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You will recall in Part 1 of this series, Considering a Change, that we looked at reasons why you might consider a change in your career as a "regular librarian." Denise Bonin and Lisa Jane Watson let us in on their secrets on why they made the change. In this second article we will discuss the steps to making a change.

Once you've made that all important decision to change your career and you're ready to see yourself in a new perspective, you still might not be ready to leap into that freelance information broker job. There's still some work to do. Going back to "What Colour is Your Parachute" again, where they call it the "Creative Approach to Job Hunting," you have to look at what, where and how.

WHAT - What skills do you most enjoy using? You need to do a thorough inventory of skills and talents that you have, and prioritize them, in their order of importance and enjoyment for you. What do you like to do? What transferable skills do you have, that could be used in other fields. These skills include interpersonal skills, communication skills (oral & written), management ability, overall interaction with people. You have to be able to communicate these skills in general ways and give examples, particularly if you're marketing your services to (or interviewing with) someone who doesn't understand "library speak." Try to communicate your skills in terms that your prospective market uses.

One article on this topic (Williams) noted that there were a number of skills that were most valuable in nontraditional fields. These included reference skills (which is essentially knowing how to ask questions, knowing how to listen, and problem-solving skills) and computer skills (experience with online databases, CD ROMs and the Internet). The Internet in particular is opening up whole new opportunities - "the bigger the Internet gets, the more difficult it becomes to find information - and the more important are those skills of organizing information and providing access to that information."

What are your goals or aspirations? How senior a position would you like to achieve? Where do you want to be in your career in five years? Importantly, do your skills and your goals match? If not, maybe you need more training or need to go back to school.

With the decision in hand that she was not going to return to a traditional library job, Bonin, assessed her skills. She recognized that computers in libraries were really making an impact in the mid 1980's and since she liked using them and saw lots of potential she narrowed her scope. Database searching and design were a couple of areas she tested out on a few former colleagues. There seemed to be a greater demand for the later so she chose that road. She says that "in the world of computers change happens almost daily and I have to constantly keep on top of it. I do this by reading lots and attending many seminars."

Once Watson was working for Canebsco, she realized how much she enjoyed sales. Sales is a growing area and Watson found that she was successful at it because she had the training in how to ask questions (the reference interview). She loved meeting people and seeing different libraries and sales provided an opportunity to do this while traveling. Sales is about liking people and selling a product or service which has a good reputation; Watson found Canebsco had these qualities. Also, like Bonin, Watson has to keep abreast of changing technology and this is accomplished by reading, networking and attending seminars.

WHERE - Where do you most want to use those skills? This has primarily to do with the field or industry, but also your preferred working conditions, what kinds of data or people or things you enjoy working with. If you're planning on starting your own business, check out the competition in your area. If there isn't any, it may mean that there isn't a big enough customer base to support it. Determine what the dominant companies or industries are in the area. Call up organizations that interest you.

Once a career in sales is decided, it's important to research the company you wish to work for. Find out the company's history, ask colleagues about the company's reputation, check their financial rating with Dun and Bradstreet, talk with employees, compare benefits with other companies, check out the competition, find out if there is room to negotiate terms of employment, be aware that working for a private company is different from working for a government or public institution, and finally, sell yourself to the company.

Having worked for several years in a special library, Bonin knew that this was the area she wanted to target her services. Special librarians who have learned to outsource when it is needed, when they don't have the time or inclination to undertake the task themselves, are her best customers. After partnering for several projects with one of her main competitors, they eventually joined forces to form Andornot Consulting. She adds, "Competition is good and healthy and in this area there is room for more."

HOW - How do you inform yourself about jobs, that use your favorite skills and your favorite fields of knowledge? To answer this question, talk to people in your new chosen field, if only to determine that this isn't just a case of "the grass is always greener." Get in touch with relevant professional associations. There are a variety of associations that provide support for information professionals employed in non-library settings. The Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP), for example, has an international membership of freelance information brokers and consultants, indexers, cataloguers, and more. The Special Libraries Association, PLIANT Caucus, provides an arena for non-practicing librarians to stay connected to the profession, as well as those who are considering switching careers.

Both Watson and Bonin belong to and participate in several local organizations, including the Special Libraries Association, BC Library Association, Library Association of Alberta, Archives Association of BC, Vancouver Online Users Group, Greater Edmonton Library Association, Library and Information Studies Alumni Association, Canadian Professional Sales Association, and others. They have actively participated in many of the organizations since Library school days and have consequently made many contacts along the way, both professional and business wise. These networking opportunities are invaluable in making new contacts and showing their community of clients that they participate in the same organizations and can therefore relate to their situations. These days many of these organizations have both websites and listservs, which often have job postings, for "regular library jobs" as well as many other interesting alternative jobs. Answering these just might launch a new career.

We can take our skills into a variety of other arenas. Here are some fields where former librarians can be found: records management, patent research, political research, human resources, computer training, editing, public relations, freelance information brokering or consulting, and sales. Librarians, especially solo librarians who become jacks of all trades out of necessity, are doing many of these things within their libraries already.