Conference Placement Service

For more than 50 years, the American Library Association's (ALA) Placement Service has provided opportunities for employers and job seekers to meet, network, and achieve success in reaching their employment goals.

Welcome to the ALA JobLIST Placement and Career Development Service!

For more than 50 years, the American Library Association's (ALA) Placement Service has provided opportunities for employers and job seekers to meet, network, and achieve success in reaching their employment goals.

Designed to give employers and job seekers access to information on a year-round basis, JobLIST is the official ALA job site. Resumes and job postings should be placed there.

Events and activities in the Placement Center are designed to help job seekers re-tool their skills and prepare for job searches. They are intended for people at every stage of their careers--not just new graduates. Employers are encouraged to interact with job seekers at every level.

Upcoming Events

ALA 2018 Midwinter JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center

Location: Denver, Colorado

Conference Dates: February 9 - 13, 2018

Placement Center Dates: Saturday & Sunday, February 10 - 11, 2018

Times of Operation: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. both days

For information on conducting interviews at the conference, contact Beatrice Calvin at 800/545-2433 ext. 4280.

    Placement Center Activities

    • Career Counseling

      Recharge your career by meeting with a professional counselor. The counselor can guide you in strategizing for the next phase of your career, solving a problem in your current job situation, defining goals, and/or rejuvenating your career. Each one-on-one session is 20 minutes, and is completely confidential.

      If you have never experienced career counseling, or just haven't used this type of service in a long time, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself or reacquaint yourself with a service that can be useful throughout your career. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with a knowledgeable professional about your career concerns. This service is free and available whenever the Placement Center is open. Sign up for appointments will begin in November. You also have the option of going to the Placement Center on-site to sign-up for a time slot. However, appointments go quickly, so consider signing up in advance using the online sign up.

      Sign up now.

    • Orientation

      Orientation will be held on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. in the Placement & Career Development Center for the the Annual Conference.

    • Open House

      Employers will be available to talk to conference attendees about their institutions on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon. No appointment necessary. Job seekers are free to walk around and talk to any employer. Employers who want to participate in the Open House, should request a table by submitting a participation form. Contact Beatrice Calvin at 800/545-2433 ext. 4280 for more information or to reserve a table. No cost to participate.

    • On-the-Fly Mentoring

      Saturday, 9:00am - 12:00pm

      and Sunday, 1:00pm - 4:00pm




      Looking for some professional guidance and advice while at the ALA Annual Conference? If so, you should stop by the Placement Center for the ACRL - University Libraries Section's "On-the-Fly" Mentoring to talk with an experienced librarian about any and all aspects of your career. Mentoring sessions are available by appointment and on a first-come, first-served drop-in basis.

    • Photography Service

      Saturday & Sunday

      9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

      An exciting service is now part of the Placement Center. The ALA JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center offers all attendees the opportunity to have a "headshot" photo package created. Any attendee can sign-up for an appointment with ALA's conference photography team to have a professional photo taken and set of digital images created for the attendees' use in job applications, social media and other networking opportunities. Sign-up now.

      Photos will be taken in the Center on Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Appointments can be made in advance and onsite. For advance appointments, use the online sign-up form which will be available starting in November.

      There is a nominal fee of $20 which can be paid either in advance with a check or money order, or onsite with cash, money order or check only. All advance payments must be received by Friday, January 26, 2018.

      To pay in advance, complete the registration form and mail it along with payment made payable to the American Library Association to the following address: ALA/HRDR, c/o Placement Photo Service, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611.

    • Resume Reviews

      Saturday & Sunday

      9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

    • If you need help getting your resume polished off, stop by the Placement Center while you are at conference. Come and discover the best way to show your most recent accomplishments with an updated resume. The resume critiquing service is free, and available whenever the Placement & Career Development Center is open. We will add a link to the online sign up page as we get closer to conference. You will also have the option of going to the Placement Center on-site to sign-up for a time slot. However, appointments go quickly, so sign-up now for an appointment in advance.

    • Workshops at Conference

      A variety of career-guidance workshops will be held in the Placement Center. The current list of sessions can be found on the Conference Workshops page.

    Employers

    Employers who want a recruitment booth on site in the Placement Center should complete a space reservation form and email it to the Placement & Career Development Center's manager, Beatrice Calvin. The cost of a booth is $625.00. Please review the form for information on what is included in this fee.

    We are planning on holding an Open House on Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon in the Placement Center. Representatives from various library and library-related companies will have an opportunity to talk with conference attendees about work environments as well as activities in and around their institutions (i.e. sports, arts, music, community involvement, etc). There is no cost to participate in the Open House. Employers interested in participating in the Open House should request a table by submitting a participation form. Contact Beatrice Calvin at 800/545-2433 ext. 4280 for more information or to reserve a table. No cost to participate.

    Employers who want to post job positions, should register and post them on JobLIST. Rates are listed on the Advertising Rates page.

    Employers who want to review resumes of registered job seekers must have an active online ad on JobLIST. Once your ad is active, you will have access to the resumes. You can contact job seekers within our system to arrange interviews before and during the conference.

    Employers who want to use the on-site interviewing facilities must have an active online ad placed on JobLIST at the time you schedule an interview.

    It is the employers' responsibility to reserve interview tables. Job seekers cannot do this. To reserve interview space, employers should first confirm the date and time of your interviews with candidates. Then contact Placement staff for table assignment. You can send an email to bcalvin@ala.org. You should be prepared to give the candidate's name along with the day and time of the interview. You may also go to the on-site Placement Center to get a table assignment.

    Employers who have a recruitment booth on site in the Placement Center will not need to get table assignments. You can conduct interviews in your private interview space. You have control of your own scheduling.

    The communications tool within the JobLIST system is designed to enhance two-way communications. Therefore, employers should login to JobLIST on a regular basis to check for messages, as job seekers can and will contact you regarding your listed positions.

    If you have questions, concerns, or need help feel free to contact ALA Placement Center Manager, Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or 800/545-2433 ext. 4280. You may also email JobLIST staff at joblist@ala.org.

    Job Seekers

    Job seekers should register and search for jobs on the JobLIST web page. All services are free to job seekers.

    There is no cost to register. Registration is not required to view job information. However, it is to the job seeker's advantage to do so. It will give registered employers access to your resume information. It will also allow for direct communication between you and the employer. If you see a position that you are interested in, you can send a message directly to the representative through the JobLIST system.

    If you plan to attend conference, you should indicate this on your information. After you register on JobLIST, be sure to log in often and check your messages. Employers who will be attending the conference can and probably will contact you regarding interviews.

    If you need help getting your resume polished off, stop by the Placement Center while you are at conference. The New Members Round Table provide resume critiquing service to conference attendees. The service is free.

    There will also be a number of free workshops on interviewing, resumes, cover letters, etc. at conferences. Check on the Career Resources page of JobLIST for the final dates, times, and locations. Go to the Conference Workshops page.

    There are several webinars and podcasts which were developed specifically for library workers on our Multi Media page. Some are directly related to preparing for conference. You will also find numerous resources on various job hunting topics on the Career Development Resources page.

    If you have questions, concerns, or need help feel free to contact ALA Placement Service Manager, Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or 800/545-2433 ext. 4280.


    To post jobs, visit JobLIST.

    To view jobs, visit JobLIST.

    gold star If you're interested in volunteering to work in the Placement Center, contact Beatrice Calvin, the Placement Service Manager.