Career Blog: Skills
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.
Write for the Job? Strengthen Workplace Writing Skills with the SJSU Writing Center
Published: October 7, 2020 by Jillian Collins
A well-written 14-page paper is great for a grade. But would you want to read a 14-page email? Probably not! This is why you need the expertise of the SJSU Writing Center, an incredibly valuable professional development resource often overlooked by students. As you launch your career, you’re likely to find that the employer who wants you also wants you to be an effective business communicator. That’s where the Writing Center can provide you with a career competitive edge.
Learn to Market Your Skills
Published: August 30, 2020 by iSchool Career Advisor
As a student at the iSchool, you are honing a lot of marketable skills. Think about what you’ve been doing in your classes, then think about what skills those activities involve.
Going Up: The Elevator Pitch
Published: August 21, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
The elevator pitch or one-minute commercial is an essential tool to have in your back pocket when looking for a job. It’s perfect to use in so many situations—like on the elevator ride with a potential employer. A little thought and practice beforehand will give you an essential tool for networking and putting your best professional persona forward.
What to Say
Eight Ways to Stand Out as an LIS Job Candidate
Published: July 27, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever to stand out (in a positive way) as a job candidate. There are lots of other people applying for the same jobs as you, so catching an employer’s eye is essential. Here are eight ways to stand out and make an employer give you a second look.
Making a Transformation: Leadership in a Public Library
Published: June 1, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
When you think of a leader, who comes to mind? Maybe a former teacher, a government official or someone in business?
If you didn’t think about a librarian, you need to think again.
10 Takeaways from the MLIS Skills at Work Report
Published: May 25, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Whether you are getting your diploma this month or just starting the MLIS program, your end goal is the same: landing a great job. The iSchool at SJSU conducts an annual study of LIS-related job posting to see what employers are looking for. They reviewed 400 job postings in February and March of this year to determine the similarities among them. The MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot of Job Postings Spring 2018 report is an excellent resource for students at any stage in their schooling.
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?
Library Leadership: Making the Grade in an Academic Library
Published: May 5, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
We all know leadership is important. But what does leadership look like in an academic library?
You.com: Creating a Website to Market Yourself
Published: April 27, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
You may already have a LinkedIn profile, a professional Twitter account or a detailed Indeed profile. But what about a website? Employers want to see samples of your work, descriptions of your job responsibilities and a showcase of your skills—preferably all in one place. What platform gives you all this and more? A personal website.
Library Leadership: Taking Charge in the Public Library
Published: April 6, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Many employers look for leaders. But what does that mean in the library world? A new series of webinars aims to answer that question.
Transferable Skills and the LIS Degree
Published: November 1, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Are you interested in a career outside of a traditional library environment? SJSU’s Student Chapter of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) has an outstanding webinar coming up! On Thursday, November 2 at 5:30pm Pacific, join ASIS&T and Jill Klees for “Transferable skills and the LIS degree: How to market your LIS skills to job markets outside of libraries.”
4 Things I Learned at Library 2.0
Published: October 13, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
I attended Library 2.0 earlier this week, and while the title of this post implies that I’ll be talking about cool new makerspace ideas, I’m not. It was incredibly interesting to view sessions through my Career-Blog-colored-glasses because it was like watching LIS skills in action. Take note – if they’re not already part of your resume and cover letter language, they probably can, and should, be!
Use Library 2.0 to Help You Shine
Published: June 13, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Four concrete ways Library 2.0 can benefit you and your career
Emerging Trends Report Coming Soon!
Published: May 23, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Are you searching for a job or trying to work keywords into your resume and LinkedIn profile? Are you wondering where the job market and your education intersect? To help students and professionals navigate the ever-changing LIS landscape, the iSchool publishes an Emerging Career Trends report each year. During the spring semester, one iSchool student tackles this as an INFO 298 project and the new report is published soon after.