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, archives, library vendors/service providers, public, school, and special libraries, at the entry level. Here is this person’s experience with internships/volunteering:
I had several internships over the course of my year in graduate school.
This job hunter is in a suburban area in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.
Where do you look for open positions?
ALA Joblist, job sites like SimplyHired, Monster.com, etc., listserves
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?
I spend about an hour writing a cover letter, and maybe 20-30 minutes applying (if there’s a lengthy online application to be filled out).
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?
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?
If the position is entry-level, don’t require 3+ years of experience.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Stay in contact with applicants. I’ve applied to many, many jobs and haven’t heard anything back
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 