Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
This person hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Branch Manager
Titles hired: Branch associates, maintenance
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ The position’s supervisor
√ Other: Director
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Resume
√ References
√ Written Exam
√ Oral Exam/Structured interview
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
Phone interview after vetting paper applications, 1st interview with writing assignment, second interview.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
we’re rural so not too much “wow”.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Forgetting their resume or asking me to print it off for them before the interview.
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
That they’d get along with the rest of my staff.
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Assuming they need to read a lot to work here.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
I haven’t.
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?
I ask what outside skills/experience they might have to bring to the library. I like to hire servers and retail staff who have had a few Christmas seasons under their belt.
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?
The director is currently working on this.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
what a day in the life of is like.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Rural
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Never or not anymore
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 0-10
Hiring Librarians 
