This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Director – retired
Titles hired include: Librarian, Library Assistant, Page, Division Manager, Supervising Librarian, Executive Assistant, Police Assistant
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ Library Administration
√ The position’s supervisor
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Cover letter
√ Resume
√ References
√ Proof of degree
√ Supplemental Questions
√ Oral Exam/Structured interview
√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc)
√ More than one round of interviews
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
Applications are prescreened by HR and hiring manager, finalists invited for panel interviews
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Clearly prepared, understood the job as advertised, researched the organization and could express why they wanted to work there and why they were a good fit for the role.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Rude to HR or support staff, only interested in the benefits, critical of previous organizations or managers
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
work ethic, ability to deal with stress
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
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?
Lack of preparation, not knowing anything about the organization they’re interviewing with, not asking any questions
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
Be mindful of what’s in your background
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?
Study the desired qualifications and tie in your experience where you can
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ We only discuss after we’ve made an offer
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
Applications are carefully evaluated based on minimum qualifications only
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
Questions I like to hear are things like “What would you expect the person you hire to accomplish in the first 6 months?” or “How can the person you hire best help the library to be successful?” Focus should be on how the candidate can make a contribution.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Some of the time and/or in some positions
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 51-100
Hiring Librarians 