Here’s the sad fact – I’ve been looking for a meaningful and rewarding job since graduating college…in 1993. Now, I don’t mention that as a scare tactic or to imply that I haven’t worked at all since 1993. Quite the contrary. I’ve held down numerous positions in many exciting and interesting fields. Sadly, some never turned out to be what I was looking for. Other times, the job was just a temporary position. And then there were those jobs that ended in lay-offs. Actually, it was three lay-offs in a row (one because the company was sold, the next because the company’s biggest money earner – James Brown died and the third because of the office moving) that led me to the field of library and information science.

But before charging forward, let’s take a quick look back at my job searching past. I graduated from Rowan University almost 20 years ago with a degree in Advertising, eager to take Madison Avenue by storm. Unfortunately, there was a large downsizing that year in the ad industry and I found myself competing for entry level jobs with individuals who had years of experience.

Frustrated, I began sending out my résumé to help wanted ads in all different industries which eventually led to a position at a small newspaper in northern New Jersey. But even for a new graduate still living at home, the $7.50 an hour salary coupled with no health benefits and no room for advancement really wasn’t cutting it.

Once again, the hunt for a new job began and a stint at FAO Schwarz wasn’t far behind. Though I loved working at the toy store, it wasn’t a place to build a career and I was led back to the classifieds. Actually, I never really stopped looking.

In an ironic twist, this job search stretch which included many first interviews led to employment at a video porn company. But that position, which only lasted less than a month due to food poisoning and a demonic HR manager, is another story for another time.

It was actually the position following which I didn’t receive because of the dozens of mailed résumés, but through a choice bit of networking that took me down the music industry path. And for almost 12 years, I worked on both coasts of the United States shuffling through jobs that included work as a royalties specialist, a music studio manager and even James Brown’s assistant tour director. Yet, during that whole time, it still seemed like I was always searching for something new due to either my own unhappiness, the fact the job was only contract work or like in the last three instances, I was laid-off.

By the time 2008 hit and a third job slipped through my fingers due to corporate relocation, I needed to reevaluate my career goals and future. Sorting through what I liked and disliked in my over 15 year career made me recognize that the aspects most enjoyed dealt with research, organization and keeping track of important documents. And this is how I came to my desire to earn a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

During my almost 3 year career as a Rutgers University MLIS student, I supplemented my income by taking on a string of temporary positions in varying fields like the fashion, beauty, finance and even publishing industries. I endured these positions by being confident in my choice about pursuing an MLIS. Being a librarian was in my future. But then again, so was more job hunting – much more job hunting.

That leads me to right now. I’m still floundering in what I hope to be the last in a string of temporary positions. Though they have all helped my résumé grow with knowledge, skills and experience while offering me the time needed to earn my MLIS; now is the moment to jump (or will it be more like belly flopping) into the “real world” of the library industry. And that’s what is causing me to panic.

I have job search experience. I know my way around the internet and peruse LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster and INALJ on a daily basis. I’m confident my résumé is polished and engaging. My cover letters are usually geared toward the specific job I’m applying for and when I do land an interview, I am poised, confident, friendly and professional. Unfortunately though, I haven’t received many invitations for job interviews in the library field. In fact, since I began submitting my résumé for library positions about 3 years ago I have had 3 interviews. Three.

This is why I’m going crazy. Should I be concerned that there aren’t enough jobs out there? Or maybe there are jobs, but no one thinks I am suited for any. Perhaps I am just not looking in the right place, asking the correct people or applying with enough gusto. I stay up late at night worrying about what I’m doing wrong and how I might never get it right. Only 2 months after graduation and anxiety grips me over the fact that I just spent a truckload of money on another worthless piece of paper!

Oh. My. God!

But I have to stop. I need to stop! Panicking isn’t going to get my résumé noticed. Stressing isn’t going to make the phone ring. And completely freaking out is not going to land that ultimate library job. What is going to help is to just keep applying.

I need to peruse more job sites, attend more industry events, network and meet more professionals. My name needs to get out there. I have to go over my résumé again and make sure my cover letters are perfect. Above all, I have to remember that looking for work isn’t something to be done half-heartedly. It is, in fact a full time job itself. And if done correctly, a job search (no matter how long it takes) will lead to some of the best benefits and bonuses ever imagined.

My quest for a job in the library field begins now. By closely tracking, critiquing and analyzing my adventure, I hope to learn from my mistakes and benefit from my achievements. And by writing about it, maybe someone else will be able to also profit from my hunt.

Hopefully, this journey through the library job seeking world will start as IWALJ but will end with IHALJ. Fingers crossed!

Now, let’s get going!

Qraig recently earned his MLIS from Rutgers University with a concentration in Digital Libraries. He is currently looking for a job. Ideally, he’d love to be the first billionaire librarian, but at this point he’d settle for anything where his skills and education can be utilized. Paid vacation time and health benefits wouldn’t hurt either.

Still a Jersey boy at heart (and will always be), Qraig currently resides in Manhattan where he spends much of his time watching ridiculously trite reality television, reading astonishingly atrocious autobiographies, writing preposterous prose and cleaning up after his two black cats. It’s truly a life of which dreams are made.

 

 

 

 

reposted from 8/1/12