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 job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ Less than six months
Why are you job hunting?
√ Looking for more money
√ Looking for a promotion/more responsibility
√ I want to work at a different type of library/institution
√ I want to work with a different type of collection
Where do you look for open positions?
USAjobs, Twitter, professional listservs
What position level are you looking for?
√ Supervisory
√ Department Head
√ Senior Librarian
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
√ Special library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Mid-Atlantic US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Good pay, pleasant working environment, interesting work.
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
exactly 2
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well
√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
4-6 hours
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
√ Other: Prior to checking references
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Not Applicable
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
A combination of pay rate offered and holding out for a better position applied to (but not yet selected to interview for)
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Communicate frequently and personably.
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m optimistic
√ I’m frustrated
Hiring Librarians 