If you're thinking about getting an LIS degree, it's a good idea to know what the job market is like, and Library Journal provides an annual survey to help you weigh your options.
The latest placements and salaries survey is sobering, but not all bad news. It's tough to get library jobs, but it's not quite as tough as it is in general. There are jobs for LIS grads in unexpected places - and developing skill sets through internships and volunteer opportunities can help.
Read what recent grads have to say and check out the data in the full report.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
A Couple of Links
Oh my, we need to blow the dust off this blog. Here are a couple of interesting links, hot off the interwebz.
Someone decided to compile sample cover letters by librarians who were successful in their job search. The site desgner says "a cover letter is your opportunity to tell your story with much more effect than that of a resume. Think of all the other recent grads competing with you for the same position. You need to stand out, and the cover letter is an opportunity to make your case and get the interview." Also worth noting: these are for inspiration, not for copying. "Every position and every person is unique. The product of both should be a unique cover letter that explains why an individual is the best fit for a position." Still, it's good to have models.
Second, there's a report from Oxford University Press on librarians since 1880 based on census data. There was a steep growth in librarian jobs from 1950 to 1990. The analysis suggests that the dropoff since then in librarian positions, particularly from 1990 to 2000, is due to changes in technology, but my guess is that it's more complicated than that. In any case, it's an interesting report, if not particularly cheery news for anyone entering the profession since 1990! (Does it help that the rate of loss has slowed? No, I didn't think so.)
Someone decided to compile sample cover letters by librarians who were successful in their job search. The site desgner says "a cover letter is your opportunity to tell your story with much more effect than that of a resume. Think of all the other recent grads competing with you for the same position. You need to stand out, and the cover letter is an opportunity to make your case and get the interview." Also worth noting: these are for inspiration, not for copying. "Every position and every person is unique. The product of both should be a unique cover letter that explains why an individual is the best fit for a position." Still, it's good to have models.
Second, there's a report from Oxford University Press on librarians since 1880 based on census data. There was a steep growth in librarian jobs from 1950 to 1990. The analysis suggests that the dropoff since then in librarian positions, particularly from 1990 to 2000, is due to changes in technology, but my guess is that it's more complicated than that. In any case, it's an interesting report, if not particularly cheery news for anyone entering the profession since 1990! (Does it help that the rate of loss has slowed? No, I didn't think so.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)