Cracking the Library Job Market
Eric Petersen
H&R Block Business & Career Center
Central Library
Kansas City Public Library
1
An Outline
Let’s get to know one another!
About the H&R Block Business and Career
Center
Getting a (professional) library job
Employment opportunities
Job searching, networking, and research tools
Employment alternatives to libraries (You gotta be
realistic)
What I learned in my own job search
About cover letters, resumés, and interviewing
Wrap-up
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The H&R Block Business and
Career Center
www.kclibrary.org/business-career
3rd floor of Central Library
Dedicated space for people doing research
related to
Job searching, resumé writing, etc.
Small business development
Nonprofit development
Financial literacy
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The H&R Block Business and
Career Center
What’s in the Center
Materials (Many check out)
Computers/software (WinWay resumé,
Business Plan Pro)
Seating
3 full-time librarians available for research
consultations
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Employment Opportunities:
Kansas City area
Organizational websites
KCMLIN: www.kcmlin.org
KLA: www.kansaslibraryassociation.org
MLA: www.molib.org
Public library websites
The big 6: KC Public, Johnson County, Mid-Continent,
KCK, North Kansas City, Olathe
Outlying areas: Lawrence, Cass County, Topeka, etc.
School district websites
College/university websites
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Employment Opportunities:
United States
Organizational websites
ALA- ALA Joblist: http://joblist.ala.org
MPLA: www.mpla.us
State library associations
ARL: www.arl.org
MLA (Medical Library Association): www.mlanet.org
SLA (Special Library Association): www.sla.org
American Association of Law Librarians (www.aallnet.org)
Music Library Association (www.musiclibraryassoc.org)
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Employment Opportunities:
United States
Library Job Postings
(www.libraryjobpostings.org)
Specific public libraries, school districts,
colleges, universities
Other national (general) job sites linked on
Block Center’s Get Hired page:
www.kclibrary.org/business-career/get-hired
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Job Searching and Networking
Tools
Job searching tools
ALA’s Get a Job website: http://www.getajob.ala.org
SLA Career Center: www.sla.org/careers
Networking tools
National, state associations (Go into debt to join ‘em)
Books: Search subjects “Business networks” and “Job
hunting” in OPACs
LinkedIn!: www.linkedin.com
Volunteering: A job search & networking tool
www.volunteermatch.org
www.allforgood.org
www.serve.gov
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Research Tools
Library Literature & Information Science Full
Text
• Access via Mid-Continent Public Library
(www.mymcpl.org)
• Search subjects: Librarians/Qualifications, Job hunting
 Each of these subjects has subdivisions
Books- Search subjects
Library science—Vocational guidance
Information science—Vocational guidance
American Library Directory: 2002-03 edition
at Miller Nichols Library
UMKC Law Historical Collection: Z731.A53
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Employment Alternatives to
Libraries
While waiting for that perfect library job to
come along, why not work at a
Bookstore
Museum/archive
Computer/technology store (Best Buy, Radio Shack)
School (As a paraprofessional)
Hospital (In medical records, HIM)
Any nonprofit (Marketing/development, outreach)
Anyplace where you will provide direct customer service
Think in terms of transferable skills (See
handout)
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What I Learned in My Own Job
Search
You may have to go away (so that you can
come back)
Both of the statements below are FALSE
“If you work for a while in a public library, you won’t be
able to get a job in an academic library.”
“If you work for a while in an academic library, you won’t
be able to get a job in a public library.”
• Having a second master’s degree helps
• Publishing in journals that serve both audiences (e.g.,
Reference & User Services Quarterly) will help
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Other Library Job Searching Tips
Avoid cold resumés and cover letters
Show courtesy in seeking out informational
interviews
Start work on a 2nd Master’s degree
Is tuition reimbursement available through your
employer?
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Cover Letters
A well-written letter shows that you’re truly
interested in the job
LCSH for books on cover letters: Cover letters
Block portal: www.kclibrary.org/businesscareer/cover-letters
You MUST write a unique cover letter for EVERY
position you are applying for
Generally ~1 page (could be a page and a half)
Address to hiring manager if possible
Identifying this person: Call the company and ask!
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Cover Letters
Address (in no less than a sentence) each of the
required & preferred qualifications
If none are listed, highlight the experience you’ve
gained in your prior positions
In discussing your prior experience, focus on these
ten positive characteristics (from WinWay
Resumé):
1: Communication skills
2: Planning/scheduling ability
3: Dependability
4: Honesty
5: Creativity
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Cover Letters
In discussing your prior experience, focus
on these ten positive characteristics (from
WinWay Resumé):
6: Ambition
7: Delegation skills
8: Teamwork mentality
9: Assertiveness
10: Enthusiasm
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Cover Letters
Openings
“I am pleased to apply for the position of. .”
“I am writing to apply for the position of. . .”
Closings
“Thank you very much for reviewing my
materials. I may be reached at. . . ”
• Verify how you prefer to be contacted
BE POSITIVE!!! No statements about bills
to pay, etc.
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Resumés
LCSH for books on resumés: Resumés
(Employment)
Block portal: www.kclibrary.org/businesscareer/creating-resumé
Some tips
In addition to the “standard stuff,” consider
including volunteer experience
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Resumés
Some tips
Other headings to include
•
•
•
•
•
•
Awards
Association/ organization memberships
Patents, publications
Accreditations
Licenses
Security clearances
Length
• My advice: No more than two pages BUT
• Resumés vs. curriculum vitae
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Resumés: The Deadly Dozen
Always leave these things off your resumé
1: Height
2: Weight
3: Health
4: Sex
5: Marital status
6: Number of children
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Resumés: The Deadly Dozen
Always leave these things off your resumé
7: Religion (Unless applying to a religious
organization)
8: Ethnic origin
9: Date of birth
10: Photograph (Unless looks could matter, i.e.
applying to be a model, etc.)
11: Reasons for leaving previous jobs
12: Salary history
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Resumés
Resumé gaps
What if you did not work, or were not in school for
several years?
• Address these matters in a cover letter
 If you could not work because you were caring for family
members, note it
 If you could not work because of an illness, note it
Which is better in 2010? An electronic or printed
resumé?
An electronic resumé
Can be distributed to more people more easily
The only physical difference? The paper it’s printed on
If given the choice to send a hard copy or send by email/upload, send it electronically
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Interviewing
LCSH for books on interviews: Employment
interviewing
Block portal: www.kclibrary.org/businesscareer/interview
Please refer to the handout (PPT slides) for more
information on interview preparation
Much of the content is drawn from KU’s University
Career Center guide Preparing for Job Interviews
• KU’s Career Center is NOT open to the general public
Guide available online at
http://www.kucareerhawk.com/s/762/images/editor_doc
uments/handouts/InterviewBook.pdf
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Take-Home Messages
The library job market is, and HAS BEEN,
tough for a long time
I personally never believed in the Great
Librarian Shortage
If you want to work in KC, consider making
a temporary move away
Be open to becoming employed in a related
field while you apply for that perfect library
job
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Thank you very much!
Eric Petersen, M.A., M.I.S.L.T.
Librarian, H&R Block Business & Career
Center
816-701-3645
ericpetersen@kclibrary.org
Friend me on Facebook! Connect with me
on LinkedIn!
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Volunteering in a library: Some
considerations
Consider carefully the commitment
expected
You should be able to get a good reference or
two from this experience
Many experts on volunteering agree:
Volunteers should be held to employees’
standards, and should generally be able to
do the same type of work
Volunteering in a small library (e.g., a
medical library) will allow you to gain
broad experience
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