I need to go through and find the others … I was in the trees so much I couldn’t see the forest (or however that goes :p).

So that’s his brand—“the research librarian who can find anything.” People come in just to work with him. Especially the tough cases. In the public library where he works now, he has a lot of authors come to him to help them with research. Anyone who comes to him goes away happy—and with the resources they needed. That raises the “customer satisfaction” level of the library. Great libraries with happy patrons get a better shot a funding in colleges, and get passed budgets in communities. That’s just one tangible value tied to his brand.

What’s your “librarian brand?” How are you perceived by your students and the professors? If you don’t know, do an informal poll and find out. Then decide how your brand maps to the success of your library and the institution it supports. Don’t be satisfied with vague — keep digging for IMPACT. Your impact is your value proposition. Once you have that, you’ve got the guts of a great resume.

Have fun–it’s really cool discovering that you are an INTEGRAL part of the success of a library and institution, not just a professional doing a good job. That build’s confidence and the self-awareness that will have you actively viewing your work in new ways that are tied to your success component. That’s when you’ll have those accomplishments to rev up your resume.

Also, don’t forget that accomplishments have to be viewed in respect to the value your target employer sees in them. So when you identify them and write them, think of what’s important to the library and/or institution to which you’re applying. That’s critical. Remember your resume is an ad, not a history or bio. And think of how exciting and compelling your branded value proposition resume will be when compared to a sea of CVs. That alone will differentiate you!

(To the tune of “Figaro” – it’s the bard-yest thing I could think of)
“John! The resume you’ve sent me is aw-haw-ful.
Take it ‘way! Far away! Go!”

PATRICIA – I know it’s sometimes hard to tell in the halls of academia, but there is a reason that everyone is hired. It is to do a job. Everyone has the possibility of doing their job well or poorly. Think about how you would know if you did your job well (or poorly) and incorporate that in your resume.

For example:

“I know I’m doing well because everyone wants me to help with their research.” – Get quotes about how you’re doing well from the people you’re helping. Ask them specifically what you do better than other research librarians.

“I know I’m doing well because my boss says so.” – Ask your boss why s/he thinks you’re doing well. Write on your resume while s/he talks.

“I know I’m doing poorly because I get the wrong books and people throw them at me.” – This, you’ll have to turn into something like, “Got a highly enthusiastic reaction from all students that I helped.”

Dan

Now it looks like I need to hire an assistant to edit my comments along with my articles. Wonder if John Smith can do that?

I thought it might be fun for me to include the “can’t help” letter that I would send…if I took any time longer than hitting the delete key on the email in my in box:

Dear John;

Thank you for your interest in working with CEC Search on your next career position. I have reviewed you resume carefully, and while very impressive, your skill set does not match the requirements that I have been given by my client company.

The primary focus of our practice in restaurant operations and corporate support roles for large restaurant companies. Should you know of anyone who needs help in that arena and has a strong experience base in that niche, please send them our way.

Should we come across anything that looks like it could be helpful to you we will be sure to let you know. In the mean time, check back at our website often as we will be adding industry links on a regular basis that may be helpful to you.

We wish you great success in your career search.

Looking forward,
Carl Chapman

I can promise you that if you think about the things that you have done, your achievments, the things that you have accomplished, the things that keep you employed, you will find there is a way to measure them in %’s or $’s.

Give me a list of things that you have done that are noteworthy… I’ll be happy to give you some ideas about how to convert those into statements that have $’s and %’s.

-Carl

This is something that I personally cannot incorporate into a resume as I work at a research library in a post-secondary institution. The students have already paid their tuition at the front door, so any work the library does is to service the faculty & students in their research, percentage & dollars just don’t come into play here and isn’t something that is necessarily measured in an obvious way. I’m uncertain in this respect how to measure this out.

Oh, I liked the other person’s comment about e.e.cummings. Hilarious!