Indexers develop organized lists that help researchers locate information in a text or body of work. The lists are called indexes and they are like maps which lead people to the precise information they are seeking. By using indexes, researchers can ignore irrelevant information and select only the information they need. Indexers have been around nearly as long as recorded history. The first known indexer was a Greek poet named Callimachus who developed a finding list for the Alexandrian Library in the 3rd century B.C.
About Sample Indexer Resumes
Indexers are required to be knowledgeable in a wide range of disciplines and a 4 year college degree is required. Post graduate degrees in arts and sciences are recommended. In order to demonstrate the level of knowledge and professionalism needed in this field, a resume is necessary. It is recommended that you review sample indexer resumes online for visual guidance. These samples can assist you in formatting your resume and supplying the information employers will require.
How to Write an Indexer Resume
Education is vital to this career and proficiency in computer software is required. A resume should list the names of all the educational institutions which you attended and any degrees which you earned. Include all software languages in which you are proficient. Recent college graduates may wish to include a copy of their transcript under separate cover.
The names and addresses of all former employers and your job titles and responsibilities are an integral part of any resume. A list of personal and business references with their contact numbers should also appear in the resume. Membership in academic or community organizations should also be noted.
Indexer Job Description
An indexer needs a broad base of knowledge and a liberal arts degree is preferred. Indexers organize information by keywords and concepts making it easily accessible to researchers. The systems created by indexers are more complex than those used in popular internet search engines. Indexers create programs that recognize concepts as well as keywords and which disregard trivial references. Many of the software programs can recognize words and search for the particular word and any synonyms. Indexes may be created for a single text, for an entire body of work or for a collection of works. Indexers in today’s society do most of their work on computers in an office or academic environment.
Indexer Salaries
The median salary for an indexer in the United States in 2010 was about $45,000. Many indexers work as freelancers making earnings more difficult to track in this field. Indexers who work for private companies or in academia usually receive benefits like group healthcare packages and paid holidays and vacations. Freelancers are responsible for their own benefits. Starting salaries for indexers are about $30,000 per year and the top end salaries are about $80,000 per year.
The job growth rate for indexers over the next decade is about the same as the job growth rate for all jobs which is 12%. The best opportunities are likely to be for freelancers with excellent computer skills. More and more researchers depend on internet sources and creating indexes for large databases will require highly skilled indexers.
