Done. Now I Wait.

I took a break from writing here to finish my final project for my Master’s in Library and Information Science. I turned in my portfolio last Monday and heard back yesterday from my adviser who let me know that I will receive full credit for my efforts. I am glad to be done and will now be concentrating on finding an entry level librarian position.

What I am realizing is that this seems like a bad time to be looking for jobs. I have put out quite a few applications and I have heard back from a few of them… no interviews yet. I find this process to be somewhat frustrating. I have almost five years of experience working in an academic library as well as a Master’s in Education and yet there many more people out there more qualified than I am for these positions. It feels like entry level positions are not really entry level.

I was talking with one of the admin assistants on campus yesterday about what’s going on in her department… they have two open faculty positions and had over 100 applicants. I have a feeling this is the kind of competition that I am facing. This is why it is so important to build a network. It is so much easier to get an interview when you know someone who works where you’re applying.

One of the frustrations of my job search is that I know that there is a local university here who would love to hire me but cannot because my mother works at their library. It is a great university and I would really enjoy working there. The director knows me and would hire me if he could.

My biggest fear is that I will end up settling for something just to get my foot in the door and I wonder if I am going to have to resort to taking something part-time or temporary just to get more experience.