This anonymous interview is with a job hunter who is currently employed (even if part-time or in an unrelated field), has been hired within the last two months, and has been looking for a new position for six months to a year. entry person is looking in academic libraries, public libraries, and academic departments at the entry level.
This job hunter is in a city/town in the Western US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
1. Salary, 2. If the job requires working predominantly with computers/websites (versus with people), 3. Location.
Where do you look for open positions?
LibraryJobline.org, listservs, LinkedIn, ALA Joblist.
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 an academic packet, 5+ hours. Others, 2 hours.
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?
Which events during the interview/visit are most important to your assessment of the position (i.e. deciding if you want the job)?
√ Meeting department members/potential co-workers
What do you think employers should do to get the best candidates to apply?
Highest salary possible; include tuition waivers; offer funding for conferences.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Communicate the status every few weeks.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
If the employer thinks you are the right fit.
Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
What kinds of questions do you ask the potential employer during interviews?
What books have you found useful?
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 