This anonymous interview is with someone who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring committee. This person works at a government agency with 50-100 staff members. When asked, “Are you a librarian?”, this person chose the option “it’s complicated.”
Special Note: In another three weeks or so, this blog will be one year old. And this is the last response to the original survey! This is number 162! Unless, of course, there are any more people who hire librarians who decide to take it. I will continue posting the many, many responses to the What Should Candidates Wear? and Job Hunter’s surveys, as well as the various other features and posts you’re used to seeing. And I’m thinking of what the next survey should be – maybe something about networking? Anyway, enjoy! and thank you for reading!
What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?
Appropriate skill set and ability to communicate
Compatibility with job/office
Chemistry
Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?
failure to follow directions
bad cover letter
missing information
poor hygiene
lack of eye contact
demonstration of poor judgment (in-person, on paper, or online)
referencing the wrong job
What are you tired of seeing on resumes/in cover letters?
Grammar and spelling mistakes
“canned” statements (of any kind)
Generic statements of interest that could be about any job
Is there anything that people don’t put on their resumes that you wish they did?
Tell me why you are good for the job *and* why the job is good for you.
Also, if there is a hole in your resume (i.e., a time where you were unemployed) explain the gap, if you can. Otherwise I’m going to guess and that isn’t going to be good for either of us. I’m perfectly willing to hiring someone that took time off to have kids, take care of a spouse, take a mental vacation, whatever, but *very briefly* explain yourself
How many pages should a cover letter be?
√ Other: depends on the rest of the application packets; but concise is always better
How many pages should a resume/CV be?
√ As many as it takes, but keep it short and sweet
Do you have a preferred format for application documents?
√ Other: follow directions!
Should a resume/CV have an Objective statement?
√ No
If applications are emailed, how should the cover letter be submitted?
√ Other: follow directions or as an attachment
What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?
Be…
Genuinely enthusiastic about the job
Knowledgeable about the organization and the position you applied for
Articulate representing yourself and your skills,
and, ask insightful questions about the job and the organization
What are some of the most common mistakes people make in an interview?
Unprepared—they know nothing about the organization or the people that work there and they don’t know why they want to work there
How has hiring changed at your organization since you’ve been in on the process?
We’ve tried to make it a more pleasant process for everyone involved. My goal is to find the right person for the right job.
Anything else you’d like to let job-seekers know?
Look me in the eye, smile, and tell me why this job/organization is right for you and why you’ll enjoy working here.
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