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 a year to 18 months. This person is looking in academic and public libraries, at the following levels: requiring at least two years of experience.
This job hunter is in a rural area in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Professional growth
A chance to engage and support patrons
Benefits
Where do you look for open positions?
ALA, multiple library association listings
Do you expect to see salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
How much time do you spend on the application packet?
3-5 hours. Sometimes more
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
√ 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?
Be clear about their needs. Too often they take the civil service or some other blanket job description that does not really describe the particular needs of their organization.
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Be more open about what they want. Be more communicative as the process moves forward. In academia this is slow, but being truthful about the process would relieve a lot of anxiety.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Applying for everything that suits you. Take that interview even if you don’t think it will work out. The experience might help you in the future.
Do you have any comments, or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
Thank you for this survey. It has helped me stay calm as I went through a rigorous process. It helps to see how others are struggling also.
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 