Getting experience/a job after you graduate. The endless cycle.

You've all heard it.

"Do you have any relevant experience?"
"We cannot hire you, you have no experience"
"Oh you'd like to come to gain experience? I'm sorry, you need experience for that."

*Mind Explosion*

The only thing you end up getting experienced in, is accepting rejections. I'm no expert. This recent job I'm in, I gained though a combination of sheer determination and a whole lot of luck. But I thought I'd do a post to see if I could shed some light on anyone out there who feels it's hopeless.

Tip one: If you're still at university, the summer is a fantastic time to go and volunteer at your local library. Even if you don't do much - one day a week, it's still something to put on your CV and will get rid of any niggling doubts potential employers have about whether you can survive in a library environment. The Summer Reading Challenge, run for kids by the Reading Agency, happens in almost every library in the country over the summer, and lots of libraries manage this through a network of volunteers. If they don't use volunteers, and rely on staff to do the extra work involved, so they might be glad of some help if you suggest it to them.
If you're not at university, but working full time, try using an evening (public libraries are often open late one day per week) or morning if you work later on in the day, to squeeze in that couple of hours of volunteering per week. Every little helps. Got kids? Take them with you! They won't perish from being in a library for a couple of hours whilst you help out. (Of course I understand that for some people, this isn't possible - it's just a thought!)

Tip two: Whilst giving up you're precious time gaining all this experience, keep applying for jobs. Aim for at least one per day, or one every other day. Even two per day if you're not very busy. At University? Start applying whilst you're still there. Spring/early Summer time. Look everywhere: on the internet daily, as things change on here overnight. Get ahead of the game. Don't wait till you graduate, then think "suppose I better start applying for jobs...". That's when everyone else is applying. A lot of school and University libraries hire staff over the summer to start in September with the new school year. Don't limit yourself to one year graduate placements either. I know you only need the year to be able to enrol on a postgrad course, but consider longer term employment, as you can always to the postgrad part time, or cut down your working hours when you begin the course. At least you'll have a little bit of income whilst you're studying.

Tip three: It's annoying. I almost don't want to write it. But it really helps to be flexible in location when applying for jobs. I am a northerner. I've had to move down south, almost in London. It's not great, trawling things all over the country, and I understand for lots of people it's not an option. But if you can - just apply for the job, whether it's five minutes away, or five hundred miles away. If you stick to your area, depending on where you live of course, it's rare that anything will come up.

Tip four: Start a journal or something similar, of research. What types of classification systems are there? Where are they used? What are the differences in staff approach to school libraries compared with university libraries, or public libraries. What types of library management systems are out there? What is the current attitude and perception of libraries today? Read books, newspapers, online articles and really get to know what you're talking about as it'll really come through in an interview. If you manage to get an interview somewhere, see if you can visit "undercover" a few days before you go, to scope out the place and see if there's anything major you can see that could be improved.

Tip five: Libraries aren't just books anymore. You need to know the basics of computers and their software. Or, for a start, what software is. Again, there are some brilliant books out there to help with this, some relevant to library systems. Or go on a course, if you have the time and money. But often it's just as easy to learn yourself.

I think I'm all tipped out. There's probably many things I was going to say. But for now, it's all I've got - like I say, I'm not expert by any means. It is perhaps all just common sense. But it might help someone out there. I'll perhaps do a list of useful books I read prior to my interview soon, all of which I found at my university library. So there you go, step six...check your local library and university library for books on Information Management and Librarianship!

Over and Out.