Career Blog: Skills
Makerspace Librarianship
You Can Do It Your Shelf
Published: August 15th, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
Makerspaces have become a staple in many libraries around the
country, and it’s easy to see why they are a match made in
heaven. These collaborative spaces offer equipment, software, or
supplies to help patrons create and innovate. Ideally, they are
designed to reflect what their community wants, which means that
no two makerspaces are alike. They can house anything from arts
and crafts supplies to 3d printers, to a podcast studio. Patrons
might use them to create physical objects, play music, or design
a virtual reality room. Here are some tips for those interested
in pursuing makerspace librarianship.
Should Librarians Be Worried About Artificial Intelligence?
Published: May 29, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
As new technology emerges, there is often a discussion about how
librarian’s roles will change in relation to it. This
conversation has become especially relevant with the introduction
of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools. These innovations are
certainly going to affect America’s workforce, and librarians are
no exception to this. But what are the opportunities and risks?
Should we be worried?
Four Reasons to Join Student Leadership
Published: April 30, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
There are ten student groups offered at
the iSchool that offer a wide range of benefits to enrich
your educational experience. Several of these groups are
associated with larger professional associations (such as
ALA,
ASIS&T,
SLA, and
SAASC),
and others have been created at the iSchool as a reflection of
student interests. You may be familiar with many of them from
emails advertising free panels, student mixers, or webinars. If
you have ever considered joining student leadership in one of
these groups, many of them are actively recruiting for the
upcoming academic year. Here’s why you should consider nominating
yourself to be a student leader:
Why You Should Learn About User Experience
Published: January 23rd, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
User Experience (or UX) might sound familiar to you if you’ve
done any job hunting lately. In fact, UX was named one of the
most in-demand hard skills by LinkedIn and ranked on
Glassdoor’s
Top 50 Best Jobs to have in 2022. Libraries are no exception
to this trend with the job title User Experience Librarian being
named one of the
five library jobs on the rise by American Libraries
in June of 2022.
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.”