Career Blog: Choosing a Career

Overview

Career Blog: Choosing a Career

Career Blog

Airtable for Librarians

Computer with spreadsheet

Published: October 9, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

Project Management is one of many job skills that librarians will find themselves using in the workplace. Though there are courses that students can take to understand a bit more about the project management process, ultimately the best way to learn project management is through practice.

Career Blog

Coursera Career Academy for iSchool Students

Published: September 25, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

Being an MLIS student at SJSU comes with so many incredible benefits. You have access to dozens of specialized courses, fourteen active student groups​scholarship programs, and internship opportunities, all of which can be accessed virtually to help you stay involved no matter where you live. Adding to this slate of virtual benefits is the Coursera Career Academy, a free continuing education program for all students. 

Career Blog

A Student’s Review of This Summer’s ALA Conference

Conference Room

Published: August 7, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

The American Library Association hosted its annual conference this past June in San Diego, California. Billed as “the biggest library event of the year,” ALA Annual was attended by dozens of SJSU iSchool alumni, faculty, and current students. I had the opportunity to speak with one student attendee, Eddie Lagos, to learn more about the experience.

Career Blog

What to Ask During an Informational Interview

Handshake

Published: July 17, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

As we mentioned in a previous post, an Informational Interview is the perfect opportunity to get an understanding of the nuances of different library-related positions. 

While it may take some time to identify the right interviewee and schedule your meeting, planning for what to do during the actual interview is essential for ensuring its success.

Career Blog

How to Ask for an Informational Interview

Man at table talking with another professional

Published: July 2, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

Once in grad school, you likely learned rather quickly (or will learn very soon) that there is more than one way to be a librarian. There are dozens of specialities when it comes to library science – Public, Academic, Special, Medical, Law, and Archives, just to name a few. As you navigate the maze of career choices, the journey from aspiration to actualization can be overwhelming. This is where informational interviews come into play, serving as invaluable tools for those looking to better understand the nuances and day-to-day responsibilities of librarians in practice.

Career Blog

How to Prepare for a Virtual Interview

Woman waving to someone on her computer

Published: April 20, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen

Even in organizations where most work is completed in-person, it is becoming more common to conduct interviews virtually. This especially applies to the first round of interviews, sometimes referred to as the “semi-finals.” In fact, according to a recent Indeed survey, 82% of employers are currently using virtual interviews. This format eliminates some of the stress of driving and locating parking at an unfamiliar location, but it comes with its own set of issues to consider. Although virtual interviews may feel less intimidating, they are often more competitive because they take less time and can be offered to more candidates. Here are some practical tips to help you prepare for your next virtual interview.

Career Blog

Alternative LIS Career Spotlight: Working at OverDrive

Woman reading e-book on tablet

Published: April 19, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen

The unprecedented events of the past few years caused many libraries to close to the public, resulting in a massive increase in digital library usage. The company OverDrive provides the largest digital media catalog in the world to libraries and schools through their award-winning app Libby. They are a certified B Corporation dedicated to improving literacy and supporting libraries and schools with their shared vision. I spoke with Mike Dresch, the recruiting manager at OverDrive about what it’s like to work for them and why information professionals in particular will find this work rewarding.

Career Blog

Alternative LIS Career Spotlight: Working at EBSCO

keyboard

Published: March 23, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen

Have you ever explored working for a library vendor? Vendors in the library and information science space make a massive impact by serving libraries all over the world. Many of these organizations share the same philosophy and goals as information professionals, and your experience and field of study should make you a competitive candidate. I spoke with Tammy Ross, the Senior Product Marketing Manager at EBSCO Information Services (and iSchool alumni) about her career with one of the largest research database vendors serving libraries.

Career Blog

Getting Started in Medical Librarianship – Q & A with Katie Eidem

Image of book open in medical library

Published: February 22, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen

Have you been curious about medical librarianship? Medical libraries fit under the umbrella of special libraries and allow you to support the medical community by improving access to critical health and medical information. On any given day, you might be working with patients, practitioners, students, or the general public. Although many medical librarians have degrees related to the medical field, it isn’t a requirement. So how should you get started?

Career Blog

How to Choose Your Career Pathway

Image of feet facing arrows going in multiple directions

Published: February 1st, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen

Many students enter grad programs without a clear direction or lose sight of their original focus once they realize how many career options are available. Since a significant amount of iSchool students are making a career change, it is understandable that they want to be sure they’re making a wise decision. So, let’s discuss some ideas and resources that will help you make a pathway choice you can feel confident about!

Career Blog

Take a Virtual Selfie of Your Career Preferences with this Valuable Tool

Published: October 19, 2020 by Jillian Collins

Imagine asking yourself a set of “career preference” questions five years ago, the same questions five years from now, and those very same questions today: would the three of ‘you’ agree that you prefer working within a youth library, or that you prefer academic libraries? How many co-workers make up your ideal work setting? And do you like what you are doing? Depending on how much work experience you’ve had so far, you may not be sure about your responses, but that just means that now is the perfect time to take advantage of one of the most useful career resources, the self-assessment. Even better, keep it updated as you progress through the program and you’re exposed to new ideas and career options. Consider the self-assessment as an extremely valuable career check in and check list.

Career Blog

A Diploma and a Plan: What to Do After Graduation

Published: June 26, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson

If you just graduated a few weeks ago and are wondering, “What am I supposed to do now?”—the iSchool offers excellent webinars that answer that very question.

For example, the “Graduated – Now What?” webinar explains the smart steps to take once you toss your tassel. Jill Klees, iSchool Career Liaison, hosted this helpful webinar.

Career Blog

It’s Parliamentary: Leadership in a Government Library

Published: May 19, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson

Think your MLIS degree will keep you in the background? Think again.

“New MLIS holders are often reluctant or don’t quite understand how quickly they will find themselves in management and leadership positions,” Dr. Cheryl Stenstrom explains.

With this knowledge, how can we as MLIS students prepare to be successful leaders?

Career Blog

Books Behind Bars: An Inside Look at Correctional Librarianship

Published: March 30, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson

As students deeply entrenched in the library world, you’ve probably read about the recent controversy over books in New York correctional institutions. If not, let me catch you up. This past January, it was reported that inmates would no longer be able to receive packages except from a few carefully selected vendors. This would mean that families can no longer send comfort items from home, including books, and inmates only have access to the few books sold by the approved vendors.