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?
√ Other: Looking at possibly moving
Where do you look for open positions?
Regional and district sites
What position level are you looking for?
√ Supervisory
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ School library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban area
√ Rural 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?
Location, salary and additional required duties
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
3
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
√ Having a good reputation
√ 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
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
Not listing required additional duties
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
2 hours
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Fill out application, cover letter and an email to introduce myself
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Phone for good news, email for bad news
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected
√ 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?
2 to 6 weeks
How do you prepare for interviews?
Research possible questions
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
Tell me about yourself
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened once
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- 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?
The more info about the position and expectations… the better!
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m optimistic
√ I’m energized
√ I feel supported in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Put your best face on and go for it!
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?)
2011
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ More than six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ I was actually hired before I graduated
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, wonderful experience
Hiring Librarians 
