This anonymous interview is with a librarian who has been a hiring manager and 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?
Enthusiasm
Positive personality
Profesionalism
Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?
Sloppy application
Cockiness
Lethargy
What are you tired of seeing on resumes/in cover letters?
…references available upon request…
…unique combination of my education and work experience…
Is there anything that people don’t put on their resumes that you wish they did?
Yes, the reason why they want the job they are applying for.
How many pages should a cover letter be?
√ As many as it takes, but shorter is better
How many pages should a resume/CV be?
√ As many as it takes, but keep it short and sweet
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?
Show me that you really want this job and make me believe you will keep that enthusiasm for at least a few years.
Hiring Librarians 