[Web4lib] Seeking Advice: Switching Career Paths

[Pons, Lisa (ponslm)]

Well!-I did switch career paths ... I was in retail management, then
managed a college bookstore. While at the bookstore, I became the "web
person", and decided as you did, to try and make it my career.

I would recommend several things, some of which others have recommended:

- Buy server space and start doing sites. Might be for friends, local
artists or authors, etc... And it might be for free, but it will build
your portfolio. I use Hostgator which costs 6.95 a month, and I have 8
sites live and several to play, just on the hatchling plan. 4 of these
are for non-profits, so I make nothing. 

- Use this space and buy your own domain name as well and use this for
your portfolio. Hostgator uses cpanel and fantastico to install things
like Drupal, joomla and such, and you can do this in a sub-folder of
your domain to learn these tools...even if they never go live. The
important thing is to just do it.

- Continue to take web courses- especially in programming languages- I
would recommend javascript, SQL, and either php or ruby to start off.
You didn't say you particularly want to do just design, so make sure you
are well rounded. Learn some Flash as well. Keep up as much as you can
with the new stuff. 

- Puruse job ads and see what desired elements keep coming up. Learn
those languages/programs.

- Try for some certifications. WOW (World Association of Webmasters)
offers discounted online courses for members. You didn't say where you
work, so if it is a college or some such, can you take classes? Even
stuff such as Programming, Server Administration, Networking, etc, will
be beneficial.

- There are several free-lance sites out there offering work for people-
try some of these for small jobs building your portfolio.

- Is there a project within your current job that you could do, even on
your own time to "show your stuff". A database driven website of some of
your archived stuff? 

- Apply for as many jobs as possible, for experience. Even if you don't
get it, take the feedback they give you to learn what you must do in the
future.

- Know that you will start at the bottom of the totem pole- and the
salary range. 

Basically, become a web professional - not a hobbyist. For now, until
this can become a vocation, it should be your avocation- read a lot
about everything, know the terminology, etc...

HTH- feel free (anyone) to contact me for more info...

Lisa Haitz
Webmaster
University Libraries
University of Cincinnati

> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org 
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of David Kemper
> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:05 AM
> To: web4lib
> Subject: [Web4lib] Seeking Advice: Switching Career Paths
> 
> Colleagues,
> 
> I am seeking advice on switching careers. I am currently in 
> the archival field but would like to move into the field of 
> web design and website management in a library and/or 
> information center environment.
> I have been an archivist for almost 6 years. Throughout that 
> time, while mixing in some archival research work and some 
> processing, I was always recognized by supervisors and 
> colleagues as the "web guy," the Webmaster, the guy tinkering 
> with Dreamweaver and Photoshop, designing websites, taking 
> advantage of web technology to give greater access to 
> archival material.
> 
> Lately, the desire to transform myself from informal web guy 
> to formal web professional has become stronger, as I feel my 
> interest drift further away from my current field. A case in 
> point: I often feel more connected by discussions occurring 
> here than on other listservs.
> 
> My attempts to switch gears have fallen short, however.
> 
> On numerous occasions I applied for Web Services / Web 
> Development Librarian positions (or something to that extent) 
> only to be told that
> 1) I do not not have enough web experience, 2) I do not have 
> enough technical know-how, and the most common 3) I should 
> remain in archives because I have been doing it for so long. 
> Like a Hollywood actor, I have been typecast, it seems.
> 
> I am wondering what I should do to switch career paths 
> effectively. I have taken numerous courses on web and 
> multimedia design; online information organization; graphic 
> design and others. And I have a real keen interest in the web 
> and the latest trends, and how they work to better 
> communications and information delivery. I am wondering if a 
> few programming courses are in order? I am not sure what 
> should be my next step.
> 
> Your input and advice would be much appreciated. Feel free to 
> email me off the list at siansleep at gmail.com
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> David
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