Taking charge of your career

Information Outlook,  May, 2005  by Kevin Manion

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There are no secret recipes for a successful career. Librarians more than ever have an opportunity to chart their own future. It is essential for library school students and information professionals at the beginning of their careers to understand that their professional and career development is in their hands--no one is going to come along and open the doors for them.

I moved from shelving at a Canadian university library to associate director of information services at a major American multimedia publisher in six years. So far, I've learned that creating and recognizing opportunities, networking, working hard and having no ego, and just a touch of luck are part of any successful career.

Creating Opportunities

When I entered McGill University in 1995, I had some idea where I wanted my career to go, but I had no set plans. I understood that I needed to start with a broad base of experience, so I quit freelance translation--which was paying the bills (including a mortgage!)--and focused on getting a job in the university's library system and connecting with academic librarians and library school faculty. While I had worked as a professional translator in a large financial institution, I knew that I had to start at the bottom in this new profession, so I accepted a minimum-wage shelving job in the government documents library. I worked hard and got my hands very dirty on dusty old volumes. Within a few months, I understood the various classification systems and was asked to work on a project selecting 18th- and 19th-century materials for rebinding.

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While working in government documents, I heard of a shelving/circulation job in the Education Library--I did my homework and learned about the library and its clientele, applied, and got the position. I now had two part-time jobs ... but I wasn't done. Within a few months, I was offered a part-time reference job in the Education Library. I had worked hard and demonstrated growing skills and a willingness to learn from the library staff; the reference job was my reward. So I left government documents and moved on. Never one to let an opportunity pass, I was soon interviewing for a second part-time job at one of the teaching hospital libraries--I knew nothing about medical libraries and thought it would be valuable experience. I got the job not by pretending I knew anything about medical libraries but by demonstrating interest in the subject, a willingness to work hard, and an interest in the collection and the hospital community.

During the two years I spent in graduate school, I worked in four different libraries at the university and for a professor on an international project selecting library science materials for developing countries. I could have stayed in one job for the duration of my degree, but I believed that broad experience would be a valuable asset and would demonstrate to potential employers my willingness to learn. This decision served me well in obtaining my first full-time job, and the exposure to different library environments has helped me in my career so far.

Taking Charge

Having banked some decent experience and made some good connections over the two years, I attended an ALA mid-winter conference and interviewed for a slew of jobs. One of the posted jobs--electronic resources librarian in the research libraries of the New York Public Library--offered interesting opportunities, but it meant moving to New York, which I had not considered.

I interviewed for the job with two different people, sent the appropriate thank-you cards, and then waited. After a couple of weeks I decided that if I seriously wanted the job and felt ready to make the move, I needed to take matters into my own hands. I e-mailed the two librarians who had interviewed me and told them I would be in New York City the following week and would love an opportunity to visit the library and talk to them more about the position. They were delighted to hear from me. By taking this proactive step and going out on a limb, I took my career into my own hands. I believe that this additional time with the interviewers gave me an edge over other candidates: A few weeks later I was offered the position.

Networking

During my second year in graduate school, I became aware of the importance of networking and building professional relationships. When I left a job, I made sure to tell qualified fellow students about the position and let the librarians in charge know about candidates who fit the job description and had the right skills and attitude. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was not only networking but also helping to ensure that the libraries were well served with the inside track on the best candidates. Even today, I get calls from colleagues and headhunters I know in the profession who ask for recommendations for candidates.

I like to tell the story of how I landed a job at Consumer Reports. Five years ago, I was invited to a cocktail party at a friend's house in New Jersey, where I met Diane Goldstein, manager of the New York office of InfoCurrent, a placement firm for information professionals. Diane and I started chatting about work, career paths, and real estate. I told her I was house shopping north of the city, and her eyes lit up. "I have a great job for you," she said. "I'm not really looking right now," was my response. "Send me your resume." "Really .... I'm not looking." Six days later I was offered a job as manager of the Information Center at Consumer Reports.