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 more than 18 months. This person is looking in special libraries, at the following levels: department head, senior librarian, branch manager, director/dean, and solo librarian.
This job hunter is in a city/town in the Northeastern US and is willing to move anywhere.
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Position title/job description, money, location
Where do you look for open positions?
Medlib, sla, inaj, twitter, linkedin, etc.
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?
Tailored cover letter and resume.
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?
Advertise, be honest. Let us do our jobs! Oh and there is a reason no one in state applied for the job. It’s not the job … It the manager. 🙂
What should employers do to make the hiring process less painful?
Let us know you are just going through the motions and hiring within. Let us know that you hired someone period. I wish paying for travel was still around.
What do you think is the secret to getting hired?
Luck, the skills needed and the personality the fits the job..
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 