This anonymous interview is with a non-librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring committee. This person works at a corporate library with 0-10 staff members.
What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?
Practical experience
Record of advancement within other organizations
Good educational background
Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?
Record of job hopping
Incorrect grammar in written or spoken communication
Typos in the cover letter or resume
Visible tattoos, odd piercings or hair cuts/colors
How many pages should a cover letter be?
√ Only one!
How many pages should a resume/CV be?
√ As many as it takes, but keep it short and sweet!
Do you have a preferred format for application documents?
√ No preference, as long as I can open it
Should a resume/CV have an Objective statement?
√ Yes
If applications are emailed, how should the cover letter be submitted?
√ Both as an attachment and in the body of the email
What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?
Preparation. Show that you’ve researched my organization and have ideas for how you can help.
What are some of the most common mistakes people make in an interview?
Little or no preparation
Too informal
Slovenly appearance
How has hiring changed at your organization since you’ve been in on the process?
We no longer try to appeal to Gen Xers or millennials. That got us nowhere. We want professionals regardless of generation.
For some context, take a look at the most recently published summary of responses to this survey.
If you’re someone who has participated in hiring library workers, take this survey and share your viewpoint.
Hiring Librarians 
“Visible tattoos, odd piercings or hair cuts/colors” are instant dealbreakers? These are not an issue for me if the rest of the presentation of the applicant and the interview are good.
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