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?
√ More than 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ I’m unemployed
Where do you look for open positions?
I check them all, INALJ, ALA, AALL, ALA JobLIST…
What position level are you looking for?
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ No
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
institution financial stability, position financial stability,
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
over 100
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
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
seeing a lot of ads for the same institution
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
about an hour
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Draft the cover letter, then apply
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Phone
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
Six months
How do you prepare for interviews?
review the job description and all information about the institution
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
“why you?”
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened once
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened more than once
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Happened once
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
follow up with everyone.
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m somewhat depressed
√ I’m frustrated
√ I’m running out of money
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
eating right and exercising helps maintain a positive attitude.
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
1995
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Less than six months after graduating
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ Full Time
Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?
yes, my professors were very helpful.
Hiring Librarians 
