My friend and fellow Guybrarian (and stellar dude) Justin Hoenke was featured in this months Library Journal. In his article he talks about moving when he was looking for a job.   Andy Woodworth (also a fellow guybrarian and stellar dude) writes on his blog about lack of jobs, employment and salaries.

This last week as I met other Librarians at the Pennsylvania Library Association Annual Conference  (where I was a panelist on blogging) many people asked me how I got my job in Taiwan and if I liked it (and were further shocked that I was at PaLA all the way from Taiwan, but I digress.).  I got my job by pure luck.  While whining (really, I was) a relative who works at an International School in Asia suggested I look at that avenue.  Since I had lived in Taiwan before and wanted to go back, I started checking out the school websites there.  I saw the job, applied and here I am.

I looked outside the box and was willing to relocate.  That isn’t to say everyone should move halfway across the world.  Not everyone can or should.  But I hadn’t considered school Librarianship (I am not a certified teacher) but with International Schools you don’t necessarily have to be one.  It took me over 100 applications where only 2 of them decided to interview me and then not hire me to get this one.

I don’t have any pearls of wisdom.  I have friends who are still unemployed months after graduating and a few who after a year of looking for full-time employment took jobs not in Libraryland.  Right now, its just the nature of the beast but that doesn’t mean you have to give up looking for the job that’s right for you or for your dream job.  But go in with both eyes open and realize that it isn’t all rainbows and lollipops right now in Libraryland.

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