“Your value is not limited to your employment status. You have intrinsic value.”
That piece of advice and encouragement to job-hunters came from Davis Erin Anderson, Assistant Director for Programs and Partnerships at the Metropolitan New York Library Council.
Anderson was one of three guest speakers who provided job-hunting tips and fielded career-related questions for more than an hour via Google Meeting at APALA’s virtual jobs talk on September 25, which I co-hosted with APALA Vice President Ray Pun. The virtual event was attended by 42 graduate students and other library and information science professionals.
The other guest speakers were Nikhat J. Ghouse, Association Librarian for the Social Sciences and Coordinator of the Diversity Alliance Residency Program at American University and independent organization development consultant, and Martín J. Gómez, an independent library consultant and president/CEO of MJ Gómez LLC.
While the current job market is extremely tough right now given that many library systems have frozen hiring or are experiencing budget shortfalls and layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still some employers hiring. Gómez, Ghouse, and Anderson encouraged job-hunters to try and stay upbeat and motivated while finding that first or next job.
One major effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the hiring process is that now many job interviews are being conducted via virtual conference calls on Zoom or Google Meeting.
In addition to making sure your internet connection and computer equipment work well and identifying a meeting location with a neutral, well-lit backdrop and good acoustics, Gómez said job applicants should look professional in their virtual job interviews and take extra care in how they select their attire and their real or digital backgrounds.
“Your wallpaper (on camera background) reflects you,” Gómez said. He suggested that job applicants can find online photographs of libraries, office settings or other professional-looking digital photos to use as virtual backdrops if they would rather not show their homes during an interview.
Likewise, if doing a video conference call at home isn’t an option, Gómez said going to an unusual location can turn into an interesting conversation point that could work in your favor. Gómez went on to share an anecdote about how one job applicant ended up doing a job interview from inside a Volkswagen Microbus.
Ghouse said job hunters should keep track of the job applications they applied to and create an organization system for files including resumes/CVs, references and cover letters. Ghouse also discussed the STAR interview method when responding to interview questions which includes responding with examples that describe a situation, an explanation of the task, actions taken and the response or results.
For positions in the academic track, Ghouse said job hunters can try to call the respective department chairperson and ask for a brief informational phone conversation about the position.
When applying to larger institutions – such as universities or library systems – Anderson said it would be better for job hunters to do a targeted job search and only apply to a few relevant positions rather than every single opening as applicants may be tracked electronically and it would be easy to notice that a candidate has applied to every opening. These types of actions are a red flag to hiring managers, particularly if candidates continuously apply for every job opening without seeing if they fit the job qualifications.
“Do not ‘spray and pray,’ or sell yourself short,” Anderson said.
Job hunters should check with companies on a regular basis to see if they are still hiring, Gómez said, and if you aren’t hired after doing an interview, go ahead and ask the company if they would be willing to provide some feedback .
All three guest speakers strongly encouraged job hunters to continue to develop their professional skills while conducting the job hunt. Get involved in local, state and national library associations and the various ethnic caucuses, Gómez said, and take advantage of many free virtual online trainings and webinars.
Job hunters should develop skills in areas like project management, facilitation, or other relevant “soft” skills, Ghouse said, and she recommended using free virtual courses like Udemy as a low-cost resource.
“Learn how to present and lead. Learn how to be a team player and leader,” she said. “Know how to engage in a conference call when working in groups. Know when to use your voice in group work and as a leader.”
All three guest speakers said graduate students should look into doing virtual internships to gain experience but they advocated for finding ones that pay. Ghouse also suggested that graduate students should look into opportunities to work at their school libraries to gain more professional and work experience.
Advice varied a little bit for job hunters who are already employed and are looking for another position. Gómez said your supervisor might be a little more sympathetic during this current job market and it might be all right to notify your manager that you are job hunting and to ask for a reference if there is a good relationship.
For academic librarians, Ghouse said job hunters should refrain from telling their supervisor until they get a request for an on-site (now virtual during the pandemic) academic interview. Then notify your boss about your interview and discuss with your supervisor about being a reference. If you have a good relationship with your supervisor, they will support your effort for professional growth and will not stop or block you from leaving for a better opportunity, she said.
Having a time gap between jobs on the resume is OK as long as job applicants can explain what happened in the interim, especially if candidates were impacted by COVID-19 or had to take care of their family, elderly relatives or children, the guest speakers said.
Working another job outside of the library science and information profession is understandable, but applicants are encouraged to explain how skills in these past positions can be applied to their current application to a library job. Waitresses, for example, can talk about working with different and difficult people, Anderson said.
Other suggestions for what job hunters could consider while looking for work include freelance writing newsletter articles and book reviews for trade publications and library organizations, or virtual volunteering for a library, a library’s friends group or other professional library-related organizations.
All three guest speakers agreed that the best job interview answer for why a job applicant wants to work in a library should be to explain their passion to help others or to provide a specific service.
“Nobody should ever say they want to work at a library because they love books,” Ghouse said, as librarianship is about more than just books.
Most of all, the guest speakers said people should take care of themselves while conducting the job search.
“Mental and emotional health is most important,” Gómez said. “You don’t want to destroy your self confidence.”
Anderson reminded the virtual job talk attendees that it’s OK to be in-between different employment situations for the time being.
“Your future is not set,” she said.
Additional Job-Hunting Resources
Spreadsheet of Library/Archivist/Information Science Job Hunting Resources
The New York Public Library’s Virtual Career Counseling, Resources, and Webinars
Article by Michelle J. Lee
Image Credit: Ray Pun
Editing Support: Silvia Lew & Jaena Rae Cabrera