{"id":13476,"date":"2013-03-19T12:55:23","date_gmt":"2013-03-19T16:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=13476"},"modified":"2013-05-27T13:18:07","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T17:18:07","slug":"job-search-taking-longer-than-expected-volunteer-to-gain-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=13476","title":{"rendered":"Job Search Taking Longer than Expected? Volunteer To Gain Experience!"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Sara Dixon, Head Editor, INALJ Kansas<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Job Search Taking Longer than Expected?
\nVolunteer To Gain Experience!<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"inaljbiopic\"<\/a>When I got done with library school almost 2 years ago, I wanted a library job, but I put off really focusing on the job search. \u00a0I had a job throughout school that would continue to support me financially. \u00a0I was applying for jobs and checking INALJ daily digest <\/a>regularly, but I was not overly concerned. \u00a0Things at my current job were going well. \u00a0However, as I saw my graduation date looming further into the past, my concern began growing that if I could not find a library job soon, I would quickly fall behind all the librarians gaining experience on a daily basis and newly graduated librarians. \u00a0So I decided to offer my services as a volunteer to my local library.<\/p>\n

This was one of the best things I could have done.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

It has since reinforced the whole reason I went to library school in the first place: I love helping people! \u00a0It also reinvigorated my job search. \u00a0I know where I should be.<\/p>\n

Due to my day job, there was only limited time I could give to the library. \u00a0Luckily, they were planning evening basic technology classes<\/strong> that would fit in with my current schedule. \u00a0It was a three part series: one class on using a Mouse; one class on basic Internet; and one class on basic email. \u00a0As someone who spends a majority of almost everyday on a computer, I was afraid I would have little patience teaching patrons how to do such simple skills, like use a mouse. \u00a0I was actually a little surprised there were people out there who still didn\u2019t know how to use a mouse. But, I will tell you, the mousing class in particular has been the most rewarding. \u00a0Mousing is so basic, but it\u2019s an important foundational skill that one must master in order to use most library computers. \u00a0Many students just missed the digital explosion and are now struggling to catch up.<\/p>\n

During one recent class, I assisted a stroke victim. \u00a0She was newly left handed and had limited dexterity in her one good hand, which made gripping and positioning a mouse fairly difficult. \u00a0We tried a couple different settings and when she was finally able to point and click correctly, we were both so excited. \u00a0Each student in these classes is so grateful for our assistance, that I could be exhausted after a long day, but I always leave these classes feeling the greatest exhilaration.<\/p>\n

Soon after I started teaching and assisting with these classes, the librarian over the classes agreed to let me assist her during one of her evening shifts. \u00a0In between providing computer guest passes and helping with printer problems, she lets me assist with any number of projects she\u2019s working on. \u00a0We are working on a literacy event, a new series of classes, readers advisories, and anything else that comes up. \u00a0It\u2019s work that I truly enjoy and I am so grateful for the opportunity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As an added bonus, volunteer work always looks good on a resume! \u00a0So if you are still looking for a library job, just thinking about library work, or looking for a way to gain some experience, I would encourage you to volunteer with a library in your area. \u00a0Even if the tasks are not your preference, try it out. \u00a0It may be surprisingly rewarding, and it may lead to those tasks you really want to work on. \u00a0If public library work is not really for you, there are volunteer opportunities in other library organizations. \u00a0And hey, maybe all that volunteer work will turn into a job!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Sara Dixon, Head Editor, INALJ Kansas Job Search Taking Longer than Expected? Volunteer To Gain Experience! When I got done with library school almost 2 years ago, I wanted a library job, but I put off really focusing on the job search. \u00a0I had a job throughout school that would continue to support me…<\/p>\n

Read more \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13502,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[145],"tags":[69,3592,3708,3836,410],"class_list":["post-13476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-article","tag-blog","tag-inalj-kansas","tag-sara-dixon","tag-volunteering"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/sarad1.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1WoMK-3vm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}