The following post was written by Candice Kortkamp. She studies cataloging, metadata, and research methodology at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science.
Librarians and information professionals possess highly transferable skills that are applicable to a wide range of workplace environments. As traditional roles are rapidly being replaced with new titles and responsibilities, it can be challenging to know where to begin a job search. Though they may be looking for candidates that have the skills that librarians offer, organizations and institutions often do not use "traditional" library and information terminology in their job descriptions.
The Special Libraries Association, Boston Chapter had this in mind when it presented the 2011 “Hidden Career Opportunities for Librarians and Information Professionals” event featuring a panel of information professionals in non-traditional careers.
The following is a recap of what the professional panelists suggest for taking advantage of hidden career opportunities in non-traditional library fields:
Apply for Jobs You Appear to be Unqualified For
Matt Johnson works as Senior Program Manager for Taxonomy and Information Standards in the eServices division of EMC Corporation. His favorite aspect of his current position is having a hand in custom metadata management. But most of what he does he learned on the job. For this reason, coupled with the knowledge that most employers are novices at writing job descriptions, Johnson emphasizes that there is value in applying for jobs you appear to be unqualified for. “Be honest about your limitations, but know what you have to offer,” he says. “If you see yourself fitting into that role, think of someone else seeing you in that role”
Know Your Worth
Librarians are “trained to recognize relevant information, analyze it, package it, and deliver it,” says Paula Maloney whose current position as an Executive Search Sourcer for Global Talent Acquisition, EMC Corporation, allows her to implement the sleuthing talents she attributes to sound discipline learned in library school.
Don’t Worry if “Librarian” isn’t in the Title
This piece of advice, received from a professor at Simmons College, pushed Eve Marie Miller to search for jobs beyond traditional librarian positions. She now works as Director of Collection Development at EBSCO Publishing where she is assisting with the transition associated with the H.W. Wilson acquisition. Miller recommends following the S.M.A.R.T. acronym for resume writing, strategically updating each resume you send out to reflect specific skills and measurable accomplishments.
Be prepared for EVERY opportunity
Some people call this “Networking.” Others may advise putting together an “Elevator speech.” Maureen Festa simply encourages, “Know your strengths; know what you love to do,” and be prepared to communicate this knowledge in unexpected situations. Festa began her career in reference at BPL’s Kirstein Business Library, where she decided that she loved doing research. She advises dressing well and carrying business cards to every event you attend – this is how she landed her current job as Development Research Analyst at the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Boston University. She now applies her passion for information seeking toward conducting prospect research.
Get certified
Panelist Laurie Rotman has been with Draper Laboratory since pre-World Wide Web days when she worked on developing the company intranet. Though she says it was far from anything she ever thought she’d be interested in, she loves that her position in Information Resources and Management affords her the “opportunity to take risks and try new things.” She highly recommends Project Management Institute (PMI) Certification for library and information professionals to learn new skills, get involved in a network, and expand opportunities.
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