Tag Archive for brad mcnally

5 Ways to Take Control of Your Job Search

5 Ways to Take Control of Your Job Search by Brad McNally, Senior Editor    A job search is an extremely large undertaking. It is easy to let it get out of control and become overwhelming. Recently, a friend of mine was in a show (The Art of Acting Out) about a young man that…

5 Tips for Handling Bad News at Work

5 Tips for Handling Bad News at Work by Brad McNally, Senior Editor    It’s a  difficult topic to deal with, but bad news does sometimes come out in the workplace. In any job, this is a possibility. Many in the library world have felt the effects of budget cuts, for example. While no one…

5 ways to de-stress during a long job search

By Brad McNally, Senior Editor 5 ways to de-stress during a long job search Searching for a job takes a huge amount of effort. When the job search is unexpected, or goes longer than you originally thought it would, you can definitely begin feeling the stress. Some people even feel like finding a new job…

3 Things to Remember about Gaming in the Library

by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio previously published 8/12/13 3 Things to Remember about Gaming in the Library I won’t lie: I love gaming. Luckily, many patrons in my library seem to as well (it helps that they are teens). Not everyone working in libraries feels the same about gaming in general, and…

You Are More Than Your Job

by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio You Are More Than Your Job This post may seem a bit out of place on a job-seeking website, but it is just as important as any interview advice that may come up in my mind. Beyond that, this understanding can help you become a better candidate…

Not a Dying Career Field

by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio previously published 11/4/13 Not a Dying Career Field Last week, I heard a question at work that will make many of the folks here on INALJ cringe: “So, libraries, huh? What does it feel like to be in a dying career field?” I don’t even know how…

“Thank You” Notes and Pronoun Use

by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio “Thank You” Notes and Pronoun Use As an undergraduate student, I was extremely interested in Linguistics. I would have majored in it, but it wasn’t an option, so I majored in English and took every Linguistics course I could. This makes a person very aware of the…

5 Ways to Simplify Your Job Search

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio 5 Ways to Simplify You Job Search Job searches can be an extremely taxing experience. You will invest a large amount of time in combine through job listings. You will invest your effort into crafting each cover letter and resume for each position. You will likely make a large emotional investment…

Unique Library Programs: Stuffed Animal Sleepover

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Unique Library Programs: Stuffed Animal Sleepover Before I worked in my current position in higher education institution, I was working in the children’s department of a public library. I think one of the coolest programs we ever were able to pull off was the Stuffed Animal Sleepover Story…

Beyond Basic Tech Programs for Libraries

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Beyond Basic Tech Programs for Libraries In recent months, I’ve worked with a large number of people regarding technology in the library. While it is absolutely wonderful that libraries can offer basic computer skills courses, there are patrons that would like to go beyond that and explore deeper…

Unique Library Programs: The Listening Dog

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Unique Library Programs: The Listening Dog I’ve seen this at many libraries, but I was lucky enough to work at a library where this program was already occurring on a regular basis. Although I have moved on from that library, I’m glad to say that their Listening Dog…

Beyond Basics in Job Searches

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Beyond Basics in Job Searches Many job seekers do the same basic things – read job ads, submit resumes, and hope. When I was an undergraduate, I checked the newspaper each day for job postings and then the online job boards for postings in the general area. I…

Designing (and Maintaining) an ePortfolio

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Designing (and Maintaining) an ePortfolio Online presence is an interesting thing for job seekers. On one hand, the easier it is to find out information about a candidate, the more a potential employer might feel confident that the hire is a good decision. On the other, a poorly…

3 Things to Consider after Receiving a Job Offer

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio 3 Things to Consider after Receiving a Job Offer For those that are unemployed and looking for a job in information sciences (or any field), the answer to that question might be “accept as soon as possible.” For those that are currently employed and looking, the answer may…

Defining Success: It’s All About Perspective

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Defining Success There is something funny about the word successful – it is completely subjective. It is something everyone wants in life, but getting there is a source of a lot of frustration for many people. For some people, success is about having the most physical things: a…

Being Prepared: Building a Better Application Portfolio

by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Being Prepared: Building a Better Application Portfolio “Be Prepared” – it is the motto of the scouts and no doubt you have heard it countless times throughout your life. For any job related situation, from application submission to interview and job offer, it is better to have more…