So. Job options for librarians seem to be more pathetic than a small kitten left out in the rain. My recent experience has shown me that newly-qualified folk seem to be hit the hardest, as well as those struggling to get their first taste of work experience in this wonderful profession. There have been several vacancies in my library, ranging from low-grade paraprofessional posts with a hotchpotch of part-time hours, to high grade middle management posts. Of course, I am happy and willing to take on low-grade posts, but despite having several years' experience in academic libraries and 5/6 of a CILIP-accredited MSc, the competition is still fierce.
I have, naturally, begun to look outside of libraries. I do have lots of transferrable skills, and feel I could adequately do the following jobs:
- Technical author
- Copywriter
- Web designer
- IT trainer
- Graphic designer
- First line technical support
- Cashier
- Customer service manager
- Filing clerk
- Counsellor
- Project manager
- Security guard
- Search Engine Optimiser
- Secretary
- Visual merchandiser
And with a bit more thought, I could multiply that list several times over. Due to this transferability, I suspect many other newly qualified librarians are looking for jobs outside of the profession as well. Yet, libraries are closing. Cuts are happening. This means fewer librarians, and fewer qualified librarians. How can we fight for our future if, well, there aren't any of us? It's a bit of a Catch-22.
The fact I am getting very few interviews indicates to me that people from outside the profession really don't understand what we do, and why we do it so well. (Either that, or I have poor social skills.) And, although I really hate using crude comparisons to make a point, my brother does a job involving only a handful of the roles I've listed above, and his salary would pay for three Chartered librarians at CILIP's minimum recommended rate. We're polymaths, and we're worth our weight in gold.
Note to society: use us, or lose a generation of us.
