Ryan McCrory is a historian of European Intellectual History with over 20 years of library experience in academic and public libraries, as far-flung as the University of Washington Libraries, Seattle Public Library, and Lititz Public Library.
He is active in a variety of library organizations, and also serves on the Board of Directors of Hosting Solutions and Library Consulting.
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
Post job ad, receive and read applications, contact prospective candidates for interviews, interview and evaluate, make job offer. I do or assign each of these steps.
Titles hired include: Circulation Supervisor, Circulation Clerk, Maintenance
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ Other: Executive Director
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Resume
√ References
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Clearly articulated why they were interested in this particular job and had a clear understanding of what the job actually was.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
No
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Does their work match their words
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Two is ok, but no more
Resume: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Try to say what they think is wanted, instead of just speaking honestly.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
We could, but we haven’t had the need. Make sure they test out the audio before the interview. If I can’t hear them effectively, I’m not going to remain engaged well enough to give them a proper interview
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
Make me understand that they have people skills, can work with many types of people, are adaptable when necessary, and can think on their feet effectively.
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ It’s part of the job ad
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
We are in a pretty homogenous area, so we don’t attract a lot of diversity. I think even prospective employees would have a hard time seeing themselves as working for us – we probably don’t appear as inclusive as we are. I don’t have an easy answer to fix that, but do try and make sure that our programming and collections give the sense that we are open to all.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
Ask about a typical day, ask what opportunities exist for advancement. Ask how we would view someone not looking for advancement. Ask questions that would let them know what they are in for.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Northeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban
√ Rural
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Other: Not really. There may be occasions for it, but very few
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 11-50
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