This anonymous interview is with an academic librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee. This person hires the following types of LIS professionals:
subject liaisons, specialists (research data management, images, undergraduate education)
This librarian works at a library with 100-200 staff members in a rural area in the Northeastern US.
Approximately how many people applied for the last librarian (or other professional level) job at your workplace?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
Met minimum qualifications as stated in the job description
How are applications evaluated, and by whom?
The search committee evaluated all applications. We developed our own rubric and scoring system. We select the top 3 or 4 candidates for on-campus interviews.
What is the most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Doesn’t meet minimum qualifications as stated in the job description
Do you (or does your library) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ Other: We haven’t been asked, but I think we would be willing to do so.
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve his/her/their hirability?
In both the cover letter and c.v. or resumé, emphasize skills and experience that are called for in the job description. Research the hiring institution! (2 things, sorry!)
I want to hire someone who is
farsighted
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 100-200
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other professional level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 3-4
How many permanent, full time para-professional (or other non-professional level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 3-4
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time librarian positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are more positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ No
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with para-professional workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level professional positions? If so, is it an official requirement or just what happens in practice?
No, but it often raises the applicant’s standing
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Why or why not?
Changing, but not dying. I find this an exciting time for the profession. By redirecting our skills and adapting them to new environments, we will be more essential than ever. Of course we need to convince others of that (including some librarians).
Do you hire librarians? Take this survey: http://tinyurl.com/hiringlibjobmarketsurvey or take other Hiring Librarians surveys.
For some context, look at the most recent summary of responses.
Hiring Librarians 