This 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 less than six months. This person is looking in public and special libraries, at the following levels:requiring at least two years of experience, senior librarian.
This job hunter is in a suburban area in the Northeastern US and may be willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
salary
proximity (reasonable commute)
opportunity to use technical/computer skills
Where do you look for open positions?
NJLA
NJSLA
NJ Civil Service site
BCCLS
NJ Library Link
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 don’t have multiple resume versions, so most of my time is spent on the cover letter; including any research on the employer I may need to do.
Have you ever stretched the truth, exaggerated, or lied on your resume, or at some other point during the hiring process?
√ Yes
√ No
√ Other:
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
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)?
√ Tour of facility
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
√ Being able to present
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Be very specific about job duties/responsibilities, and what goals the administration are hoping to accomplish in the future.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
The biggest “pain” in the process is hiring the wrong person. Make sure you do your due diligence in checking with references, and verifying claimed skills. On the other hand, if a person has chosen not to participate in particular social media outlets, do not assume they are technophobes or are trying to hide something.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Optimist: being honest with your abilities and goals.
Pessimist: convincingly spouting the latest buzzwords.
Are you hunting for a new LIS job? Take the survey! http://tinyurl.com/hiringlibJOBHUNTERsurvey
This survey was co-authored by Naomi House from I Need A Library Job – Do you need one? Check it out!
Hiring Librarians 