Published: May 23, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding

Are you searching for a job or trying to work keywords into your resume and LinkedIn profile? Are you wondering where the job market and your education intersect? To help students and professionals navigate the ever-changing LIS landscape, the iSchool publishes an Emerging Career Trends report each year. During the spring semester, one iSchool student tackles this as an INFO 298 project and the new report is published soon after.

These annual reports are a goldmine. As we wait (with bated breath, I can only imagine) for the 2017 report, there are a few things to look forward to:

1. Skills Language: An analysis of job descriptions reveals what skills are trending, and this section of the report can be quite interesting. Odds are quite good that you already have at least some of the popular skills, but perhaps you’re using outdated language to describe yourself. For example, maybe you list “analysis” but job descriptions list “trendspotting.” Tweaking your resume might mean you get tapped for an interview.
2. Language Inspiration: Use the Emerging Trends Report to think about whether you’ve been selling yourself short. For example, the 2016 report reveals that many employers look for employees with “diversity sensitivity.” Is there language on your resume or in your cover letters that indicates you have successfully worked with or served a diverse population? There should be!
3. Tech Skills List: Again, you probably already have at least some of whatever the popular tech skills are (like familiarity with WordPress or Google Docs), but if the new analysis reveals you have some holes to fill, consider using school projects as opportunities to broaden your skillset or taking some tech-heavy courses.

The 2017 report should be available pretty soon, and I’m looking forward to what this year’s analysis reveals. I’ll (hopefully) be speaking with the student researcher about the report, so watch this space!