From the outside, the roles and functions of librarians can seem very similar from library to library. From the inside, moving between corporate, government, public, law or academic library sectors can be like chalk and cheese. In Australia, librarians tend not to specialise in one sector as much as librarians in other countries, but it can still be difficult to change sectors, especially when you are early in your career. Here are five tips to get your move started -

1. Study your chosen sector

What do you know about the sector you’re about to move to - what are the issues? Challenges? What is the job market like? The more you know about your new sector the easier it will be to identify areas of growth.

Blogs make it easier than ever to keep up with a new sector - whether you are interested in Youth Services, Public Libraries or Law, you can get a feel for the major issues and peopl. Journals and associations are another great way to learn more. Also consider attending events and talking to people in your chosen sector.
2. Perform a skills audit

What skills do you have now? What are your strengths, and your weaknesses? Audit your skills by working out the skills you use in your current position, skills you may have but are not currently using, and write them up. This will help you to identify the skills you need to work on.

3. Study the skill set

Read through job ads in your chosen sector regularly. You may find that there are new skills you need to learn before you can make the move, or even a new qualification you need to gain (eg if you want to move into teacher-librarianship). Plan ahead, it may take some time to gain the skills you need. How will you gain these skills? Read on…

You should also consider how your experience to now is relevant in your new sector.

4. Create opportunities

While you are still in your current sector, seek out projects that will help you gain the skills you have identified. If you find you can’t learn everything at work, consider volunteering for a project or another organisation. Volunteering with associations can be a great way to gain any soft skills that you want to improve.

5. Participate in associations and networks

Moving into a new sector can feel like starting over again in librarianship. It can be challenging to explain how your experience in one sector relates to another, and you may feel overwhelmed at the start. But many many librarians have made the move successfully - seek them out and ask them how they did it!

Want to share your experiences or have any advice? Leave a comment!