This interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Senior Librarian
Titles hired: Librarian, Clerk, Specialist, Supervisor, Page
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ Library Administration
√ A Committee or panel
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ References
√ Supplemental Questions
√ Oral Exam/Structured interview
√ 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:
I participate in panels as SME in children’s services.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Facility with language.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Yes
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Attitude
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ We don’t ask for this
Resume: √ We don’t ask for this
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Assume they can do things alone, not ask for help.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
Yes.
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 connections with experience to new position.
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?
Reach out to national library associations
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
What teams are like
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US
What’s your region like?
√ Other: Half rural half suburban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Some of the time and/or in some positions
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 11-50
Hiring Librarians 