Want to Work in a Library? Do you Have Project Management Experience?
In a competitive job environment, it’s important to keep an eye out for any advantage that might distinguish you from other applicants when applying for library jobs. Typically, that can include honing your information and people skills across a wide range of environments. But another skill has recently emerged with increasing frequency in job postings: project management.
The San José State University iSchool’s annual MLIS Skills at Work report, a top-level snapshot of findings gleaned from analyzing 400 LIS-related job postings between February and April 2019, found:
Increasing demand for project management skills appears across career types, but specifically in the public, academic, and business fields. This does not necessarily mean supervising others, but often refers to organizing a complicated task and collaborating with other departments or organizations to complete it. The ability to collaborate is important to employers.
In addition, the job trends report noted, project management skills might or might not be clearly listed by that specific phrase. They might, in fact, also be characterized “by a variety of individual skills such as planning and organizing projects, overseeing large and long-term projects, and supervising or leading a team project.”
Why project management?
In some ways, this increasing focus on project management skills may reflect the evolving roles and activities of public libraries. For instance, libraries are taking on an expanding number of complex activities, many of which involve coordinating multiple types of resources: internal staff, technologies, money, space, and perhaps outside contractors., among others. All of this coordination takes place within an agreed-upon timeframe: the new makerspace needs to be completed within seven months, the “community voices” program needs to launch six months before the election, the remodel to make space for the new performing arts section needs to be “ready for primetime” by the upcoming board meeting.
In addition, libraries are increasingly engaging in collaborative projects with other organizations in their communities. This adds an additional layer of complexity, including communications challenges, at least two project teams, multiple decision-makers (and decision-making processes), multiple resource contributions, two financial or accounting systems, and other variables.
But even in small undertakings, thinking in terms of project management can help you achieve your goals with increased efficiency and decreased anxiety. Deadlines are much less daunting when you feel in control of the process and execution, and that’s the gift that project management gives you.
What is project management?
In general terms, project management is the planning and execution of specific activities in order to achieve a given goal within an established time frame. This involves coordination and oversight of the resources (e.g., people, technology, budget, time, etc.) necessary to complete the project.
Depending on their complexity, projects can be managed with tools as simple as an Excel spreadsheet or as sophisticated as high-end software, such as Microsoft Project Professional® (absolutely no endorsement implied!).
How can you learn about project management?
If you’re entirely unfamiliar with the process of undertaking and completing a project, a great starting point in Carly Wiggins Searcy’s Project Management in Libraries: On Time, on Budget, on Target (ALA Editions, 2018). In addition to being a long-time librarian, Searcy is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)® (from the industry leading Project Management Institute) and has managed projects ranging from software development teams to multiple library building projects. Her book provides an excellent framework and step-by-step process with which to understand how project management works for fairly large or complex undertakings.
But another good way to understand project management is to observe people you know who seem to have a knack for marshaling a group of people and working through them to get things done. This is everyday project management in action and observing those who are good at it is a great way to learn some very pragmatic best practices. Ask them questions, learn how they set priorities and handle unanticipated project “hiccups,” watch how they run meetings, observe how they set an expectation of accountability among all team members. Then find situations in your own life that lend themselves to practicing basic project management thinking.
If you’re a LIS grad student, take a project management course as one of your MLIS degree program electives. See if applying a project management framework helps you complete a major assignment without your usual level of anxiety (or all-nighters). If you’re a practitioner, what stretch goal might you take on if you felt you’d be able to manage it effectively? This might be an innovative project you’ve been thinking about at work, or a small collaborative undertaking in your community, or even writing that book you’ve been putting off for so long! All of these are projects that involve multiple moving pieces and parts — exactly what project management is meant for.
As with so many things in life, starting small is a great way to learn new skills, practicing as you go.
Project management and your job hunt
According to the MLIS Skills at Work report, the top three skills most in demand by employers were communication and interpersonal skills, familiarity with new technology/databases, and project management skills. But as noted earlier, “project management” can indicate a wide range of expectations on the part of a hiring manager — from creating and managing a small new program to taking on a major, months-long initiative.
Your best bet? If project management is included among the job requirements or duties, come prepared to discuss instances when you’ve managed any projects from start-up through completion, and then when you’ve been able to determine what type of project management your interviewer has in mind, you can tailor your responses to the appropriate level of responsibility. Don’t assume the organization is looking for a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)®, but do recognize what abilities successful project management entails, and emphasize them.
For example, be ready to talk about (and give examples of) your ability for big-picture thinking, planning, team and/or resource management, time management, perhaps budget responsibility, personal accountability, collaboration, and a sense of ownership for any projects you take on. (You don’t necessarily need to weave all those into a single paragraph, but if the job calls for any variation of project management expertise, it would be great to mention them at various points throughout your interview.)
Practicing project management
It’s been said (to the horror of countless LIS grad students) that life is a group project; so, too, is it a series of projects to manage. By now you’ve probably managed hundreds of small-to-large projects that you simply never thought of as such. But given the increasing emphasis on project management skills among the job postings noted in the MLIS Skills at Work report, now might be a good time to start rethinking that approach. And if you’re a grad student, consider this advice from the Recommendations for LIS Job Seekers section of the report:
Practice, practice, practice. Take opportunities in school or work environments to manage large or complex projects. Project management is rising as an important skill for LIS professionals across all fields. Practice multitasking or supervising the work of others.
If no project management opportunities present themselves for you to practice on, then create your own! Pay attention to the lessons you learn on each new project. Before you know it, you’ll have project management experience and be ready to wow employers.
