1 / 11

Positioning Ourselves for New Positions in Library Land

Positioning Ourselves for New Positions in Library Land. Cover Letter and Résumé Do’s and Don’ts. Presented by. Susan DiRenzo direnzo@uakron.edu Lori J. Fielding lott@uakron.edu Karen A. Plummer kplumme@uakron.edu. University Libraries @ The University of Akron.

raheem
Download Presentation

Positioning Ourselves for New Positions in Library Land

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Positioning Ourselves for New Positions inLibrary Land Cover Letter and Résumé Do’s and Don’ts Presented by Susan DiRenzo direnzo@uakron.edu Lori J. Fielding lott@uakron.edu Karen A. Plummer kplumme@uakron.edu University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  2. Academic Search Committees What does a search committee do? • Follows guidelines (EEO, University, Library, Faculty) • Creates or collaborates on position advertisement • Screens and evaluates applications • Selects candidates for interview • Creates agenda and schedule for interview process • Participates in the interview • Makes recommendation University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  3. The Job Advertisement What is included in a typical job advertisement? • Description of the job duties • Required qualifications • Preferred qualifications • Brief description of the institution • Instructions for submitting an application • Minimum salary, benefits summary, and rank University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  4. Interpreting the Job Ad • Description of job duties • Qualifications • Required • Preferred • Experience • Education University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  5. Vitae or Résumé? • What is a Curricula Vitae (C.V.), and how is it different than a résumé? • Should you include a goal statement? • Why are dates important? • How specific should you be about past/current positions, duties, and length of service. • Is it varied experience or “job hopping”? University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  6. Vitae Elements • Your name and contact information • Education and degrees • Work experience • Research • Publications • Presentations • Courses or workshops taught • Professional development • Awards and honors • Service (committees, professional organizations, etc.)

  7. Cover Letter Elements • Return address • Date • Address of the institution to which you are applying • Salutation (Dear Who?) • Introduction • Body • Conclusion • Signature University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  8. Effective Cover Letters Every résumé /C.V. must be accompanied by a cover letter Structure: • Address the letter to a specific person, use correct name and title • Include information on how or where you learned about the job opening • Address the job ad specifics • Pave the way for an interview Content: • Size? Does it matter? • High readability factor • Writing style • Physical presentation • Spelling and grammar – Don’t rely on your word processor • Have someone you trust proofread all the materials you submit • Be cautious of using mass produced cover letters!

  9. Do’s and Don’ts DO…. • Check for accurate spelling • Use good quality paper • Limit number of fonts and sizes • Use formal language • Stay focused • Include dates DO NOT… • Use canned phrases and trendy terminology • Embellish or overstate qualifications • Ramble • Use the “hard sell” method • Share information that is irrelevant, too personal, or in violation of EEO guidelines University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  10. Getting Ready for the Interview • Do your homework! • Visit the institution’s website • Faculty/staff listings – who does what? • Search committee members – who are they? • Read the institution’s annual report, mission statement, and/or strategic plan • Read announcements and library news • Visit the institution itself (if possible) • Check out the most recent literature in the field • Talk to colleagues who have been through similar interview processes • Anticipate the questions you’ll be asked • Bring examples of your work • Be prepared to ask questions • Know when is it appropriate to ask certain questions regarding salary, benefits, etc. • Bring a copy of everything you submitted • Be honest, be relaxed, be yourself, and smile University Libraries @ The University of Akron

  11. Questions? • This presentation, bibliography, and handout can be found online at: http://www3.uakron.edu/library/ulsys/presentations/alao04/ • Presenter’s contact information: Susan DiRenzo direnzo@uakron.edu Lori J. Fielding lott@uakron.edu Karen A. Plummer kplumme@uakron.edu

More Related