This anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is not currently 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, Public libraries, and Special libraries, at the entry level. Here is this person’s experience with internships/volunteering:
For my internship, I assisted with cataloging in a Special Collections department.
This job hunter is in a suburban area in the Southern US, and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
decent salary
fair management
good location
Where do you look for open positions?
Indeed
INALJ
Simply Hired
HigherEdJobs
The Chronicle of Higher Education
LibGig
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?
It depends on the requirements of the employer. If it is a form application then it could take approximately an hour and a half, but just a cover letter and resume may only take 30-45 minutes to tweak for an individual organization. I normally match the requirements of the position against my individual experience and education, then try to think from the employer’s perspective and change my cover letter and resume accordingly. This is usually my routine, but it has yet to work for me.
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
√ 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)?
√ Other: Being treated with courtesy and respect during the interview process.
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
The quality of candidates is related to the salary and benefits being offered. Everyone loves a bargain, but you often get what you pay for.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
The whole hiring process could be a lot less painful if it were not so lengthy and if employers would communicate more with candidates.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
If I knew the secret then I would have gotten hired, but I often think that luck and networking plays a large part in getting hired in this economy. Times are difficult for everyone, including libraries.
Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
What a great idea!! Thanks!
This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!
Hiring Librarians 