I Don't Miss Constantly Applying for Jobs

After earning my MLIS I kept mindlessly applying for any position that matched my experience. In the process I became frustrated about not landing coveted first job in my field. It took a few years for me to realized just how broken the system is and the benefits of leaving it.

Schools of information science always seemed worried about not having enough professionals to fill positions. In the process, they graduated far more students than the profession would ever experience openings for. I've lost touch with most of my former classmates, but most of them seemed to find MLIS work. Learning that isolating work environments proved detrimental to my health made obtaining positions in that field difficult. Sadly, the hoops to jump through to transition to a new field are complicated and rife with barriers.

People ask me where I see myself in five years. I honestly don't know. Where I'm at right now is very pleasant. I'm not isolated and I enjoy my team environment. If things change, though, I'm not sure I will adjust well. I feel like an endangered rain forest animal in terms of needing a specific work ecosystem to do well. If changes occur, I'll need to adjust or apply for new positions. Both options seem unappealing. Until then, I will thrive in my current environment and bring the best out of my coworkers.

- Andy out

They Emphasized "Academia or Bust"

In grad school our instructors pushed for us to work in academic environments. This seemed logical. Many library and archival jobs were present in higher education. Despite this, they left me unprepared for how competitive those meager positions truly were. I kept applying for them to no avail.

Ultimately, it was good that I didn't obtain those jobs. Academia is completely out of touch with the needs of the public. Discourse on academic theory isn't directly helping the real world problems we face everyday. Since abandoning the profession I see how ineffective the academic LIS environment is. People there can't reach outside their bubble to connect with non-scholars.

When I volunteered I enjoyed working with other people. Sadly there's no way to switch to a reference environment without nepotism and years of unpaid experience. The myopic views on LIS and APRM jobs in grad school really messed me up. I know the environments I'd like to work in. I have no way of getting to work in those places without sacrificing my lifestyle. Going back to school feels like flushing money down a toilet. That said, knowing what I don't want to do feels as important as knowing what to do. It will take a while to detox, that's all.

- Andy out

Their Career Advice Was Drastically Wrong

I remember finishing up at Pitt's iSchool. There were so many people from all different programs at the school being acknowledged. When I looked around I thought "The careers in LIS must be robust for all these graduates." The reality proved far from the truth. I can't speak for most of my classmates, since I lost contact with them. My experiences brought nothing but rejection and the LIS profession's closed-minded views on human resources. My struggles in Colorado confirmed this skepticism and I've all but abandoned the profession.

Since returning to being a Medical Records Technician, I've helped my department go fully digital. I helped establish groundwork for our EMR program. It wasn't a traditional career path, but I'm pleased with how things are working. I enjoy my coworkers and the setting of my workplace is delightful.

In the future I hope to expand on the pitfalls of contractor work. I also plan to call out the lies, short-sightedness, and failures of academic groupthink in LIS. I'm not pleased about being lied to and exploited by members of the academic community. This blog will help me organize my thoughts and provide a cathartic experience for what I endured. I'm not sure where this blog will go but seeing it develop will be intriguing.

- Andy out