There was an interesting article on CNN today about job satisfaction and "real-world" application of college-learned skills. While it wasn't written by a librarian who's seen the grass on the other side of the fence, I think that there are strong lessons that many librarians can take from the article:

1. Every library is a political minefield.

No matter the type of library in which you end up working, your days will be fraught with miscommunication, noncommunication, backstabbing, petty gossip, territorial contests and the like. Most of us entered the field full of hope, anxious to bring our expertise to patrons and make a lasting impact on the profession, only to end up with a reality far more disappointing. Does this mean you should stop school now and go back to that job at Hardees? Of course not. From day one, be learn about your coworkers, their roles, and their ambitions. Take the opportunity to understand your library's operations, so that you don't look green when you ask for money at the end of the fiscal year.

2. Nonlibrarians don't know what you do.

Individuals in supervisory positions without MLIS degrees don't understand librarians and librarianship, even if they have been on the county library board for 20 years. We all get the stereotypical questions about how much we get to read each day and if we like the Dewey Decimal System.

The truth is, these folks don't need to know what you do. They have separate responsibilities: making sure the public are satisfied, saving tax or tuition dollars, etc. It is YOUR responsibility to prove your value to your operation (I would say business, because every library is a business, but I'm certain that some folks may be offended). You must be a self-promoter and self-marketer (and library/institution marketer) for your own job security.

3. Another word on self-promotion

Perhaps it is the bibliophile in us that drives us to seek the quiet compensation of a patron's thank you over a bigger paycheck; or, perhaps you wanted to work the reference desk that you could help patrons one on one instead of facing larger audiences. Most unfortunately, librarians trend to stay out of the limelight - which is PRECISELY where you need to be to gain the respect (and the compensation) that you deserve. Every librarian needs to find a way to show your superiors your accomplishments and changes that you've implemented to improve your workplace.

Does that mean be obnoxious? Of course not. Even I don't like obnoxious librarians (including myself from time to time). But it does mean saving those patron "thank you" e-mails (especially from hire-ups). It also means keeping copies of handouts that you've developed, presentations that you've given, and papers that you've written (perhaps even your blogs, unless yours bashes your boss and coworkers regularly). It means tracking your own statistics of folks that you've assisted, e-mail reference that you've completed, and books and articles that you've read for continuing education (thus saving your workplace precious professional development funds). If your boss came up to you today and asked "what have you accomplished?" and you can't list at least three items.... you have some self-promotion practice to do.

4. Stay motivated.

This post may seem a bit depressing - we all face the political and emotional hurdles of work that make us step back and question our career choice. Would life be different in another sector? Probably not. Very few individuals are completely successful at jumping the political hurdles and tracking accomplishments so that yearly evaluations are like a walk through Elysian fields. However, your employers hired you because they believe in your skills and abilities and genuinely think that you have valuable contributions to your team. Play off of that every working day, and consider your accomplishments as personal milestones in growth and opportunities to improve your life skills and your own work ethic.