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 underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position)
√ Looking for a promotion/more responsibility
√ My current job is temporary
Where do you look for open positions?
Archivesgig, Library online
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
√ Archives
√ Public library
√ Special library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
√ Suburban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, anywhere
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Salary, promotional opportunities, location
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
10
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
√ Funding professional development
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
Temporary or part time
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
30 minutes
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Reading the description and required documents, then tailoring CV and cover letter to the position
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
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?
1 month
How do you prepare for interviews?
Writing down experiences and questions to ask employers
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
What are your strengths and weaknesses? When is a time you’ve failed? They are opaque and a struggle to answer well.
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 √ I don’t know
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened once
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?
I accepted another position before the interview process started.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be more transparent and upfront about hiring timeline
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Limiting my time searching and submitting applications
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
Medieval History MA 2015, MLIS 2021
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Less than six months after graduating
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ Temporary/Limited Term
Hiring Librarians 