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
√ My current job is temporary
Where do you look for open positions?
HigherEd Jobs, ALA JobLIST, LinkedIn, We Here, posts on social media
What position level are you looking for?
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
√ Supervisory
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
√ Archives
√ Special library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Northeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
√ 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?
Opportunities for professional growth both at the organization and through the broader field. Deep connections to community, whether it be with fellow staff in department or throughout organization, as well as relationship-building with student researchers, faculty, and the broader surrounding area of cultural heritage workers. Ability to work on meaningful and impactful projects that benefit both myself and the organization.
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
I am re-starting my job search as my current role (a library residency) will expire shortly and I want to have enough options to consider when the time comes.
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
√ 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?
High turnover, whether in the immediate department or organization at large; lack of financial support from the governing institution (whether it’s a university or other larger body); a job description that bills itself as “early-career” but features a laundry list of skills and/or experiences required.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
I spend anywhere between 3 days to a week preparing and submitting an application packet.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
I take time and care to research the organization and the job. I review the organization’s website, reading any publicly available strategic plans and/or press releases, culture or mission statements, as well as blog posts. Using previous cover letters, I draft and tailor my cover letter to match/mirror what the job description is seeking. I update and/or tailor my CV. I try to read any works written by other prospective colleagues at the organization to get a sense of what their research interests might be and how I might align (or not) with what the are doing. Finally, I try to consult with friends to review at least my cover letter before I submit. While this process might take longer, I find it leads to better results because I’m being more intentional.
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?
I anticipate anywhere between 1 month to 4 months.
How do you prepare for interviews?
I have an in-depth process when it comes to preparing for interviews.
First, I read about the members of the hiring committee as well as the immediate team I might work with to get a sense of their experiences and expertise. I review profiles of the university and/or research center to better grasp their priorities for collection, teaching, or other projects.
Second, I update myself on readings relevant to the job in question, taking stock of recent articles that might speak to the latest developments in that particular subfield and whether they would apply to my vision for that role. I use that information to help tailor a job talk and/or other things I might share in the course of interviews. Sometimes, I create a subfolder on Zotero to collect these readings and then return to them as needed depending on the kind of job in question.
Third, I use the “notepad” application on my desktop to write notes, reflections, and questions that I either have for the hiring committee or anticipate them asking. I write responses to the latter questions as a way of “mapping” what I may say. Later, I save and read these notepad files as a way to reflect back upon how the application process when and what I might do differently next time.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
I dislike it when I’m asked to name a salary (often without knowing what other folks in the department might be making) as it makes the power imbalance very apparent in the interview. I also dislike being asked about gaps in my employment history as it indicates a lack of sensitivity on behalf of the employer about the many barriers I’ve dealt with when it comes to finding and securing full-time, permanent employment.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Not Applicable
- 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?
Provide a salary schedule for prospective candidates. Discuss opportunities for professional growth and promotion at the interview. Reimburse them for any expenses incurred for travel (including parking fees). Give them space to recharge and reflect, even if for 15 minutes, during a day-long interview. If possible, provide a contractor’s fee to reimburse the candidate for creating original presentation materials. When following-up with candidates who weren’t selected, try to provide feedback so that they can learn from the experience (rather than fumble through the long, dark pathway towards securing a job).
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining
√ I’m frustrated
What are your job search self-care strategies?
I take breaks: spend time with my loved ones, watch movies, listen to music, go for walks.
I remind myself that I have a relatively stable job (for now). And that even after the residency ends, I will at least have had this opportunity to learn from these months of training.
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?
Job searches can be unnecessarily long and brutal. It’s important to remember that the job search is only one small piece of a much bigger story you’re building about yourself
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)?
√ 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?
√ Less than six months after graduating
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ Full Time
√ Residency
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?
Take time and care when preparing application materials. Being intentional with what you submit often leads to better results.
Be gracious at each interview as these colleagues will be active in other professional circles. Recognize that decisions made about hiring are not to be taken personally.
No one can tell you what you dare to become or dream; failed job searches are common, and so expect to receive a fair share of rejection.
Hiring Librarians 