The Information Professional

This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion:

This anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian who has been a member of a hiring or search committee. This librarian works in a Canadian city/town at a library with 10-50 staff members.

"Priscilla Shontz and Richard Murray, the editors of LISCareer, a rich collection of articles written by practicing librarians on a variety of career development topics, are the authors of a new book entitled What Do Employers Want? A Guide for Library Science Students. Shontz and Murray cover topics such as Practical Experience, Professional Identity and How Employers Hire, basing their advice on interviews with people who hire librarians. The book moves beyond job search insights, outlining career development strategies for students and new graduates in a manner that is both funny and frank. I am pleased to be able to offer you an excerpt from chapter one: “What Do Employers Want?”

Shannon Lausch :

"I am so excited to be able to present this guest post by Shannon Lausch, in which she reports on her very current research, conducted in partnership with Rebecca Goldman, into what it's like to job hunt as a newly graduated archivist. I heard about their work via the SNAP listserv. If you’re a new archivist, you should check it out. I’ve been very impressed with both the discussions and level of collegiality that can be found there.

Shannon’s analysis is fascinating – there are both expected and surprising results."

[...]

 

"It is a tough and strange market in the archives world, one where you may go from hearing nothing for months to landing a full-time professional position after receiving an interview from just one institution. Or you may have to face the uncertainties of the job market again and again, finding multiple temporary project positions. Having a strong network of those who can help you in making sure your resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills are in top form is critical for making sure when opportunity strikes, you’re ready."