applying for The Dream Job

I wasn’t sure what I would do with this blog after graduation. Then I realized that helping others apply for their first professional job is every bit as important as trying to smooth the path through library school. Junie, my current supervisor has given me some incredible pointers about cover letters that will hopefully be key to moving on up to the big time.

The three descriptors of your experience are: proficient, experienced, and familiar. Saying that you are “expert” is marginally ok, but can be dangerous if it’s not absolutely true and verifiable.

emphasise the volume count and/or databases in your current library (if you have a job, that is) to the extent to which it is comparable to the library with the job you’re after. Look up their website and see what’s there so you will be ready to talk about their collection.

“team orientation” is a very common thing to want in ads – give examples of the collaborative projects you’ve worked on with others.

writing awards = communication skills

presentations go toward exhibits or displays if you don’t have those

State your Master’s Degree is from an ALA-accredited program at the very beginning!! Doc Martens also mentioned this since HR will weed you out from the beginning if it is not clear. Too many “degree” options out there, taking advantage of the poor and the desparate. But that’s a different blog…