The dreaded elevator speech...

In preparation of an elevator speech, first just to let you know I need to work on my public speaking skills. I also begin to stutter a bit when giving a speech. I have never been a great orator and I have mumbled and stumbled whilst giving a talk, even amongst my classmates. It is a fear I have to get over, especially if I work in an academic or public library.  Don’t get me wrong, I can be quite gregarious and open, even with strangers, but when it comes to public speaking and I freeze. I am on the cusp of an introvert and extrovert, but going to school full-time online has me walking on the introvert side.  So what are employers looking for, according to the monograph (Paths in a working life: Charting your 21^st century career) the following traits:

·         Good communicators

·         Trustworthy

·         Energetic

·         Positive in their attitude

·         Flexible

·         Good team players

·         Dependable

·         Confident

·         Competent

·         Competitive

·         Open-minded

·         Goal-oriented

·         Leaders

·         Customer oriented

 The elevator speech should be no less than thirty seconds and no more than sixty seconds. Hmmm, here goes…”Hello my name is Faylene Keep and I just graduated with my MLIS with an undergrad in business administration. I have an interest in technology, grant writing, and research. I am a team player and enjoy project management and believe that being flexible and open-minded are some of my best traits.” Now I know I will have to work on the re-wording and begin to practice as well, egad finding employment is far more complicated in the 21^st century.

Module 7 and the goverment shut down.

This week we read articles about networking. Which in some sense I have done, I volunteer occasionally, I try to integrate my school work by working with libraries. Of course I am doing an internship and plan to do one, maybe two more if I can get away with it, which is a form of networking and work experience. I watched one of best PowerPoint presentation I have seen about networking. The overall points of the presentation provided excellent pointers. I liked it so much here is the link: http://www.slideshare.net/ucfaramos/the5-secretsofnetworking by Angel Ramos, The 5 secrets to networking. I also plan to build a website, re-join Facebook (not my favorite social media choice), try Twitter, and I will finish building my LinkedIn profile. As well any other ways I can self-promote myself and my CV and portfolio. 

I almost have my literature review completed and I am moving on to my analysis portion of service-learning which is great, because I am concurrently taking a research class that provides the needed skills to critique the literature and experimental studies. Sadly the National Service Learning Clearinghouse is shut down due to the federal government shut down. I really feel bad for any federal employee or agency. I needed that site for the wealth of data it contains, thank goodness SJSU has awesome databases so I can bypass this site without too much of a bother.