Showing posts with label career transition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label career transition. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Metro - Making the leap to a Verizon iPhone
Metro - Making the leap to a Verizon iPhone
If you’re one of the people clamoring for an iPhone that also promises decent service on Verizon (what a feat!), there are a few things to know first about making the switch.
Verizon offers a few tips as to how to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Metro discussion on career options for librarians on March 18
Metro and SLA have recently hosted several presentations and workshops focusing on alternative career options for librarians and information professionals. A particularly useful session was held at the Metro offices on March 18. It featured Pam Rollo, Managing Director at BST America, Dr. Jeffrey Olson, Associate Vice President for Online Learning and Services and Director of the Division of Library and Information Science at St. John’s University and Jana Varlejs, Associate Professor at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information.
In addition to the usual advice about networking and expanding one’s skill set, several particularly interesting points were made about the need for librarians/information professionals to define themselves by what it is they DO – i.e. their specific skills and abilities - rather than simply by their “job title”. Specifically, it was said, it probably far more useful when searching for (or even defining) an appropriate or desirable position to define oneself not simply as a “librarian” but as a person who conducts research, provides analysis, or possesses any number of other relevant organizational and communication skills. Pam Rollo, in particular, exemplified the need to be flexible and open to a variety of possibly unexpected opportunities and locales (both geographic and occupational) when describing her own extensively varied occupational trajectory in the years since completing her MLS. What was most important, she emphasized, is to know who YOU are - e.g. do you prefer to “create” or to “execute”? Do you work best individually or as part of a team? – when deciding what positions you wish to explore as well as what unique assets you might bring to them.
Dr. Olson spotlighted many positions projected for “high growth” over the next decade − among them Records Managers, Web Developers, Knowledge Managers, Document Managers and Archivists. Each of these draw upon the skills of gathering, storing, organizing, analyzing, retrieving, and providing access to information most developed amongst librarians. He also mentioned the need to be creative in defining and marketing one’s “core skills”. Whatever position you seek or obtain, the greater your service orientation, the more successful you will be. Professor Varlejs completed the program by demonstrating several valuable career resources both in print and online; while several were already familiar, such as the USAJOBS website, others were new to me, such as the excellent publication “A Day in the Life” which contains a very useful section on “non-traditional” careers.
Sessions like this one – as well as similar functions held by SLA and the Metro Career Transition Special Interest Group (SIG) – serve a very useful purpose not only in terms of the information conveyed, but also in reinforcing the sense among “un” or under-employed librarians and information specialists that they are “not alone”. In addition to their obvious networking potential, they expand our awareness of the opportunities “out there” - even in this very severe economic downturn - and of the need to think outside the box. All New York area librarians and information professionals – whatever their current employment status – can greatly benefit intellectually and professionally by attending and participating in these events.
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In addition to the usual advice about networking and expanding one’s skill set, several particularly interesting points were made about the need for librarians/information professionals to define themselves by what it is they DO – i.e. their specific skills and abilities - rather than simply by their “job title”. Specifically, it was said, it probably far more useful when searching for (or even defining) an appropriate or desirable position to define oneself not simply as a “librarian” but as a person who conducts research, provides analysis, or possesses any number of other relevant organizational and communication skills. Pam Rollo, in particular, exemplified the need to be flexible and open to a variety of possibly unexpected opportunities and locales (both geographic and occupational) when describing her own extensively varied occupational trajectory in the years since completing her MLS. What was most important, she emphasized, is to know who YOU are - e.g. do you prefer to “create” or to “execute”? Do you work best individually or as part of a team? – when deciding what positions you wish to explore as well as what unique assets you might bring to them.
Dr. Olson spotlighted many positions projected for “high growth” over the next decade − among them Records Managers, Web Developers, Knowledge Managers, Document Managers and Archivists. Each of these draw upon the skills of gathering, storing, organizing, analyzing, retrieving, and providing access to information most developed amongst librarians. He also mentioned the need to be creative in defining and marketing one’s “core skills”. Whatever position you seek or obtain, the greater your service orientation, the more successful you will be. Professor Varlejs completed the program by demonstrating several valuable career resources both in print and online; while several were already familiar, such as the USAJOBS website, others were new to me, such as the excellent publication “A Day in the Life” which contains a very useful section on “non-traditional” careers.
Sessions like this one – as well as similar functions held by SLA and the Metro Career Transition Special Interest Group (SIG) – serve a very useful purpose not only in terms of the information conveyed, but also in reinforcing the sense among “un” or under-employed librarians and information specialists that they are “not alone”. In addition to their obvious networking potential, they expand our awareness of the opportunities “out there” - even in this very severe economic downturn - and of the need to think outside the box. All New York area librarians and information professionals – whatever their current employment status – can greatly benefit intellectually and professionally by attending and participating in these events.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
SLA-LIS Career Fair January 12, 2009
I attended the SLA-LIS Career Fair on January 12, 2009. Some of it was helpful but most of it reiterated what I already knew from prior workshops, especially the section on writing an impressive resume. The biggest problem was the poor technology interface as Ellen described in her post. Even though I was disappointed by some of the programs, it was a good networking opportunity.
The section on life after librarianship by Barbara McFadden Allen was the most helpful to me. Her advice on career transition and taking responsibility for your own career path was excellent. Employers are looking for certain attributes and skills : flexibility, intelligence, analytical thinking, resourcefulness, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, project management and clear communication. I found her advice better for updating my resume than information imparted in the resume writing workshop. She also spoke about career options. You can pursue "librarianish careers" with vendors or professional associations. There is also consulting. You can also expand on the portions of your position that interest you the most, e.g. IT, nonprofit management, teaching and communications. If you are expanding on your previous positions, you have to build a new network by going to meetings and trade shows about your new interest. Volunteer in an organization that pursues your chosen career path. Contribute articles to publications outside the library community. Self-assessment is vital. Ms. Allen recommended a website: www.grad.illinois.edu/careerservices/exploration. Remember, if you are starting a new path, you will be a beginner. Transition is difficult, so look for a mentor.
Elisa Topper listed the most important mistakes by jobseekers. Much of her advice can be found in other sources but it was useful to see the information as a list. If you are interested, I can send you the detailed list. Just email me personally at carenrabinowitz@hotmail.com.
The section on life after librarianship by Barbara McFadden Allen was the most helpful to me. Her advice on career transition and taking responsibility for your own career path was excellent. Employers are looking for certain attributes and skills : flexibility, intelligence, analytical thinking, resourcefulness, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, project management and clear communication. I found her advice better for updating my resume than information imparted in the resume writing workshop. She also spoke about career options. You can pursue "librarianish careers" with vendors or professional associations. There is also consulting. You can also expand on the portions of your position that interest you the most, e.g. IT, nonprofit management, teaching and communications. If you are expanding on your previous positions, you have to build a new network by going to meetings and trade shows about your new interest. Volunteer in an organization that pursues your chosen career path. Contribute articles to publications outside the library community. Self-assessment is vital. Ms. Allen recommended a website: www.grad.illinois.edu/careerservices/exploration. Remember, if you are starting a new path, you will be a beginner. Transition is difficult, so look for a mentor.
Elisa Topper listed the most important mistakes by jobseekers. Much of her advice can be found in other sources but it was useful to see the information as a list. If you are interested, I can send you the detailed list. Just email me personally at carenrabinowitz@hotmail.com.
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