justice. She joined the staff there in 1999, shortly after receiving her MLS from Catholic University. Her activities include managing four of the Justice Libraries, as well as reference, training, and helping to create and maintain the DOJ Virtual Library.

This week’s posts come from truly gifted professionals of the SLA North Carolina chapter. While each representative has made an effort to keep their topics inline with the central theme of SLA Future Ready 365 blog, you will notice that each post provides a unique perspective and is intended to help a variety of readers that visit the blog. For more information about our members and the North Carolina chapter, be sure to visit ncarolina.sla.org.

Library and Information Science students understandably are concerned about future employment, especially in an unsettled economy. When speaking before LibSci student organizations I often encourage them to look beyond traditional campus library jobs and envision their future careers more broadly as information entrepreneurs.

Specifically, I suggest their library student association place an ad in their campus newspaper or tack notices on faculty doors, offering to help organize information within any department on campus.  Most departments have no idea there is a School of Library & Information Science on campus, much less what you have to offer. Target your campus as your first market! When calls begin to come in … “Yes, I’d like one of your library science students to revamp our website” or “Might a library science student organize our student internship files into a database?” … then head on over to begin a reference interview, determine the project’s scope, and offer to organize the information physically or virtually in exchange for a practical experience, a good reference, or even a fee.
There’s a future job lurking in most every department on campus just waiting for information entrepreneurs. In the process of getting your first customers conveniently on campus, you’ll be educating campus employees about the Library & Information Science department and profession.  How do I know? When I sought to locally expand my database development business, I approached several local University departments and quickly captured several hours work per week. If Library & Information Science graduate students had gotten there first, the jobs may have been theirs!

Ann Stringfield, M.S.L.S. worked up through all the available Information Specialist ranks for 17 years in a corporate library, then fancied a change and created an independent business reselling Inmagic database software, developing databases, training, and consulting. She has been helping organizations harvest their knowledge for over 12 years as Proprietor of InfoCrofters (www.infocrofters.com.)

by Pierina Parise, Director, Oregon Distance Education Program, Emporia State University, School of Library & Information Management (Oregon Chapter)

I am often asked about the qualities/characteristics that are essential for admission into our MLS program.  I usually reply with the list that appears on our Web site:

• Fluency in oral and written communication;
• An assertive personality, one that is sensitive and responsive to the needs of others;
• Emotional maturity and stability;
• An ability to articulate personal goals;
• Intellectual curiosity and flexibility necessary for creative problem solving and application of theory to practice;
• An appreciation for large and small group participation;
• Awareness of change, ambiguity and risk taking;
• A positive attitude toward utilization of technology; and
• Strong interest in contributing to SLIM, the information profession, and to society.

We still do think the above traits will help one be successful in our program, but I would like to turn this around and ask what qualities – as opposed to skills – will enable someone to be successful in our profession?

The reason I ask this question is that I think in our current economic environment – when an agency will often receive hundreds of highly (maybe overly) skilled applicants for a job opening – it is often certain attitudes and personality characteristics that will be the deciding points in the final selection. I also suspect that we do not openly acknowledge or perhaps even realize that we are basing our choice on traits that are so difficult to assess or quantify.

If you are on a search committee, what “qualities” do you look for in an applicant? And how would you try to ascertain these characteristics?

Pierina Parise has been the Director of the Oregon Distance Education Program for Emporia State University’s School of Library and Information Management for the past twelve years.  Before that she was the Instruction Librarian and Head of Reference at Marylhurst University.  She received her MLS from the University of Hawaii and worked in Hawaii at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and was also branch head of a combined school and public library on the Big Island.

by Dr. Sandra Hirsh, Silicon Valley Chapter, Leadership & Management Division

Tomorrow’s information professionals, who are in graduate school today, need to be ready for the rapid changes facing our profession. When they complete their degrees, will they be prepared to enter a profession that’s evolving so quickly? I encourage students (and those who mentor them) to start thinking creatively and flexibly about future career opportunities as early as possible in their graduate program.

Today’s MLIS students need to think broadly about their skillset and how they can apply their knowledge to a wide range of career pathways. LIS professionals have valuable and unique skills that are in growing demand, yet many of today’s students don’t recognize the value of an MLIS degree. During their MLIS program, students should take the time to network with faculty members, practitioners, and industry leaders, who can inspire them to think more broadly about the range of career opportunities for tomorrow’s LIS professionals.

Students need to be strategic as they choose their courses, thinking about how the knowledge they gain in graduate school can help them pursue tomorrow’s jobs. They should take advantage of their program’s academic advising and career development tools, and read blogs about emerging trends for LIS jobs. As our field is quite broad, before selecting courses, students need to understand the relevance of specific electives to potential career pathways they may want to pursue. Students should also complete an internship, where they can make connections with practitioners, gain real-world experience, and see how their skills can be applied in a variety of professional settings.

I also think it’s critical for today’s MLIS students to be comfortable exploring and adapting to new technology, as technology will continue to play an important role in our profession. Students should seek out opportunities to use technology in their learning activities. For example, students should be comfortable using web conferencing, blogs, wikis, and social networking sites. They should make it a priority to explore how technology is impacting our profession so they emerge from graduate school ready to share their ideas with their employers.

Today’s MLIS students also need to develop a lifelong learning community, made up of a diverse group of colleagues, who are eager to collaborate and explore solutions to changing priorities. While still in school, students should take time to build their professional network. One way this can be accomplished is through participation in professional associations, including student chapters based at their university.

In the past, attending professional conferences has posed challenges because of difficulties getting time off work and affording travel expenses. However, many professional conferences are now offered virtually, opening up new opportunities to get involved in conference planning, presentations, and networking. For example, the upcoming Library 2.011 worldwide virtual conference in November will bring together a global audience to explore how the digital age is impacting the roles libraries and librarians play in how we learn and consume information. These types of conferences provide excellent venues for students to get involved in the professional community and learn about new trends in our field.

It’s an exciting time to be preparing tomorrow’s information professionals. I look forward to feedback from any of you who would like to engage in further dialogue about how MLIS programs can help today’s students be future ready.

Sandra Hirsh is Professor and Director of the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University. Prior to joining the School as Director, she worked in the Silicon Valley for more than a decade at major technology companies: Hewlett Packard and Microsoft. As an industry user experience researcher, leader, and manager, she contributed to R&D research projects and influenced the user experience of web, mobile, and TV consumer products resulting in 5 U.S. patents. She was previously an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, and has taught courses for San José State University and the University of Washington.

by Alyssa Vincent, Oregon Chapter, Museums, Arts & Humanities Division

As an MLS student about to start my second year of study, I feel that I am gaining more of an understanding of what it will take to succeed in this profession. As I write this, I have just completed my “Research in Library and Information Science” class, and I know that the skills gained from that experience are the ones that will help me shape my future career.

A major foundation of this class was the concept of evidence-based practice. With budget cuts plaguing the information profession, nothing makes more sense than committing time and energy to conducting research that will enhance our services or identify weaknesses. For my evidence-based action plan paper, I chose to investigate the role of the librarian in a corporation and ways to improve that service. After many weeks of researching, I was able to formulate an action plan that both asserted that embedded librarianship was a worthwhile service model for corporations and provided steps on how to embed a librarian.

The difficult part of the realization that evidence-based practice through research is a key component to a thriving career is that the time that I was able to devote to research is a luxury in professional environments. So, what happens to my belief that research will move our profession forward when time is at a premium? It adapts and doubles in conviction. No, I may not have months to conduct studies of use patterns, but perhaps I can take a few moments to observe the foot traffic in my library. By continuously striving to work from a foundation of evidence-based practice, I will be improving the services that I can offer my users, even if I cannot devote weeks or months to developing theories or conducting surveys.

Alyssa Vincent is a midwesterner at heart who is enjoying pursuing her MLS in Portland, OR through Emporia State University. She has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and gender and women’s studies. When she’s not responding to posts on Blackboard or splitting her professional time between a technology-centered non-profit and a small architecture library, she’s reading about fashion, biking around town, and cooking. Her professional interests include digitization issues in relation to 3D objects and embedded librarianship, and she looks forward to somehow marrying those interests in the future.

Technical communicators face many of the same challenges that confront information professionals when it comes to staying Future Ready in a profession that changes constantly. We reached out to a group of prominent movers and shakers in the profession and asked how they manage their careers, and these are their stories.

by Tracy Dillon

Information professionals aren’t the only knowledge workers concerned with keeping up and staying Future Ready. As a program director for a technical writing program at a major university, Dr. Tracy Dillon is constantly seeking new ways to make the next generation of students ready for the future. In this case, it means focusing on international markets…

As the director of the Technical and Professional Writing program at Portland State University, I am constantly challenged by students to keep the curriculum relevant. As the program has matured, we have balanced at least three conflicting vectors:

1. Less money, due to budget cuts from the state legislature
2. Rapidly changing technology, leading to student demand for updated offerings
3. Institutional tradition, requiring great effort to make minor changes

Emotionally, I am always drawn to keeping the students happy, as they can be vocal and persistent. But they are also energizing, and their passion is very motivating. In preparing this blog post for Cindy, I also suddenly realized that what the students are clamoring for is simple: they want to be Future Ready. So let me talk briefly about a new course offering we recently added that I think helps in that regard.

Going Global

It’s not news that globalization continues to drive cultural evolution and business applications. We want our undergraduate engineers and graduate technical writing students to thrive in the expanding transnational environment. Just conquering the rules of style and grammar isn’t enough anymore.  We needed a course to draw together all of the skill sets to address this growing challenge.

WR 410/510: International Technical Writing discusses the strategies for conducting effective transcultural exchanges, addresses the challenges of conveying technical information across regions, and familiarizes students with global communication strategies.

In contrast to the technical writers of yesteryear, who were hard-pressed to include simple graphics and illustrations in their text, today’s documentation is full of complex art. That means the words are even more important, and they are likely to be translated into a growing number of languages. Mistakes in context or phrasing can be magnified exponentially, and we knew that our students had to understand this.

The key message for success in international technical markets today and in the future is content localization. So our new offering, which is online and available to students around the world, focuses on ways to reach a global audience and the importance of adapting writing style, tone, and diction to match the specific cultural expectations of clients and end users. This is in contrast to “pan-” approaches that assume all markets in a given region are the same.  We get into the nuts and bolts and provide students with a solid grounding. And the bottom line is that our program is just a little more future ready. As much as that makes me smile, I already started making plans for more new courses next year. The train never seems to stop…!

If you are interested in reading about internationalization as a key component of making yourself “Future Ready,” check out Geert Hofstede’s Cultures and Organizations: Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for Survival (McGraw Hill, 2005) and John R. Kohl’s The Global English Style Guide: Writing Clear, Translatable Documentation for a Global Market (SAS Press, 2008).

W. Tracy Dillon, PhD, is Professor of English and Director of Professional and Technical Writing at Portland State University in Oregon.

by Betty Story

Developing research/technology curricula for International Baccalaureate and Middle Years school library programs the last few years has given me reasonable expectations of research and technology capability for middle and high school students who have continual practice with technology.

Fortunate young people have moved way beyond simply using Power Point for presentations. In elementary years they are mastering Glogster, Prezi, Story Bird, Garage Band, and pod casts. Innovative teachers use Moodle and Webquests for Internet enhanced lessons. Some middle and high schools use Noodleworks to craft research papers and citation software to create bibliographies. Electronic grammar and spell checks are taken for granted.

Although these students may be “future ready” with navigating software, how much they comprehend and adequately assess what they Googled or found on databases is a concern. Some students have learned writing by completing “report writing” and grammar worksheets; crafting sentences and paragraphs is an undeveloped skill. Plagiarism detection software as such as Turnitin are now part of high school and university teachers’ tool kits.

Research Strategies: Finding Your Way through the Information Fog, by William Badke, talks of “remedial information literacy”, that is needed to provide methods for students to sort and synthesize the overwhelm of information. From the my perspective, with capable librarians and teachers, motivated students (especially those in private schools or public school college prep programs) will rise to expectations of independent and critical thinking required for online research. Unfortunately, while these students learn to ably sort out information and go beyond paraphrasing, under served public high school students can lack information literacy.

Since public school library positions are being cutback, the digital divide may widen. A recent statement from the American Association of School Libraries ( AASL) and case studies backing up the report, School Libraries Work!, examines the impact of public school libraries that are under staffed. ( The impact of public library cutbacks and loss of computer access to many is a whole other post.)

Regardless, to end on a positive note, this digitally able generation is constantly evolving but does need guidance. Students can and will learn to understand a research problem, find relevant content, and transform the information. Finding the solutions to developing these skills for all young people is a piece of the future ready puzzle.

Betty Story has been a school librarian, school library consultant and trainer for 25 years. She has worked with several private international schools and colleges, but knows that our public school librarians are unsung heroes.
Also an independent information professional, she is also a member of AIIP  on their board as Membership Development Chair.

by Chelle Batchelor, past SLA-UW Student Chapter Member

In late April I had the honor and pleasure of teaming up with SLA President Cindy Romaine to present this talk on the Future Ready Job Search at an SLA-UW Student Night event. As soon as she explained to me the Future Ready concept, I started thinking about how the key components of collaboration, flexibility, adaptability, and community could be applied to the difficult job search we all experience after we graduate with our MLIS degrees. Here are just a few ideas for a Future Ready inspired job search, but please feel free to add more!

Community: it is crucially important to actively reach out to your community of practice while you are in graduate school, and afterward as well. If you are reading this, you’ve already started! The key word here, however, is active, and I think people sometimes miss that when they receive (or give) advice like this. So, you are reading Future Ready 365. Great! But, can you do more? Post something, perhaps? Here’s another example: many people attend large professional conferences as part of their job search, which can be mind-boggling and sometimes even end up feeling like a waste of time and money. The key is, it is very important to get actively involved in the conference in any way you can! Find a way to volunteer, present a poster, or join a committee or peer group as well as attending a career fair or resume review. You can then note your achievements on your resume, and you will be interfacing directly with professionals who might have helpful career advice or leads! The important thing is to find meaningful ways to connect with your community.

Collaboration: I think community and collaboration go hand in hand. By connecting with the community of practice that has evolved around the kind of work you want to do, you will discover peers and mentors who can help you with your job search. Ask your peers to review your application materials, or form a job search support group to trade resumes and share ideas about how to represent your skills. Brainstorm with your peers to help each other think of skills you have gained through your coursework. Ask your mentors for advice on where to search for jobs, what to include in your application, or how you might broaden your job search strategy if you have run out of ideas. Finally, keep your peers in mind when you are searching for jobs. For example, when you see a position that you don’t think is the right fit for you, take the extra step to share it with a friend who might be more interested!

Flexibility: this one is probably the most important, and the most difficult. In my presentation I represented the problem as a Venn diagram. As with a Boolean search, each time you add another “AND” to your search strategy, you narrow your results. So, let’s say keyword phrase #1 is YOUR JOB SKILLS, #2 is GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION and #3 is TYPE OF JOB YOU WANT. Once you put those three together, you could end up with a very tiny job market to target! In order to get your first job, you may need to broaden your search. Gain some new adaptable skills, extend your search to places you haven’t considered before, or consider jobs in the tech and information industry that are not traditional “library” jobs. Those jobs might turn out to be a perfect match for your energy and enthusiasm! Don’t just search the library job lists like SLA, ALA, PNLA, LibGig, and LISjobs, try to find out what companies and other organizations are hiring information professionals. Some examples I gave my Seattle-based audience included Serials Solutions, Zaaz, Ascentium, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Adaptability: once you have identified an organization you want to work in, learn as much as you can about them and their culture. For best results, adapt each and every resume or CV and cover-letter to match the job and the work environment of that organization. Look at their web pages and familiarize yourself with the culture you see represented there. Use the language of their website, and especially the language of the job description to describe your skills and experiences in your application materials. If you don’t understand the lingo or are unfamiliar with their corporate culture, try to set up an informational interview with someone in the organization who would be willing to tell you more about the work they do and what they look for in a new employee. Finally, if you are invited to interview for a position, be prepared to answer questions about why you are interested in working for that organization, and why you care about the work you will be doing in the position you hope to fill. Be the person they want!

I hope this information is helpful for those of you graduating this year. It is a tough marketplace right now, and I think you will need to be more flexible in your job searches than ever before. The information profession is changing every day, and while it becomes more interesting, it also becomes more competitive and complex at the same time. Please take advantage of this SLA community to post more ideas for a future ready job search in the comments below!

Chelle Batchelor is the Access Services Librarian at the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia Community College Campus Library. She graduated from the University of Washington MLIS program in June 2005 and was hired as the Head of Interlibrary Loan at the University of Las Vegas in July 2005. Two years later (almost to the day!) she began her job at UWB. She was an SLA student member from 2003-2005 and is now actively involved in ALA, co-chairing the Access Services Discussion Group and the Cooperative Remote Circulation Committee. Chelle brings the perspective of a UW iSchool Grad whose cohort has gone far and wide in the Information profession in the past six years.

by Sarah L. Warner, Sarah L. Warner Associates

To be future ready start by thinking about what you have accomplished at each of your positions. The resume’s central section is the essential section to express your responsibilities in the form of Accomplishments. More and more clients are looking for accomplishments, not simply a listing of the tasks (job description) that you were responsible during the tenure in each position. For example: Task – Involved with a variety of software projects across the department. Accomplishment – Selected to participate on a team with the rollout of LegalKey Attorney Desktop, which enabled end-users to request files. Task – Handle all research questions and daily new items for the organization. Accomplishment – Created and disseminated specialized daily news digest to targeted groups throughout the company using Microsoft SharePoint, drawing from newspapers, journals, website, newsletters, reports, wire services and blogs.

How feasible is this focus change for you?

Basic Information

All resumes should include all the following basic information: name, address, home telephone and or mobile phone (not your office phone or email), personal email, your objective along with your summary of skills. Beginning with an Objective, do make sure that it is focused on the job you are applying for. For example, if you are focusing your career shift search to academic law libraries and the job you are applying for is for a law firm library in a private law firm, be sure to update the Objective. Some recruiters recommend a Brief Statement of key experiences and strengths in lieu of Objective.

The next section to focus on is Work History –  Skills, areas of expertise, and specific accomplishments. Your resume is about you. It is about what you have learned, accomplished, and created. Then put this all in light of the client’s position that you are applying for each time you apply for a new position. If your Skill Section is so overwhelming, it is best included after the Work History, with your databases and software Microsoft Office etc. Following the Work History is Education, Training, and Certificates. Dates of completion are not required unless degrees completed within the last 5 years. The final section includes information on Awards, Professional Memberships, and Volunteer Work if relevant to the position applying. Awards related to the position you are applying for are particularly important to include.Tell the best truth about yourself on your resume; do not be misleading about your skills, job history, dates on job history, education, or compensation. The prospective employer will verify these.

The Work History is the essential section to express your responsibilities and accomplishments along with inclusive dates. Relevant work experience is critically important in the selection process. Candidates who are career changes or someone with other work experience may want to break the Work History into two sections Library Experience and Other Relevant Experience. This will assist the review in determining the exact extent of your experience. Library experience should be described in more detail. Clients want to have an understanding of your work timeline and in particular what experience you have that is of utmost relevance to their requirements. Remember it is not simply a listing of your jobs with description of your tasks. Did you save your current company X amount of dollars or did you build a successful reference service intake system that saved the reference librarian’s time and allowed time for research analysis?

The current thinking is to include positions held only for the last ten years unless an earlier position includes key germane accomplishments that are most relevant to position being applied for. When you are responding to a specific opportunity, it is strongly suggested that you highlight your experience in that area that addresses what the client’s priorities match your own achievements. For example, you are applying for a position that includes training experience using a specific software program and as part of your current or last position you had you taught and were awarded for your knowledge of the tools, be sure to move your point to a strategic point in the position’s list. If you achieved a particular skill in an early position than consider noting it for inclusion in the cover letter.

A point that is often questioned by hiring clients but also applicants is just how to address the short-term positions. In all cases, clients and recruiters expect to see the exact dates of the assignment. It is appropriate to indicate it is an “internship” or “contract.” In this challenging job market you may have gaps on your resume due to being out of work or taking temporary jobs that are not part of your career path; you can explain it as such. If you are working with a recruiter, be sure to be forthcoming with explanations about gaps. All in all keep your resume in a bullet format is preferred in one to two pages maximum unless you are applying for an academic position and a curriculum vita can be more appropriate.  Be sure to proof read multi-times. Remember one typo could send your resume to the trash.

References

One note on References is that it is not recommended to include them as part of your resume. Rather write at the bottom of your document “References available upon request.” References do not want to be caught off guard by receiving an unexpected phone call or email requesting information about you. It is preferable for you always to prep a reference about the position you have applied for and why you have applied for the position.

In the end you want to have made it clear to the reader of your resume, whether it is an in-house recruiter, hiring manager, or search committee member, that you have read and understand the skills and experience they are seeking for the successful candidate.

Cover Letter

An additional way you can convey why you are qualified to be the successful candidate for the position is with the Cover Letter. The purpose of the cover letter is to invite the reader to look directly at your resume and also next insure an invitation for an interview. If you have not done your homework on the company that you are interested already, it is a must. You may find this law firm has a specialty that is one of your particular research focuses.

The Cover Letter should be well written, well organized, and customized (Yes, customized) for the position you are seeking.  Always use the addressee’s name in the salutations. Research the right contact and get the facts straight, addressee’s title and the job title. (Sometimes searching LinkedIn is a good tool.) If you can’t successfully find the first name of the contact, it would be appropriate to put the initial and last name R. Jones. The Cover Letter is a way you can introduce yourself and convey your personality, impress a reader with your achievements, and your writing skills. If no name using Hiring Manager or Recruiter is appropriate. The cover letter is a vehicle for you to tailor a document to a specific company more than you can with a resume. The letter should not be over 3 to 4 paragraphs. There should be plenty of white space left on the page.

The opening paragraph should state your intentions, what positions you are applying for, and how you learned of the opening. If you have been fortunately to have been referred by someone, be sure to include the person’s name – maybe it is a colleague in the same company.  The following paragraphs should address the position as it pertains to your background. Call attention to those elements of your resume that you would like the employer to notice first that most clearly relate to what the client is looking for in the successful candidate. It should have supporting evidence that there is an appropriate match between you and the employer. Talk about both skills and experience. Highlight your merits. Include special contributions or achievements that are applicable. Convey enthusiasm – What can you do for them. Show them how you can be an asset.  This is NOT the time to be thinking about salary, or anything else about what they can do for you. It is what you can do for them. The final paragraph should include a gracious thank you for the employer’s time and consideration, and indicate your availability for interviews. There is information in the cover letter that is not included anyplace else. The letter can end with “Thank you for your time and consideration” or “Best regards.” It can be helpful to add your email address after your name.

Resume Portfolio

A bonus method to stand head and shoulders above the other candidates is to have a carefully crafted Resume Portfolio. If you are a recent library school graduate, this application is ideal for inclusion to set yourself aside from other graduates. By definition a Resume Portfolio is a well-prepared portfolio providing additional “evidence” to an employer of your accomplishments, skills, abilities and it documents the scope and quality of your experience and training. It is an organized collection of documentation that presents both your personal and professional achievements in a concrete way. Effective sample portfolios can range from an online version of your resume to a web site full of your created material. A portfolio can include writing samples, custom research or analysis.  What is fundamental is that what you are presenting is applicable to the position you are applying for or to client discussion.

When all is said and done the person who’s most talented, has the most relevant skill set, and has proven to be most valuable to his or her former employees achieves the new position.

Sarah L Warner and Associates LLC offers distinctive services for direct-hire and executive search in the areas of the information professional that incorporates Records Managers, Research Directors, Senior Legal Researchers, Digital Image Manager, and Account Manager.  Sarah L Warner and Associates LLC’s proven techniques of sourcing candidates allow us to represent talent not found on job boards. We introduce you to custom recruited candidates so you see exceptional candidates for direct hire.

Sarah has over ten years of experience directing recruitment services with personal care and expertise previously at Wontawk, a leader in recruitment, and over twenty years of experience in entrepreneurial, corporate, and non-profit settings, developing and providing a full spectrum of library & information services, including management, staff recruiting, and research. Sarah is a long-time active member of SLA with a Masters in Library and Information Science is from Pratt Institute.  She can be reached at sarah@sarahlwarnerandassociates.com

by Stephanie Callaway

It is important to remember to set your goals- and do not stray from them!  It is advised to make a list of potential jobs prior to your initial job search.  These ideal jobs will help you direct your search in a positive manner and allow you to assess your timelines towards gainful employment.

When the job market is diminished and you are not hearing back from companies, it can be easy to become frustrated or fear that your resume is entering a black hole.  It is highly recommended to keep a journal or record of where you apply and to whom you sent your resume.  Remember to always follow up!  This shows your potential employers that you are genuinely interested in working with them and eagerly awaiting their feedback.

From reading Ms. Pamela Wall’s post regarding “My Resolution,” I have to agree with the fact that “the future is now.”  As you embark on your independent job search it is important to remain organized and focused.  Gear your search towards what you want to be doing.  As recent graduates the future may seem like a threatening or unusual place- where you are no longer graded for your effort, and the work isn’t divided by semesters.  This will be your job!  Make it something that interests you, and something that you are truly excited about.

If you feel as though you are stuck in a rut or would like assistance with your job search, it is a great idea to reach out for help.  TRAK Records and Library is a national staffing company with a strong presence in major cities across the United States.  We specialize in your field of information management, and TRAK prides itself on partnering with the up-and-coming MLS graduates and helping to create an ideal situation post-graduation.  If you are interested in hitting the ground running this May, please feel free to reach out for more details.

For more information on TRAK, please visit our website at www.trakcompanies.com, or send your resume toResumes@TRAKRecordsandLibrary.com for immediate consideration.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie Callaway is the National Business Development Director for TRAK Records and Library.