By: Jenni Diaz Garcia, Library Outreach Specialist, Iowa State University Library
(Rachel is a pseudonym used to protect the interviewee’s identity.)
After sending out what felt like her hundredth job application, Rachel refreshed her inbox, waiting for any sign of hope. Another rejection. Another automated response. Another void of silence. For nearly a year, she cast her resume into the depths of the job market, hoping for a bite—any bite. The process was exhausting, demoralizing, and, at times, surreal.
As a queer MLIS graduate who went straight from undergrad to grad school, she knew the job search wouldn’t be easy. But she hadn’t expected it to take ten months before securing a full-time position. Her story isn’t unique. Many young MLIS graduates, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, are adrift in an industry that increasingly demands years of experience for “entry-level” roles.
Hooked on the Dream, Tangled in Reality
From an early age, Rachel knew she wanted to be a librarian. Her mother, a librarian herself, introduced her to the world of books, information, and community support. By age 12, she was already volunteering at her local library and later, she would begin working at her college library where librarians around her reinforced the dream.
“Librarians were always so enthusiastic when I told them I wanted to do this for a living,” she said. “I got a lot of ‘You’re going to be amazing! The future of libraries is in good hands!’”
But what happens when that big fish from a small pond is suddenly tossed into an ocean of applicants? “I wasn’t expecting it to be this hard,” she admitted. “People tell you to get experience, but they don’t tell you that ‘entry-level’ means ‘we want you to have done this for five years already.’”
For many MLIS graduates, the disconnect between library school and the job market is jarring. According to the University of Washington’s Information School, 86% of MLIS graduates find employment within six months, but only 78% of those jobs are directly related to their degree. That leaves a significant number of graduates questioning whether they made the right choice.
Swimming Upstream: The MLIS Pipeline Problem
Like many others, Rachel entered graduate school assuming it would set her up for career success. Instead, she found herself navigating an academic structure that felt vague at best.
“There’s no real guidance on what classes to take or what experiences actually matter,” she said. “I had a career counselor who spent 45 minutes making my bullet points square instead of round. That was the feedback. Life-changing.”
Library schools often emphasize theory over practice, leaving many graduates feeling unprepared for the day-to-day realities of the field. Employers, meanwhile, report that new LIS graduates often lack crucial skills in instruction, digital literacy, and leadership. Without a structured core curriculum, students are left to piece together their professional pathways, hoping they’ve made the right choices.
Casting Applications into the Deep
The application process for Rachel started optimistically enough. “I was applying to jobs that really excited me,” she said. “By month nine, I was applying to anything that seemed remotely relevant, whether I actually wanted it or not.”
At first, she was strategic, focusing on public libraries, academic institutions, and research services. But as rejection emails piled up, her strategy evolved. “I realized I was getting more second-round interviews for research services positions, so I started focusing on those,” she said.
Age and experience became constant hurdles. “I worried I looked too young and that employers would see me as inexperienced,” she said. “I’d sit in interviews thinking, ‘I know you have applicants with 10 years of experience waiting in line. How do I convince you to take a chance on me?’”
Navigating Choppy Waters: The Safety Dilemma for Marginalized Job Seekers
Beyond professional hurdles, marginalized job seekers face an additional layer of complexity: where they feel safe working. As a queer librarian, Rachel carefully considered geography in her job search.
“I had a list of about 15 states where I felt safe enough to live,” she said. “When casting my net for job opportunities, my main concern was whether I’d feel safe living there, especially in this political climate, I had to think about access to healthcare, legal protections, and whether I’d be welcome in the community.”
But as the months dragged on, that resolve weakened. “I interviewed for a job where I felt deeply uncomfortable with the environment,” she admitted. “But I was so desperate, I started convincing myself that maybe it would be fine. Looking back, I hate that I was ever in that position.”
Breaking Point and Turning the Tide
By the ninth month of her search, frustration set in. “I had a full-on mental breakdown about nine months into the job search,” she said. “I just hit a point where I didn’t know if I could keep doing this. At that point, I was so exhausted, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be a librarian anymore.”
Then she made a small but crucial change: she started tracking her application statistics. “I realized that I was getting first interviews for about 25% of the applications I sent,” she said. “That shifted my perspective. Instead of every rejection feeling personal, I started seeing it as a numbers game. If I applied to four jobs, odds were I’d get at least one interview.”
She also stopped trying to fit into a predetermined mold. “I had this idea of what an ‘academic librarian’ should be—serious, experienced, deeply invested in the ACRL Framework. However, after talking to a friend, I realized that my strengths were in student advocacy, supervision, and outreach. Once I started leading with that in interviews, everything changed.”
Finally, after nearly a year of searching, she landed a full-time job. “By the time I interviewed for this position, I had other offers, so I felt free to just be myself,” she said. “And it turns out, that worked in my favor.”
Lessons from the Catch: What MLIS Graduates Should Know About the Job Market
For those currently searching, Rachel offers a few pieces of advice:
- Develop a system for applications. “I had a spreadsheet with saved responses for common questions. Streamline everything so the process is less painful.”
- Find a support system and take breaks. “Some days, I needed to step away completely. Burnout is real.”
- Know what you bring to the table. “Your strengths may not be traditional, but they are valuable.”
- Follow your instincts. “People will give you a lot of conflicting advice. Listen, but trust your own judgment.”
For new MLIS grads, the job hunt isn’t always about finding the ‘best fit’—sometimes, it’s about convincing employers that ‘yes, I do in fact exist and am capable of work.’ Rachel’s journey was long, frustrating, and at times, absurd, but in the end, she landed a role where she could bring her skills, her values, and most importantly, herself.
And sometimes, just sometimes, you have to keep screaming into the void until something finally answers back.
Check out the ALA’s resources for job searchers!
- Library Job Search- ALA A list of resources, ALA and non-ALA, to help job seekers find library jobs
- NMRT Resume Review Service The Resume Review Service Committee gives NMRT members an opportunity to have their resumes and/or cover letters reviewed via e-mail by experienced professionals in the field.
- Résumés This page includes more resources to help improve resumes.
- ALAJobLIST Your #1 source for careers in Library & Information Science and Technology. Online job ads and more from C&RL News, American Libraries, and ALA’s Human Resources Development and Recruitment.
Sources/Works Cited:
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Librarians and Library Media Specialists: Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/librarians.htm.
Library Journal. “Challenges, Opportunities, Placements, and Salaries: 2024 Report.” Library Journal, 2023, https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/challenges-opportunities-placements-and-salaries-2024.
San José State University. MLIS Graduate Survey Report, 2021. School of Information, 2021, https://ischool.sjsu.edu/post/survey-2021-mlis-graduates.
Tandfonline. “Skills Employers Seek in MLIS Graduates: A Study of Job Postings.” Journal of Library Administration, vol. 62, no. 3, 2022, pp. 245–262, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01930826.2022.2026119.
University of Washington Information School. MLIS Graduate Employment Statistics, 2023, https://ischool.uw.edu/programs/mlis/statistics.