How to find a job

Finding a new job can be a daunting prospect, regardless of whether you’re at the beginning of your career or in a senior management role. Job hunting isn’t something you do very often so there’s little opportunity for anyone to get really good at it!

The first question to ask yourself is What do I want to do? Maybe you’ve got a good idea of where you want to be (in which case, great, feel free to skip this bit), or you might not have a clue. If you’re not sure what kind of job to go for think about what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. Have a look at the job roles we’ve listed here if you need inspiration or see what employers are currently looking for on Information Professional Jobs .

If you’re a CILIP member, the Professional Knowledge and Skills base can help you here – fill out your skills profile and you’ll have a good idea of the sort of role that would suit you which you can match to job descriptions. As a bonus, you’ll have written down what you need to create a good CV

Where to look

Specialist recruitment agencies can be very helpful, a good recruiter should be able to advise you on your CV, covering letters and interview technique and can suggest jobs that you might like to apply for. There are a number of recruitment agencies specialising in the information sector, Sue Hill Recruitment, TFPL, CB Resourcing and Glen Recruitment can all help.

Employer websites, generalist jobs boards such as Indeed or Reed and LinkedIn are also good places to find jobs advertised. It’s worth remembering that if you find a job listed on LinkedIn or a general jobs board it’s likely that a lot of other people have found it there too, so make sure that your application is up to scratch!

Shadowing opportunities

The New Library Professionals Network has created a list of shadowing opportunities. If you want to have a taste of a different sector, have a look at their website