[Web4lib] Seeking Advice: Switching Career Paths

[David Kemper]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I can see how each piece of advice can help.

The hardest part for me so far has been getting potential employers to
see beyond the archivist role I have held for many years. I think
several assume--and a few have expressed directly to me--that I am an
archivist who worked on web projects, not enough experience or
qualifications for their particular Web Librarian / Web Development
needs. Breaking free from this will require an image change and, as
many have suggested, a portfolio and web presence. Funny, I get caught
up with creating web presences for others, but I forget about myself.

I agree with those who suggested I look beyond library-land. I really
like academic environments, and working in the library as part of a
Web team sounds ideal, but I have had not much luck. Sounds like a
good reason to look elsewhere.

While I have my XHTML/CSS and some JavaScript, I suspect more
programming knowledge is in order, and I think the languages suggested
are a good start

Besides web design, the Web as a communication, collaboration,
knowledge sharing, community-building tool fascinates me.

Anyway, please feel free to add more suggestions. I think there are
others in the same boat who could benefit from this advice.

Thank you!!

David

On 8/30/07, Will Kurt <wkurt at bbn.com> wrote:
> Although I'm not a Web Services / Web Development Librarian, I do run
> a library job site in my spare time, so I do a fair amount of web
> development work and also see around a thousand library job postings
> a year.   My 2 cents are:
>
> Jon makes some good points, although I fully believe that you (and
> everyone who's posted) can get a web librarian job if you want
> it.  Too frequently libraries want an unreasonable number of
> qualifications for an equally unreasonable low pay. I could rant
> volumes about this, but needless to say I think it's a poor practice.
>
> The point is don't be discouraged, and also don't be afraid to look
> outside of library-land for positions that may be equally rewarding
> and better paying.
>
> To echo what everyone else is saying: build something! The site that
> I run has been an incredible learning experience, and continues to
> scale as I learn new things.  Plus it provides a useful service to a
> lot of people in the area.
>
> Don't be afraid of programming, find a language that works for you
> and enjoy it. Once you know one interpreted language well it's fairly
> easy to at least understand what's happening in another.  I'm going
> to have to put in my plug for Python, which is very easy to learn and
> works well for everything from simple procedural programming, to OOP
> and even Functional Programming.
>
> And finally- DO NOT accept the library dogma that getting low wages
> is okay and just part of life, it's not.
>
> --Will
>
>
> At 10:04 AM 8/30/2007, David Kemper wrote:
> >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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>
>