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 six months to a year. This person is looking in academic, public, school, and special libraries, at the following levels: entry level, requiring at least two years of experience, supervisory, senior librarian. Here is this person’s experience with internships/volunteering:
None. I have been working full time in a staff position for an academic institution.
This job hunter is in a city/town in the Southern US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
1. Open for training opportunities
2. Digital services
3. Integration of social media
Where do you look for open positions?
I Need a Library Job list
Chronicle
ALA Joblist
Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Only for certain kinds of employers
What’s your routine for preparing an application packet? How much time do you spend on it?
It takes me about 30 minutes to apply for each position. This includes the cover letter, resume, and the application.
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
√ Being taken out to meal
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
√ Meeting with HR to talk about benefits/salary
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
RESPOND PROMPTLY
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Probably knowing people within the organizations you want to be hired at. It has been very hard for me since I’m a newly graduated student from an MLIS program and most of my networking has been done outside of the LIS field.
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 