Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ Less than six months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it
√ I want to work with a different population
√ I want to work at a different type of library/institution
√ My current job is awful/toxic
√ I’ve been threatened at my job or had to deal with hostility/danger/scary behavior from the public or coworkers
Where do you look for open positions?
Montana OPI
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ School library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest)
What’s your region like?
√ Rural area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, within my state
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Safety, a good school district for my kids, and lower cost of living.
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
3
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well
√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits
√ Introducing me to staff
√ Having a good reputation
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ No (even if I might think it *should* be)
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
Local gossip. Montana is a small state and we talk amongst ourselves about what districts to avoid.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
4 hours
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Modifying my cover letter for each opening
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Phone
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
A few weeks
How do you prepare for interviews?
Speaking with others who have been through similar interviews, practicing answering questions
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
Why do you want to leave your current employer? I’m leaving this employer because I’m afraid of a guy harassing me. It’s a lot to lay out in an interview.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened more than once
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be clear about things like grade ranges and types of classes you’ll be expected to cover. There’s a lot of diversity in schedules. Also, some districts will accept a provisional library license and some won’t. It would be nice to know up front as I’m just getting started.
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m frustrated
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
I was finally diagnosed as not neurotypical, which may help long term with my career.
Hiring Librarians 