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 more than 18 months. This person is looking in academic, public, and special libraries, archives, library vendors/service providers, at the following levels: entry level.
This job hunter is in a suburban area in the Midwestern US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Variety of duties
Benefits
Encouragement in continuing education
Where do you look for open positions?
ALA Joblist, listservs, Monster.com, individual library websites, SLA job list, SAA job list
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?
For resume and cover letter, spend about 2 hours tailoring it for the job.
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)?
√ Tour of facility
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Realize that sometimes the best candidates do not have all the training, but have the right attitude
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Keep applicants informed of their status
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 