Core Dialogue with Directors Interest Group

Dialog with Directors Discussion Group
2009 ALA Midwinter (Denver)
Topic: Starting, Advancing, and Accelerating Your Career

We had 36 people covering everything in the spectrum from entry level librarians through upper level administrators, from "next generation" to retirees. About 80% of the attendees were first time participants.

Topics Discussed:

Regionalism:

• Moving for jobs - help or hurt?
• More of a personal problem: money & family needs
• Academics: ARL stigma can linger

Why do people not want to manage?

• Personality style
• Perspective of past managers
• Fear or no desire to get away from people
• Complexity
• Generation differences

Looking for work or promotions?

• Market yourself
• Look for opportunities
• Leverage challenges & mistakes
• Leverage others, professional associations, etc.
• Find what make you unique
• What is one thing you did to...
• If I could do X differently, I would...
• Well rounded can make strong selling point for directors
• Importance of professional involvement depends on culture of organization (Does job ad address it? If not, why?)

Cover Letters

• Cover letter maybe more important than resume
• Spell check
• Address needs of job
• Length based on needs as described in job ad; Public: 1 page; Academic: 1 1/2 to 2 pages

Helping Others to Advance

• Formal mentoring
• Informal mentors
• Give projects/initiatives
  • Do they have ideas?
  • So they can say "I coordinated..."
• People skills (training)
• Assist with focus and direction
• Informational interviews to explore further options (Or, "Why did I not get X job?")
• Suggest groups and classes beyond current roles

Necessary Skill Sets

• People skills
• Relationships outside library (especially for upper management)
• Political savvy

How do director job searches work?

• publicized widely
• Intense
• Longer interviews
• More conversations with more people outside library possible
• Can take a while to complete from start to getting candidate
• Institutions can be unprepared & not know exactly what they want in a candidate
• Interviews may include many "non-librarians" which can change the approach and dynamics. This may make it easier as the questions may be "soft" when it comes to actual library knowledge and more about general management skills.

More job hunting advice:

• Ask what happened to the previous person
• How did the previous person interact with others?
• Do not get discouraged - you will get the job you want and fits you.
• Ask about how the staff is made up. Is it developed internally or are outsiders brought in for diversity?
• Interviews are 2-way
• Think about the perspective of those interviewing you
• What are the red flags? Why?
• Outside-the-library activities are good but do not stretch yourself too thin. Do a couple things well and be prepared to sell the results that you helped contribute.
• Transition other experiences to libraries

Recommendation:

• Seek out any of the courses offered by June Garcia through PLA

How to search about organizations for interview preparation?

• website
• network
• professional organizations
• ask about community
• bigger picture - outside organization
• papers and presentations by existing or past employees
• titles, organization chart

Publishing

• Important? Varies by organization.
• Could lead to presentations/talks or other opportunities.
• As you move up the ladder, opportunities to publish can be harder to fit in schedule.
• Get involved early and develop writing skills with your career path.

Writing a job ad

• Becareful
• Are we adjusting job ads as libraries develop and change?
• Do not keep putting out the old ad over and over again.

Other academic degrees

• In academia, PhD can be required for peer-to-peer conversations
• If 2nd Masters, consider the MBA or Public Administration

Discussion of Future Topics

• Mentoring
  • How to be a good mentor?
  • How to shop for a mentor?
  • Existing formal programs and what works
• How to get budget experience
• Leadership skills

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