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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Making a Lateral Move |
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So you’ve finally secured your first professional library position. You’ve been on the job for a few years now and have sufficiently learned the ropes. You’re thinking it may be a good time to see what other opportunities exist. You conduct a search but can’t find any positions that would be a promotion -- only positions similar in title and rank to your current position. Is it ever OK to make what appears to be a lateral move? I believe so. After working in my first professional position for three years, I made the decision to transfer to another entry-level position. What appeared to be a lateral move turned out to be a much better opportunity. Settling In When I graduated from library school in 2002, the libraries in my geographical area weren’t exactly overflowing with available professional positions. Although I was willing to apply all over the state, I could find very few positions that matched my skill and experience level. Luckily, I discovered an entry-level position at a small academic institution that just happened to be located in my home town. The salary and benefits for the position were low. I actually took a pay cut and lost the retirement benefits from my job as a secretary at a local non-profit organization. Yet I was eager to move into my first professional position. Because the library was small, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work in a variety of areas. My initial responsibilities involved reference, circulation and management of the student assistants. The library environment was flexible enough so that I could pursue other projects and areas of interest. I was able to gain a wide variety of skills that really spruced up my resume. The salary eventually improved and the college offered retirement benefits to employees after two years of service. The campus was small, quaint and close enough to my house that I could run home for lunch or take care of other personal business on my break. Miles away from the big city where I attended library school, traffic was non-existent and it took me only seven to ten minutes to arrive to campus. Overall, it was a good fit. Feeling the “Itch” Early in my career, a mentor advised me to map out a strategy outlining my career goals and aspirations. I realized that it was essential to develop skills and abilities that would assist me in achieving my long-range goal of directing a small academic library. In addition to joining the appropriate professional associations and seeking professional development opportunities, I started looking for any opportunities in my current position that would help me meet my career goals. Before I knew it, nearly three years had passed. I started to feel a strange itch to expand my horizons, to see what else was out there. I began regularly browsing the online library ads in my state and even ventured onto a few national search sites, just to get a feel for current position offerings and expectations. To say the least, the results were eye-opening. Venturing Out Again Most of the non-entry level positions that I saw advertised emphasized two qualities: leadership and management skills or potential. Most positions also asked for experience in areas such as collection development and faculty liaison work, opportunities that weren’t available in my current position. As much as I liked my work, I began to realize that it wasn’t providing me with the skills that I needed for long-term success. At our institution, collection development was driven entirely by the faculty and the library director, and there were few, if any, opportunities to perform liaison-type work. Venturing out into the job market after three years was somewhat intimidating. Having survived my first academic library interview, I wasn’t too excited by the prospect of another. Finally, I mustered up the courage to dust off my resume and start looking for positions. This time, I didn’t look solely at position titles or years of experience required. I paid more attention to job responsibilities, and particularly to those aspects of the job that would enhance my current skill set and aid me in meeting my long-range goals. I decided to apply for an entry-level position at a medium-sized, public liberal arts university not far from my hometown. Following a brief phone interview, I received an invitation for a formal interview. The experience that I gained in my first position proved to be valuable. The search committee was impressed with my well-rounded skills and ability to multitask. Within a few weeks, I received a job offer. Decisions, Decisions On first glance, the position appeared to be much like the position I currently held. After three years in an entry-level position, I’d hoped to move into a different role. Along with the new job would come a forty-five minute commute and an unfamiliar environment. The salary was only slightly more than I was already earning. However, the opportunity to gain new skills was extremely attractive. Although the position was geared toward new librarians, it offered the chance to work in collection development and to serve as a liaison with an academic department. I was impressed with the library’s governance structure and the participatory management style. I decided to take the job. Due to the forty mile commute, my days are a little longer. The city and college are new to me, so I’ve gotten lost more than once or twice. The people are friendly, yet unfamiliar. Nevertheless, I feel like it was the right move for me, at the right time. Because the university and the library are larger, I have more opportunities to collaborate with colleagues as well as to seek professional development opportunities. Another benefit of working at a larger institution is that my job responsibilities are more defined and focused. Although I enjoyed multitasking in my previous position, wearing so many hats made it difficult at times to feel as if I was making real progress in certain areas. My new position focuses on instruction and reference and I can already see my skills improving. Is it ever wise to make a lateral move? Compare and contrast the two positions to make the best decision.
Look at the Big Picture Unlike some of our parents, our generation is unlikely to stay in one job until retirement. While Baby Boomers climbed the career ladder, Generation X’ers and Millennials are now busy mapping career paths. In evaluating any library job offer, focus less on job titles and years of experience required and more on skill sets and opportunities. Build a portfolio of skills and experiences that will translate into better opportunities in the future. What appears to be a lateral move may actually be a new destination along the path to the position of your dreams. Shaundra Walker is an Instruction & Reference Librarian at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia. Article published Jan 2006 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
12/31/2005
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