A Word about Cover Letters

My library recently conducted a successful search for an instruction librarian, a faculty position with duties involving reference, subject liaison work, and the coordination of our instruction program. We made a terrific hire, but the search committee read through a lot of less than stellar cover letters during the review process. In looking back, there were a few things I wanted to share. If you are looking for a job, I hope this is helpful.

• Even if the job ad doesn't specifically tell you to do so, please address the specifics of the ad in your cover letter or online application. I'd like to see something that says why you want to work at my institution and what appeals to you about this job. It's not hard for us to spot generic letters that you're sending out to every place with a job announcement. Do your homework, and make us feel special! (At the very least, double check the job title and contact information before you submit the document. We're embarrassed for you if we know you didn't update the letter before sending it to us.) 


• If you are currently in a geographically distant location, it wouldn't hurt to say something about why you would like to relocate. If this is your first professional job, that's fine. If you'll be closer to your family or your alma mater or your favorite beach, that's fine, too. You don't have to reveal personal details, but please indicate that you're aware there will be a move involved. If you've always wanted to live in middle Georgia and love hot, humid summers, say so! Otherwise, we may wonder why you'd want to leave your current area, but we might not put you through to the phone call or interview stage in order to ask you.


• If you are currently employed in an institution that is markedly different from the one you're applying to, tell us why you'd like to make a change. For example, 
• what would you see as the advantages of working at a small private university if you work in a large research institution?
• do you like wearing a variety of hats instead of being pigeonholed into one kind of job all day?
• is the position a logical career move, perhaps from a staff to a faculty status or becoming a department head?
• do you want to work closely with a small group of colleagues?
• does the smaller institution have a reputation for innovation or something that intrigues you?

Remember, job searches are expensive. We can't afford to bring every qualified candidate to campus for an in-person interview, so tell us what you think we need to know. Don't leave us wondering why you want to work with us; specify why you'd be a great candidate and why you'd love the job. It's ok to show some personality in your cover letter. Your goal is to make it to the next round of phone calls or in-person interviews, at which point we'll be talking to the candidates who rose to the top of a heap of applications. You can make our search a little easier by standing out from the crowd!

Shoutout to Derangement and Description

Rebecca Goldman (@DerangeDescribe on Twitter) did an amazing job with her latest blog posting, Post-SAA Howl.

I encourage you to read her thoughts about new archivists and why this profession may run them off, which include such insight as:

"I worry about these kids. And I worry about you, archivists, and your profession, because I worry that these archivists will take their skills and ideas and find jobs outside the field instead of putting up with all this bullshit. And how can you truly preserve your collections in the long term if there is no one to replace you if you change jobs or retire or get crushed in your own compact shelving?"

The comments are also thought-provoking. I know other fields have this same dilemma of "how do I get a job without experience, and how do I get experience without a job," but this is MY field, and it bothers me.

In the words of Simon and Garfunkel, "Preserve your memories; they're all that's left you."

The spring of our discontent*

*Well, not so much "discontent," really, as just a lot going on!

Here's my schedule for the next few months. Sadly, I can't really delegate any of it. I know this isn't terribly busy by some of your standards, but it is for me. I don't think I've ever had so many meetings to travel to so close together.

This week:

• instruction session for first-year seminar students tomorrow in Special Collections. They'll be back as a class a few more times, and some of them may return on their own to work on projects. No idea yet what said projects will involve.
  
• meeting of the Society of Georgia Archivists' Nominating Committee in Atlanta.

Next week:

• Management meeting off-campus.
• Meeting of the Georgia Baptist Historical Society in Special Collections (I get to host and give a paper).
• Donor and person from alumni office coming to visit.
• Fly to Wisconsin for a few days of vacation.

Mid-April:

• Travel to Florida (not near the beach; boo) for the meeting of the Florida Baptist Historical Society. Give same paper as at Georgia meeting. (At some point finish editing paper for publication.)
  

Early June:

• Travel to Nashville for the meeting of the Association of Librarians and Archivists at Baptist Institutions (ALABI). Present on "user-centered archives" with one of our researchers.
• Travel from Nashville to Huntsville for the Baptist History and Heritage Society meeting (no responsibilities . . . yet).
  

Ongoing:

• Springtime academic events - Honors Day, Baccalaureate, Commencement, etc.
  

It's nice to see all those things listed in one place. I suppose I can tackle them the same way one eats an elephant!

And how about you? What's going on in your world?

Food for thought

(Because I'm all about the food.)

Well, I've been thinking since yesterday about what I could write in order to have more frequent postings on here. I'm going to steal an idea from What I Learned Today and share things I learned at work, at home, from friends, etc. I'll try to have a professional development focus, but some things may involve a bit more fun.

At least I have a goal now! That should count for something.

So, what have I learned so far today? That apparently telling a researcher you're going to be closed next week doesn't matter. The researcher responded with an offer to pay a library employee to supervise him in Special Collections.

No, sir, we're really, really closed. We mean it.

Sigh.