One thing you *might* be able to do is move back to where the jobs are. Some libraries will pay expenses to interview you, but many will not. Those are lost opportunities.

I suspect you know this and can't make the move easily, but as it wasn't stated I thought I should mention it.

Hi, not sure if this is the kind of advice you are looking for but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in:

If you are relocating that distance, as I am trying to do, I was told it helps to give a firm date, in the cover letter, for when you will either be traveling back or moving back. I sent out 20 resumes in one month to out of state positions and only heard from one even using this advice. I am not trying to work in an academic library though (I would like to be in a special library, especially a cataloging or technical service position)...

I was also advised that generally, if you really do want to relocate regardless of receiving a relocation package/expenses, that should go in your cover letter also (i.e. tell them you are willing to incur your relo expenses).

I have to disagree with some of this advice, having just served on two academic search committees in the past year. I have applied and interviewed for a lot of academic librarian positions and never was I asked to pay my own travel expenses (this is very common in public libraries and also in many community colleges). Also, all but one of the interviews I had were out of state. Most of the people who applied for the most recent job at our University library were also from out of state, and none of them explained why they wanted to move here in their cover letter. What they did address was why they wanted the job and how their skills and experience matched our qualifications. I would be less likely to interview someone whose cover letter gives me the sense that their primary motivation for applying for the job is that they want to move to my area. I'd be more likely to interview someone who seems passionate about this particular position and our library.

My tips:
*focus on writing a cover letter that sounds like it was written from scratch for the specific position. I've read cover letters where it's obvious that they recycled an old cover letter and just changed a few words in it. Writing something original indicates motivation and attention to detail.
*in the cover letter, be sure to address how you meet each of the required qualifications (and those preferred ones that you meet as well). Focus on how you meet the position requirements, not on things that are cool about you but have nothing to do with the position. Honestly, the cover letter is the most important thing to focus on; it's what will set you apart (for better or worse).
*if you happen to be really excited about the particular college/university, that's definitely worth mentioning (and mentioning why).
*if you're lucky enough to get a phone interview, do your homework beforehand. When someone comes into an interview not knowing anything about our library and its services, it tells me that they don't care much about OUR job
*if you're lucky enough to get a phone interview, ask really good questions about the position and the institutional environment. People are impressed by someone who asks good/thoughtful questions and it indicates that the person really cares about

Definitely don't move to an area in the hopes of finding a job there. Unless you're moving to a major metro area, the chances of that happening are slim to nil. Even in a metro area, the odds aren't great, and then you're in the position of having to move twice, which is a huge strain on your finances.

Most academic libraries want to hire the BEST candidate, not the candidate who can start the most quickly or who lives closest by. We have budgets to fly in candidates, and most fly in between 2 and 4 of them for searches. If you write a great cover letter, interview well, and are a good fit for an open position in the Northeast, your search won't be long. There are so many things that factor into these searches, some of which are in your control, some of which are not. Just focus on presenting the best "you" you can through your application materials. Best of luck!

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Also, if you can take part-time and work a second (less desireable)job, apply for the 25-32 hour postitions. You really do have a better chance of getting a job if you are within a day's drive. And I don't think this is a function of cost--it is more a matter of how quickly you can actually start working there. [/quote]

I would be extremely careful here. One, finding that second job may not be as easy as it once was a decade ago (especially depending on where you move). What you can get might not pay enough in the long run to be worth the struggle of juggling two jobs. Also, there's a good chance that you may not have a set schedule of hours with a part-time job, and trying to accommodate hours for the two jobs may not work to the satisfaction of both employers.

You might have to wind up going this route, given the state of today's economy. But personally, especially given the expenses and headache of relocating, I'd do this only as an absolute last resort option, and ONLY in an institution where there is clearly potential upward mobility.

I was talking about adding one sentence in the closing paragraph, which states that you are looking in that area for a reason, and that you are are willing to pay relocation costs if necessary. An entire paragraph would be grossly inappropriate.

My advice when applying for academic library jobs: Instead of focusing on why you want to move to the area, talk about why you want to work that THAT library at THAT school, even if it's not entirely true. If you tell the search committee you are interested in the area, they might take it to mean you're not interested in that job. (Of course there are exceptions: I work in Cairo, and we want people there to have a real interest in Egypt. But this doesn't necessarily apply within the US.) I worked briefly in HR at a library in a lovely mountainous touristy area, and reading letters from people who had family there just made it seem they'd wanted to be paid to relocate rather than have the actual job.

And I wouldn't mention anything about paying expenses in the letter. The search committee who reviews your application has nothing to do with your salary or expenses. They'd be likely to see a comment along these lines as either naive or lacking professionalism or a sign of desperation. The worst case scenario is that you take away some negotiating power if they do offer you a job. Many academic libraries have a standard amount they pay people to relocate.

I've served on two search committees and seen several other searches. I've never seen finances mentioned in any letter.

I have paraprofessional academic library experience, in technical services. I have lots of customer service/public service experience. I have supervisory experience. I’m working at a university currently, in a non-traditional information management role with University Development (fundraising).

I’ve enrolled in a subject-area master’s program here in El Paso, thinking that I would transfer any credit that I’d accumulated and complete the degree wherever we move. I’ve enrolled in some continuing education workshops for this summer (through various organizations); Dreamweaver, Copyright and Libraries, and Implementing Social Software in Libraries.

I did not complete an internship or practicum while I was pursuing the online degree. I have a little bit of an odd situation in that I have been an army wife for the last six years. In that period, we have moved four times and been through two deployments; I’ve had lots of job instability, and a period of unemployment while we were in Europe. However, in 26 days, my family's military obligations will be at an end.

I am well aware that search committees do not, and should not, care about my personal life. I quite agree that my personal desire to relocate is not of relevance to university search committees. However, in my cover letters I have included a brief statement that the constant relocation reflected in my resume is a result of my family’s military obligations, which will be ending this summer.

I include that statement because I’m aware that any person viewing my resume would wonder why I have not stayed at a job for more than a year and a half. I’d like to assure search committees that the instability shown in my resume is not reflective of any serious personal problem, or lack of ability (or desire) to hold down a job.

I will absolutely not be moving until I have a job offer lined up. Personally, I’m not concerned about moving expenses, but I agree that that does not need to be discussed at the application stage.

Similar to your job search, I am somewhat flexible geographically. I am choosing to only apply for jobs in the northeast because, wherever it is we move, I want to be settled and stay for a significant period of time. The geography matters to me, but ultimately, it is “the right” job that I am searching for and “the right” job that we will be moving for.