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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Diversifying Your Experience |
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How do you know what type of job, or area of the field, is right for you? How do you know which type of job to apply for? How do you gain experience that will help you move from your first job into a job that better fits your idea of the ideal job? How do you gain practical experience before applying for that first job? How you do you keep yourself from getting bored or stagnant in your job or career? In the early stages of your career, it is especially important to learn all you can and to prepare yourself to move in different directions as you find out what you do and do not enjoy. Diversify your experience and education to provide a broad framework for the future. Give yourself room to change your mind or accept a variety of opportunities. Student
or Internship Experience Try
to get a job or internship, or volunteer in order to get relevant
experience while in school. Many libraries are thrilled to have
volunteers. Often these
volunteer experiences can lead to job opportunities; they can also
provide references for your resume and professional contacts that may
help you later in your career. Volunteering
is a great way to try out a type of job without committing yourself.
Talk to co-workers to find out how they like their jobs. Find out
about different types of jobs in the field. Getting experience in school
will also help make your classes more relevant. Workplace
or Volunteer Experience Work
or volunteer at different types of libraries or organizations to gain
experience and see what type of environment you like. Get a variety of
experience, if possible, to provide a variety of options and broader
perspective. Volunteer for committee work, task forces, or special
projects to get varied types of responsibilities and experience. Work
with different people to get different perspectives both on their type
of job and on working with different styles of people and in different
atmospheres. Ask your supervisor if you can cross-train in another
department. Often,
small libraries can offer you more variety, because you get to do a
little of everything. If you work in a large institution, ask if you can
volunteer in a different department in your own library. By trying
different things, then you can assess what you like and don't like, and
decide what you might like to do next. Don't be surprised if you change
types of jobs often during the early part of your career (or maybe
throughout your entire career!). These are your learning years and by
trying different things, you learn about different types of jobs and
about yourself. Also, by diversifying your experience, you don't get
pigeonholed into a niche that you later can't break out of. Professional
Involvement Experience Use
professional or community involvement to gain experience. You can use
these activities to gain experience in areas that you are not able to
gain at work or school. For example, you may be able to participate on a
committee that allows you to learn to manage a budget, plan programs,
manage projects, work with teams, write for publications, speak in
public, run meetings, create web pages, and more. Try to get varied
experience in your association work. Look for ways to build skills that
you aren't able to build in your daily job. Don't forget to list these
skills in your resume. Serve
on search committees to see resumes, interviews, and search processes.
Serve on award committees to see applications and selection processes.
Serving on search or selection committees allows you to see what your
colleagues and supervisors notice in resumes. It allows you to see
others' resumes, and allows you to learn for your own future job
interviews. Watch what your colleagues or supervisors notice, like and
dislike as they select candidates for job interviews or awards. Enjoy
New Experiences Don’t be afraid to try new things. Even if you learn that you don’t like a particular type of job, you’ll learn new skills, meet new people, gain a better understanding of different jobs and work environments, and discover new things about yourself – and you’ll know not to apply for that type of job in the future. Look around you for opportunities to diversify your experience in order to make yourself as marketable as possible. Priscilla K. Shontz is a web designer and freelance writer and has worked in university, community college, medical and public libraries. She is author of Jump Start Your Career in Library & Information Science and is a past president of the ALA New Members Round Table. Article submitted Dec 2001 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
12/27/2005
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