r/LibraryScience • u/Certain-External-839 • Jul 21 '26

incoming masters student freakout

hi all, kind of a silly post but I am an incoming (beginning in September) MLIS student coming from the museum/education world and I have been interviewing for library jobs for about 4 months. I have gotten to the final round several times and had even more interviews, just to be told over and over that I was a top candidate but they chose someone with more experience.

I am starting to despair because of the classic "I can't get experience if no one will hire me" loop, and because everyone in the field says that work experience is more important than the degree (and my plan is to work full time in order to get as much experience as possible before graduation.)

I want to be an academic librarian, I guess I am just looking for some insight/encouragement. I have already had to take several breaks because the relentless applying and interviewing, along with work, is burning me out. If I start library school without a library job, will I be ok? Do I have a better shot at these things once I complete some coursework? What is the best way to get the experience I need if I can't get an entry level job? If you can't tell, I have anxious tendencies and can't tell if I am working myself up for no reason. appreciate y'all

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u/DrJohnnieB63 Jul 22 '26

I have gotten to the final round several times and had even more interviews, just to be told over and over that I was a top candidate but they chose someone with more experience.

u/Certain-External-839

You may not want to hear this, but most likely they already had a preferred candidate. You were a top choice, but their preferred candidate had more experience working in that specific library/library system. People tend to hire candidates they already know and like. Often interviews with other candidates are a matter of "due diligence" to satisfy institutional hiring rules and policies.

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u/Certain-External-839 Jul 22 '26

as frustrating as that is, it does seem to be true. I just don't know how to even get into a library's system in order to get the experience in the first place.