This anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is currently employed (even if part-time or in an unrelated field) and has been hired within the last two months. This person is looking in academic libraries, archives, and public libraries at the entry level. Here is this person’s experience with internships/volunteering:
I completed two internships while a student and have held multiple volunteer positions.
This job hunter is in an Urban area in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.
Where do you look for open positions?
professional listservs, ALA Joblist, lisjobs.com, libraryjobpostings.org
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
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Be specific as to who and what they want in the job description
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Notify rejected applicants
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Knowing people. Dumb luck.
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!