This anonymous interview is with a public librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring committee. This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members.
What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?
Education level. Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter. Library experience.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?
Misspelling; poor grammar. Candidate qualifications obviously don’t match stated requirements. Unexplained gaps in employment record, unexplained short job durations. Unkempt appearance.
How many pages should a cover letter be?
√ Only one!
How many pages should a resume/CV be?
√ Two is ok, but no more
Do you have a preferred format for application documents?
√ No preference, as long as I can open it
Should a resume/CV have an Objective statement?
√ I don’t care
What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?
Thoroughly and thoughtfully answer questions.
Anything else you’d like to let job-seekers know?
Don’t leave obvious questions I’ll draw from anomalies (unexplained gaps in work record, why candidate is applying for a job for which they are obviously under/overqualified) in their resume.
Hiring Librarians 