More on Library Job Stuff

I’m happy to send out a big congratulations to Heather on her new job. It sounds super drool-worthy, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous.

I have been thinking and rethinking my contrary post from the other day, wondering if what I said was too harsh, if there’s more of a problem than I think, if I should, in fact, be worried about my job prospects. I was mulling this over in my head when I listened to the podcast from “The Ultimate Debate” (watch out for microphone squeals- there’s three of them) in which Joseph Janes and others talked about the kind of people that apply to library school, and whether that stifles our innovation. Janes said that he has seen a change in the people applying to library school – away from the “I like books” crowd to the “I’m an information person” crowd. (I’m happy to say I was one of the “troublemakers” he referred to, though I’m not quite sure where that came from.) I wonder, sometimes, if the people having trouble finding a job are part of the “I like books” crowd. That’s just one theory.

I am still optimistic for myself. I’ve had several (if three counts as several) people contact me and ask me to apply when I graduate, all due, surprisingly enough, to various online social networking efforts. I’m keeping a close eye on really cool jobs posted and I’m adjusting my classes and outside learning so that I meet the qualifications listed. I hope to do a really cool practicum, and have several ideas in mind.

I had this project triangle type idea about jobs- the job triangle:

So you can have a job that, say, pays decent and is satisfying, but is in completely the wrong place. Or, you can have a job that pays well and everything is perfect- hours, location, office temperature, but the job itself is somewhat boring and doesn’t stretch you. Or, you can have the PERFECT job in every way, but it pays next to nothing.  I fully realize that many people (people that are very near and dear to me, even) can’t even say they have one of these dimensions. (please note that “pays well” for me is in the $35,000 range, at least for this area- your mileage may vary)

Anyway, I always figured I’d make a trade off somewhere, and I still kind of do. I don’t know where the trade off will be. Maybe I won’t have to make a trade off, though. Wouldn’t that be grand?