Photo from Arcadiuš photostream https://www.flickr.com/photos/arcadius/5695435985/in/photolist-9FhAGa-oHX6k7-57W7ay-nxH4H5-ouMt8d-9BtQnu-9BurUj-ouJXzX-6paKLK-9QyC11-9BPeJY-ouJYMB-ouKWgU-ovXZjD-oNr3eE-oLXc4e-6peVkd-beRM5k-8PahHV-otEVEm-cpnXqs-osUttP-6ztYhj-4HHDbg-9Exxqb-9wRMYt-bprSiC-ccc9Z5-5RbFqH-4HMWrQ-oKmLMJ-oMci1Y-2FSEgE-ccc9Vq-osPLs9-ccdAUh-66yTVr-k23oR-5zY5uP-osTXE3-cBRLjJ-nV3aaX-8waRk-37wXDa-nQ8cP3-nQdtPw-nS4DTV-nRmfbB-6rdT21-nx2Yn2
Master of Library Science (December 2014) graduate Ardea Smith will begin a new position in Paraguay on July 14, 2015. In an email interview, we asked her about her new role.
Job Title/Location:
K-12 [Kindergarten to 12th grade] Librarian
American School of Asuncion
Asuncion, Paraguay, South America
Main Job Role:
I am the K-12 Librarian for a Paraguayan/American (a bilingual Spanish/English diploma program) private international school in Asuncion, Paraguay. I am in charge of collection development, cataloguing, publicity, and programming within the library. Middle and High School have flexible scheduling and Elementary classes will have set lessons in the library with me. I will oversee two full time assistants who will handle day to day circulation duties.
Something I'm looking forward to:
I have lived in Bloomington, IN for close to 3 years. I am ready for a new adventure - exploring a new country, a new continent, and a new work environment. On a personal note, I love salsa dancing and empanadas, which are both popular in Paraguay, and I am looking forward to regaining my Spanish fluency through daily immersion!
How I found it:
I created a profile on Tie Online, an online job placement agency, and notified various schools of my interest. The Middle School Principal contacted me and we set up a Skype interview. Upon a follow up interview with the school Director, I was offered the job and happily accepted! Since that time, I've Skyped and emailed with other members of the staff.
Tips:
If you are interested in working overseas as a librarian at an international school, my best advice would be to join Tie Online. The annual fee is minimal and it allows you to access hundreds of quality schools looking for candidates. The job process is starting earlier and earlier each year, with teachers notifying the school of their plans by December and recruitment starting as early as November. Therefore, while many teachers still attend job fairs in Iowa, Bangkok, San Francisco, hosted by different job placement agencies in January and February of the following year, now jobs can be secured through Skype interviews earlier in November and December. Create a profile on Tie Online and begin to notify schools of your interest. The most important part of this application is the confidential recommendation. Open recommendations are not acceptable to many employers.