This anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is not 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, archives, library vendors/service providers, public, school, and special libraries, at the following levels: Entry level, Requiring at least two years of experience, Supervisory.
This job hunter is in a rural area in the Northeastern US and is not willing to move.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
That it isn’t too far of a commute.
Decent pay.
That it is in a well established and secure school district.
Where do you look for open positions?
Monster, UB listserv, E1b.org, My local newspapers
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?
I type a cover letter and tweak my resume to fit the job..ie..my objective. And get my letters of recommendation in order. I have all of this ready to go at anytime so it takes only about ten minutes to type up a new cover letter.
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 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
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
√ Meeting with HR to talk about benefits/salary
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Advertise in multiple venues.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Be honest about what type of person they are looking for.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
I haven’t figured it out yet. Hence why I’m still unemployed.
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!
