1. Resume Writing
And Interviewing Quick Start!
2009 Careers in Federal Libraries
Robert R. Newlen
July 10, 2009

2. Some Resume/Cover Letter Bloopers
 Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave
 Failed bar exam with relatively high grades
 Let’s meet, so you can “ooh” and “aah” over my
experience
 You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time
 Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details
 Marital status: often. Children: various.
 Finished eighth in my class of ten
2

3. Resume Writing - Goals
 Examine different types of resumes
 Review step-by-step the process for writing a
job-winning resume
 Take away at least one new idea
3

4. Chronological
Pros Cons
 Easy to read and write  Less desirable for those who
have been in one position
 Focuses on job progression
for an extended period
 Draws attention to name of  Can focus on employment
your library or organization gaps
 Makes all your jobs have
equal weight
 Not good for career
changers
 Can accentuate vague job
title
4

5. Senior Research Librarian, 1991 - Present
The Library of Congress, Legislative Reference Service
• Extensive reference service, including in-person assistance, to Members
of Congress and congressional staff.
• Specialize in issues related to arts and education.
• Expert searching skills using a wide range of databases such as NEXIS,
WESTLAW, and DIALOG. Use of Internet protocols and resources:
Gopher, World Wide Web, and E-mail.
• Experience with archival and special format materials using Library of
Congress and other collections related to film, photographs, and music.
• DOS, Windows, and Macintosh proficiency for research and technical
support.
• Supervisory experience in delegating and reviewing work of librarians.
Special Assignment, Team Member, User-Evaluation Special Project, 1991-93
The Library of Congress American Image Project
• Evaluated American Image prototype (an electronic version of archival
materials in Library of Congress collections).
• Chaired site selection subcommittee, prepared report, and presented results
to senior managers.
• Coordinated orientation and training sessions at Library and at selected
sites throughout the U.S.
• Wrote sections of instruction manual, interviewed site coordinators,
analyzed site experiences, and was one of three authors of final report.

6. Functional Resume - Pros
 Good if you have been in one position a long
time – focuses on skills and abilities
 Works well for career changers
 Works well for those re-entering the job
market
 Makes employment gaps less noticeable
 Good for job switchers or those in part-time
or temporary positions
6

7. Functional Resume - Pros
 Good for recent library school graduates and
those with limited job experience
 Works well for those with jobs which are
unrelated and don’t reveal a distinct career
path
7

8. Film reference and research
 Provided in-person and telephone reference service in major university film library.
 Created major bibliographies on film history, production, and personalities.
 Examined and prepared special collections inventory of Ritz Radio Theatre disk
recordings.
 Excellent research skills with archival and special format material using Library of
Congress and external collections related to film, photographs, and music.
Web and database searching
 Extensive searching experience including use of NEXIS and Dialog.
 Use of Internet protocols and resources: Gopher, World Wide Web, and E-mail.
 DOS, Windows, and Macintosh proficiency for research and technical support.

9. Combo
Pro Con
 Can be useful if you  Needs special attention
have been in one in how it is presented
position or institution for graphically
a long time
 Highlights distinct jobs
as well as skill areas
9

10. Senior Research Li brarian, 1991 - Present
The Li brary of Congress, Legislati ve Reference Service
Reference and Research
• Extensive reference service, including in-p erson assistance to M embers of Congress and
congressional staff.
• Specialization in issues related to arts and education.
• Experience with archival and special for mat materials using Library of Congress and other
collections related to fil m, photographs, and music.
Au tomation
• Expert searching skills using a wide range of databases such as N EXIS and DIA LO G. Use of
In ternet proto cols and resources: Gopher, W orld W ide W eb, and E-mail.
• DOS, W indows, and Macintosh proficien cy for research and technical support.
S pecial Assig nment, Tea m Member, User- Evaluation S pecial Project, 1991-93
The Li brary of Congress A merican Image Project
Project Evaluation
• Evaluated A merican Memo ry prototype (an electro nic version of archival materials in Library of
Congress co llections).
• Chaired site selection subco mmittee and presented results to senior managers.
• Coo rdinated orientation and training sessions.
W riting
• Co-authored instruction manual fo r digital prototype.
• Wrote final report for th e project.

11. Seven step approach
 Personal inventory
 Identify job objective
 Identify knowledge, skills and abilities that
meet job objective
11

12. Seven Step Approach
 Identify YOUR major knowledges, skills, and
abilities that best meet your job objective
 Identify your accomplishments
 Assembling the resume – how it looks
 A final checklist
12

13. Step 1: Personal Inventory
Professional work history
 Reverse chronological order, list all position
titles and organizations
 List your accomplishments under each
position
13

14. Professional work history
 What are your responsibilities?
 How many employees have you supervised?
 Can you quantify your accomplishments?
 What personal skills have you developed?
 What did you initiate or implement?
 What leadership skills have you developed?
 Awards? Writing skills? Public speaking?
14

15. Assistant Director, Red ford County Public Library District, Redford, AR
199 1 to present
• Assisted Director in managing a budget of $4.5 million, a staff of 105, and a collection of over
275,000 items
• W orked closely with Bo ard consisting of 7 members
• Library Building Committee - Chaired this committee for 2 years
• Coo rdinated transition team to plan move to new building
• Designed Lib rary's Disaster Plan
• Designed and i mplemented ADA Strategic Plan
• W rote Supervisory M anual for the library
• Advised 5 Department Heads on writing job descriptions
• Counseled Depa rtment Head s on employee problems
Acting Director, Redford County Public Library District
199 0
• For six month period, served as Acting Director
• Neg otiated the new build ing plans with Bo ard and County government W orked closely with
co mmunity groups on all aspects of building pla n
• Proposed budget that was passed on the first a ttempt by Library Board
• Responsible fo r all ad ministrative functions of the Library
Associate Librarian/Head of Technical Services, Redford County Public Library District
198 9 - 1 991
• M anaged all aspects of Technical Service Department including acq uisitions, serials,
interlibrary loan, and cataloging functions
• Extensive use of OCLC and the Dynix automated library system
• Exp erience with AACR2 and M ARC formats
• Extensive audiovisual cataloging
• Supervised a staff of 7
• Outstand ing performance evaluation

16. Head of Reference, Redford County Public Library District
1987 - 1989
• Supervised a staff of 8 reference librarians and 4 library aides
• Served on the collection development committee
• Chaired com mittee on user access
• Revised and improved library reference guide
• Developed and monitored database budget of over $25,000.
Reference Librarian, San Angelo Free Public Library, San Angelo, TX
1984 - 1987
• Provided extensive reference service
• Coordinated staff training on new online catalog
• Redesigned quick reference collection for more efficient use
Elementary School Librarian, Sam Houston Elementary School, Eagle Pass, TX
1982 - 1984
• Developed and maintained library and multimedia center for school of 350
students
• Created Parent Advisory Committee for library to increase parent volunteers
• Implemented automated circulation control for the library
Substitute Reference Assistant, Springdale College, Springdale, TX
1981 - 1982
• Performed part-time reference services for college library serving 800 students
• Staffed reference and circulation desk
• Routinely used college automated catalog to assist patrons
Documents Technician (part-time), Grinnell College Undergraduate Library, Grinnell, IA
1977 - 1979
• Worked with Federal Depository Library collection
• Sorted and shelved documents
• Maintained collection

17. Non-professional work history
 Have you learned any skills that apply to
your job objective?
17

18. Education, Specialized Training, and
Language Skills
 List degrees, schools, dates of enrollment
 Awards, scholarships, fellowships, internship
s, etc.
 Training courses
 Technology skills
 Emphasize skill proficiency (routine or
occasional use of a system)
18

19. Professional Association Involvement
 Professional association memberships
 All activities and participation
 Attendance at professional conferences
19

20. Publications
 Names and titles of books and articles
 Experience in writing articles for association
or staff newsletters
 Keep a master file of publications
20

21. Presentations
 Presentations at professional
conferences, workshops or seminars
 Courses you have taught
 Tours you have led
21

22. Research and Grant Activities
 List ongoing research
 Grant supported research
22

23. Volunteer Work and Personal Interests
 List volunteer work
 Volunteer skills you have acquired:
organizational, public speaking, fund
raising, budgeting, publicity, meeting
deadlines, coordinating meetings, planning
for events, leading a
team, recruitment, training, scheduling
23

24. Personal Interests
 Sports
 Hobbies
 Community activities
24

25. Step 2: Identify Your Job Objective
 Helps you tailor your resume
25

26. Specific Job Objectives
 Coordinator of Children’s Services, Houston
Public Library
 Electronic Services and Reference
Librarian, Tennessee Technological
University
 Library Systems Administrator, Prince
Edward County Public Library
 Metadata Services Cataloger, Wichita State
University
26

27. Broad Job Objectives
 User instruction librarian in an academic
institution
 Collection development librarian
 Corporate librarian
 Archivist/special collections librarian
27

28. Step 3: Identify knowledges, skills,
and abilities or functional areas
 Link these to job objective
 Start thinking like the employer
 What skills are most desirable?
 Refer to critical skills identified in the job
announcement
28

29. Job objective: Instructional Services
Librarian in a public library
 Significant library instruction and reference
experience
 Knowledge of electronic resources and
library systems
 Experience with Web page design and
development
 Ability to work collaboratively
29

30. Step 4: Identify Accomplishments &
Abilities That Support Each Skill or
Quality
 For example, a job applicant (Janet Taylor)
wants to be a director in a small or medium-
sized library
 What skills are needed for this position?
30

31. Skills needed for position as director
of small or medium-sized public library
 Experience in a public library system
 Fiscal management skills
 Supervisory experience
 Ability to interact with community, library boards, and
local governments
 Leadership skills
 Experience with technology
 Strategic planning
 Organizational skills
31

32. Janet Taylor’s Selects These Skills and
Quality Areas
 Supervisory and administrative skills
 Community and government relations
experience
 Technology planning skills
 Fiscal management skills
32

33. STEP 5: Identify Your
Accomplishments That Support
Functional Statements
 Keep the language tight and phrases short
 Don’t use the first person “I”
33

34. Accomplishments: Use incomplete
sentences
 Planned and implemented the network
 Initiated after-school reading hour
 Coordinated acquisition proposals
 Evaluated cataloging policies
 Wrote training manual
 Administered budget of over $ 2 million
 Simplified archival acquisition procedure
34

35. Use Action Verbs!
 Achieved, administered, compiled, converted
, effected, expanded, improved, increased
planned, reorganized, streamlined, trained, e
tc
35

36. Avoid Terms Found in Job
Descriptions
 Responsible for….
 In charge of….
 Duties included….
 Scope of responsibilities….
36

37. Use Plain English
 Avoid insider technology and acronyms
 Don’t use: Represented the library on
District Steering Team for WPL-WASB Pilot
project
 Don’t use: Established the IMC routines
 Don’t use: Represented the section on
interlibrary team
37

38. Quantify Your Accomplishments
 How many people did you supervise?
 How much money did you save?
 What size budget did you manage?
 How much did circulation improve?
 How did productivity increase
38

39. Quantify, Quantify, Quantify
 Instead of “Changed procedures for
checking-in serials”
 Use: “Successfully streamlined procedures
for serial check-in which saved 8 hours of
staff time a week
39

40. Janet Taylor’s Accomplishment
Statements
Supervisory and administrative skills
 Wrote comprehensive library disaster plan
 Assisted in the administration of over 100 staff
 Coordinated transition team to move central library
to a new building
 Chaired library building committee and submitted
plan that was approved by library board
 Counseled department heads on employee
problems
40

41. Janet Taylor’s Accomplishment
Statements
Community and government relations
 Designed and implemented ADA Strategic
Plan
 Met monthly with library board on a wide
range of issues
 Represented library on Redford County
Business Development Committee
 Negotiated building plans
41

42. Step 6: How the Resume Looks
 Resume length – one page? Two pages?
More?
 Use plenty of white space
 Don’t compress margins
 Don’t shrink font size
 Used good quality paper
42

43. STEP 7: Final Checklist
 Proofread – check and recheck grammar,
spelling and punctuation
 Is it neat?
 Have someone else critique your resume:
peers, mentors, managers, some in the area
of librarianship which you are pursuing,
someone outside of the library world,
someone who hires in the area of your job
objective
43

44. Final Checklist
 Have you described your position in your
own words?
 Have you included relevant nonprofessional
work experience and volunteer experience?
 Have you accounted for periods of
unemployment?
 Have you used acronyms that will have no
meaning for the employer?
44

45. Final checklist
 Will your resume pass the New York Times
test?
 Is your resume concise and to the point?
 Have you checked and rechecked to make
sure every statement in your resume
supports your job objective?
 Have you carefully proofed for typos?
45

46. Recommended Reading
 Resume Writing and Interviewing Techniques That
Work by Robert R. Newlen. Neal-Schuman, 2006.
 Jump Start Your Career in Library and Information
Science by Priscilla K. Shontz.
 A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and
Information Science by Priscilla K. Shontz.
 The Librarian’s Career Guidebook by Priscilla K.
Shontz.
 LIScareer.com
46

47. 47

48. 48

49. Interviewing
2009 Careers in Federal Libraries
Robert R. Newlen
July 10, 2009

50. Interviewing Goals
 Provide you with the tools you need to feel
confident about interviewing
 Come away with one new tip that will set you
apart from other candidates
50

51. Preparing for the Interview
 Conducting target employer research
 Anticipating questions and practicing
responses
 Completing an interview dress rehearsal
51

52. At the Interview: Delivering a Job-
Winning Performance
 Developing your personal interview style
 Techniques for answering questions
 What to do when you are stumped for an
answer
 Handling questions about salary
 Concluding the interview
52

53. Special Types of Interviews
 Informational
 Screening
 Telephone
 One-on-one vs. group
 Meal-time
53

54. Crash Course Interview Tips
 When you don’t have much time to prepare
for the interview
54

55. Conduct Research About the Potential
Employer
 Background information provided by the
employer
 Online and web search
Google the names of your interviewers
 Your personal network and library colleagues
55

56. Using Your Personal Research During
the Interview
 Demonstrate you have done your homework
 For example, you might say “according to
your annual report…” or “in reading about
your library in Library Journal I learned
that….”
56

57. Anticipate Interview Questions and
Develop Answers
 Write some questions and develop “bullet”
responses
 Behavioral questions: focuses on your
personal behaviors and qualities
 Situational questions: focuses on how you
approach and solve problems
 Practice your answers with a partner
57

58. Don’t Memorize Responses
 Have a general sense of how you will
respond
 Use specific examples
 Focus on results
 Quantify where appropriate
58

59. Sample Questions
 What do you like most/least about your
present job?
 Why are you interested in changing jobs
now?
59

60. Sample Questions
 Don’t you think you are overqualified?
There are positions at a higher level that I could
pursue, but I’m impressed with the
opportunities created by this position. I feel I
can make a significant contribution here.
This is the type of library where I think I can
learn and grow.
60

61. Personal Characteristics Questions
 Can you tell me something about yourself?
 How would describe your strengths and
weaknesses?
In the past, I tended to take on too many projects at
work. In one instance, I came close to not meeting
an important deadline. That experience taught me
the importance of planning and allowing for the
unexpected.
61

62. Personal Characteristics
Questions
 What is the best way to motivate you?
 How do you stay current in your area of
librarianship?
 Are you active in any professional
organizations?
62

63. Skill-related Questions
Tell me about a time when you:
 Worked effectively under pressure
 Anticipated potential problems and
developed preventative measures
 Had to deal with an irate customer or patron
 Had to adapt to a difficult situation
 Made the wrong decision
63

64. Hypothetical Questions
Test your problem-solving skills:
 If a contractor was not completing work in a timely
manner, how would you handle it?
 How would you manage a situation where a patron
was looking at inappropriate material on the
Internet?
 If you could select only ten reference sources in your
area of expertise, what would they be?
64

65. Questions that Entry-level or New
Librarians Might Encounter
 Which courses in your graduate program
relate directly to this position?
 What would you do if you heard a colleague
give out incorrect information or misstate
library policy?
 What do you think the
(school, public, academic, etc.) library of the
future will look like?
65

66. Managerial Questions
 How do you motivate staff?
 Have you ever fired an employee?
 What is the largest budget you have
managed?
66

67. Interview Dress Rehearsal
The Interview Rehearsal Book: 7 Steps to Job-
Winning Interviews Using Acting Skills You
Never Knew You Had
By Deb Gottesman and Buzz Mauro (New
York: Berkley Books, 1999)
67

68. Plan Your Wardrobe
 Wearing something new? Wear it ahead of
time so you know how your clothing will “act”
– no wardrobe malfunctions!
 Err on the side of conservative
68

69. Questions to Ask the Interviewers
 What are the major challenges facing the library?
 What is the work culture like? Collegial? Collaborative?
 What is the typical day like?
 What is the most important thing you would like me to accomplish in
the first six months on the job?
 What are the next steps in the hiring process and what is your time
frame?
 What is your timetable for selection of this position?
69

70. At the Interview
 Know the location in advance
 Arrive 10 minutes early
 Obtain the names and pronunciation of your
interviewers in advance
 Take water with you
70

71. First Impressions Count
 Greet everyone enthusiastically
 Shake hands firmly
 If the interview starts with small talk,
remember there is no such thing as small
talk
 Smile
 Speak slowly and clearly
71

72. At the Interview
 Don’t be afraid to pause
 Ask the interviewer to repeat the question, if necessary
 Engage all interviewers
 Pay attention to interviewer body language
72

73. At the Interview
 Know when to stop talking
 Answer the question, then stop
 Don’t drone on and on….
73

74. Techniques for Answering Questions
 Use specific examples
 Quantify answers where appropriate
 Always define your role
 Never say anything critical or negative about
yourself
 Mention current trends in the field that may
pertain to the target library
74

75. Questions About Salary
 Wait, if possible, to discuss salary until the
job is offered
 Do your research ahead of time, just in case
75

76. Stumped for an Answer?
 Pause
 Stall
Ask clarifying questions
 Acknowledge you don’t know the answer
Don’t make it up
76

77. Concluding the Interview
 Return to an earlier question which you had
difficulty answering
 At the end of the interview, you will be asked
if there is anything you want to add. Make a
strong closing statement
 Thank the employer for the interview
77

78. After the Interview
 Thank you letters to each interviewer
78

79. Special Type of Interviews
 Informational
Great opportunity for students
 Screening
 Telephone
 One-on-one vs. group
 Meal-time
79

80. Interview Survival Skills
 Bring copies of your current resume
 Bring copies of writing samples
 Dress conservatively
 Smile, be enthusiastic, and display energy
 Stop talking when you have answered the question
 Vary the tone of your voice
 Always think in terms of results – what did you
produce?
80

81. Interview Survival Skills
 Maintain good eye contact
 At the end of the interview, ask questions
about the position and the library
 Thank the employer for the interview
 If you want the job, say so
81