Finding a Library Job

This exciting job market can be tough to break into, but these steps to success should help along the way

By Rachel Singer Gordon -- Library Journal, 6/1/2005

When hunting for a library job, you will have better odds of success if you both understand what employers are looking for and have a realistic picture of the market. A successful job hunt involves gaining the skills libraries are looking for, getting yourself out there and known, connecting with opportunities, and putting your best foot forward in all of your interactions with potential employers.

The job market

Library associations continue to push recruitment efforts, trying to build up the number of MLS-degreed professionals to replace an anticipated wave of retiring boomers. The peak of this wave, though, is estimated to occur around 2015–19, doing little to ease a tight entry-level job market now. Further, many institutions are facing budget cuts and restructuring, a trend that may result in a lower than one-to-one replacement rate.

The hiring picture, however, is not entirely bleak. The Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates that job opportunities for librarians will grow about as fast as those for other occupations over the next decade. It notes that the best opportunities will come outside traditional settings, so those who expand their search will have better odds. Library Journal’s annual Placements and Salaries feature benchmarks salaries in various jobs for new librarians and tracks the job market. The 2004 article, “Placement and Salaries: Jobs! (Eventually)”, reporting on the spring 2004 employment status of 2003 grads, shows some 15.2 percent either reporting that they are unemployed or failing to report employment status—but, of those who are employed, over 98 percent are working in some library capacity.

Even with the rise in distance education opportunities, regions with one or more library schools tend to have large numbers of applicants for most entry-level positions. Libraries in desirable geographic locations can be hard to break into; those who are geographically mobile and willing to start out in smaller, less-well-paying, rural, or less popular locations will have a leg up in the job hunt.

Entering the profession

As in many fields, librarianship is a profession where experience counts for a lot. To qualify for desirable full-time positions—even those advertised as entry level—most people have to be willing to “start small” and gain that all-important library experience wherever possible. As Rachel Wexelbaum, librarian, Learning Resource Center, California School of Culinary Arts, Pasadena, shares, “Like in any job, to get anywhere fast you have to work for it. And if you are starting out in a new career field, you have to start small and work your way up. Five years ago, the year before I started library school, I took an $8/hour library assistant position. That position grew (along with salary) into a librarian position that I created and earned with my own efforts.”

Take any opportunity, even while you are still in school, to gain pertinent experience. Volunteer, participate in internships, work in paraprofessional positions, or work part-time at a library at night while retaining your benefit-carrying day job in another field. Look at this as a long-term investment in your career as a librarian; set a goal for a year or two years in the future to reapply for more desirable full-time positions, in the libraries and locations you prefer.

Simply put, new librarians compete for desirable full-time entry-level positions with those who already have a few years’ experience in the profession. In this environment, you need to be proactive about getting the experience and skills you need to measure up.

Where to look

Most library positions are now advertised online, and the Internet should be a major component in your job hunt. Sarah L. Johnson, webmaster of Library Job Postings on the Internet and author of multiple publications on library careers, notes, “Not only are online ads more current than anything you’d find in print, but there are hundreds of library job banks available, from state job lines to magazine classifieds to electronic mailing lists and more. Employers advertise online because it’s cheap, fast, efficient, and helpful in finding the best candidates.”

Some sites to get you started:

• ALA: Employment Opportunities
• LIBJOBS list
• Library Job Postings
• Lisjobs.com

Supplement these with local job banks from your state library or association, nearby library schools, or local library systems; those interested in specific types of librarianship (academic, special, etc.) should also bookmark specialized job banks. Links to these and other resources (such as employment agencies, journals, and international sites) can be found at Lisjobs.com.

Make a point of joining one or more email discussion lists in your subject interest and/or geographical area. Employers often post positions to targeted lists to attract a specific type of candidate; you may never see these if you fail to be professionally active online.

Some sites, such The Chronicle of Higher Education, also offer RSS feeds for new listings, so you can be automatically notified in your newsreader whenever a new ad appears. Just right-click on the orange XML button on such pages, choose “copy link location,” then paste the link into a newsreader such as Bloglines. You then can easily check for new job listings in one centralized location.

Building your network

As with any other profession, you will find that the best way to connect with open positions is by building a network of colleagues who will look out for your best interests. You want colleagues to know you are job hunting; you want them to drop your name when someone mentions a pertinent opportunity; you want them to give you good references and forward possibilities to you.

Membership in library associations and attendance at workshops or conferences is one of the best ways to begin building your personal network—and to demonstrate your professional commitment to potential employers. Brian C. Gray, engineering librarian, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, says of his job hunt, “I think my key to success was showing a commitment to the profession, beyond just getting a piece of paper that said MLIS. I was already involved in several professional associations, attended workshops outside my library school, participated in professional lists, and remained focused on my desire to work with scientific information.” Conferences also often offer placement centers; you can register to get your information in front of employers and get some practice interviewing at these events.

Beyond in-person networking opportunities, remain active online. Those you interact with “virtually” are as likely to provide useful contacts as those you meet in person—but remember, you have a mutual responsibility to help others. A successful network flows both ways. Join one or more email lists in your area of interest; never fail to jump into the conversation if you have useful information to impart or can help answer a colleague’s question.

Realize also that in the Internet era, potential employers are very likely to Google you to see what kind of presence you have online. Becoming an active participant in online projects, email lists, or blogs and consistently projecting a professional and helpful persona can help your job hunt as well.

Résumés, interviews, and cover letters: Oh my!

Those looking for their first professional position should realize that their résumé (or, for academic positions, their curriculum vita, or CV), cover letter, and interview are their chance to make an impression on a potential employer. Employers do not know you or what you have to offer—all they have to go by is what you show them and how you present yourself.

Résumés: Keep them professional and targeted. Don’t list your hobbies unless they have some direct relevance; don’t list your marital status or number of kids. Do, though, think creatively about experience that might apply. Many professional positions require skills in customer service, in project management, or in supervision that can be gained in multiple ways. This should go without saying, but never falsify information in any way. Have someone—or a couple of someones—look over your résumé or CV for grammatical errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Learn the difference between a résumé and a CV, and be sure to use a CV when applying for academic jobs. (See this nice summary of the differences and of how to structure a CV.) Think also about setting up an online portfolio, where you can keep records of your accomplishments and point employers to examples of your work.

Cover letters: The biggest mistake library candidates make with cover letters is failing to target them to the specific position. Never send a generic cover letter. Take the time to look at the qualifications and skills requested in a job ad, then address these as specifically as possible. Show what you can do for the institution; focus on that rather than on what the institution can do for you. Check for misspellings and grammatical errors: quality counts, and this is your chance to make a good first impression.

Interviews: Take some time before an interview to familiarize yourself with the library and its resources. Visit the building (if it’s accessible) and its web site, look at its collections, find out what programs and services it offers. Prepare to ask questions that show that you have researched the institution and can picture yourself there; if you can locate information on the publications and activities of search committee members and bring these up during the interview, even better. Academic interviews, especially, can be drawn-out affairs involving meals, tours, and presentations; remember that you are always “on” during this time, and remain professional throughout. If you are asked to give a presentation, put sufficient time into preparation and practice prior to the interview. Find some sample interview questions and advice at www.lisjobs.com/advice.htm#interview. Look through these and prepare answers for common questions ahead of time so that you are not caught off guard.

Avoid common mistakes

In their enthusiasm, job seekers sometimes go too far to try to land a position, while others fail to go far enough and seem to expect jobs to come to them. Here are a couple of things both to do and to avoid.

Do: Visit the advertising library and/or its web site, make note of its programs, services, and resources, and develop intelligent talking points for an interview. Do not: Visit the advertising library, hang out, and ask persistent questions about the job. Do: Write a professional cover letter that specifically addresses the qualifications asked for in the ad. Do not: Write a cutesy cover letter that fails to remain professional, or a generic cover letter that you use when applying to any position. Do: Immediately write a nice thank you note to your interviewer or search committee members, and touch on something of interest from the interview. Do not: Call every day to see how the process is going. (Wait several weeks postinterview, then drop a quick email to check on the position’s status.)

Your goal is to show that you are enthusiastic about the position and the institution, that you have a picture of how you will fit in, and that you are the best person to meet the library’s needs—while staying professional and not wasting their time.

What employers want

In the interview, take the opportunity to play up previous experience, even if it was not in a library setting. Have you worked with teens? “The key to my success was showing them that not only could I be trained in the position, but that I brought skills and abilities they didn’t even know they were interested in acquiring,” Tasha Squires, formerly young adult librarian, Fountaindale Public Library, Bolingbrook, IL, says. “My previous work with teens really helped sell me. As librarians, so much of what we do is work with people. If you can show how past work experiences put you into contact with people and what tactics you used for problem-solving, interviewers will realize how adaptable you are, and they know how valuable that is in an employee.”

Have you worked in a bookstore? In a customer service position? Supervised others? Managed a project? Written a grant? Think broadly about applicable experience, and be able to show how it relates to a particular job.

While you’re looking

The reality of the entry-level library job market today means that it may take some time to find a full-time professional position. While you are looking, make every effort to keep connected, keep current, and keep your spirits up—all of which will help keep you more marketable.

Keep an eye on the job ads and look at the qualifications and requirements for the openings that interest you. How can you gain these qualifications? Can you take a class, volunteer at a local public library, offer to teach introductory computer workshops? Can you find a way to attend a local conference and network with others, getting your name and face in front of potential hiring managers and people who might mention you to those with authority to hire? Think of ways to expand your résumé and show your professional commitment, perhaps by writing an article for publication or volunteering for a professional association committee. Any work you do now will prepare you for that next dream job; by seeing what employers are looking for now, you can qualify for future postings.

Try not to get discouraged by the concerns of others who have had difficulty finding employment. Though it is all too easy to get sucked into a spiral of negativity, it is much more useful to look at what makes the difference for those who are getting positions and find ways to emulate their success.

Find Out More

• Association of College and Research Libraries, Ad Hoc Task Force on Recruitment & Retention Issues. Recruitment, Retention, and Restructuring: Human Resources in Academic Libraries (ALA, 2002)
• Edmonson, Emily (pseud.), “Checking Out Her Options,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 30, 2004
• “Raising My Standards,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 2, 2005
• Jacobson, Jennifer, “A Shortage of Academic Librarians,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 14, 2002
• Nesbeitt, Sarah, “Librarian Recruitment Process: At Home in the Wired Nation,” American Libraries, July/August 2003, p. 58
• Nesbeitt, Sarah & Rachel Singer Gordon. The Information Professional’s Guide to Career Development Online (Information Today, Inc., 2002)
• Rogers, Michael, “Where Are All the Library Jobs?” Library Journal, September 15, 2004, p. 14.
• Saunders, Laura, “Navigating a Tight Job Market: There’s a Job for You,” C&RL News 64:10 (November 2003): 661-663, 669.
• Wilcox, Matt, “Why I Won’t Hire You,” LISCareer.com, December 2004