{"id":1589,"date":"2025-02-28T11:24:21","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T16:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmrt.ala.org\/notes\/?p=1589"},"modified":"2025-02-28T11:24:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T16:24:21","slug":"casting-a-line-screaming-into-the-void-lessons-from-one-librarians-mlis-job-search-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmrt.ala.org\/notes\/casting-a-line-screaming-into-the-void-lessons-from-one-librarians-mlis-job-search-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Casting a Line, Screaming Into the Void: Lessons from One Librarian\u2019s MLIS Job Search Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Jenni Diaz Garcia, Library Outreach Specialist, Iowa State University Library<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Rachel is a pseudonym used to protect the interviewee’s identity.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sending out what felt like her hundredth job application, Rachel refreshed her inbox, waiting for any sign of hope. Another rejection. Another automated response. Another void of silence. For nearly a year, she cast her resume into the depths of the job market, hoping for a bite\u2014any bite. The process was exhausting, demoralizing, and, at times, surreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a queer MLIS graduate who went straight from undergrad to grad school, she knew the job search wouldn\u2019t be easy. But she hadn\u2019t expected it to take ten months before securing a full-time position. Her story isn\u2019t unique. Many young MLIS graduates, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, are adrift in an industry that increasingly demands years of experience for \u201centry-level\u201d roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hooked on the Dream, Tangled in Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From an early age, Rachel knew she wanted to be a librarian. Her mother, a librarian herself, introduced her to the world of books, information, and community support. By age 12, she was already volunteering at her local library and later, she would begin working at her college library where librarians around her reinforced the dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLibrarians were always so enthusiastic when I told them I wanted to do this for a living,\u201d she said. \u201cI got a lot of \u2018You\u2019re going to be amazing! The future of libraries is in good hands!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what happens when that big fish from a small pond is suddenly tossed into an ocean of applicants? \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting it to be this hard,\u201d she admitted. \u201cPeople tell you to get experience, but they don\u2019t tell you that \u2018entry-level\u2019 means \u2018we want you to have done this for five years already.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many MLIS graduates, the disconnect between library school and the job market is jarring. According to the University of Washington\u2019s Information School, 86% of MLIS graduates find employment within six months, but only 78% of those jobs are directly related to their degree. That leaves a significant number of graduates questioning whether they made the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swimming Upstream: The MLIS Pipeline Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many others, Rachel entered graduate school assuming it would set her up for career success. Instead, she found herself navigating an academic structure that felt vague at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no real guidance on what classes to take or what experiences actually matter,\u201d she said. \u201cI had a career counselor who spent 45 minutes making my bullet points square instead of round. That was the feedback. Life-changing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Library schools often emphasize theory over practice, leaving many graduates feeling unprepared for the day-to-day realities of the field. Employers, meanwhile, report that new LIS graduates often lack crucial skills in instruction, digital literacy, and leadership. Without a structured core curriculum, students are left to piece together their professional pathways, hoping they\u2019ve made the right choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casting Applications into the Deep<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The application process for Rachel started optimistically enough. \u201cI was applying to jobs that really excited me,\u201d she said. \u201cBy month nine, I was applying to anything that seemed remotely relevant, whether I actually wanted it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, she was strategic, focusing on public libraries, academic institutions, and research services. But as rejection emails piled up, her strategy evolved. \u201cI realized I was getting more second-round interviews for research services positions, so I started focusing on those,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age and experience became constant hurdles. \u201cI worried I looked too young and that employers would see me as inexperienced,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019d sit in interviews thinking, \u2018I know you have applicants with 10 years of experience waiting in line. How do I convince you to take a chance on me?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navigating Choppy Waters: The Safety Dilemma for Marginalized Job Seekers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond professional hurdles, marginalized job seekers face an additional layer of complexity: where they feel safe working. As a queer librarian, Rachel carefully considered geography in her job search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had a list of about 15 states where I felt safe enough to live,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen casting my net for job opportunities, my main concern was whether I\u2019d feel safe living there, especially in this political climate, I had to think about access to healthcare, legal protections, and whether I\u2019d be welcome in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as the months dragged on, that resolve weakened. \u201cI interviewed for a job where I felt deeply uncomfortable with the environment,\u201d she admitted. \u201cBut I was so desperate, I started convincing myself that maybe it would be fine. Looking back, I hate that I was ever in that position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking Point and Turning the Tide<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the ninth month of her search, frustration set in. \u201cI had a full-on mental breakdown about nine months into the job search,\u201d she said. \u201cI just hit a point where I didn\u2019t know if I could keep doing this. At that point, I was so exhausted, I wasn\u2019t sure I even wanted to be a librarian anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then she made a small but crucial change: she started tracking her application statistics. \u201cI realized that I was getting first interviews for about 25% of the applications I sent,\u201d she said. \u201cThat shifted my perspective. Instead of every rejection feeling personal, I started seeing it as a numbers game. If I applied to four jobs, odds were I\u2019d get at least one interview.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also stopped trying to fit into a predetermined mold. \u201cI had this idea of what an \u2018academic librarian\u2019 should be\u2014serious, experienced, deeply invested in the ACRL Framework. However, after talking to a friend, I realized that my strengths were in student advocacy, supervision, and outreach. Once I started leading with that in interviews, everything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, after nearly a year of searching, she landed a full-time job. \u201cBy the time I interviewed for this position, I had other offers, so I felt free to just be myself,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it turns out, that worked in my favor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lessons from the Catch: What MLIS Graduates Should Know About the Job Market<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those currently searching, Rachel offers a few pieces of advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n