Career Blog
Career Blog
Career development is on everyone’s minds. After all, that’s why most, if not all, of our students come to us. This blog is all about giving you the latest and greatest in what’s going on in the job market. Chock-full of tips and guidance, the Career Blog is a must-read for all students and job seekers.
The Wonderful World of Disney’s Animation Research Library
Published: February 9, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Special librarians, such as those at Disney, provide library services in a non-library-based environment.
Recommended Reading for Winter Break
Published: December 15, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Classes are wrapping up, and there are about 6 weeks of academic freedom ahead (classes resume January 24). Six weeks? That’s a lot of opportunities to catch up on your non-required reading (also, napping).
The Internship Dilemma: Options for When You’re Already Time-Stressed
Published: December 12, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Today’s wisdom comes from Kim Dority, information professional extraordinaire. I know we’ve heard about the value of internships (and making time for a couple worked for me), but Kim takes the time to address some of the rarely discussed practicalities.
Community Sourced Wisdom
Published: December 8, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
We’re almost to the end! Some of you are probably already done for the semester, while others still have a few days, so I thought this might be a good time for some alumni wisdom. You know, wise words to help us de-stress (that’s a real coping mechanism, right?).
Open Classes Can Open Doors
Published: December 1, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
If you’re someone who’s considering pursuing an MLIS or MARA degree, the Open Classes program is a great way to test the waters (and start earning credits!).
Today is the day the Open Classes sign-up form for the iSchool’s Spring 2018 semester becomes available. The exclusively online Open Classes program is open to everyone with a bachelor’s degree or higher, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for two distinct groups of people.
Demystifying Conferences
Published: November 28, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
If you’ve taken INFO 200 and watched Dr. Michael Stephens’ lectures, or taken his hyperlinked libraries class, or read his “Office Hours” column in Library Journal, or read his book, or ever heard him speak, then you know he is passionate about connecting with the global community of library folks. That made him the perfect choice for the Special Libraries Association Student Chapter’s (SLASC) recent virtual program, “Demystifying Conferences.”
Use Your ePortfolio for Your Career
Published: November 17, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Whether you’ve recently completed your eport or are planning to soon, I have a few ideas about giving your hard work a longer shelf life.
For anyone doing their eportfolio this semester, November 20 is a date imprinted on their brains. That’s the day everything must be completed and approved in order to pass and, therefore, graduate. It’s kind of a big deal.
All About LibGig
Published: November 14, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
In my quest to learn All The Things LIS careers-related, I spoke to Brad Rogers, Director of Recruiting at LibGig. LibGig is a staffing firm for the library and information management professions, which means it’s customized for people like us and organizations who might hire us.
Library Journal Placements and Salaries Results Are In!
Published: November 10, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
“Recent graduates are experiencing faster placements and earning more money than last year’s” is the big take away from Library Journal’s Placements and Salaries: 2017.
LIS Jobs in Pharma and Beyond
Published: November 7, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Are you interested in a career outside of academic or public libraries? Are you curious about LIS jobs in the pharmaceutical industry or another STEM area? Do you want to know what job titles to search for beyond “librarian”? Then I wholeheartedly recommend you watch a recent Career Development webcast: Information Management Roles in Pharmaceutical Companies.
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.”
LIS Jobs in Pharma: What They Are, Where They Are, and How to Land One
Published: October 20, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Have you thought about a LIS career that’s NOT in a library? If so, or if your curiosity is piqued, join the Career Development team on Wednesday, October 25 at 5:30pm Pacific for LIS Jobs in Pharma: What They Are, Where They Are, and How to Land One. Mindy Beattie, Associate Director of Library & Information Sciences at Gilead Sciences, will present via Collaborate, and it sounds both interesting and informative.
What Search Committees Want You to Know
Published: October 17, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Last week, the iSchool’s Society of American Archivists Student Chapter (SAASC) presented “Job Hunting: What Search Committees Want You to Know” via Collaborate. Gene Hyde, University of North Carolina at Asheville’s Archivist and Head of Special Collections, presented national research findings on what search committees look for in library and archives applicants. So, more generally, how to get a job.
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!
3 More Ways Library 2.0 Can Boost Your Career
Published: October 10, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
I recently wrote about how you can use Library 2.0 to boost your career. Well, I’ve been thinking about it some more and have come up with a few additional ideas. Library 2.0: Makerspaces is tomorrow (don’t worry, sessions will be recorded), so now seemed like a good time to share. I’d love to read ideas from you in the comments!
Choosing a Professional Organization
Published: October 6, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
If you are enrolled in INFO 200 this semester, then you qualify for a free one-year membership in a professional organization.
Update Your Resume with Jill Klees
Published: October 3, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
On Thursday, October 5 at 5:30 PM PDT, SJSU Career Center liaison extraordinaire, Jill Klees, will hold her monthly workshop via Collaborate. Her presentation – “Update Your Resume” – is timely for you if you are:
- preparing to graduate
- considering an internship
- a recent graduate
- looking to get a job.
So, in sum, it will be useful for everyone!
How My Internship Strategy Paid Off
Published: September 29, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
A good piece of advice that was repeated over and over in the iSchool’s alumni survey was, “No matter what else you do, be sure to do an internship before you graduate.”
Use Library 2.0 to Boost Your Career
Published: September 26, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Have you registered for the Library 2.0 conference that’s happening in just a couple of weeks? Perhaps I should back up a bit – do you know about the free, virtual, Library 2.0 conference on October 11? If not, you should definitely check it out, as it’s a pretty amazing collection of events that the iSchool puts together for the LIS community each year.
New Career Pathway: Data Science
Published: September 22, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
There’s a new career pathway: Data Science. Check out the suggested courses that can help you land the “sexiest job of the 21st century.”
The iSchool recently introduced a new career pathway – Data Science. Perhaps this doesn’t strike you as very library-sounding? It may not seem so at first, but after learning a little more about what data science is, it makes total sense.