Career Q & A
Have a résumé question? A cover letter query? Email us and our resume doctor, our team of recruiters and other industry professionals will tackle your queries.
 FEATURED "Q"  What can I do to maximize my efforts in finding a job? Should I take a below-my-level job in the meantime? Everyone says "have a backup plan" for the recession? What does that mean? My daughter has $100,000 in government-guaranteed student loans. I'm retired and unable to help her. Is there anything she can do to get the loan reduced or the rate adjusted?  Is it ethically sound to take a full-time job I feel overqualified for? What if my friend or relative is the hiring manager?  I am a library student and don’t have time to be an intern or volunteer? What can I do to get my foot in the door of my first job? What are the best ways to start a job search in the library/information field? I am coming back to work after bringing up kids and not working for a while. What can I do to get my foot in the door of my first job? As part of my job-hunting strategy, I would like to submit an article or offer to write for a library publication. How does this work? What's your advice for someone entering a new field or changing careers? How important is continuing education in the workplace?  RESUMES Where should the Education section be placed on my résumé? I am new to librarianship. How do I identify and reflect my transferable skills on my resume? Which is more effective, an objective or a summary of qualifications? I have a lot of interests – but they are personal and may not translate to the job at hand. For instance, I am an actor in my spare time, but that won’t help me landing a job as a part-time cataloger. Should I include my interests on my resume? Does this make me more diverse or am I kidding myself?  INTERVIEWING, NETWORKING AND GENERAL CAREERS Interviewers often ask me "what is your greatest weakness" or what is your greatest disappointment? How do I answer that? I am interested in this particular (company/library) but there are no positions at the moment. How can I get myself in the door? What is an informational interview? Do I need to relocate to get a job? What can I do to get more comfort with networking? How can I spot a dysfunctional work environment prior to accepting a job offer? What else, other than library work, can you do with a library/information degree? What resources can I turn to for information on this topic? Which professional associations should I join? What are some different methods I can use to get my name out in the job market? I am looking to change from public to academic libraries. What steps do I need to take? I am attracted to the idea of working for a library vendor. What kinds of jobs exist within the library vendor community for librarians? How do I begin to search for one of these jobs? Where can I get courses which will help make me more marketable in the current job market? There are fewer than 100 schools that provide "structured" or "proactive" programs offering the most intensive help. Where can I find a list of those schools? |
