Adriana Maynard is an April 2012 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Information, specializing in Archives and Preservation of Information. She has interned with the General Motors Design Archive and the Theodore Roosevelt Center, working in digitization, content management, and digital cataloging. Her job search is ongoing, with a focus on university archives and local history organizations. She has been job hunting for six months to a year, looking for entry level positions. Here is how she describes her internship/volunteering experience:
I have covered a range of archival functions through multiple internships and volunteering opportunities. I digitized photographs and created metadata for a corporate archive and a local historical society; worked in original digital cataloging for a new digital archiving initiative; and volunteered with processing, finding aid creation, and metadata for cultural libraries.
Ms. Maynard is in a city/town in the Southern US, and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Stability, opportunity to contribute, a living wage
Where do you look for open positions?
I have over 40 sites that I check somewhat regularly, including state library websites, historical societies, SAA, SLA, and museums resources, among other major library sites.
Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?
√ No (even if I might think it *should* be)
Have you ever stretched the truth, exaggerated, or lied on your resume, or at some other point during the hiring process?
√ No
When would you like employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application
√ To tell me if I have or have not been selected to move on to the interview stage
√ To follow-up after an interview
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
Which events during the interview/visit are most important to your assessment of the position (i.e. deciding if you want the job)?
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Provide the most complete information possible about the position, including salary.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Acknowledge the applicant through every stage of the process, especially upon receipt of the application and when the position has been filled by another candidate. If there is already an internal candidate in mind for the position, say so in the listing to save everyone a bit of heartache.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
I wish I knew. It seems to be some magical combination of experience, personality, and knowing the right person.
Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
I’d like to hear more about people’s experiences after receiving an interview; where did they fall short in the process, what are organizations looking for that we as job seekers aren’t providing, how can we move through the process to obtain a position? Thank you for posting this survey; I’ve seen very few resources like this that actually interact with job seekers to understand how tough the market is.
This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!
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