Monthly Archives: April 2013

by | April 30, 2013 · 8:00 am

Personality and fit. You can always learn the position but you can’t learn to be a better fit for a position or team.

January 30, 1907This anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is currently not employed, has not been hired within the last two months, and has been looking for a new position for Six months to a year. This person is looking in Academic libraries, Archives, at the following levels: Entry level, Requiring at least two years of experience, Supervisory, Department Head, Senior Librarian, Branch Manager, and Director/Dean. This job hunter is in a rural area in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Fit, satisfaction, money. I would really like to pay off my student loans before I die.

Where do you look for open positions?

Highered.com, ala job list, inalj.com, chronicle but they seem to be a bit snooty

Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?

Research, research, research. Get your ducks in a row and remind your referees that they are listed as a referral. Have someone read what your writing.

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?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

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?

Give them an idea of the salary and cut the bs language. Tell them what they are going to be doing and stick with it.

What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?

For the all day on sight interview, give the candidate some time to reflect before, during and after running the gambit.

What do you think is the secret to getting hired?

Personality and fit. You can always learn the position but you can’t learn to be a better fit for a position or team. Personalities make a big difference.

Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Honesty, more than ever I would like to see honesty in job ads and in interviews!

This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!

Advertisement

Leave a comment

Filed under Academic, Archives, Job hunter's survey, Northeastern US, Rural area

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | April 29, 2013 · 8:00 am

A Professional Should Be Know How to Dress Appropriately for Their Environment

Robin & Haruki (Sheila) Shopping-How about the fushia colored suit by Flickr User Robin M. Ashford. AshfordRobin & Haruki (Sheila) Shopping-How about the fushia colored suit by Flickr User Robin M. Ashford. AshfordRobin & Haruki (Sheila) Shopping-How about the fushia colored suit by Flickr User Robin M. Ashford. AshfordRobin & Haruki (Sheila) Shopping-How about the fushia colored suit by Flickr User Robin M. Ashford. AshfordThis anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee. This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members in a Urban area in the Canada.

What Candidates Should Wear

Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?

√ Yes, absolutely! It shows respect and professionalism

An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:

√ Counts as a suit

Bare arms are inappropriate in an interview, even in the summer.

√ Other:arm coverage can vary throughout the activities of the interview day

If a woman wears a skirt to an interview, should she also wear pantyhose?

√ Either pantyhose or tights. Bare legs are inappropriate

Women should wear make-up to an interview:

√ I don’t care what’s on the face, it’s what’s in the brain that counts

Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?

√ Yes, the higher the position, the more formal I expect the candidate to dress

Which jewelry may candidates wear: (Please select all that are acceptable)

√ Single, simple necklace, bracelet, and/or ring
√ A few simple necklaces, bracelets, and/or rings
√ Arty or more elaborate necklaces, bracelets, or rings
√ Nose Ring (nostril)
√ Eyebrow Ring, Monroe piercing, septum piercing, or other face piercing
√ Earrings
√ Multiple Ear Piercings
√ Large gauge ear jewelry (stretched ears)

Which hair colors are acceptable for candidates:

√ All of them, even pink

How does what a candidate wears affect your hiring decision?

A professional should be know how to dress appropriately for their environment. It’s important to dress formally for the interview even if it’s not how you’ll dress all the time when you start working somewhere.

What This Library Wears

On a scale of one (too dressed up for my workplace) to five (too casual), khakis and a polo shirt are:

3

What’s the dress code at your library/organization?

√ Casual

This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!

Photo: Robin & Haruki (Sheila) Shopping-How about the fushia colored suit by Flickr User Robin M. Ashford. Ashford

Leave a comment

Filed under 10-50 staff members, Academic, Canada, Urban area, What Should Candidates Wear?

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 28, 2013 · 8:00 am

We Do Not Pay Enough to Have Someone Relocate

Librarian's_Desk, Bancroft Library

 

This anonymous interview is with a non-librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring committee. This person works at a public library with 0-10 staff members. 

 

 

What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?

Personality
Experience
Communication skills

Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?

In the interview process, the inablility to answer a question or rather the inability to communicate well either the answer or to communicate any other response.
Distance from our library…we do not pay enough to have someone relocate.
Lack of experience

Is there anything that people don’t put on their resumes that you wish they did?

That they know something about the town, or the library itself…that they have done some home work so that they have some idea about population and some other issues.

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?

√ .pdf

Should a resume/CV have an Objective statement?

√ I don’t care

If applications are emailed, how should the cover letter be submitted?

√ As an attachment only

What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?

Dress appropriately. Look the interviewers in the eye and respond directly to questions. Have some kind of portfolio of work or work experience to prove one’s claims.

What are some of the most common mistakes people make in an interview?

For us, not knowing anything about the community….or the job…before hand. Thinking that because we are a small town, we are pushovers for claims of expertise that are clearly over the top. For instance, the person who says he or she was a head librarian at a prestigious university…tnen we have to ask ourselves…why come to a small town library. We also don’t appreciate being preached to….that the applicant can save us because as a small town we probably don’t know what we are doing.

How has hiring changed at your organization since you’ve been in on the process?

We have a process now.

Anything else you’d like to let job-seekers know?

Honesty is important. It is better to say that you don’t know something…than lie..and it is better to say that while you don’t know a process, you are willing to be trained. Everyone on a new job has to be a learner, and every manager has to be willing to be a trainer or a teacher.

2 Comments

Filed under 0-10 staff members, Original Survey, Public

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 26, 2013 · 8:00 am

Further Questions: Do You Read Hiring Librarians?

I’ve had some readers express curiosity about if people who hire librarians actually read Hiring Librarians, and what they think.  I’m curious too! Last week I took a Reader Poll; as of 04/25/2013, about 7% of respondees were people who hire librarians.  This week I asked my pool of people who hire librarians:

Do you read Hiring Librarians?  If so, have you been surprised by anything, or have you changed your mind about any aspect of the hiring process? (I really won’t mind if you say no – this is not a vanity question!)

Christine Hage - Dark background

No I don’t read it.

I don’t mind chirping in once in a while, but I don’t read blogs.

– Christine Hage, Director, Rochester Hills Public Library

Cathi AllowayI don’t know how I “stumbled” onto “Hiring Librarians” recently, but it was during a search for interview questions and related info.

I am certainly going to look at it on a regular basis, but am more likely to do so when we are actively in a search phase, like now.  We only have 40 employees and there is not a lot of turnover.  Right now we are about to make two offers for MLS positions, and since one may be internal (if accepted), there will be a cascade of additional openings.
I am happy to continue to being a resource; I have over 30 years of experience in library administration and have hired and fired a lot of people.
– Catherine Alloway, Director, Schlow Centre Region Library

Laurie PhillipsI do occasionally. Sometimes I click on your links just to see how others answered the same question. So often, we think things should be obvious to jobseekers, but they are not. There are so many differences in the way things work among public libraries vs. academic libraries, private vs. public universities, vendors/contractors vs. libraries. I can usually tell if an applicant doesn’t have any idea how things work in the academic environment and I try to let them know, in a nice way, how we work.

I also try to occasionally look through the other posts. For example, the question I asked the other day about how job seekers would prefer to be contacted in a situation where they have not been hired was answered on your blog! I had always felt pressured to make that awkward phone conversation and now I can be assured that job seekers prefer to be notified by email when they have not been offered the job. I know job seekers must feel powerless in these situations, but there are so many things they can do to make themselves look great. Thanks for providing this space for us to answer these questions.

– Laurie Phillips, Associate Dean for Technical Services, J. Edgar & Louise S. Monroe Library, Loyola University New Orleans

Emilie Smart

I read it if the question you asked was one I was interested in seeing how others responded.  So far, nothing I’ve read has inspired me to change anything but I do enjoy seeing how other library types approach the hiring process.

– Emilie Smart, Division Coordinator of Reference Services & Computer Services at East Baton Rouge Parish Library

Dusty Snipes GresYes I read it.

One, because I contribute at times and I like to know what others think about the same topic.

Two, because management includes hiring and firing and I always like to know what the current situation is like elsewhere.

Three, because it is entertaining and enlightening.

And four, because if a librarian looking for a job reads something I have written and it helps them in the job search, then I have played forward the help I received, many years (not mentioning how many) ago.

– Dusty Gres, Director, Ohoopee Regional Library System

Marleah Augustine

I have it in my RSS feed reader, but that gets checked a couple of times a month, so I would say I am not a regular reader. 🙂

– Marleah Augustine, Adult Department Librarian at Hays Public Library

Samantha Thompson-FranklinI’m not currently on a library search committee so I have not had any need to read the Hiring Librarians blog for work-related purposes. I have enjoyed reading the responses to the questions you ask (sorry that I have not submitted very many responses recently L). I was just recently on a non-librarian teaching faculty search committee on my campus and it was interesting to see some of the principles apply to hiring in other disciplines outside of library science.

– Samantha Thompson-Franklin, Associate Professor/Collections & Acquisitions Librarian, Lewis-Clark State College Library

Marge Loch-WoutersI do read the blog and find it endlessly helpful. I like to read what applicants are thinking and doing and how hiring managers are approaching their tasks. I learn a heap from both.  I love the variety of experience and I just keep thinking that, no matter which end of the process you represent, the right job will present itself to the right candidate. Patience is a definite requirement.
– Marge Loch-Wouters, Youth Services Coordinator, La Crosse (WI) Public Library

Thank you as always to our contributors for their time and insight. If you’re someone who hires librarians and are interested in participating in this feature, please get in contact.

Thank YOU for reading!

Bless my heart, bless my soul. Didn’t think I’d make it to comment.

2 Comments

Filed under Academic, Further Questions, Public

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | April 25, 2013 · 8:00 am

At This Point Actually Getting an Interview Would Be Great

Getting the scentThis anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is currently employed (even if part-time or in an unrelated field), has not been hired within the last two months, and has been looking for a new position for Six months to a year. This person is looking in Library vendors/service providers, Public libraries, School libraries, and Special libraries, at the following levels: Entry level and Requiring at least two years of experience. Here is how she describes her internship/volunteering experience:

Student teaching

This job hunter is in a rural area in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

A livable salary

Where do you look for open positions?

INALJ
Websites of individual organizations
professional listserv(s)

Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

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 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?

√ Email

Which events during the interview/visit are most important to your assessment of the position (i.e. deciding if you want the job)?

√ Other: At this point actually getting an interview would be great.

This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!

Leave a comment

Filed under Job hunter's survey, Northeastern US, Public, Rural area, School, Special

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | April 24, 2013 · 8:00 am

Suits Are Not Expected and Would Probably Be Intimidating to Students

Reflections of myself - 022_365 by Flickr user Adam Jarmon BrownThis anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee. This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members in a Urban area in the Northeastern US.

What Candidates Should Wear

Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?

√ Probably, yes (but it’s ok if the candidate wears something a little less formal)

An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:

√ Counts as a suit

Bare arms are inappropriate in an interview, even in the summer.

√ False

If a woman wears a skirt to an interview, should she also wear pantyhose?

√ Other:depends on the weather and the candidate’s age and style

Women should wear make-up to an interview:

√ I don’t care, as long as it’s not over-the-top

Is there anything a candidate might wear that would cause them to be instantly out of the running? If you have any funny stories about horrifying interview outfits, we’d love to hear them.

No, wish I did have a story to tell! Appropriate business attire is fine. Anything else would not be acceptable.

Can you share any stories about how a candidate nailed the proper interview outfit, especially if your organization does not expect suits?

No, all recent candidates were dressed appropriately. We are an academic institution, so suits are not expected and would probably be intimidating to students.

Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?

√ No

Which jewelry may candidates wear: (Please select all that are acceptable)

√ A few simple necklaces, bracelets, and/or rings
√ Earrings

Which hair colors are acceptable for candidates:

√ Natural colors (black, brown, red, blonde, gray)

The way a candidate dresses should:

√ Be fairly neutral

How does what a candidate wears affect your hiring decision?

Attention to detail counts, so a little makeup and overall appropriate grooming counts. Cigarettes would be a deal breaker for me.

What This Library Wears

How do you dress when you are going to conduct an interview?

Business casual; probably a skirt and nice top.

On a scale of one (too dressed up for my workplace) to five (too casual), khakis and a polo shirt are:

3

What’s the dress code at your library/organization?

√ Other:no formal policy, but business casual is probably correct.

Are there any specific items of clothing, etc. that are forbidden by your dress code? (Please check all that apply)

√ Other:everyone seems to dress appropriately, thank god.

Librarians at your organization wear: (Please check all that apply)

√ Other:wearing IDs is optional. We tried name badges, but that didn’t last long.

This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!

Photo: Reflections of myself – 022_365 by Flickr user Adam Jarmon Brown

Leave a comment

Filed under 10-50 staff members, Academic, Northeastern US, Urban area, What Should Candidates Wear?

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 23, 2013 · 8:00 am

I Would Also Be Interested To See If More Information Will Come Out About Librarians Who Work for For Profit Colleges

Now where are those ottersThis anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is currently employed (even if part-time or in an unrelated field), has not been hired within the last two months, and has been looking for a new position for Six months to a year. This person is looking in Academic libraries, Public libraries, and School libraries, at the following levels: Requiring at least two years of experience, Supervisory. This job hunter is in a city/town in the Southern US and is not willing to move.

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

1. Location
2. Reference Librarian duties (not a children’s position)
3. Salary

Where do you look for open positions?

INALJ, state library list, Indeed, state job lists, school and local public library sites, grad school listserv. (SC)

Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?

√ No (even if I might think it *should* be)

What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?

at least an hour. I send what is required plus letters of recommendations.

Have you ever stretched the truth, exaggerated, or lied on your resume, or at some other point during the hiring process?

√ Yes

When would you like employers to contact you?

√ To acknowledge my application
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

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
√ Other:attitudes of interviewers

What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?

Higher salaries, list whether or not it is entry level. List duties that only people in the field may be aware of or have experience with.

What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?

List salaries, let candidates know when position is filled ESPECIALLY if they interviewed them.

What do you think is the secret to getting hired?

Knowing someone or it seems the new trend (unfortunately) is you take a lower position and hope something upper level opens up and hope the company has loyalty to current employees.

Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Thanks for doing this survey. I will be interested to hear more. I would also be interested to see if more information will come out about librarians who work for For Profit colleges. I was recently laid off from one and I wished I had known more about them before I took the position. They are not good places to work. I know 3-4 librarians at different for profits who are very unhappy.

This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!

2 Comments

Filed under Academic, Job hunter's survey, School, Southern US

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | April 22, 2013 · 8:00 am

Talk to Library Schools and Professors That May Know Good Candidates

Meagan SchiebelThis interview is with Meagan Schiebel, otherwise known as Miss Meg. She will graduate from the SLIS program at UW-Madison in May with a concentration in public libraries and youth services. Miss Meg works as a storytime librarian and has a summer LTE job in the children’s department of a public library. She has been looking for a new position for less than six months, in public libraries and other youth services positions, at the entry level and requiring at least two years of experience. Here is how she describes her experience with internships/volunteering:

I did a 120 hour practicum during the summer in a children’s department of a local public library. This included planning storytimes for all ages and book clubs for elementary age children, collection development and management, readers’ advisory, and helping with special events.

I also have done a 40 hour reference practicum at both an adult reference desk and a children’s reference desk.

Currently I work as a storytime librarian and do 1 storytime weekly at a local public library.

Meg enjoys spending time outside, weather permitting, and exploring the area on her bicycle. She is in a city/town in the Midwestern US, and is willing to move anywhere. Check out her new website, Miss Meg’s Storytime , or learn more about her via LinkedIn

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

The ability to be creative
New experiences
Professional development opportunities

Where do you look for open positions?

INALJ
ALA listserv
local state library listserv

Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?

I start out by looking up the library’s website and the wikipedia page for the town (since I’m looking nationally). If I still want to apply after looking up that information I start by making a cover letter. I have a couple templates that I use for cover letters that I usually combine and tweak to make a new cover letter. I use the language in the job description to help me make a cover letter that is specifically for that job. I usually end up spending about an hour.

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?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

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?

Outsource– talk to library schools and professors that may know good candidates for their position.

What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?

Communication!!!

What do you think is the secret to getting hired?

Being yourself and being able to take your experiences and tell the hiring staff why that will help you be the best person for the job.

Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Maybe a “how far are you willing to travel” question (my answer would be anywhere!)

This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!

Leave a comment

Filed under Job hunter's survey, Midwestern US, Public

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | April 22, 2013 · 8:00 am

Most People Look Fine

Outfit for interview by Flickr user Josh Delsman

This anonymous interview is with an Academic librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee. This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members in a Urban area in the Northeastern US.

What Candidates Should Wear

Should the candidate wear a suit to the interview?

√ Yes, absolutely! It shows respect and professionalism

An outfit with a coordinated blazer and trousers:

√ Counts as a suit

Bare arms are inappropriate in an interview, even in the summer.

√ Other:depends on the outfit

If a woman wears a skirt to an interview, should she also wear pantyhose?

√ Other: doesn’t matter

Women should wear make-up to an interview:

√ Other: should look clean and well-groomed, so whatever level of makeup but not clownish

Is there anything a candidate might wear that would cause them to be instantly out of the running? If you have any funny stories about horrifying interview outfits, we’d love to hear them.

The person should be clean and neat. Business or business casual works well. This is not horrifying, but a recent candidate wore a shirt that had sleeves too long that had to be folded up–you could notice it under his blazer. While not a deal-breaker, it did make me wonder about him. Why would he not get a long-sleeve shirt that fits or wear a short sleeve shirt? What you wear should make you look confident and competent. It should not distract people from learning about your talents and abilities.

Can you share any stories about how a candidate nailed the proper interview outfit, especially if your organization does not expect suits?

Most people look fine.

Do you expect different levels of formality of dress, depending on the position you’re hiring for?

√ Yes, the higher the position, the more formal I expect the candidate to dress

Which jewelry may candidates wear: (Please select all that are acceptable)

√ Other:Jewelry should enhance not distract — less is more

Which hair colors are acceptable for candidates:

√ Other: there is more latitude for non-natural colors, e.g., pink, for arty positions rather than management

The way a candidate dresses should:

√ Be fairly neutral

How does what a candidate wears affect your hiring decision?

It depends on the position, but in many library jobs you need to interact with the public. You will want to project a positive image of the library. So part of my evaluation of a candidate is whether he or she will be able to act in an appropriate manner for a variety of situations. An important element is appearance. You don’t have to bury your personality, but you should be able to dress in a professional range.

What This Library Wears

How do you dress when you are going to conduct an interview?

I dress a little more formally, e.g., suit, dress. I want to look professional and competent too.

On a scale of one (too dressed up for my workplace) to five (too casual), khakis and a polo shirt are:

3

What’s the dress code at your library/organization?

√ Business casual

Are there any specific items of clothing, etc. that are forbidden by your dress code? (Please check all that apply)

√ Flip flops
√ Short skirts/shorts
√ Tank tops
√ Logos/band insignia/slogans

Librarians at your organization wear: (Please check all that apply)
<p style=”padding-left:60px;”
√ Other: N/A

Do you have any other comments?

Some questions should include “no opinion”, “not applicable”, etc.

This survey was co-authored by Jill of Librarian Hire Fashion – submit your interview outfit to her blog!

Photo: Outfit for interview by Flickr user Josh Delsman

1 Comment

Filed under 10-50 staff members, Academic, Northeastern US, Urban area, What Should Candidates Wear?

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 21, 2013 · 8:00 am

The Bigger Problem is Too Much on the Resume That’s Unrelated to the Position

Main_Reading_Room,_State_Library_of_NSW,_Sydney_(NSW)_(7173836598)

 

This anonymous interview is with a librarian who has been a member of a hiring committee. This person works at an academic library with 10-50 staff members.

 

What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?

Intelligence
Enthusiasm
Sincerity

Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?

Poor grammar is always a deal breaker for me followed closely by short and uninformative cover letters.

What are you tired of seeing on resumes/in cover letters?

Objectives are a waste of time. I know your objective is to get whatever job your taking the time to apply to. It’s just wasted space.

Is there anything that people don’t put on their resumes that you wish they did?

I don’t see this as too much of a problem, the bigger problem is too much on the resume that’s unrelated to the position.

How many pages should a cover letter be?

√ Two is ok, but no more

How many pages should a resume/CV be?

√ As many as it takes, I want to look at every accomplishment

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?

√ No

If applications are emailed, how should the cover letter be submitted?

√ I don’t care

What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?

Be genuine, have a sense of humor, and show that you’ve done a little research about our organization. If you’ve explored our website at all you should be in good shape.

What are some of the most common mistakes people make in an interview?

Yes, a day long interview is stressful but remember that you weren’t brought in unless we felt pretty confident that you could do the job. At this point it’s more about whether people can work with you. I’ve seen (more than once) where the candidate who was hired was not necessarily the strongest librarian of the group but was the most likeable and easygoing.

How has hiring changed at your organization since you’ve been in on the process?

The only real change I’ve noticed is that postings close more quickly, particularly entry level positions. We just get so many applicants that we have to cut if off quickly or we’ll be overwhelmed.

Anything else you’d like to let job-seekers know?

READ the job description. I cannot emphasize this enough. Competition is fierce so you need to address every single part of the job description in your cover letter/CV to realistically land an interview. If something is listed as a requirement and you don’t have that skill/knowledge/certification/ don’t bother applying. You don’t need to have every preferred qualification but the more of them you can fulfill, the more likely you are to land an interview. There are just too many applicants who will meet all or most of the standards, you’re just wasting your time (and mine) if you don’t have a strong case.

Leave a comment

Filed under 10-50 staff members, Academic, Original Survey

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,