This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Librarian II
Titles hired include: Library Technician, Library Assistant, Librarian
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ The position’s supervisor
√ A Committee or panel
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Oral Exam/Structured interview
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ Yes
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
We post the position for 2 weeks, review the applications, interview 3-6 candidates, make the offer, send information to HR for background check, set start date, and let other candidates know the choose someone else. As a hiring manager, I do everything but the steps that HR completes.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Candidates that don’t have conflict management skills.
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Only One!
CV: √ Only One!
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Answering that they like quiet places and to read. That’s great but we do so much more than that. Make sure to really look at the library’s website and social media.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
We have conducted virtual interviews in the past but are now back to in-person.
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 sure to highlight previous customer service experience and really sell what you are going to bring to the library that they may not already have.
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 have multiple people choose the candidates
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
What duties are specific to this position? (We have the same job description for everyone with that title.) What will the first 6 months in this position look like?
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Never or not anymore
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 51-100
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Hiring Librarians 