Job Hunting

Posted July 16, 2014 by Gemma Doyle

I have about six months left until I get my degree, and that is both incredibly exciting and incredibly terrifying.  The point of library school is, of course, to be able to get a job at the end of it, and these days the competition for that job is stiffer than ever – especially in the Boston area.  I’m a little more fortunate than a lot of my peers because I have more than a decade of professional experience under my belt, but that’s no guarantee of anything. 

Luckily, the same class that gives me a dose of real world internship experience (LIS502) also gives students a crash course in resume, cover letter and interviewing dos and don’ts, then lets students discuss their own experiences. The discussions are really the meat of it, because we give each other encouragement and tips, everything from interesting job boards to tricks for combatting nervousness and professional dress (I have to admit that I am in my 30s and still can’t walk in heels particularly well. It’s an issue!).  We’re all anxious about finding a job, and sometimes just knowing that you’re not alone can be the most comforting thing. 

I’m also a little more fortunate than some of my classmates in that I don’t have any strong ties to the Boston area, and am eager to look for jobs in other parts of the US and Canada, and even further afield than that.  I’m not even particularly picky about what kind of job I get.  The thing about library school is that you’re exposed to a wealth of information that isn’t going to all be relevant in the professional world at the same time.  I love coding and XML, and would be keen on doing something in digitization, but I also love working with teenagers and working in a municipal setting. These things aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, but… they kind of are.  I’m actually thrilled that I have a whole career in front of me to figure out which I like best.