Career Resources for Librarians and Paraprofessionals
 
Job Hunting Tools

Here is a collection of links to sites that provide tips, strategies, and valuable resources to help you get the job you want! Learn how to set job objectives, use basic research tools to get the information you need and how to use it, network, write effective rèsumes and cover letters, polish your interview skills and other job hunting tactics. Check out these links:

Job-Seeking Strategies
  • CaPS is the University of Alberta's Placement and Career Services. Look here for jobs and help with career planning if you are a U of A student or alumni. There is also a recruitment service available for employers.
     
  • 101+ Commonly Asked Interview Questions lists questions that may be asked at your next interview for a position with a library.
     
  • How Should I Market Myself? is a page from Human Resource Development Canada that offers tips about cover letters, resumes and interviewing.
     
  • Rebecca Smith's e-Resumes and Resources is a comprehensive guide to designing electronic resume formats.  Besides offering advice on resume writing, the site has resume templates and links to other resume-related articles.  There are also tips on writing effective cover letters, preparing for job interviews, and obtaining job references.
     
  • What Color is your Parachute: the Net Guide. An abbreviated net version of the popular book by Richard Nelson Bolles, the site covers job listings, rèsumes, career counselling, job contacts, and how to research a company for a job.
     
  • Robert R. Newlen. Writing resumes that work: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians - Number 82. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1998. [note: this title is available from HSS Reserve]

Salary Calculators

  • The Salary Calculator is a useful tool to calculate and compare the cost of living in hundreds of cities. The main page offers comparisons for American cities but there is a link for Canadian and International cities.

  • Salary Expert another useful tool to calculate and compare the cost of living. This site looks at Canadian and American cities and includes some great tips about many different aspects of the job search.

Canada-Related Sites

  • The University of Western Ontario's Graduate School of Library & Information Science maintains an employment page.
     
  • Canada WorkInfoNet has extensive links to websites covering Canadian trends, labour market information, jobs and career planning information by province.
     
  • Job Futures is a site compiled by Human Resources Development Canada which provides occupational information such as average hourly earnings and work prospects. There is a listing for Librarians as well as for Librarians, Archivists, Conservators and Curators.
     
  • CACUL, a division of CLA, offers a resume-reviewing service and a blog for new librarians who wish to work in academic and college library settings.

US-Related Sites

  • JobWeb is a web site which provides news and information on careers and job hunting for college/university students and graduates. It is produced by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in the United States.

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles occupational information including earnings, job prospects and related occupations. A listing for Librarians is provided.
     
  • Library Job and Employment Resources: this is a Yahoo! subdirectory with links to job search guides, job listings from library association websites and journals, and other pertinent resources.
     
  • Library Job Postings on the Internet by Sarah L. Nesbitt focuses on the United States, but also lists resources for Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 
Questions or concerns?
Please contact the Temporary Webmaster Claire Banton
Last updated: January 30, 2006