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?
√ Six months to a year
Why are you job hunting?
√ Looking for more money
√ Looking for a promotion/more responsibility
√ I want to work with a different type of collection
√ I’m worried I will be laid off/let go/fired from my current position
√ Other: I live in Florida.
Where do you look for open positions?
ALA JobList, HighEdJobs
What position level are you looking for?
√ Requiring at least two years of experience
√ Supervisory
√ Department Head
√ Director/Dean
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library
√ Archives
√ Special library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban 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?
Non-politicized work environment, reasonable salary for cost of living, interesting work
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
Around 10
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
√ Funding professional development
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?
Too many different roles for one position.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
4-6 hours
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Review job posting, review library and institution website, customize CV and cover letter.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ 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?
4 months or less
How do you prepare for interviews?
Research role and institution. Prep questions. Prep job talk.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
Vague HR-style questions about shortcomings.
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 more than once
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Happened more than once
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m somewhat depressed
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Trying not to focus on it since I have a job
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?
Good luck?
Hiring Librarians 
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