UMSI Career Development Blog

UM Alumni Association offers Career Call-In Teleseminars

Students (Grad Students too!) and U-M alumni are invited to join the Alumni Association for the following Career Call-In Teleseminars:

An Introverts Guide to Successful Networking
Tuesday, June 18th at 12:00 pm EST
Learn how to stop comparing yourself to extroverts, tap into your unique strengths and charm the socks of potential employers.

Get Smart About Your Career Using Emotional Intelligence
Tuesday, July 16th at 12:00 pm EST
Learn how to increase your EQ- one of the strongest predictors of work place success.

How to Communicate Professional Presence
Tuesday, August 20th at 12:00 pm EST
Learn how you can advance, present and manage your daily professional brand in ways that will land you opportunities you have only dreamed about.

Improving Relationships as Work by Understanding Communication Styles
Tuesday, September 17th at 12:00 pm EST
Learn how to understand varied communication styles to improve your work relationships and professional happiness.

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" Active Listening in the Workplace
Tuesday, October 15th at 12:00 pm EST
Join us to learn how to tap into this underutilized communication tool, one of the key components of management success.

Register now to join us (signing in with unique name and password) for these Career Call-Ins- http://alumni.umich.edu/connect/event-calendar?f[0]=field_category%3Acareer or to save the dates in your calenders!

FREE for Alumni Association Members (and students!)

Employers report- Soft skills matter!

Employers report on the Top 10 Skills for Job Candidates

What makes an ideal job candidate? Of course, top candidates need to have the requisite major and GPA, and relevant work experience, but it’s their soft skills that make them ideal.

After the Interview: How Long to Wait for the Offer?

According to a recent article by NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers, on average, employers are reporting a four-week window between job interview and offer.

This time frame can vary by industry as government and academia tend to take a bit longer, but overall, four weeks is the average you can expect before that offer comes!

http://www.naceweb.org/Press/Releases/Employers_Report_a_Four-Week_Window_Between_Job_Interview_and_Offer.aspx

Do You Have a "Sampler Platter" of Skills?

Interested in content marketing? Kinvey's VP of Marketing, Joe Chernov, describes the "sampler platter" of skills you'll need to be successful with SoftwareAdvice.com's Lauren Carlson.

WATCH VIDEO

Around the World in 85 Days: UMSI Student's Summer Internships in Singapore and Uganda (plus more!)

My name is JJ Pionke and I spent the Summer of 2012 going around the world. This is my story.

When I first came to SI, and learned that I would have to do a Summer internship, I knew that I wanted to go abroad. I've been abroad before and I've deeply missed being overseas. As soon as I got to Ann Arbor, I met with UMSI's Career Development Office(CDO) for some ideas. I made up a boilerplate introductory email that I could modify easily from one organization to another. I also made up a spreadsheet to track who I was sending email to, when, and if there was a response. I then hit iTrack through the UMSI website and started combing through any country that had entries related to Library Science in some way. Since I had time before school started in September, I started researching organizations and sending out email right away because I knew that I was going to get incredibly busy in a very short time.

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I eventually sent email to around 50 organizations and heard back from about 20 or so. Most of them were just declination of interest, but a few were genuinely helpful where they recommended other organizations or countries to try. I got a yes from the National University of Singapore (NUS) pretty quickly and worked with them on and off for the next several months through the planning stages of the trip, including what I would be doing and so forth. NUS is listed in iTrack but all the other details of my trip had to be worked out on my own, like housing. I got very lucky in that the woman living kitty corner from me was from Singapore and she was able to put me in touch with a friend of hers that was willing to rent me a room for a very reasonable price for the month that I was going to be there.

The NUS internship was only 160 hours and to make the full 6 PEP credits, I needed 200 more internship hours. I felt pretty good that I had already landed one internship so quickly and as a consequence I backed off on my internship hunt for the other 200 hours. Don't get me wrong, it was still in the back of my head and I kept an eye on international announcements from CDO, UM's International Center, and The Record for stories of people's past Summer experiences and potential opportunities. CDO hosted an interest session for international internships which included a panel of students that had just gotten back from the world. One of the panelists had spent her Summer in Uganda cataloging at the Uganda National Archive (UNA) and there was a high probability that the same job would be open again. The professor in charge of the project was also in attendance. The presentation impressed me and afterwards, I told the professor that if I could get funding, I would go. He and CDO gave me a list of scholarships to try for. Scholarship applications are due anywhere from December to March so it felt like I was writing them forever. I applied to 8 scholarships. Then there was nothing to be done but to wait.

My second semester zips by. At the very beginning of April, I was starting to get nervous because I had heard nothing about scholarships and an internship that I thought I had landed, backed out, so I was still looking for 200 hours. Literally in the span of 24 hours, I had not only a second internship, this time at the UM Bentley Historical Library, but a scholarship to go to Uganda, which meant a third internship and now I was going around the world! In terms of the Bentley, I was there for a class orientation and the Head of Reference, Karen Jania, and I started talking and she offered me the 200 hours, unpaid, but that I would be able to create a physical and online exhibit on GLBTQ history in Michigan/Ann Arbor/University of Michigan. Because of the way my time got structured, I landed up spending 2 weeks in the Bentley before getting on a plane and then another solid week when I got back with the rest of the time being made up either online and on my own or coming into the Bentley in between classes as the Fall semester started. The exhibits turned out great! Back to my story, so now I had the 200 hours I needed to fulfill the rest of the PEP requirement and I was going to Uganda and Singapore!

Once I had confirmation of getting the scholarship from the African Studies Center, I kicked logistics into high gear. The timing of my trip/Summer worked out like this: May at the Bentley, June at NUS, July - beginning of August at the UNA, middle of August in Europe, Chicago for one week, the Bentley for one week, and then school starts. There would be no time to come home between Singapore and Uganda. After comparing prices, it was cheaper to purchase a Round The World plane ticket. These tickets work principally on a few tenants: you have to go in one direction around the world and you have to do it under so many miles or you have to pay more, also, you have one year to do it. If you have the money and the time, these tickets are worth it because you can easily add destinations with a minimum of hassle or monetary fuss. I sat down with a calendar and mapped out where I was going to be, when, and then started filling in the holes like hotel rooms. I also added side trips to Thailand and Malaysia when I was in Singapore. To finally fly home, I flew from Entebbe, Uganda to Brussels, Belgium and then made my way overland to Amsterdam, Netherlands to catch the flight to Chicago.

I also had to figure out packing for the trip. I took one suitcase, one laptop bag, and one nylon backpack for day trips. I kept my suitcase under 50lbs the entire trip. Once I added Uganda to the mix, I had to go to the travel nurse at the UM Hospital. She very kindly squeezed me in and then vaccinated me to within an inch of my life. I swear that I will probably never have worse than a cold for at least the next 3 years.

As I continued to work on logistics, and then spend my two weeks in the Bentley while couch surfing at a couple of friend's houses, I was awarded a second scholarship from SI. I was also notified that the professor in charge of the Uganda project had a grant and he was going to be able to give me some funding from that to help offset costs. All told, between the two scholarships and the grant money, Uganda was completely funded. I paid for Singapore out of pocket through loans.

To get to Singapore, I would board a plane in Chicago and then have a 2 hour layover in Tokyo. Total flying time was 22 hours. What really happened was that I got on a plane in Chicago and then sat in the plane at the gate for 5 hours and then we took off. It wasn't an auspicious start to the trip, but throughout, I kept my good humor and zipped my way through a couple hundred pages of the first book of a trilogy. Keeping good humor when doing a major trip like this is important and I knew that, so is having enough patience to fill a swimming pool. I got very lucky that my contact in Singapore waited for me even though I showed up at close to 4am instead of just before midnight.

My time at NUS was delightful. I spent the month engaging in various discussions about information literacy. In the end, I also gave presentations on preservation, library integration in course management software, and on a search tool used by MLibrary. I created an information literacy digital package for the librarians and I also participated in a disaster planning table top exercise. Singapore was a delight. The food was amazing and I had a lot of fun listening to so many languages being spoken around me. A big negative of the trip was the heat. I completely forgot how hot Asia is in the Summer. I felt like I was melting.

In the first days of July, I got on a plane and flew to Johannesburg, South Africa where I had a 5 hour layover. By this point, I had finished the first book in the trilogy and was now very well into the second one which I had picked up in Bangkok, Thailand. I finally got to Entebbe, Uganda just as the sun was going down and very luckily was met by my roommate and a taxi driver.
Uganda is an amazing place. It is completely different from everything that America is. The red dust is in everything. Produce like mangoes, finger bananas, and avocados are cheap and plentiful. I've never drunk passion fruit juice that was so delicious. This is all juxtaposed with grinding poverty and poor infrastructure. That said, my time at the UNA was awesome. It was a lot of hard work but my team and I cataloged a collection that was in 169 boxes and was comprised of 6900 files. I had wonderful conversations with the archives staff about archival policies in Uganda and I helped them develop user policies. I also did computer maintenance and set up an environmental monitoring system. In the 5 weeks that I was in Uganda, a friend of mine also visited and we were able to go on safari together. We saw hippo, giraffe, elephant, zebra, all sorts of antelope and so many different types of birds, I couldn't count them. My time in Uganda was fun, frightening, and awe-inspiring.
In August, I got on yet another plane and headed towards Brussels, Belgium. I helped an older couple find their seats. While we waited for the rest of the plane to fill, she asked me what I thought of Uganda. She stated that I must see Entebbe as a slum. I told her that Uganda is a place that has to be taken on its own terms. From an American vantage point, Entebbe does look like a slum but from a Ugandan's point of view, Entebbe is a thriving and prosperous city and that is exactly how I saw it. She thanked me for my honest answer and then we were away to Europe.

I spent a day in Brugge, a day in Brussels, and then 3 days in Amsterdam seeing amazing art and enjoying good food and reliable internet access. After 5 days in Europe, I boarded a plane for the final time to take me back where my journey began.

My trip by the numbers:
25,500 miles traveled
$12,000 approximate total cost
1680 pages read on planes in a trilogy in which the 3rd book has yet to be printed (ARGH!)
90 hours spent flying
85 days spent abroad
6 countries (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Uganda, Belgium, Netherlands)
3 scholarships/grants
2 international internships
1 world circumnavigated
My name is JJ Pionke and I spent my Summer fulfilling a dream.

Summer Internship at University of Ghana’s Balme Library in Accra, Ghana, Africa

Hi! My name is Amanda, and I spent part of this summer interning at the Balme Library at the University of Ghana. For the months of May and June of 2012, I interned at the Balme Library at the University of Ghana.

]]> During my time there, I had the opportunity to interact with
a variety of library staff to learn about how the library operates. Benefitting from a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Balme Library has recently undertaken a number of innovative library projects, including the creation of both a Knowledge Commons and a Research Commons, the development of an online collection of scholarly University of Ghana publications, and a new digitization initiative. To support the library’s new digitization efforts, I
helped develop various scanner documentation and workflows. I was able to present my own knowledge of digitization to a group of university faculty, staff and students. Along with my fellow intern, Stacy Maat, I provided an overview of the digitization process and best practices and introduced some real-life examples of how digitized materials are being created, stored and used in different contexts.

My experience at the Balme Library gave me a practical introduction to several emerging library trends, including digitization and the development of digital repositories. My time at the University of Ghana also provided a unique perspective on librarianship in an international context. From interacting with faculty, staff and students, I was able to understand the impact of the library and its services on the university community. Not only did I learn how to provide access to digital library materials, but I also learned why this is so valuable.

My internship in Ghana was made possible by international internship grants provided by the University of Michigan African Studies Center and the School of Information.

Summer Internship at Free State of Saxony in Dresden, Germany

My name is Malcolm Jackson and I am an MSI student specializing in Information Policy and Information Economics for Management. This summer, I was able to travel to Dresden, Germany and perform and internship with the government of Saxony, one of Germany’s federal states. Specifically, I was asked to support the Office of the Saxon Commissioner for Foreigners and Migrants. The commissioner is a member of the state parliament assigned the special task of working for and with immigrants, visitors, refugees, and other foreigners visiting the region for various reasons.

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I was asked to design and carry out an interview study investigating what the immigration, visa, or naturalization process was like for PhD and post-doc researchers and technicians coming to Germany for work. My organization helped locate volunteers, and then I designed an interview questionnaire, conducted sixteen interviews with the volunteers and analyzed the results. Following my analysis, I drafted a report providing a quantitative categorization of responses, as well as an extended qualitative assessment of the results and recommendations for improving the situation. My report has since been released as a publication by the commissioner’s office, for distribution to all their partners and the media.

This was a great opportunity for practical experience, and also for having a good time learning about other cultures and working in a challenging and novel environment. The results turned out really
well, my organization was pleased, and I enjoyed it, so one couldn’t ask for anything better. This internship opportunity came as part of the EMGIP fellowship with Cultural Vistas Inc., a non-profit
organization that promotes intercultural exchange and professional development around the world. After reading about this fellowship in a CDO email, I decided to apply. After I was accepted, they helped match my skills with a German state parliament that might need me.

Although Cultural Vistas has professional programs that do not require German language competence, this particular program does and my background of studying German was a key factor in getting these opportunities.

Traveling and living overseas can be expensive and I was lucky enough to obtain sufficient funding that the overall cost out of pocket was very small for me. The internship itself was paid, and I
received money from the parliament itself. Let’s say that was enough overall to cover my airfare. I also received a stipend from Cultural Vistas as part of the professional fellowship, and that covered most
living expenses. I also applied for and received funding from SI, which paid for my rent. These funding sources were an important part of my summer.

Overall this was a great experience, and I certainly got a lot of practice that will help my career. Sometimes I’m tired of getting a dozen emails a day from the Career Development Office, but then I
think one of these emails might have the perfect opportunity for another student, like one of them last year did for me.

Summer Internship at University of Ghana’s Balme Library in Accra, Ghana, Africa

Below is the first of a series of blogs that will be shared by UMSI students who participated in summer 2012 internships abroad.

]]> My name is Stacy Maat and I spent a month of my summer at the University of Ghana’s Balme Library in Accra, Ghana, Africa. In February 2012, I received an email from the Career Development Office which contained a few internship opportunities at the University of Ghana. One of the positions listed was called Staff Development and Training for Digitalization of Collections and Historic Documents (iTrack ID #719979). Despite the typo, I emailed Ms. Gifty Boakye at Balme Library, and copied in Kelly Kowatch. It was not long before I realized that I was able to work in Ghana.

In order to actually go to Ghana, I needed to locate some funding for the trip. I had to quickly apply for funding from the African Studies Center and from the School of Information. After several weeks of waiting, I learned that I did not receive any funding from ASC, but was able to get most of what I need from UMSI. The next day I had to book my flight to leave two weeks later. There was a lot of running around that I needed to do in order to make sure I was ready to go: I needed to apply for a Visa, get all the necessary vaccinations and medications, buy lightweight clothes, and still figure out housing and arrival arrangements. As such, the two weeks between when I found out I had funding and the time I left were absolutely crazy.

Once I arrived in Ghana, things worked out really well. I landed in Accra, Ghana, and was greeted by Amanda Kauffman (also from UMSI) who had arrived a week and a half earlier, and Justice from Balme Library. Amanda and I were staying in the dorms (or as they call them, hostels) on University of Ghana’s campus.

The very next day, I met the head librarian at Balme, as well as senior staff members, and it seems like everyone in the library! I was also told that two days later Amanda and I needed to present a seminar on digitization in order to orient senior staff members on what it is, and what we were going to be doing during our time in Ghana. In order to prepare the presentation, Amanda and I relied on key readings from some of our uMSI classes, as well as some of our personal previous work experiences. The seminar went very well, with library staff taking notes and asking lots of questions.

The following week or so, I helped contribute to both the Digitization Workflow Policy and the Institutional Repository Policy for Balme Library, both of which were in draft form at the time. Balme Library is working to remain one of the top research libraries in the world, and in order to do so, they needed to establish clear policies on digitization and adding items into their institutional repository. These two policies help the library achieve it’s mission, as well as provides instructions and guidance to library staff members on what they need to be doing.

The remainder of my time there was more hands on as I was able to learn how to use several document, book, and microfilm scanners. I learned how to scan unbound documents using Inotec’s automatic Scamax M06 Digital Scanner. After learning how to use it, Amanda and I created a workflow document for the scanner, so staff members at Balme Library would be able to follow directions and guidelines when they need to scan a document.

I also learned how to scan a book using the Atiz BookDrive Pro and BookDrive Mini scanners and how to post-process the images using BookDrive Editor Pro software. How to scan microfilm and microfiche materials using the Mekel M200X scanner and post-processing of images using Image Mate for Presentation. Finally, I learned how to scan books using the Kirtas Kabis II automatic scanner with the post-processing of images using Kirtas’ Book Scan Editor Software. If I had been able to stay in Ghana for more than a month, I would have created workflow documents for each of these scanners.

My internship in Ghana was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It is not everyday that you can take what you learn in class here in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and apply that and teach others in Ghana, Africa. The internship activities themselves were incredibly rewarding, but by going overseas for the first time and immersing myself in a completely different culture now gives me a defining experience that will set me apart from my peers when applying for jobs in a few months.

ePortfolio Employer Tips

The UMSI Career Development Office recently hosted a Portfolio Review Panel where several students shared their online portfolios and received employer feedback. Here's what the employers had to say!

]]> As the panelists from ForeSee, TechSmith and Seelio shared their thoughts, the main message I heard was that exhibiting your passion and motivation throughout your portfolio is key to setting yourself apart.

For those of you that were unable to attend, you can be sure I took fast and furious notes to share with you all!

Form/Function
-If you use a pre-built platform (e.g., Seelio or Behabce) you won’t be judged on the portfolio design. If you custom build it, the design will be judged. If you use a publishing platform tool such as Wordpress, choose a tasteful template that won't take away from your content.
-When working on the design and layout keep in mind your ePortfolio may be projected onto a large screen, viewed on a mobile device, or printed out.
-Portfolios should still be optimized for Internet Explorer usage.
-Apply what you’ve learned in courses regarding usability best practices.
-Make navigation easy and simple to understand.
-Give your reader direction or tips for where to look and where to go. You can use a hub and spokes layout or include arrows or hints where to go next.
-Use bullet points over paragraphs of text.
-Using image thumbnails is great, but be sure to link to the full-size image.

Content
-Be sure to prioritize the projects highlighted on your portfolio.
-Your experience should be front and center – employers want to be intrigued by WHAT you’ve done, before learning more about you as a person and how you’d fit into their team.
-If you’ve done personal projects put them up front! These show your initiative and will help set you apart.
-Use teaser text to give projects context before clicking through to the full explanation.
-Be honest about what your role on each project was – they’ll be able to tell if you’re lying.
-It’s important to show you can play multiple roles within teams.
-Lower the barriers for getting in touch with you. No recruiter is going to fill out a “contact me” form – make it easy for them to find your phone number and email address.

Upcoming ePortfolio Sessions
-SOIAR and SOCHI are holding a Wordpress Workshop Wednesday, October 24, at noon-1 p.m. in 1255 North Quad. More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/482108235155048/.
-Join the CDO for “Developing Your ePortfolio,” on Tuesday, Oct. 30 noon-1:30 p.m. in 2185 North Quad. For more information and to RSVP, login to iTrack at http://www.si.umich.edu/careers/itrack.
-If you’d like to receive feedback on your ePortfolio, make an appointment to meet with the CDO staff at http://www.si.umich.edu/careers/career-development-office.

UMSI student Tawfiq Ammari does research in Jordan

UMSI Master of Science in Information student, Tawfiq Ammari, shared with the Career Development Office a blog post on his recent trip to his native country, Jordan. In Jordan, Tawfiq worked on a project pertaining to research on assistive technology and its use in the visually impaired society in collaboration with Dr. Joyojeet Pal, UMSI's resident Assistive Technology expert.

]]> Hot but not sultry, with the occasional zephyr now and then; the hilly city is ancient, yet always re-inventing itself, I am back in my hometown, the capital of Jordan. It has been a year since I left Jordan for my Master’s degree at the University of Michigan School of Information. Going back home and meeting old friends and family was great as always. But this time, I came back in a different capacity, this time, I am a researcher!

I am working on research pertaining to assistive technology and its use in the visually impaired society here in Jordan in collaboration with Dr. Joyojeet Pal, our resident Assistive Technology expert. This has allowed me to see different people working in government institutions, NGOs and regular persons with disabilities who have been able to cope with their disabilities and blend in the Jordanian society. One of the most interesting visits I made was that to Friendship Association for the Blind in Jordan. This is one of the NGOs that provides services to the visually impaired in training them to use technology, in turn, giving them access to many opportunities that would otherwise, be far from their reach.

Another NGO that was of great interest was Ruwwad. Operating in one of the most penurious neighborhoods in the capital, this NGO provides services for the local population whilst at the same time, engaging them in the services and activities provided. This allows the local population to have more ownership of the activities of the NGO and at the same time, allows the NGO’s operations to be
more sustainable.

Whilst visiting Ruwwad, I was shown the services they provide for persons with disabilities. Local artists, musicians and singers have decided to donate some of their time, weekly, to work with the persons with disabilities in the area (most of them intellectually disabled). Many think that these services have proven to be rather successful as those persons with disabilities (whom I met) were quite happy to come to the art lesson.

Later, we went on to see the other services provided by Ruwwad. The bulk of the services provided are directed to children, who have little else to do throughout the summer time. Ruwwad provides them
with a reading space, art lessons, oration and other activities. On the day of my visit, the kids were very excited because they were going on a trip. Although I cannot remember the details, I could tell they were all very happy and did not have the slightest measure of reticence when it came to discussing said visit, but against the wishes of their teachers, did not want to discuss with “the dude with the back-pack” (my nickname for that period of time) their daily activities in the center.

Though Amman is my hometown, this visit has allowed me to see my city from a different point of view. I am happy to have met so many great people. This is, indeed , a great summer.

Where the jobs are: Ann Arbor

Jobs are growing in Ann Arbor at a steady pace with organizations that actively recruit and hire UMSI students for internships and jobs.

Check it out! http://www.freep.com/article/20120730/NEWS01/307300029/Where-the-jobs-are-Ann-Arbor

Using Pinterest as a Job-Search and Branding Tool

Pinterest—a content-sharing social media website on which account holders “pin” images, videos, and more to their virtual pinboards—is gaining popularity for its broad spectrum of uses.

http://www.naceweb.org/s04252012/pinterest-social-media/

Top 25 Highest Rated CEOs – According to Employees

We're excited to announce the Top 25 Highest Rated CEOs of 2012 . This list of top bosses is based entirely on employee feedback - close to 280,000 employees shared a company review on Glassdoor in the past year in which they were asked to rate their CEO.

Check out which CEOs made the list: Top 25 Highest Rated CEOs
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdoor-reveals-top-25-highest-rated-ceos-2012/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=bceo-ne-us-top25&utm_campaign=bceo-ne-us

How Can I Make Sure Someone Reads My Resume?

Talent Enhancement: How Can I Make Sure Someone Reads My Resume?
By Scott Trossen of the Trossen HR Group
Source: Ann Arbor Spark (http://blog.annarborusa.org/how-can-i-make-sure-someone-reads-my-resume/)

This is an easy question to answer: You can’t. But these ideas can help you improve your chances.

]]> Principle #1. Apply and Ask. Look for what is advertised plus work your network.
In 2001, with an MBA from a top-40 program and some name-brand employment experience, someone applied online for a Pfizer job through a very obscure job posting website. He also called a classmate whose sister worked there. And, yes, he got the job. Would the same have happened without the sister? No way to know but that he was me and, despite Pfizer Ann Arbor’s closing, it was a great move. Without it, as one small example, I would not have watched my eldest daughter go from 2nd grade to being part of Skyline High School’s first graduating class this coming June. This personal commentary is not a digression. This is part of the why we work, and the what happens when we do. We support a family. We create history. We join a community – whether for a short time or long. And almost always, somewhere on the journey, someone must read your resume.

Principle #2. Principle #1 is a principle not a promise.
I have applied and received offers by only having started the chain with a resume submitted online, several times. But the last time I applied to a position, I found the HR person’s email address and sent a very short note, I followed the formal process and applied online, plus I asked a well-respected area leader to call one of the owners. Result? I received a, thanks-we-received-your-resume email but no interview. For me and for you: the only guarantee is that these principles will not always work.

Principle #3. Work and whine not. Put your shoulder behind the heavy load of the job search, and shake off any “chips” you might have on that shoulder.
Select 10 to 20 websites and 5 to 20 companies on which to focus your efforts. Thinks sales. You are selling yourself and most people are not buying. Put in 30 or more hours a week on your job search: read what at least 5 authors/web sites say about resume writing and 3 books about career search; make plans and research; network, ask, apply and write thank you notes; and repeat. Monster.com has 100 articles on resume writing. If you haven’t read 20 of them, you don’t badly want a job. If you are unemployed, have a two-sentence explanation for why. If someone is asking you why you left that job, it means they already like you enough to call you. Never lie, but focus on the positive. And yes, a computer will likely “read” your resume before a person. Get over it, and make sure a computer can read yours. Remember – if anyone in the hiring company senses you are mad at their application process, upset with your current/past employer or carrying some other load of negativity around your neck, forget about moving forward in their selection process. Employers are neither social service agencies, nor surrogates for therapists or pastors.

Principle #4. Clarity trumps creativity. Errors (might) equal elimination.
Unless graphic design or such is your profession and you try something interesting like these “resumes,” stick to tried and true formats. You must include a chronology of work history. If you don’t include the date you graduated, I will assume you are at least 50. If you think that is age discrimination, you already forgot Principle #3. While the responses by different readers may vary, you can be sure that if I can’t figure out where you were when, or what you did and/or accomplished, I am not interested. Furthermore, grammar matters – I find grammatical, punctuation and/or consistency errors in almost every resume I am asked to review, and most of those sent in by job applicants. This is not good. You can stand out by carefully reviewing your resume.
While not secrets to success, these ideas will increase the likelihood that someone will read your resume, and smile when they do.

Find out what hiring Librarians want in a strong interview candidate

Check out this blog that includes interviews of librarians who have a lot of hiring history in different libraries to find out what each one thinks is important to interview success. Notice varying opinions when it comes to the one vs. two page question with resumes and cover letters,