Published: November 6, 2024 by Aryn Prestia 

As a student you’ve heard a lot about advisors, pathways, electives, and library sub-specialties. But if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it may be time to step back and think about what you’d  truly like to do. 

And although you’ve probably been encouraged to do informational interviews to understand more about others’ career experiences, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s best to start by conducting an informational interview with yourself.

To conduct this type of self-assessment utilize this worksheet to help you track your thoughts. 

This sheet will help guide you as you think through main career elements like job functions, people, and work settings. You’ll address questions like: 

• Do you prefer to work with technology or people? 
• Do you have a need or want to work remotely? 
• Who would you like to be supporting?

You can add to your self-assessment periodically as you reflect on your coursework. After each course, think about what you liked and disliked. The instructor? The coursework? The readings? 

Begin researching how you can use these elements to your advantage. For example, if you loved creating a digital exhibit as a part of your History of Books class, what kinds of organizations hire people to do this kind of work? A museum? An archive? A special library?

This self-assessment allows you to build a bridge from where you are to where you want to be. Once you have a stronger understanding of your skills and career desires, you’ll be better able to communicate your unique strengths to potential employers.

Ready for the next step? Check out the Career Services Department Ready to Launch webinar.

Two More Things…

Here are some job opportunities on Handshake that might be of interest!

• Metadata Librarian – Stanford University School of Medicine – Stanford, CA
• Research Librarian – Oneida County History Center – Utica, NY