Tag Archive for inalj new jersey

The (Pregnant) Elephant in the Room

The (Pregnant) Elephant in the Room by Jen Park My husband and I had tried for a long time to have a baby. When I finally became pregnant I was in my last term of library school. I was thrilled and very, very nervous about applying for positions. Although I was working part-time in a…

Avoiding the Resume Black Hole

by Rebecca Kluberdanz, former Senior Editor previously published 11/11/14 Avoiding the Resume Black Hole As job seekers in an increasing technological world we are all familiar with the dreaded online job application. You’re asked to fill about everything you could ever know about yourself, insert your resume in five different places, take a questionnaire that lasts 24…

Addressing Diversity in the Job Search Process

Addressing Diversity in the Job Search Process by Oscar Giurcovich, Senior Editor As an LIS job seeker, I come across something along the lines of the following quite frequently when looking at the requirements of a position: interest or ability to work in a multicultural environment. What does this mean? What are they looking for?…

3 Writing Resources for LIS Job Seekers and MLIS Applicants

Writing Resources for LIS Job Seekers and MLIS Applicants by Oscar Giurcovich, Senior Editor   Error-free resumes and cover letters are paramount in the job hunt. I think this is more important than ever in our everyday world of texting and social media where acronyms and shorthand rule. Unfortunately, the spelling and grammar checkers in…

How I Survived Library School

by Oscar Giurcovich, Senior Editor   How I Survived Library School For my first blog post, I thought I’d talk about something that has recently happened in my life: finishing library school. Before I continue, let’s set the scene: I live in a state that does not have a MLIS-type program, so I had to…

Resolve to Communicate in the New Year

By Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey Resolve to Communicate in the New Year As we all move on into a new year, we’ve all probably taken some time to reflect back on the year that just ended. For me, there were job and schedule changes that required some adjustment, and some daily tasks…

Creating a Library Oasis

by Rebecca Kluberdanz, Senior Editor, INALJ Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,  New Mexico, and Wyoming Creating a Library Oasis The civil unrest going on in Ferguson, MO right now is no doubt scary but there is one important thing I have learned during all this turmoil. The role of a library can truly never be defined. In the wake of all this destruction…

Roll With the Changes

by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey Roll With the Changes In the current employment environment, it’s important to be flexible, and to expect the unexpected, especially if your interests within the field are as varied as mine. I’ve been working in two academic libraries for over a year as well as doing volunteer archival work. Cobbling…

To Intern or Not to Intern…

by Rebecca Kluberdanz, Senior Editor, INALJ Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,  New Mexico, and Wyoming To Intern or Not to Intern… As a graduate school student I’m always hearing about new internships becoming available, peers that are working internships, how valuable internships are for your resume and so on and so on. When I first started my program I was working in a…

A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That

by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That When I first received my M.L.I.S. degree, I was dead set on a full-time position in the archives field. The Great Recession seemed to be abating, and the jobs numbers were on an upswing. However, New Jersey, where I make…

How You’re Screwing Up Your Job Search

by Rebecca Kluberdanz, Senior Editor, INALJ Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,  New Mexico, and Wyoming How You’re Screwing Up Your Job Search Like many of you out there I am ALWAYS looking for ways to improve my job searching and interview skills. That often involves reading all of the fabulous blog posts written for INALJ.com, as well as Googling around looking for any…

3 Off-the-Beaten-Paths to Librarianship

by Claire Schmieder, Senior Editor previously published 5/23/13 3 Off-the-Beaten-Paths to Librarianship Librarians have so many amazing skills, all of which are transferrable into any number of careers. If you’re having trouble finding a traditional library job, maybe it’s time to start searching for less conventional, but equally as rewarding, positions. Here is a tree-tops…

What I Learned from Working in a Special Library

by Rebecca Kluberdanz, Senior Editor, INALJ Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey,  New Mexico, and Wyoming What I Learned from Working in a Special Library I’m sure everyone has an image in their head of their ideal job. Honestly, the job I have right doesn’t fit that image but I’m loving it anyway! I currently work in what I would consider a special…

Patience, Grasshopper

by Claire Schmieder, now Senior Editor, and formerly Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey previously published 12/4/13 Patience, Grasshopper It’s official – after an eleven-month job search, I have accepted a position with the Alice Paul Institute. You’re looking at their new Program Associate, folks, and I am so, so excited about the work I’ll be…

MLIS + Non-Library Job = A Much Bigger Picture

by Claire Schmieder, Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey MLIS + Non-Library Job = A Much Bigger Picture About two months ago, I started a new job as Program Associate at the Alice Paul Institute. We’re a small non-profit organization, based out of suffragette Alice Paul’s childhood home, Paulsdale, in Mount Laurel, NJ. The site is…

5 Things I’d Like to Learn in 2014

by Claire Schmieder, Head Editor, INALJ NJ 5 Things I’d Like to Learn in 2014 I am really bad at making, and then following through with, New Year’s resolutions. If I do make them, I start feeling like there is all sorts of pressure on me to get started, so I start hiding from my…

Gearing up for a Phone Interview

by Claire Schmieder, Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey Gearing up for a Phone Interview I recently had my first ever phone interview. Obviously, I was excited – and seriously nervous. (I am not what you would call a “phone person.”) The only way for me to relax enough for the phone call was to prepare…

Jimmy V Was Right

by Lisa Iannucci, Assistant Editor, INALJ New Jersey  Jimmy V Was Right  In this economy, it’s easy to get bogged down in the negative jobs numbers they talk about on the news, easy to let yourself fall into a downward spiral, but I’ve learned first hand that it’s when you’re at your lowest, fate has…

“Mother Knows Best” Isn’t Just a Song in a Disney Movie

by Claire Schmieder, Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey “Mother Knows Best” Isn’t Just a Song in a Disney Movie, AKA One Reason Why Your Support System Matters Over Labor Day weekend, my mom and I caught up with a long-overdue phone call. She asked, “So, what’s going on with you?” I started talking…and talking…and talking……

Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

by Claire Schmieder, Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey Beggars Can’t Be Choosers Here are a few things I’ve learned during my seven-month (and, as of yet, continuing) job search: 1. Because I can’t relocate, my search may take me a little longer. I am not in a position to move, nor am I willing to…

Melody Townley …Success Story

This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions Naomi House’s interview with success story Melody. Naomi:  How did you find your current job? Melody:  I found my job listing through the INALJ New Jersey page. I was interested in working in school libraries,…