ALA JobLIST posted this link on their Facebook page today.
This part:
My favorite, “What I’ve Learned,” detailed her year-long experience as
an intern at an accelerator: ‘I learned: It’s better to ask a question,
no matter how dumb you think you sound,
than to pretend you know what you’re talking about’ and ‘I’ve come to
appreciate networking and learned that being friendly, making
connections, and maintaining solid relationships is a top priority.’
and this part:
She sent over what I call the “self-aware cover letter.” The content
acknowledges how mundane most application materials are, but understands
their necessity. I recall a virtual handshake, a hat-tip to all the
cover letters before hers, a quirky summary of her talents, and
absolutely impeccable grammar. If I’m remembering correctly, there were
allusions to a horrible food sickness in a foreign country peppered in
as well. I might’ve even LOL’d.
really got me thinking about what I've learned in the 7 years since I became a librarian.
Here's a brief list I've started:
- That I love teaching/ training because it is empowering the student to
help themselves. Give
a student an article, and they won’t learn critical thinking skills.
Teach a student to search, and you’ve given them a skill they can use
the rest of their life.
-
That I don’t always react appropriately when around upset/ irrational
users, but have developed the ability to reflect on such interactions
and determine what I did wrong, and how I can improve. I've learned that sometimes people just want to vent and aren't looking for a solution/ explanation. I have learned
that I’m able to work with the "crazy" patrons. I’ll take crazy over
irrational anyday!
-
That I should never be a children’s librarian. I enjoyed craft
time and getting to be silly during story time. However, it became clear that I can't work in an office that is constantly noisy, nor do I possess the
energy required to put on an awesome storytime multiple times a week. I
have now directed these interests and talents into roller derby and teaching.
-
I’m OK asking obvious/ dumb questions in meetings, because people
almost always come up to me afterwards and thank me for asking them
and/ or they often lead to a discussion.
-
That sharing a perceived weakness can turn it into a strength. Being a
librarian, I felt I should hide that I was dyslexic. I mentioned it in
passing to a Developmental Studies instructor, and they pointed out that
it could be inspiring for their students to see that it is possible to
overcome such challenges.
-
That to be a great teacher means never sitting back and saying, “Yes,
that lesson plan is done, and I will never have to change it.” Being a
great teacher means constantly assessing what you’re doing and
incorporating new ideas and technology. This not only keeps things
interesting for students, it keeps it interesting for me too!
- That I enjoy marketing/ outreach more than I ever thought I would. My first roommate in college, upon meeting me for the first time, thought I was a cheerleader because I was so excited. At the time, I thought this was a preposterous idea, as I had always thought myself quite the polar opposite of a cheerleader. Little did I know I'd become a cheerleader for libraries, learning, and roller derby!
These sections also got me thinking about completely revamping my cover letter and resume to make them more personable (maybe get a LOL) and specifically address what I can bring to each position, rather than listing what I've already done.
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