2009 Job Fair for Librarians and Information Professionals
From the FEDLIB discussion list...
Please join us in August as the FLICC Human Resources Working Group hosts the 2009 Job Fair for Librarians and Information Professionals.
Job Fair for Info Professionals: Wednesday, August 26, 2009; 9:00am - 2:00 pm; Library of Congress - Madison Building (Mumford, West Dining Room) Washington, DC
Presentation Topics will include:
- Resume Writing and Interview Techniques
- Federal Librarianship/Careers
- USAJobs Application Process
- Resume FAQ*
More than 15 exhibitors will be available from 9:00am - 2pm.
They include:
- Defense Technical Information Center
- TRAK Records and Libraries
- National Library of Medicine
- National Archives and Records Administration
- And many more...
*Due to high interest in the program, one-on-one resume assistance will not be available.
Instead, we are offering a Resume FAQ session with a panel of federal librarians and HR specialists who will answer pre-submitted questions.
Although the Job Fair is free, registration is REQUIRED. Contact fliccfno@loc.gov for a registration form or any other questions.
Please complete the registration form and fax to 202-707-4825.
Please direct any questions to fliccfno@loc.gov
Posted by kkowatch on July 01, 2009 at 01:09 PM | Comments (0)
Chelsea District Library Secures $25K grant for oral history project
Recent news... if you are interested in this sort of work, this might be a great potential internship!
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Chelsea, MI –The Chelsea District Library recently received a grant that will allow it to continue to document the history of the Chelsea community. The project, entitled “Oral History Project: A Vision of Community,” will take a look at members of founding families and original farming families, veterans, employees and owners of local landmark businesses and community leaders in Chelsea. This grant will allow the library to conduct video interviews with hundreds of individuals in order to tell the story of Chelsea.
Previously, the Chelsea District Library partnered with the Chelsea Senior Center to interview more than 200 people who attended one-room schoolhouses and produced the “One-Room Schoolhouse” film, which has aired on public access television. The success of “One Room Schoolhouse” led Bill Harmer, adult services librarian at the Chelsea District Library, to develop this latest project.
“What is significant about these projects is that in many cities, there are other organizations that can sometimes take on this type of role, but in a small town like Chelsea, the library plays many, diverse roles, so it is especially significant for us to be doing this, otherwise the history will be lost,” said Harmer.
Harmer hopes the oral history projects will become a model for other libraries and help them think about how information is distributed throughout communities. He has been asked to speak to his peers at library conferences across the country in order to share his experiences with the “One Room Schoolhouse” project.
“The Chelsea District Library is changing the way people think about libraries. Instead of waiting to receive the content, it is creating the content and preserving information for future generations,” continued Harmer.
Collaboration is vital to the success of this project according to Harmer. This project will bring many organizations and people together to look at the history of Chelsea and visit nostalgic moments critical to the community.
For updates on the oral history project, visit www.chelsea.lib.mi.us. If you have questions about the project, please contact the Chelsea District Library at (734) 475-8732.
The Chelsea Community Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment fund that provides an ongoing source of revenue for qualified and needed programs and activities in the Chelsea community. Founded in December 1995, the Chelsea Community Foundation has a permanent charitable endowment of more than $1.3 million and has awarded more than $930,000 in grants to organizations working to improve the quality of life in Chelsea and surrounding communities. The Chelsea Community Foundation is an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
Posted by kkowatch on June 25, 2009 at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
Future Interaction Desigers: Want A Mentor?
From the IxDA website at http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=42798
The IxDA Mentorship volunteer group is ready to formally kickoff the first phase of the mentorship program. This phase is technically and logistically simple; volunteers act as "match makers" to pair potential mentors with those seeking some professional assistance. This is a fluid, amorphous initiative; there is no set program, or set of activities for people to do. Instead, we hope to encourage digital relationship building that can extend into the real world as appropriate.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or finding a mentor, please fill out the forms listed below. If you are interested in joining the organizational side of this effort, please drop me an email.
I need a mentor!
Please visit http://www.ixda.org/mentee.php and fill out the form as thoroughly as you can. Please note that, while we hope to find mentors for everyone who needs them, there is no guarantee that we will find a perfect match for you. The mentorship initiative starts digitally, through email, but can extend in whatever direction you and your mentor see fit.
I want to be a mentor!
Please visit http://www.ixda.org/mentor.php and fill out the form as thoroughly as you can. An ideal mentor has not only thorough experience and skills, but also the time and patience to dedicate to working with those who are learning a new profession. Please note that, while we hope to find matches for everyone who needs them, there is no guarantee that we will find a perfect match for you. The mentorship initiative starts digitally, through email, but can extend in whatever direction you and your "mentee" see fit.
Thanks,
Jon Kolko
Posted by kkowatch on June 25, 2009 at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
YDL Seeking a New Trustee
Due to one of our Board Members moving outside of the District, the Ypsilanti District Library is seeking candidates to fill a position on the Board. The position is open to anyone who lives in the Library District (Ypsilanti City, Township, and the portion of Superior Township that is not in the Ann Arbor School District).
A position description and application are available at: http://www.ypsilibrary.org/about/board_of_trustees.shtml
Please consider submitting an application if you are interested, and/or share this message widely. The deadline is July 15.
Suzanne Gray
President, Ypsilanti District Library Board of Trustees
sgray@umich.edu
Posted by kkowatch on June 25, 2009 at 12:21 PM | Comments (0)
Updates from Ann Arbor SPARK
Summer Solstice is quickly approaching and with that Michigan's many lakes are warming - much to the delight of beach goers everywhere! With summer's arrival, thoughts of internships and entry-level jobs for Michigan's newest graduates move to fore. This summer, there's an exciting new student resource in place, known as Intern In Michigan! Also, be sure to have your graduates keep watch of small, emerging tech-based companies in Michigan. The best way to learn more about these companies (and to see who's hiring, for what, and where!) is to check out the Services section on the SPARK website at Career Services at Ann Arbor SPARK.
Additional Resources for Students
(1) Intern In Michigan (New Web Portal for College Students!)
Students: Find an internship in your chosen field where you can open the door to your career - Post your profile today. Employers: Find college internship candidates with skills that match your opportunities.
W: InternInMichigan
Internships Help You To:
• Stand out in a competitive job market
• Network and connect with professionals
• Apply classroom learning in the real world
• Explore career options and enhance professional skills
• Build a stronger resume
(2) Save the Date: Nov 6, 2009 - The Michigan Collegiate Job Fair
The MCJF is a state-wide job fair held in spring and fall each year. It is a cost-effective means both for companies who want to recruit qualified graduates for primarily degreed, entry-level positions, and for job seekers who want to broaden their job search and network with hiring employers. Throughout Michigan, no other job fair has attracted as many schools, graduates and companies at one time, in one day as demonstrated in MCJF's history. http://www.mcjf.org/index.php.
(3) Cool, Growing Michigan Companies
These companies are adding jobs in Michigan now and / or over the next 5 years. Be sure to consider them during your job search now or after you graduate. Follow this link to see a list of Cool, Growing Companies in Michigan! Cool, Growing, Michigan Companies
(4) Companies That Hire College Graduates
Are you trying to find a list of growing companies in Michigan that hire college graduates for entry level positions? If yes, please check out this list of almost 200 companies who traditionally look for fresh talent: College Connections in Michigan
(5) Job and Career Fairs - Career Fairs In Michigan
(6) Temporary Employment - A Great Place to Start! - Temp Hire Agencies in Michigan
We're always looking for new ideas and are very open to your suggestions, as we want to help you to provide great, local career options for your students.
Thanks for all of your assistance!
Best regards,
Amy Cell and Mary Salley
Team Talent
Ann Arbor SPARK
www.AnnArborUSA.org
Questions / Comments to: Mary@AnnArborUSA.org
Posted by kkowatch on June 24, 2009 at 04:37 PM | Comments (0)
UM-SI Process Redesign Project Opportunity
Do you deal with a process everyday regarding the way information gets passed -- or not passed -- along that frustrates you? Is there an information flow in your organization that could be more effective or efficient if a team analyzed it, identified key issues, and provided a set of recommendations for improvement?
If so, we invite your participation as a client for SI 501, “Contextual Inquiry and Project Management” a 14-week client-based course at the University of Michigan School of Information (http://si.umich.edu/ ). For this course, Master’s students perform an in-depth analysis of a process flow of organizational information use from several perspectives. (The course description and more examples of past SI 501 clients and projects are available at http://www.si.umich.edu/courses/501/ )
Past projects have included:
• The analysis of information flow that occurs between a board of directors and volunteers at a local wildlife care organization from the processing of incoming reports regarding injured mammals on through to the placement and care of the animals
• The review of a health clinic’s telephone queue and voicemail system that would established a formal protocol for routing phone calls and messages from patients, medical specialists, pharmacists, funders, and vendors to appropriate staff
• An examination of how a government agency plans, creates, and disseminates information about current events and projects to regional employees to encourage collaboration and decrease the duplication of effort among employees
• A review of how information flows in a product development organization from the generation of new ideas, through market research, finance, and the actual development of the product
• The study of a public library's process to acquire and weed materials among its three branches
In order to be eligible, your organization must meet the following criteria:
• Have a formal or informal information process already in place, that needs improvement
• Provide 5-10 people that are involved in the process and willing and able to be interviewed by the student team
If you are interested in learning more, please reply by Friday June 12, 2009 and I'll follow up with additional information.
Please feel free to forward this email on to any colleagues, clients, or friends that would be interested in this opportunity.
Ixchel Faniel, Assistant Professor at the School of Information, and her SI 501 instruction team are looking forward to another great semester of client consulting projects, and we hope you will join us!
Sincerely,
Kelly Kowatch
University of Michigan School of Information
Career Services and Practical Engagement
http://www.si.umich.edu
kkowatch@umich.edu
(734) 936-8735
Posted by kkowatch on June 01, 2009 at 11:53 AM | Comments (0)
* Using emerging social networking tools like LinkedIn and Twitter to support your career exploration and job search process Visit The Career Center this summer!
Summer can be an important time to work on career and job search plans, and The Career Center is here to help all summer long. Check out This Summer at The Career Center at: http://careercenter.umich.edu/students/gradservices/thismonth/index.html to learn more about:
* Connecting with our office during the summer, including call-ahead advising, career counseling appointments and our web resources
* Scheduling a C.V. critique appointment
* Using emerging social networking tools like LinkedIn and Twitter to support your career exploration and job search process
Visit The Career Center this summer!
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Tom Lehker
Senior Assistant Director,
The Career Center
3200 Student Activities Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1316
734-764-7460
tlehker@umich.edu
Posted by kkowatch on May 15, 2009 at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)
The Market Value of a UM Degree
This week, I attended an internal higher education conference sponsored by UM LSA Academic Advising. One of the sessions that I attended featured four employers who provided feedback on the value of the University of Michigan degree. I thought that this information was very valuable and would be of interest to all of our readers, no matter if you are a prospective SI student, a current student or alumnus of SI, or an employer.
Three specific questions were asked and the employer's provided their perspective. The four employers were Susanna Brennan from Media Genesis, Jason Keech from the American Cancer Society, Tyler Coffey from Target, and Angela Shelby of the State of Michigan.
The first question asked of these employers was, "What is your perceived market value of the University of Michigan degree?" The employers provided that when they see the UM degree on a resume, they know that the applicant will have been an outstanding student and therefore, an outstanding employee. UM students are bright, talented, and hardworking. They established a reputation of these characteristics from when they were in high school, as they needed to establish these traits that early on in order to get into Michigan. Students are tech-savvy and can juggle multiple priorities.
However, they also shared that the UM brand/degree won't get you the job. The degree creates a great foundation of skills and work ethic, but its up to you to demonstrate what kind of "house you will build on that foundation" as an employee. However, what's great about UM is that you basically have unlimited opportunities in which to develop your skills in leadership, research, and extracurricular activities. Students are able to get involved in programs such as AIESC, Dance Marathon, Rackham Student Government, amongst a wide range of other roles. What is a key selling point to employers is that many UM students hold professional-level roles in their student organizations while going to school full-time and excelling.
Media Genesis most often recruits for Project Managers, which is a role that is more about communication skills and problem-solving than anything. Michigan grads are able to meet their requirements because the education system provides the opportunity to develop excellent reading and writing skills, often proficiency in a second language, good overall communication skills, the ability to analyze information and to learn very quickly. They are good at managing deadlines -- and their own managers.
The Ann Arbor environment is also large enough that it a good foundation for students to move into any other environment, whether it be New York City or a more rural situation. Also as a product of the environment, UM students are more independent than students from other schools, and as employees, then seem to have less issues with housing, benefits, roommates, etc. The presence of the school in a some-what sizable metropolitan area also makes students aware of urban issues in away that is not possible in a more-insulted "college town".
The recruiter from Target, a recent UM grad, stated that what was the best thing that she took from her UM degree (from Organizational Studies, was here ability to understand and relate to people, especially a diverse range of people. In everything from her classes to social activities, she learned how to work with people -- and also how to influence them positively through her work.
Continue reading "The Market Value of a UM Degree"
Posted by kkowatch on May 14, 2009 at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
SI Career Services Surveys
Internship Survey
All students are invited to take the SI Career Services Internship survey if they completed a professional-level internship during the Fall 2008 or Winter 2009 terms. (All students enrolled in SI 690 are required to complete the internship survey, but we appreciate the information from all other students who also completed a not-for-credit internship).
Complete the survey at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB228JYYRBP5B
Internship Public Portfolios
All students who completed an internship and did not receive credit are also invited to complete a public portfolio. The public portfolios, listed at http://si.umich.edu/careers/internships.htm, are a valuable resource for prospective students and first year MSIs for their internship search.
Create a public portfolio by logging into the Intranet at http://si.umich.edu/intranet/index.htm and clicking on Public Portfolios Updates. Then click on, Add a new listing
Part-Time Job Survey
If you worked in a part-time job over the last two terms or have one lined up for this summer, we’d like to hear about it. You can report your part-time position at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB228X8PQSUJL
2009 MSI Employment Survey
Please complete the 2009 MSI Employment Survey to indicate your acceptance of a job or continuing education as a School of Information class of 2009 graduate http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22945YLSVFC
To show our appreciation for taking the time to complete this important survey, we will provide you with a $10 gift card to amazon.com upon submission of your survey.
SI Career Services Satisfaction Survey
And, if you just really like taking surveys, you can also complete the SI Career Services Satisfaction Survey at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB2292SFVYB4A
All of these surveys should only take a few minutes of your time.
Your feedback is highly valued and helps inform decisions for change or improvements to the resources and services that we provide to students.
Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. All responses will be confidential, reported only in aggregate form, and will be used for evaluation, and planning purposes.
Posted by kkowatch on May 12, 2009 at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
Case Study Interview Practice for PhDs
Case study interviewing is a key component of the hiring process for management consultants, requiring candidates to think like a consultant to solve business problems. Consulting companies typically begin their hiring process early in the fall, and successful candidates will need to demonstrate their mastery of the case interview process.
For many PhD's, case interviewing is a very new process. Fortunately, it is something that can be improved upon with practice. The Career Center is organizing small groups of graduate students interested in actively practicing case study interviewing this summer, in preparation for the fall recruiting season. These groups are for students who will be finishing their degrees this next year and will be actively pursuing employment with management consulting companies.
If you are interested in joining a case interview practice group, please contact Tom Lehker at tlehker@umich.edu.
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Tom Lehker
Senior Assistant Director,
The Career Center
3200 Student Activities Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1316
734-764-7460
tlehker@umich.edu
Posted by kkowatch on May 11, 2009 at 02:44 PM | Comments (0)
Considering Federal Librarianship? Learn how on Second Life!
The Government Information Division, the Military Libraries Division, and ALA's Federal and Armed Forces Round Table (FAFLRT) are co-sponsoring a booth with information on how to become a federal librarian at the first Second Life Library Career Fair and Library Fair, sponsored by the Alliance Virtual Library on May 8 & 9th, 2009. The event takes place on Infotainment Islan.
SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Infotainment%20Island/98/69/31
The Federal Depository Libraries also have booth at the the fair.
From the description on the Alliance Library webpage:
The Library Career Fair, May 8th, is being managed by the LIS Student Union under Adra Letov and DaisyBlue Hefferman. The Career Fair events will include: Orientations for new avatars (librarians, students, and staff), an LIS Career Resource Center with links to global job postings, speakers on survival skills for getting a job in a bad economy, resume tune-up, and what employers are looking for in today’s media-rich Web 2.0 information environments. If you are interested in posting positions or working with the Career Fair in some way, please contact Diane Nahl, SL: Adra Letov, at nahl@hawaii.edu.
Here is the schedule:
Second Life LIS Student Union Career Fair:
Carpe Calamitas! Networking Librarians, Students, Employers and Recruiters
Friday May 8, 2009 - Noon to 7 PM SLT
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Infotainment%20Island/98/69/31
Noon-2 pm SLT: Orientation sessions for new avatars
2-3 pm SLT: Opening Keynote Speaker: Kitty Pope, Executive-Director of AVL, on kicking off the month-long celebration of AVL’s Third Anniversary in Second Life. Additionally, other speakers will be addressing survival skills for getting a job in a bad economy.
3-4 pm SLT: Research mini-conference presentations by students on their Second Life interface studies.
4-5 pm SLT: Panel of recruiters and employers: “What are employers looking for in today's media-rich Web 2.0 information environments?”
5-7 pm SLT: Social Networking Party mixer for Career Fair and Library Fair participants and friends with DJ Gwen Carillon, dancing and music.
Questions? PM Melanie Twine.
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Alliance Virtual Library Library Fair
Saturday, May 9th 2009
Noon to 6 PM SLT
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Infotainment%20Island/156/151/32
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm SLT
"Libraries and Innovation in Second Life" - Lori Bell (RL) Lorelei Junot (SL), Alliance Virtual Library
1 pm - 1:45 pm SLT
"Growing a Community Library; Lessons from the Field" - Micki McIntyre (RL) Derry McMahon (SL), RezLibris
2 pm - 2:45 pm SLT
"Supporting and Promoting Ingenuity" - Joanne Brothers (RL) Vienna James (SL), University of the West of England & RezLibris
3 pm - 3:45 SLT
"SL Library Instruction: A Work in Progress" - P. Charles Livermore (RL) Hopalong Oh (SL), St. John's University Libraries
4 pm SLT - 6 PM SLT
Exhibits & Networking
Posted by kkowatch on May 08, 2009 at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
Eleven Ways to Keep Your Job Search Moving
I recently received a newsletter from a group that I'm involved with that shared 11 points of advice for people who are about to enter the work force from a graduate program. I thought that the information was very interesting and relevant to our recent grads. So, thank you ACPA Commission for Career Development for the basis of this blog entry. (Note that this information has been edited for relevancy to our readership.)
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....note that many states are in the process of finalizing their budget allocations for the new fiscal year. Although there will likely be more cuts in high education for several states, many state institutions will be receiving new allocations from the stimulus package. This means that the hiring freeze in many institutions may be lifted, so keep an eye out for new openings this summer.
Top Eleven Ways to Keep your Job Search Moving
1. If you are graduating from a Master’s or Doctoral Program, discuss extending your Graduate Assistantship or Internship. Additional skills and experience gained through the summer can be critical to your competitiveness in the higher education market, and also expose you to different aspects of Career Development functions.
2. Volunteer – If you can’t extend an existing internship, assistantship, or current position, start a new one! Many offices have summer projects or have students who continue taking classes in the summer. Volunteering at a new office will also give you a greater breadth of experience, while allowing you the flexibility to continue your job search.
Continue reading "Eleven Ways to Keep Your Job Search Moving"
Posted by kkowatch on May 08, 2009 at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)
SI Careers on Twitter
SI Career Services is on Twitter...
You can follow us @si_careers -- https://twitter.com/si_careers
We'll be sharing our events, announcements, and daily "Twips!" We hope to see us following out Tweets.
Posted by kkowatch on May 06, 2009 at 04:24 PM | Comments (0)
How to Get the Most Out of Your Campus Career Center
A SI alumnus recently sent me this link about how to best utilize the resources that are provided by campus career centers. I thought that I would share this with readers, as its always good to hear from others about tips and suggestions that the internal resource provided.
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How to Get the Most Out of Your Campus Career Center
Published by kcuene on April 30th, 2009 in Work
Note: This is a guest post from Kelly Cuene. Kelly is a friend of mine and a Career Advisor at The University of Wisconsin. Most people I knew in college, including me, didn’t take advantage of their career centers until it was too late. That’s unfortunate because your career center really can be a great resource. If you’re in college, I urge you to take Kelly’s advice and get the most out of your career center, before its too late.
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I realize many students have serious concerns about the quality (or lack thereof) of their campus career center. It’s also important to know, however, how to get the most from your career services office. Some basic tips:
Do some work on your own, first
Student services staff are always trying to conveniently deliver information to students (notice the increasing use of videos, blogs, podcasts, websites and social networking sites by campus staff). Seriously, we have committees, surveys and focus groups trying to figure this out. If you look for these first, you’ll have a more productive appointment with a career advisor because you can ask follow-up questions or apply that information to your own situation.
Continue reading "How to Get the Most Out of Your Campus Career Center"
Posted by kkowatch on May 05, 2009 at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
Announcing ALA Connect
I saw this post on the LM_Net listserv and I wanted to share this resource with our readers.
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If you know of any graduate MLIS programs that encourage their members to post to listserv's like LM_NET, could you let them know about ALA Connect http://connect.ala.org/? This is a very exciting new feature from ALA that provides a social community for librarians even if they are not ALA members.
If you aren't a member, you can register, read and post. You just won't see as much detail.
If you are a member, you just log on using your membership ID and your password. The program has already linked you to each of your committees and provides these with forums for work. You can decide if your committee work and posts are viewable to the public or just to the committee.
You can also create your own community. I heard another librarian jokingly say he hasn't seen a group for "Librarians who own cats" yet and I'm thinking this would be a fun group. I am very excited about the possibilities of this program. It's like a professional playground for people who like facebook and it's a convenient collaborative workplace.
One of the features I like is that you can search for a committee and see the membership list. If you were wondering who is actually on the Intellectual Freedom committee, you can easily find out. It makes much of ALA transparent. I know Jenny Levine has worked with some of the members here on LM_NET to design this and I hope you will check it out.
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About ALA Connect...
Continue reading "Announcing ALA Connect"
Posted by kkowatch on May 04, 2009 at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)
