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?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree
√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid)
√ My current job is temporary
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, Archivesgig, INALJ, ALA
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
√ Other: Archivist, digital archivist
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Archives
√ Special library
√ Other: digital archives, gaming industry, apple, microsoft, etc.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest)
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
√ Suburban area
√ Rural area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, anywhere
√ Yes, within my state
√ Yes, within my country
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
60k base pay. medical+dental benefits. hybrid+remote option.
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
I have applied to at least 12 jobs.
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
√ Introducing me to staff
√ Having a good reputation
√ Taking me out for a meal
√ Funding professional development
√ Prioritizing EDI work
√ 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?
Sparse description, generalized language.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
20 minutes.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Attach cover letter and resume; putting everything in one pdf; filling out online profile.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
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 weeks to 1 month.
How do you prepare for interviews?
I generally re-read a job description, then write a script for it and study that.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
What are your greatest weaknesses? What can you bring to the team?
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 √ 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
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m optimistic
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Knowing that there’s a lot out there.
Do you have any advice or words of support you’d like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you’d like to say to employers, or is there anything else you’d like to say about job hunting?
Keep applying. Have a template cover letter.
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?)
I am graduating from UCLA’s MLIS in 2023.
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?
√ Other: I’ve had internships my entire time at UCLA.
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet
Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?
Yes
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Hiring Librarians 
