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?
√ A year to 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree
√ I’m unemployed
Where do you look for open positions?
linkedin, libraryjobs.ie, sla.org.uk, informationprofessionaljobs.com
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
√ School library
What part of the world are you in?
√ UK
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban area
√ Rural area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, anywhere
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Work-life balance, permanent and not fixed term, workplace fit
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
About 30
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well
√ Having a good reputation
√ 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
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1-2 hours
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Check the job description thoroughly, write a cover letter personalised to the job, adjust my resume to highlight requested skills, get a name if possible
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 maximum
How do you prepare for interviews?
Other than the usual I read what I can about the institution because they always ask “why do you want to work for us”; I also write down any questions I have about the job
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
“Can you explain the gaps in your CV”
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened more than once
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened the majority of the time or always
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened more than once
- Turned down an offer √ Happened once
If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?
It was a job for a start-up that threw up red flags; they had no reliable contact information, and a job description that used vague corporate jargon. They had no specific position in mind when they posted the ad and said they would “find a spot” for me based on my skills
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
They revealed the salary; it was a school in one of the richest parts of the country and they offered me a salary that was below the poverty line
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Please just let me email you my resume. I’m begging you to please stop making me sign up for a separate website just to apply for a job. Nobody seems to use the same platform, which means I now have all these different accounts tied to my email address, and my real name, address, and phone number are uploaded to all of these third-party servers. You’re jeopardising my safety from the very first interaction with your institution, and it gives me a terrible impression right from the start. I’ve let several jobs pass me by even though I would be a perfect fit, because I refuse to sign up to whatever sketchy “service” they’re using. Please just let me email you directly.
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining
√ I’m frustrated
√ Not out of money yet, but worried
√ I feel alone in my search
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?)
2022
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ More than 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?
√ Part Time
√ Temporary/Limited Term
Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?
No
Hiring Librarians 