In June 2012, Rebecca Goldman and Shannon Lausch conducted a survey of recent archives graduates to investigate job search experiences, career satisfaction, satisfaction with archival education, and overall life satisfaction. They presented the results of their research at the Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting in San Diego on August 9, 2012. Included here are the survey questions, anonymized versions of the survey data, and Goldman and Lausch\u27s presentations from SAA

Goldman, Rebecca

Lausch, Shannon M

English

La Salle University Digital Commons

La Salle UniversityLa Salle University Digital CommonsConference presentations Connelly Library8-9-2012Job search experiences and career satisfactionamong recent archives program graduatesRebecca GoldmanLa Salle University, goldman@lasalle.eduShannon M. LauschUniversity of Arkansas - Little Rock, smlausch@ualr.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/libraryconfPart of the Archival Science CommonsThis Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the Connelly Library at La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted forinclusion in Conference presentations by an authorized administrator of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contactcareyc@lasalle.edu.Recommended CitationGoldman, Rebecca and Lausch, Shannon M., "Job search experiences and career satisfaction among recent archives programgraduates" (2012). Conference presentations. 4.http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/libraryconf/4Page 1Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent ArchivesPlease read to learn more about the survey and what we'll do with the data. This is a survey of employment and career satisfaction among recent graduates of archives programs. To be eligible for this survey, you must have graduated from a graduate program with an archival education component in 2007 or later. If you are not sure if you are eligible for this survey, feel free to contact the survey authors.  We estimate that the survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. It seems long, but the survey is set up so that you get questions that are relevant to you. For example, if you say you're not currently looking for a job, you won't see questions about your job search. The structure isn't perfect in this respect, but you probably won't be seeing every single question.  For every question, please feel free to explain further or provide additional information in the Comments box. If you have a lot to write, click and drag on the bottom right corner of the comment box to expand it as much as you need.  Unlike many archives surveys, we’re interested in hearing from people who ended up in positions outside of traditional archives jobs. We need your help to reach them! Please share this survey with friends and colleagues who are recent grads, as well as any grad school listservs or messageboards you may have access to.   In this survey, we ask for some pretty personal information. Here's how we'll protect your privacy: * the raw survey data will only be accessible by the survey authors * answers to multiple choice questions will only be reported in the aggregate. It won't be possible to see how an individual answered the survey questions. * comments and free­response answers will only be shared out of context. (For example, if we publish a quote like "I hated all my internships," we might say "This was a comment on the question about the value of internships," but we won't say, "The person who left this comment graduated three years ago and now works in a historical society.") * free response answers will have any identifying information removed prior to publication. (For example, if you write, "I had a terrible internship at the West Dakota Historical Society," we would publish that as "I had a terrible internship at the [state] Historical Society.")  Thanks in advance for taking this survey!  Rebecca Goldman rebgold@gmail.com Shannon Lausch smlausch@gmail.com   Survey Intro Page 2Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent ArchivesWe're encouraging people to share this survey widely. Answers to this question will help us evaluate how far the survey spread. 1. How did you hear about this survey? Survey Source* SNAP listserv nmlkjArchives and Archivists listserv nmlkjSAA student chapter listserv nmlkjgrad school/alumni listserv nmlkjother listserv (please name the listserv below) nmlkjfriend or colleague nmlkjother (please name the source below) nmlkjComments/Other (please specify) Page 3Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent ArchivesThese questions determine if you're eligible for our survey. If you answer "before 2007" for Question 2 or "No" for Question 3, you aren't eligible and you'll be automatically skipped to the end. 2. When did you graduate from a graduate program (in archives, library science, history, or a related field)? If you graduated from multiple programs, choose the one you attended before starting your job search in archives.3. Did this program have an archival education component? (This component might be an archives degree or concentration, or coursework in archives. If you didn't take any archives classes for your degree, choose No.) Archives Education** April­June 2012 nmlkjJanuary­March 2012 nmlkj2011 nmlkj2010 nmlkj2009 nmlkj2008 nmlkj2007 nmlkjbefore 2007 nmlkjComments 56yes nmlkjno nmlkjComments 56Page 4Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives4. What type of graduate degree did you earn? (Choose the same degree you used when answering the previous question.)5. When you entered grad school, did you have a specific type of archives job in mind? Archives Education and Prior ExperienceMA/MS nmlkjMLS/MLIS/other library or information science degree nmlkjdual MA/MLS degree nmlkjPhD nmlkjother graduate degree (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56yes, I had a specific type of archives job in mind (please describe the job in Comments) nmlkjI knew I wanted to work in archives, but I didn’t have a particular type of job in mind nmlkjI wasn’t sure if I wanted to work in archives, but I wanted the option to be able to nmlkjI wasn’t at all sure what kind of job I wanted nmlkjI wasn’t interested in an archives job nmlkjother (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56Page 5Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives6. Please indicate all degrees you hold. If you hold a second BA/BS, MA/MS, etc., or a degree not listed here, please describe in Other/Comments. (Select all that apply.)7. By the time you graduated, how many years of full­time equivalent (FTE) experience did you have in the archives field? Include paid and unpaid work experience. (For example, if you worked 20 hours a week for a year, you would have 0.5 years of FTE experience.) 8. By the time you graduated, how many internships/volunteer projects/or practicums relating to the archives field had you completed?  BA/BS/BFA gfedcMA/MS/MFA gfedcMLS/MLIS/other library or information science degree gfedcMBA gfedcPhD gfedcJD gfedcOther/Comments 56Page 6Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives9. Have you found a job post­graduation? (Please consider any paid employment, in any field, when answering this question.) Initial Job Search (page 1)* Yes, I found a job after receiving my degree nmlkjYes, but I already had the job prior to receiving my degree nmlkjNo, I haven’t found a job yet nmlkjNone of these answers apply to me (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56Page 7Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives10. Estimate how many positions you applied for before landing your first job.11. How long did it take from beginning your job search to being offered the first position you accepted?12. How many interviews did you receive during your job search? 13. How many job offers did you receive during your job search?  Initial Job Search (page 2) 1­20 nmlkj21­40 nmlkj41­60 nmlkj61­80 nmlkj81­100 nmlkj100 or more nmlkjComments 561­3 months nmlkj4­6 months nmlkj7­9 months nmlkj10­12 months nmlkj13+ months nmlkjComments 56Page 8Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives14. How would you best describe the position type of your first job?15. Were you satisfied with the position type of your first job? Initial Job Search (page 3) archivist or other archives professional nmlkjrelated professional (e.g. librarian, records manager) nmlkjarchives paraprofessional nmlkjrelated paraprofessional (e.g. library assistant) nmlkjemployed in an unrelated field nmlkjhybrid position (some archives responsibilities, some non­archives responsibilities nmlkjnone of these apply to me (please explain in Comments) nmlkjOther/Comments 56completely satisfied nmlkjvery satisfied nmlkjsomewhat satisfied nmlkjslightly satisfied nmlkjnot at all satisfied nmlkjComments 56Page 9Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives16. Which setting best describes the type of institution of your first job?  Initial Job Search (page 4) Federal Government nmlkjState Government nmlkjLocal Government nmlkjHistorical Society nmlkjCultural Center nmlkjPublic Library nmlkjCollege or University nmlkjCommunity College nmlkjSecondary School nmlkjReligious Organization nmlkjFor­profit Corporation nmlkjNon­profit Organization nmlkjHospital nmlkjMuseum nmlkjIndependent/Consultant nmlkjOther (please specify) nmlkjOther/Comments 56Page 10Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives17. How would you best describe the employment status of your first job?18. Were you satisfied with the employment status of your first job?19. Did this job require your degree? (This question refers to the degree you earned before starting your job search.)  Initial Job Search (page 5) full­time and permanent nmlkjfull­time and temporary, term, or contract­/project­based nmlkjpart­time and permanent nmlkjpart­time and temporary, term, or contract­/project­based nmlkjnone of these answers apply to me (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56completely satisfied nmlkjvery satisfied nmlkjsomewhat satisfied nmlkjslightly satisfied nmlkjnot at all satisfied nmlkjComments 56yes nmlkjno, but it helped me get the job nmlkjno, and it didn’t help me get the job nmlkjno, and I’m not sure if if helped me get the job nmlkjI don't remember/I'm not sure nmlkjComments 56Page 11Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives20. How geographically broad was your job search?21. Did you need to relocate for your position? Initial Job Search (page 6) International nmlkjNational nmlkjRegional nmlkjStatewide nmlkjLocal (no relocation required) nmlkjOther (please explain in Other/Comments) nmlkjOther/Comments 56Yes nmlkjNo nmlkjComments 56Page 12Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives22. Are you currently looking for a new position? Current Job Search Yes nmlkjNo nmlkjPage 13Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives23. Why are you searching for a new position? (Select all that apply) Current Job Search currently unemployed gfedccurrent position is temporary, term, or contract­/project­based gfedccurrent position is part­time gfedccurrent position is paraprofessional gfedccurrent position is not related to the archives field gfedcunsatisfied with current position's pay and benefits gfedcunsatisfied with current position's responsibilities gfedcdesire a position with different responsibilities gfedcdesire a position with higher responsibilities gfedcneed or desire to relocate gfedcnone of these answers apply to me (please explain in Other/Comments) gfedcOther/Comments 56Page 14Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives24. How long have you been searching for a position?25. Are you searching for a position that is exclusively archives related? Current Job Search (page 1) 0­3 months nmlkj4­6 months nmlkj7­9 months nmlkj10­12 months nmlkj13+ months nmlkjComments 56Yes nmlkjNo, but preference is for an archives­related position nmlkjNo, and I don't have a preference for an archives­related position nmlkjComments 56Page 15Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives26. Which setting best describes the type of institution in which you would like to work? Choose all that apply. Current Job Search (page 2) Federal Government gfedcState Government gfedcLocal Government gfedcHistorical Society gfedcCultural Center gfedcPublic Library gfedcCollege or University gfedcCommunity College gfedcSecondary School gfedcReligious Organization gfedcFor­profit Corporation gfedcNon­profit Organization gfedcHospital gfedcMuseum gfedcIndependent/Consultant gfedcOther (please describe in Other/Comments) gfedcOther/Comments Page 16Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives27. Estimate how many positions you have applied for thus far during your job search:28. How many interviews have you received? 29. Have you received any job offers? Current Job Search (page 3) 0­20 nmlkj21­40 nmlkj41­60 nmlkj61­80 nmlkj81­100 nmlkj100 or more nmlkjComments 56Yes nmlkjNo nmlkjComments 56Page 17Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives30. How many job offers did you receive? 31. Why did you turn down these job offers?  Current Job Search (page 4)56 Page 18Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives32. How geographically broad is your job search? Current Job Search (page 5) International nmlkjNational nmlkjRegional nmlkjStatewide nmlkjLocal (no relocation required) nmlkjOther (please explain in Other/Comments) nmlkjOther/Comments 56Page 19Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives33. How would you best describe your current job or jobs? Please select all that apply: Current Employment (page 1) archivist or other archives professional gfedcrelated professional (e.g. librarian, records manager) gfedcarchives paraprofessional gfedcrelated paraprofessional (e.g. library assistant) gfedcemployed in an unrelated field gfedcinterning in an archives or related institution (paid) gfedcvolunteering in an archives or related institution (unpaid) gfedcunemployed gfedcnone of these answers apply to me (please explain in Comments) gfedcComments 56Page 20Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives34. How would you best describe your employment status?35. Go to http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu and find your city or county. Find the living wage for one adult in your area, and multiply it by 2080 (the number of full­time work hours in a year). Is your yearly income (from all employment) equal to or higher than this amount? Current Employment (page 2) full­time and permanent nmlkjfull­time and temporary, term, or contract­/project­based nmlkjpart­time and permanent nmlkjpart­time and temporary, term, or contract­/project­based nmlkjmultiple part­time jobs, all permanent nmlkjmultiple part­time jobs, at least one of which is temporary, term, or contract­/project­based nmlkjnone of these answers apply to me (please explain in Other/Comments) nmlkjOther/Comments 56Yes nmlkjNo nmlkjNot sure nmlkjComments 56Page 21Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives36. Are you satisfied with the job or jobs you’ve had since graduating?37. Have your job or jobs since graduation required your degree?38. Have your job or jobs since graduation required an archives degree or coursework in archives? Overall Career and Life Satisfactioncompletely satisfied nmlkjvery satisfied nmlkjsomewhat satisfied nmlkjslightly satisfied nmlkjnot at all satisfied nmlkjComments yes nmlkjno, but it helped me get the job(s) nmlkjno, and it didn’t help me get the job(s) nmlkjno, and I’m not sure if if helped me get the job(s) nmlkjdifferent for different jobs (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56yes nmlkjno, but it helped me get the job(s) nmlkjno, and it didn’t help me get the job(s) nmlkjno, and I’m not sure if if helped me get the job(s) nmlkjdifferent for different jobs (please explain in Comments) nmlkjComments 56Page 22Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives39. In your experience, has the archival education you received been useful in your post­graduation employment? (Please answer this question even if you haven’t worked in an archival position since graduation.)40. If you had the choice to make again, would you still choose to attend a graduate program in archives?41. If you had the choice to make again, would you make any changes to your graduate education, such as attending a different program or taking different classes?extremely useful nmlkjvery useful nmlkjsomewhat useful nmlkjslightly useful nmlkjnot at all useful nmlkjComments 56definitely nmlkjprobably nmlkjmaybe nmlkjprobably not nmlkjdefinitely not nmlkjnot sure nmlkjComments 56Yes (please describe in Comments) nmlkjNo nmlkjNot Sure nmlkjComments 56Page 23Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent Archives42. Imagine that a friend of yours is considering attending an archives program in the next year and asks for your opinion. Would you recommend it? (Please provide a more detailed answer in the Comments box.)43. Since graduation, have your career choices affected your finances? (Responses can be positive or negative.) 44. Since graduation, have your career choices affected your personal and family life? (Examples might include, but not be limited to: altering or delaying plans to have children, moving farther away from or closer to your family, decisions about romantic partners, decisions about marriage and divorce, etc. Responses can be positive or negative.) 45. Since graduation, have your career choices affected any other aspects of your life outside of work? 565656 definitely nmlkjprobably nmlkjmaybe nmlkjprobably not nmlkjdefinitely not nmlkjnot sure nmlkjComments 56Page 24Job Search Experiences and Career Satisfaction Among Recent ArchivesAll done! To thank you for taking our survey, here's a picture of some cute kitties.  (From George Eastman House on Flickr Commons, http://www.flickr.com/photos/george_eastman_house/5229059399)  

Job search experiences and career satisfaction among recent archives program graduates

https://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=libraryconf

Job search experiences and career satisfaction among recent archives program graduates

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