Career Blog: Skills
Do You Need a Reference or a Recommendation? Know the Etiquette to Ask!
Published: April 5, 2022 by Jillian Collins
We started with the basics in
“Do You Need a Reference or a Recommendation? Here’s How to
Tell.” Our other blog posts, “So, You
Need a Reference? Here’s What to Know,” and “So,
You Need a Recommendation? Here’s What to Know,”
explored and explained the nuances of each. Yet, a key aspect is
the professional etiquette of requesting a recommendation or
asking someone to be a reference – and that’s how this series is
going to end and putting knowledge into practice begins.
We Need to Talk about Burnout
Published: January 19, 2022 by Jillian Collins
We all have high expectations set for ourselves. Burnout is when
those expectations cross the line from the goals we celebrate, to
defining who we are, by our metric of “perfection.” Knowing
what burnout is – and isn’t – will help you now, before you find
yourself caught in it later.
Reassess Your Self-Assessment for 2022
Published: January 3, 2022 by Jillian Collins
The career self-assessment is yet
another amazing iSchool tool. The
self-assessment is a template for you to conceptualize the
functions, people, and setting you want for your career. It’s
2022, a new year with obstacles beyond your control. Consider the
optimism and strengths gained both academically and personally to
map out important aspects of interactions, duties, and physical
work environment.
Direct Your Career by Managing Up
Published: September 10, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Managing up is the process of learning your boss’s management and
communication preferences, and then adapting your communication
in the workplace that supports those preferences. Clear
communication among all staff members is one of the building
blocks of great working relationships that enable teams to reach
the goals of the organization. The same holds true for your
relationship with your boss.
Professional Visibility = Professional Opportunities
Published: August 20, 2021 by Jillian Collins
When you’re a student, it’s natural to focus your efforts on your
courses, your GPA, and for a few highly organized types,
your e-Portfolio items. But since the goal of getting a master’s
degree is to land a job that can help launch a career you love,
now is also a great time to be paying attention to an equally
important asset: your professional visibility.
Your First Job is Step One to Your Career
Published: July 13, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Your first job is a huge milestone! As you complete your MLIS
program, you’re gaining specialty tools to thrive in an expanding
market. Your first job with your master’s degree is just the foot
in the door. Your eventual career may end up being completely
different from the door you first walk in, which is part of your
growth as a professional, and the way your fellow professionals
grow, as well.
In case you missed it: How to Build Your Professional Network (Without Feeling Weird About It)
On-Demand Webcast with Kim Dority
Published: June 15, 2021 by Jillian Collins
So many people have networking anxieties. That’s why we’re lucky to have Kim Dority, the fantastic iSchool career consultant! Check out her presentation, How to Build Your Professional Network (Without Feeling Weird About It). Kim goes beyond networking as a ‘thing to do’: strategies, etiquette, and what you can do now that builds up a network bit-by-bit!
Not in the Job Description? Sell Solutions to the Hiring Manager!
Published: June 4, 2021 by Jillian Collins
If you’re considering information work for organizations other than a school, public, or academic library, you’re likely to encounter interviewers (for example hiring managers or HR people) unfamiliar with the range of strategic skills information professionals can provide. Even the job description may use terminology that describes things you know you can do, but with non-library language. Not to worry – you’ve got this. Seal the deal by selling the solutions your skills provide.
It May Feel Weird, But You’ve Got This: How to Ask for Feedback about You
Published: May 5, 2021 by Jillian Collins
The first part of my conversation with iSchool instructor Scott Brown was focused on how the results of your skills inventory impact others. The Personal Brand Assessment (PBA), on the other hand, is how others have been impressed by your impact on them. With that, comes confidence and another definition of networking.
Spotlight on Your Skill Inventory
Published: April 30, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Scott Brown, SJSU instructor, is a name you may remember from my earlier post about Skills Inventory; I had the opportunity to interview Scott, and part of our conversation will show you – and definitely showed me – that the best way to see skills in action is by taking action.
Your Terms, Your Action Plan
Published: April 26, 2021 by Jillian Collins
In February 2021, Kim
Dority, our iSchool career advisor, gave an amazing
presentation about creating and executing a personal career
action plan. Action planning is a career – and life – skill. If
you watch the
presentation, you will see how actively constructing your
career starts with actively knowing that small steps become
larger leaps to greatness.
Take Stock of Yourself with a Skill Inventory
Published: March 15, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Being able to identify (and discuss) your skills and strengths is
a really important aspect of job-hunting. But how do you
find these qualities in yourself? If you’re stuck, you’re in
luck! Information is your super power. Now it’s time to
concentrate on information about you. The skill of creating a
Skill Inventory!
The Impact of Feedback on Your Personal Brand
Published: March 10, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Your professional reputation, also known as your “brand,” is the
foundation of the essentials in career kits and in your long-term
career development strategy. And because everyone forms an
opinion of us during any interaction we have, it’s not like we
can just decide to ignore all this brand stuff. Better to take
charge of how others see you to ensure they’re seeing the
real you.
Carrie McKnight Wants to Help You Succeed
Published: February 4, 2021 by Jillian Collins
We’ve been interrupted. 2020 was a sharp turn from what we could
have anticipated, not just as students, but as
individuals.
The first part of my interview with Carrie McKnight, SJSU
career counselor for graduate students, focused on fantastic
tools available to you through the SJSU Career Center.
Now’s the Perfect Time to Revisit (or Complete) Your Skill Assessment
Published: January 25, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Finally – a new year! Rather than coming up with the usual new
year’s resolutions, how about instead getting the year headed in
a positive direction by doing deep-dive career reflection?
Specifically, why not launch this year by taking the time to
revisit the career passions you identified in your Career
Self-Assessment to identify what’s changed. Or, if you haven’t
yet had an opportunity to
explore this valuable resource, perhaps now’s the time
to jump in.
Carrie McKnight Wants You to Know…
Published: January 21, 2021 by Jillian Collins
Meet SJSU graduate student career counselor, Carrie McKnight. While we have entered 2021, my interview with her in December 2020 clued me in on three crucial career center tools. With Carrie insight, it’s much easier to turn career resolutions into reality. As Carrie said to me, “My job is to advocate for you guys because you guys do such great work.”
‘Free-sources’ for Your (Creative) Career Kit
Published: November 30, 2020 by Jillian Collins
It’s always a good time to maintain your career kit. You know that you need to tailor your template résumé and generic cover letter to specific job openings and keep your LinkedIn profile current, but how do you grab attention to create and build your personal brand? There are three online tools I use that I’d like to share with you because they’re easy to learn and use quickly, and they’re free! Those tools are 1) the LinkedIn Publishing Platform, 2) Canva graphic design platform, and 3) professional photographs from Unsplash.
Get to Know Your Network (and Let Them Get to Know You)
Published: November 13, 2020 by Jillian Collins
Effort makes for a great network. The networking bit is always a bit of a hurdle. It can be awkward to approach someone to be a mentor or join a group that appeals to your career aspirations. Career confidence in networking starts when you take initiative to get to know “your network” as individual people just like you.
Take a Look at Your MLIS Skills at Work
Published: November 11, 2020 by Jillian Collins
The puzzle of finding a job. We’ve all been there, searching for that missing piece: the words that make sense; sighing at results that require experience we don’t know or have. The options, though, are more than you would think. The MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot of Job Titles report takes a look at current trends, needs, and actual job postings broken down to show you what is out there and what career might be looking for you.
Top Skills Information Professionals Need to Succeed
Published: October 9, 2020 by iSchool Career Advisor
Library Journal surveyed academic and public library directors, as well as some LIS movers and shakers, to learn what skills they think librarians will need in the next 20 years. For students, that means having the 11 skills on this list will help you get a job. Do any of these look familiar? They should: as an iSchool student, you are honing a lot of marketable skills.