By Brandy Horne
As stated in its mission, the Resume Review Service (RRS) committee “gives NMRT members an opportunity to have their resumes and/or cover letters reviewed via e-mail by experienced professionals in the field.” Our volunteer reviewers represent many different library types, including academic, public, school, medical, and special, and their areas of expertise are even more varied. In addition to their expertise as librarians, our reviewers have considerable experience when it comes to the hiring process. Our reviewers are directors, managers, and department heads, or they have considerable experience serving on search committees. They know, first-hand, what hiring managers look for in a resume, and they’re more than willing to share their insights to help people find success in their job search.
The RRS committee’s email service is available year-round and is the easiest way to have a resume and/or cover letter reviewed. NMRT members can take advantage of this service by visiting the jobseeker’s page of our website. The RRS committee uses the requested information to match requests with reviewers whose experience and expertise most closely support the needs of the job seeker. Once a reviewer agrees to review a resume, he/she has 7-10 days to respond to the job seeker with feedback. Most requests are handled within two weeks.
In addition to the year-round email service, the RRS committee hosts an on-site resume review service at both ALA Annual and Midwinter. This service, located within the ALA JobLIST Placement Center, runs from 9:00 am-5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday during the conference. The on-site service is open to everyone, and access to the Placement Center does not require conference registration. Scheduling an appointment prior to the conference is strongly encouraged and is the only way to guarantee a meeting with a reviewer. However, walk-ins are welcome and scheduled as space and time allow. The deadline to make an appointment in advance of the conference is Tuesday, January 17 at 5:00. For more information and to access the appointment form, please visit the “Get Your Resume Reviewed” page of our Midwinter 2017 website.
The RRS committee has only a few members, so the on-site resume review service would not be possible without the help of volunteers. If you would like to volunteer as a Reviewer or a Booth Greeter, please visit and explore our Midwinter 2017 website. This is an excellent opportunity for everyone from seasoned professionals to library students to network and to get involved with ALA.
If you are an experienced library professional with hiring experience and would like to be added to our database of volunteer email reviewers, please email us at resumereviewnmrt@gmail.com
If you have any questions regarding NMRT’s Resume Review Service committee, the email service, the on-site service, or volunteering opportunities, please contact the committee chair, Brandy Horne at brandybell@gmail.com or the assistant chair, Hannah Buckland, at hannah.buckland@lltc.edu