CLIMBING THE CAREER LADDERNJLA Emerging Leaders | November 10, 2016

CC Image courtesy of tormodspictures on Flickr

CLIMBING THE CAREER LADDER

➤Career Trajectory ➤Getting to the Next

Step ➤Research ➤Developing the

Skills You Need ➤Positioning Yourself

for Advancement

CC Image courtesy of TheOtherDan on Flickr

Geneva Public Library genevapubliclibrary.net

Countee Cullen Branch of The New York Public Library http://urbanareas.net/info/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/37318_Countee-Cullen-Library2.jpg

Piscataway Public Library, MiY Launch, 2012

Librarian

Senior Librarian

Supervising Librarian

Assistant Director

DirectorSAMPLE LIBRARY CAREER TRAJECTORY

Junior Librarian

Senior Librarian

Head of User Services

Branch Manager

Associate Director

MY CAREER TRAJECTORY

Librarian

ALTERNATIVE CAREER TRAJECTORY

(President, NJLA Children’s Services Section)

(Chair, Youth Services Forum

(Fiction Reviewer, School Library Journal)

(Member-at-large, NJLAExecutive Board)

Planning Committee)

GETTING TO THE NEXT STEPCC Image courtesy of tormodspictures on Flickr

RESEARCH

➤ Position announcements

➤ Connect with people in that position

➤ Join conversations on social media

➤ Awards and recognition

➤ Hard skills vs. soft skills

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS

➤ Make it a habit to read job announcements related to the work you want to do

➤ Join library listservs for the geographic areas where you want to work

➤ Check web sites that post job announcements regularly

➤ Ask people to forward you announcements for specific types of positions

➤ Don’t hesitate to reach out to people you trust who might have more information about a position

➤ Be on the lookout for red flags

READING JOB ADS

➤ The time to research a position is before you’re ready to make a move

➤ Identify hard skills (degree, certification, language, software, etc)

➤ Identify soft skills (team-building, communication, time management, facilitating change, etc)

➤ Make a list of what skills and experience you’re missing

CC Image courtesy of aigle_dore on Flickr

CONNECT WITH PEOPLE

➤ Identify the respected people in the position you want

➤ Reach out to them, and ask thoughtful questions

➤ Find opportunities to familiarize them with your work (volunteering, serving on committees, etc)

➤ These people will make excellent references

CC Image courtesy of boellstiftung on Flickr

facebook.com/mcginley

@allenmcginley

linkedin.com/in/allenmcginley

NJLA Honors and Awards

Library Journal Movers and Shakers

I Love My Librarian Award

DEVELOPING SKILLSCC Image courtesy of greasybeans on Flickr

PEOPLE

➤ Be proactive in developing mentor/mentee relationships

➤ Always be networking

➤ Show up

➤ Smile

➤ Ask questions

➤ Follow-up

➤ Develop a personal learning network

➤ Be strategic

CC Image courtesy of donostweets on Flickr

CAREER-RELATED READING & LISTENING

➤ The First-Time Manager by Loren B. Belker, Jim McCormick and Gary Topchik

➤ Reframing Organizations: Artistry, choice & leadership by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal

➤ Rise: How to be really successful at work and like your life by Patty Azzarello

➤ Tribes: We need your to lead us by Seth Godin

➤ Harvard Business Review hbr.org

➤ HBR IdeaCast soundcloud.com/hbrideacast

TRAININGS

➤ Look for free and low-cost webinars from NJLA, LibraryLinkNJ, etc.

➤ Identify trainings that match your current responsibilities but will help you develop new skills

➤ If possible, attend trainings that fit the job you want

➤ Keep a list of all trainings

CC Image courtesy of prsa-national on Flickr

VOLUNTEERING

➤ Libraries

➤ Professional Organizations

➤ Non-Library Leadership Organizations (Rotary, Toastmasters, etc)

➤ Charitable Organizations

CC Image courtesy of suncorenergy on Flickr

POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR ADVANCEMENT

CC Image courtesy of rose_des_vents on Flickr

BE EXCEPTIONAL

➤ Be really good at what you’re doing right now

➤ Position yourself as an expert

➤ Write about your work

➤ Volunteer to be a book reviewer for review journals

➤ Look for speaking opportunities

➤ (Facebook Group: Library Conference Call for Speakers)

CC Image courtesy of pmillera4 on Flickr

EVALUATION

➤ Take evaluation seriously

➤ Be candid with your supervisor about career goals

➤ Make self-evaluation a part of your routine

➤ Have a copy of your job description

➤ Be strategical with working outside of your job description

CC Image courtesy of jimsef on Flickr

SUPPORT OTHER PEOPLEpay it forward

CC Image courtesy of clearlyambiguous on Flickr

HIGHLIGHT YOUR WORKutilize a portfolio

CC Image courtesy of neesam on Flickr

WRAPPING THINGS UP

➤ Be thoughtful and candid about what you want from your career

➤ Plan for tomorrow while you’re still happy with today

➤ Build relationships with people you respect

➤ Volunteer to do stuff, and then do it

➤ Be patient, but be decisive

CC Image courtesy of 43052603@N00 on Flickr