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.

Mandatory Modifications

There are realistic limitations that impact the key factors – function, people, and setting – that promote your success preferences. It’s hard to look at an uncertain future during a turbulent present. When you review and revise your 2021 self-assessment, practice pragmatic optimism – only you can set the terms of how you are best adaptable.

You may find your traditional field of interest is rapidly changing. You may have pivoted away in interest of an area in 2021 and want to go for a different LIS career-space. Maybe you noticed the potential to innovate the LIS field and integrate your knowledge within different career spaces. Determine what these “mandatory modifications” are. Take perspective of personal experiences within your self-assessment.

Consider and Create

The self-assessment combines personal and professional interests. You need to recognize that a field of interest is only a fraction of your career success. What makes you valuable is how much you experienced, from studies to situations.

The self-assessment is divided into three areas – function, people, and setting. Taken directly from the self-assessment, here are examples from each section:

• Functions: What personal and/or professional activities do you truly enjoy? When you think about 2021 growth, this question can be read as how you picked up a hobby you are passionate about, creating proactive professional steps in 2022. For example, seeking out digital groups devoted to community gardening is participation in knowledge sharing, taking time to cultivate relationships and (literally) starting with small steps to grow more. You can transfer this to professional role in connecting communities to libraries and networks, taking projects to the next level.
• People: Who would you like to be supporting? The idea of progress in your career starts with the idea of what you see in the world – and how you react or act. We have seen a lot of social movements, trends in information, and global issues that involve group support. In this sense, you may have more understanding of challenges you or others face. Working with others, and who the work benefits – and bring your LIS knowledge to the table.
• Setting: Do you want a work setting that is academic, corporate, cultural, or community-focused? We have seen that our studies as library or information professionals have skills that are in demand – and have evolved to incorporate more emphasis on the community. If you found that a course in public library evaluations connected to aspects of how space is allocated in libraries, hold onto that idea! Social distancing can be one thing that comes to mind, but a small space holds big potential. From physical spaces to aesthetic changes, community libraries are unlimited in potential. This is only one example of an area of LIS, and different ‘spaces’ from 2021 bring big ideas for 2022.

A mandatory modification of the pandemic is its ripple effects. Keep reality and “mandatory modifications” in mind and notice how you will create opportunities from them in 2022.

Connect the Dots

There are 14 questions that fall under the three categories of the career self-assessment. It’s a brainstorm, not a test. Think of it as a way to see the adaptations you are making in your life that lend themselves to opportunities.

Opportunities take courage to approach. We see the dynamics of our lives and the bigger picture as, for the most part, discouraging. Start small. Adaption, as we have been living through, is tough. Even the most inconspicuous achievement is an occasion for celebration.

When going over you career self-assessment – or even starting it for the first time – you open your eyes to the path forward in 2022 that best fits you!

Quick Jot from Jillian

I tend to jump from idea to idea when it comes to career goals. What really got me thinking this year was my idea of leadership in a profession.

I often draw connections to the present using minor trivial knowledge of the past. I find myself pointing out steps that can mitigate a crisis. I think my skill set in leadership is risk-adverse, but I know that we are all taking risks. There is an aspect of “no better, no worse” in the way I see myself. But learning about how others see the world has given me a better idea – and more skills in empathy and finding common ground – has defined information and leadership as being part of a whole, with pragmatic and broader views of my future.

Career Opportunities

• Associate Editor, American Libraries Magazine. American Library Association. Full-Time. Chicago, IL. Apply per instructions on ALA job board
• Archivist. CJ Collectibles Investment, LLC. Full-Time. Scottsdale, AZ. Apply on SimplyHired

Mark Your Calendar!

Strategies For Job Searching and Job Landing hosted by Kim Dority

• Date: Wednesday, January 19, 2022
• Time: 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Pacific Time)
• Location: Register here to attend this Zoom event

Student Group Meet and Greet hosted by iSchool student groups

• Date: Thursday, February 3, 2022
• Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Pacific Time)
• Location: Registration for Zoom event available soon!

Learn more about SJSU iSchool student groups participating in this event!