Position postings

[Margaret F. Riley]

At 11:41 PM 11/14/96 -0800, you wrote:
>If the tech job market is, in fact, getting tight, might it not behoove
>the hiring folk to recognize that there are some of us out there with
>MLSs who are in fact equally qualified for much much more than
>"librarian"?

The tech job market still requires qualifications in writing, ie., "courses
in C, C++, and Unix."   If you have the qualifications, by all means 
get out there.

<soapbox>
However, why do we have to be "recognized" as having the ability and 
qualification to do anything outside of "librarian"?  Why aren't we out there 
*telling* people that we have skills they can use?!?!?  What's the problem 
here?   Them or us????  May I point out that we have someone on this
listserv who isn't a librarian asking for our advice and feedback on a 
project based on our skills and abilities, and there are a few others like him 
lurking in the background.

A hiring manager is instructed by the supervisor for a position as to what
the necessary qualifications are.  So, for "librarians" to be considered for
things other than "librarian" jobs, we have to make sure that people know
our *skills and qualifications* and not our "title."    My skills are
information
search and retrival with special expertise on the Internet, web site development
and project management, and information architecture.  My qualifications
include a job as a webmaster, an established web site on the Internet, and oh
by the way I also hold an MS in library and information sciences. 

I don't know about you guys, but the folks who are now contracting me to
do work are looking at my skills and they are happy that my background is
what it is.  My title is no longer librarian, but my MSLIS degree is prominent
and acknowledged, and they like it.    Considering how much I now work 
with people in career transition and career development, I think a workshop 
for librarians is needed which concentrates on marketing ourselves and our
skills.
</soapbox>

Margaret


Margaret F. Riley, MSLIS
Internet Consultant		 The Riley Guide
3726 Nimitz Road		 http://www.jobtrak.com/jobguide/
Kensington, MD  20895-1700	 mfriley at erols.com
(301) 946-1917		 (301) 933-9529 FAX
          ########################################
"The Guide to Internet Job Searching" by Margaret Riley,
 Frances Roehm, and Steve Oserman.  VGM Career Horizons,
 April 1996.   1-800-323-4900