SLA 2007: Tuesday Session in Brief

Dream Jobs of the Future
The panel was staffed by 3 people from recruiters and one academic from Edinburgh, Scotland. I thought there were some great tips, but I don't think the session lived up to its promise.

In order to move forward, up or out, think about why you got into librarianship and catalog your skills. See where those skills can be applied elsewhere. Definitions of jobs are important rather than titles. You may not know what the jobs are, but if you know your skills, you can see where you fit in. Embedded librarians and digital asset managers are hot right now.

Taxonomists, ontologists may want higher ed degrees as employers want people who understand the structure of language (linguists).

Many jr positions, especially in the financial sector are being outsourced to India. This means that there is no training ground for senior people.

Skills to have for the future:
-management
-budgeting
-supervising people (NO fear!)
-flexibility
-contract negotiations
-no fear/experience in talking to management in their terms
-project management combined with another expertise (like healthcare)

Things to consider:
-usability testing jobs
-getting MS Certification (or similar computer skills certification)
-experience/certification in new media management

Networking is how to get jobs:
-speak at conferences
-meet people at conferences
-be a member of LinkedIn

If possible, take a sabbatical to rejuvenate your career: find a short term job and take a leave of absence to do it. Military is always looking for librarians at bases for 1-2 years. LC often has project oriented contract jobs.