Friday, May 20, 2011

Job-Hunter's Survival Guide by Richard N Bolles

The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide: How to Find a Rewarding Job Even When "There Are No Jobs"Richard N. Bolles has produced a Coles Notes version of his famous What Color is Your Parachute? which could be read in an evening and provide the pertinent points from his more well-known work. This booklet includes the well-known "Flower Petal" exercise, as well as some of his basic charts for self-assessment and a discussion of the most effective methods for job search. Not included in this book is his explanation of information interviewing and how to do it.

Though I firmly agree with Bolles that a job search is more effective if the search is targeted and that multiple job search methods are essential to successfully finding a job, I have to disagree with his #4 most successful method for finding a job: going door to door. Now, this will work if you are looking for the kind of employment that does not include a heavily guarded HR office (and any library or academic institution I can think of has at least one HR person), this method will work. It will probably land you a survival job--and if you need one, try this method. However, using his most effective job search method--complete an inventory and know what you are looking for--will lead to a professional job, so it seems petty to quibble with one method. 

Bolles wrote this book to be a short version of What Color is Your Parachute, suited for the recession, for people who need to find a job NOW, and who don't have a lot of time, or money, to spend reading career books for advice. On those grounds, this book is successful and would be useful for a job seeker who needs to make a plan and get job hunting.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Careers in Federal Libraries Google Group

There is a very active Google Group for Careers in Federal Libraries. The group includes offers for resume reviews, job postings, links to public presentations, scholarship and award information, as well as notices of upcoming information sessions in this area of libraries.If you are looking for employment in this area, or are just interested in investigating the opportunities, I strongly recommend that you join their group.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Librarian (Media Libraries and Archives) / Bibliothécaire (Médiathèque et Archives) CBC

Spotted on TalentOyster via TweetDeck.


CBC/Radio-Canada has a diverse, talented workforce thriving in an environment that encourages sharing and learning. Many different people in a variety of roles come together to make CBC/Radio-Canada a stronger, more relevant and more dynamic public broadcaster. You too could be part of our team. Our programming is distinctive, intelligent, innovative and entertaining, much like the people we're looking to hire.


Design, select, analyze, index, find and distribute information resources tailored to the needs of department clients in accordance with the rules and principles of library and information sciences and with corporate standards and policies.


We are looking for a candidate with the following:

  • Master's degree in library and information sciences
  • One (1) year relevant experience
  • Fluent in the working language
  • Very good understanding of the other official language
  • Extensive general knowledge
  • Very good knowledge of current events
  • Able to analyze, synthesize and think critically
  • Quick to act
  • Tactful and courteous
  • Leadership

Candidates may be subject to skills testing.

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. CBC/Radio-Canada brings diverse regional and cultural perspectives into the daily lives of Canadians in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

CBC/Radio-Canada is committed to reflecting the country's diversity within its workforce and encourages applications from people of any wealth of cultures, linguistic and ethnocultural communities, gender, sexual orientations, ages, religions and those with different abilities.

For more information, visit the Talent and Diversity section of our corporate website: www.cbc.ca/jobs

If this sounds interesting, we want to hear from you! We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.