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?
√ I want to work with a different type of collection
√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid)
√ My current job is temporary
√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, ALA, Joblist
What position level are you looking for?
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
√ Archives
√ Public library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest)
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
√ Suburban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, within my state
√ Yes, as long as at least some of my moving costs are covered
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Permanent employment, good pay, benefits
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
1
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
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ No (even if I might think it *should* be)
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
no experience needed
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1 hr
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
write cover letter, tweak resume
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?
A few weeks?
How do you prepare for interviews?
look over questions to ask for interview, look over resume
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
don’t have one
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 √ Happened more than once
- 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
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
not enough pay
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
communicate the process better and where we stand
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m optimistic
√ I’m maintaining
What are your job search self-care strategies?
only apply to jobs that pay more than i’m making, only take a perm hire role
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?
please list the salary on the job listing
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?)
2022
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ Less than six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree, but still before I graduated
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?
√ Contract
√ Temporary/Limited Term
Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?
Not really
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?
i’m seeing a lot of positions in the archive world that don’t pay super well. hope that changes
Hiring Librarians 
