#libraryinterview — Public Fediverse posts

Winter Reruns: “Currently, we’re over 300% turnover since 2016 and cannot attract candidates.”

After taking a few months off, I’ve decided to sunset this project. I’m finishing up my scheduled selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts, and then will stop updating in late February/early March. Thanks so much for reading!

This survey was filled out on March 25, 2022 and originally ran on May 12, 2022. This person was not one of the more verbose respondents, but the sparse statements succeed in describing a tough story. Several folks told me it struck home with them, unfortunately.

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Academic Library

Title: Head of Cataloging

Titles hired: Reference Librarian, acquisitions, circulation

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ A Committee or panel

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ Cover letter

√ Resume

√ CV

√ References

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ No

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

It’s a disaster. A committee makes and recommendation and the director ignores it.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Currently, we’re over 300% turnover since 2016 and cannot attract candidates.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ Only One!

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more

CV: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

we have for COVID but are starting to perform on campus interviews

How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?

technical skills

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ We only discuss after we’ve made an offer

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

We have a DEI statement that is ignored

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

What happened to the the last three people that had this job?

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ 11-50

Winter Reruns: “After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don’t recommend librarianship to anyone anymore.”

After taking a few months off, I’ve decided to sunset this project. I’m finishing up my scheduled selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts, and then will stop updating in late February/early March. Thanks so much for reading!

This survey response was submitted on February 6, 2023 and the post originally ran on June 9, 2023. It’s fairly high up in my “most viewed of all time” list, especially for a more recent post. I think perhaps it’s the quote I pulled for the title; many of the most-viewed posts express some form of library doomsaying – librarianship is dead, we’re tired, things aren’t what they used to be, etc.

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 

√ Because I reassessed my priorities after COVID 

√ Other: Looking to possibly get out of librarianship

Where do you look for open positions?  

Indeed, ALA jobs, CCC registry, friends 

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Other: Something that pays better than librarianship 

What type(s) of organization are you looking in? 

√ Other: Maybe higher ed (but not a library) or an organization or company or work from home 

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? 

√ No 

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Flexibility, work from home, better pay

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

None. I’m willing to go to a community college library but nothing open. All other jobs are entry level and pay is very low. No good jobs to apply to.

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?

Jobs that say you may need to work overtime often 

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-5 hours: the cover letters take a while and having to repeat my resume on an online application is a time waster. 

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Carve out time to do it 

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news 

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?

Depends on the institution but academics take months. Took 6 months from application to hire in my current job. 

How do you prepare for interviews?

Review questions, review position description 

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Why do you want this job? (Because I need money. It’s like jobs want you to tell them that it’s your dream to work for them. I need money to live)

What are your strengths and weaknesses? (Again, we all know they want a weakness and how we make it a strength). 

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always  
• 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 once  

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny,  horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

Haha! The whole process of applying and interviewing is a joke. Applications are repetitive and waste time. The actual interviews are awful most of the time. People are not welcoming and a whole day interview for an academic librarian job is just unnecessary. Stop acting like jobs are sacred. It’s a job! Hire the person that can do it and don’t take 6 months. People need jobs asap. If a job doesn’t post the salary I no longer consider it. Low ball offers are a waste of time. 

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Actually respond to people, add a decent salary, make the interviews less than 1 hour, be friendly and inviting, answer questions honestly. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve actually gotten to a second interview and then heard nothing. I’ve learned about not getting the job by seeing LinkedIn postings of people sharing their new jobs. HR depts need to do better. 

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated 

What are your job search self-care strategies?

I only apply to jobs worth my time now. No more jobs with no salary posted or jobs that list everything under the sun with low pay. 

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?

Don’t give up and only apply to jobs worth your time. Something great will come along, whether it’s a library job or not. 

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Maybe add questions about salary (like what do you make and what should you be making and how long you’ve been in libraries), are you looking for jobs other than library jobs, are you thinking of leaving librarianship. After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don’t recommend librarianship to anyone anymore. It’s low pay, people don’t respect us, and there are no jobs. Ask about the kind/type of library jobs they’re looking for. 

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?)

Got my MLIS in 2009

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree 

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated 

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position? 

√ Full Time 

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

Nope! Library’s school did nothing. 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

I started my search about 3-4 months before graduation and was lucky to start a month before my graduation. Unfortunately, I was laid off a year later. Only reason I feel I got lucky was because I had been working in libraries PT before I graduated so I had some experience. My advice: don’t get a non-librarian job once you get the degree. Only apply to librarian jobs. 

Winter Reruns: “As a female I wish I could wear Doc Martens to interviews”

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

This “What Should Candidates Wear?” survey response was completed on September 11, 2012 and ran on June 14, 2014. While this particular post may not be in the “most reviled posts” category, this survey certainly is (and rightly so). You can read more about some of the issues if you follow the links in the opening note on this post.

I regret having put this survey together, and running it for so long. I was attempting to help answer a common question, “What should I wear to my interview?” but ended up creating something that reinforced stereotypes and othering. When I wrote it, I identified as a feminist, but ultimately I had very little knowledge or understanding about gender as a construct, or gender theory beyond a few late 90s women’s studies courses. For example, I learned the word “cisgender” during the run of this survey, not before.

One of the purposes of Hiring Librarians is to illuminate the things that people who hire believe to be true, even when those opinions are pretty horrible. Hiring is an area where received wisdom, opinions, and bias can easily turn into policy and procedure. It’s important that we figure out what our unspoken beliefs are, so we can identify them as needing to change. This survey uncovered a lot of horrible beliefs, including my own. While there is at least that one positive, it doesn’t seem worth it. I apologize to the folks that this survey hurt.

So why run this now? I had a debate with myself, and have decided that unlike the other reruns, which I’ll post in full, I’m just going to link this one. It is high on the most views of all time list, which is what I’m trying to revisit during the break. With time as a buffer, the whole thing also feels a little less incendiary to me – it’s one of a lot of outdated ideas. Let me know if I’m wrong about that.

This post may be so popular because it was the last of this survey, but Google also tells me that one of the search queries that leads folks to the blog is “can you wear doc martens to an interview?” If that question lead you here I’ll give you my answer now: yes, you can wear Doc Martens to your interview. If that’s a deal breaker for your potential employer, maybe you don’t want to work there then.

Link to: As a female I wish I could wear Doc Martens to interviews

#interviewClothes #Librarian #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs

Winter Reruns: New Survey: Interview Questions “Database” (aka Interview Questions Repository)

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

This post, which originally ran March 2013, introduces what is probably the most popular and most shared resource from Hiring Librarians, The Interview Questions Repository. This Google spreadsheet gathers questions people have been asked in all sorts of LIS interviews. As of October 2025, 653 interviews have been recorded. The repository was started in March of 2013 (and it kind of tickles me that the video option for “What kind of interview was it?” is “Skype” rather than “Zoom,” “Teams,” or “WebEx”.)

In 2019 a colleague approached me to see if I’d be willing to add a resource for salary transparency. Even though the blog was shuttered at that point, it was a really good idea and I was happy to add it. You can see salary information for 489 LIS workers (as of October 20025) on the second page of the spreadsheet.

Hey look, a new survey! (kind-of)

A few months ago there was a LinkedIn discussion about interview questions, and someone, possibly even me, suggested that it would be a good idea to put together a database where people could share questions they were asked at interviews.**

Well, here it is.

You’ll notice that 1) it’s not a database, it’s a spreadsheet and 2) no one has shared any questions yet.  more than 60 people have shared questions! Hopefully you can work with the first and change the second. increase the second.

Top Tip: Switch the spreadsheet to list view, in order to be able to limit by answers – you can choose to only look at the phone interviews at public libraries, for example.

If you have recently been interviewed, or if in the future you go on and interview, or even answer some supplemental questions, please go to the

Library Interview Questions Form,

and let us know what you were asked.  As it says on the form, please of course conform to any confidentiality agreements your potential employer put in place with you.

If you are going on an interview, eventually

the spreadsheet

will be a place to help you prepare.

**If I was not the person that had this idea, if you were the person who had this idea, thank you, and I hope this is ok.

***Text in green was added in on 3/13/2013 at 5:47 PM

#interviewQuestions #interviews #libraries #libraryInterview #LinkedIn #Research

Winter Reruns: “Do not ask questions. My pet peeve. This is useless and a waste of our time.” 

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in late February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

This survey was filled out on March 26, 2022 and the original post ran on February 16, 2023. In my notes about this one I have written, “is this even real?” I see a lot of strange takes but this one feels pretty screwy indeed. Candidates make a choice, just like people who hire do, and asking questions about the work and the workplace is a pretty key activity in information gathering for that choice. I don’t have any way of verifying answers, so maybe it’s not real? Or maybe it is and it’s just very uncool.

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Public Library 

Title: Administrative Manager/Regional Manager

Titles hired include: Administrative Manager, Librarians I-IV, Sr. Library Assistant, Library Assistant I-II, Clerk, Page

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ HR

√ Library Administration 

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application 

√ References

√ Proof of degree 

√ Written Exam

√ Oral Exam/Structured interview 

√ More than one round of interviews 

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ Yes 

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Energy, enthusiasm 

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Stating misinformation about organization, bad grammar, lingo and cliches

What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?

Mental health issues

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ We don’t ask for this  

Resume: √ Only One!

CV: √ We don’t ask for this  

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

Not researching organization;, rambling, unfocused answers that are too long

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

People tend to sound more monotone and show less enthusiasm in this setting. Smile sometimes and look at the camera. Be aware of your background and keep it simple. It can be needlessly distracting.

How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?

Emphasize customer service, work with people 

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad 

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

Too expensive to live in our area now. Makes it hard for lots of people.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

None! Do not ask questions. My pet peeve. This is useless and a waste of our time. 

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US 

What’s your region like?

√ Urban 

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions 

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ 201+ 

Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

#librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs

“I have never been offered a ‘permanent’ position.”

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?

√ More than 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ I’m unemployed,

√ I’ve been threatened at my job or had to deal with hostility/danger/scary behavior from the public or coworkers

Where do you look for open positions? 

Institutional websites, ALA and similar sites

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

1) Good pay & benefits 2) Professional work environment 3) Qualified & dedicated co-workers

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

several 100s

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,

√ Prioritizing work-life balance,

√ Other: Staff who are competent & qualified for their jobs

Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

1-2 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

ensure my cover letter and resume correlate to the job listing and institution

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email and mail

When would you like potential employers to contact you?

√ To acknowledge my application,

√ 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?

1-2 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

I used to, but I don’t bother to anymore

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened more than once
• Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
• Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened once
• Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

Because something the hiring committee said & did after my first interview made it clear to me that they already had someone local whom they were going to hire & who wasn’t the least bit qualified for the job. (And, when the hiring announcement was made, it turned out I was completely right.)

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

I turned down one job early in my job hunt for many reasons, the top reasons included: they had a wide array of projects they wanted done but with no money budgeted for them; the library director made it clear she was only there for a couple of years passing her time on the way to something better; after visiting for the interview, I didn’t like the city or the library/college where the job was located; I didn’t like the one employee I would have to work with the most (& it was clear no one else already working there could stand her either); I resented the fact that they persistently lied about the other (non-existent) candidates for the job; it was clearly the workplace from hell

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

1) Quit asking for my SSN before you’ve hired me.

2) Get rid of online application services that require ‘creating accounts’ (especially ones that can not be deleted) and that require typing in hours worth of information into ‘fields’ on the computer in addition to uploading a resume when all the relevant information you need is already contained in the resume. I’ve gotten to the point where I prioritize applying for jobs where I can just upload or email or mail my cover letter and resume.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated,

√ Not out of money yet, but worried, I feel alone in my search

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?

A word for employers: if you already know you are going to hire the department head’s ne’er-do-well nephew, or the library director’s alcoholic mistress, or the long time volunteer who isn’t remotely qualified for the job but deserves to be rewarded for all the years of serving up cake and punch during children’s programming, don’t post the job and waste applicants’ time. The 2 most frustrating things about my never-ending job search are: 1) Realizing that most jobs are already filled before they are posted. 2) Realizing that highly qualified candidates are frequently passed over for individuals with little to no qualifications whatsoever.

Job Hunting Post Graduate School

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 obtained my first full-time professional position before I graduated, but it was only temporary, grant-funded. And all my jobs have been temporary, grant-funded. I have never been offered a ‘permanent’ position.

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No, my Library School was & is less than useless.

#glamJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #lisCareers #lisJobs

“Sometimes who you know hurts the job process.”

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?

√ A year to 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,

√ I’m unemployed,

√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),

√ I’ve been threatened at my job or had to deal with hostility/danger/scary behavior from the public or coworkers,

√ Because I’m worried about a possible recession

Where do you look for open positions? 

Archives Gig, LinkedIn, Library Job line, USA jobs, Indeed

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Special library

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?

√ No,

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Flexible, Opportunity to grow, non toxic workplace

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

15 estimate

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Pay well,

√ Having a good reputation,

√ Funding professional development,

√ 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?

Not enough information. Seeing the job ad posted regularly indicating frequent turnover.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-3 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Curate resume/cv to job ad. Write cover letter covering key experiences that fit with resume.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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

How do you prepare for interviews?

Reading the job ad, researching the company, reviewing my resume and cover letter. Rehearsing potential examples of experiences.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Tell me about a time… questions. This is popular right now but it creates a scenario where good story telling is required.

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 √ Happened once
• Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• 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 asked for an accommodation, what happened?

Too scared to ask.

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

Sometimes who you know hurts the job process. The library/archive world is small. A few times my supervisor suddenly becomes unpopular within this world and because I worked under them I am not considered.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Be honest. If you are probably going to hire an in internal candidate it should be clear. Having positions that don’t require so much experience up front. A masters is expensive and volunteering to get experience required takes a long time (archives and history related jobs specifically).

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m somewhat depressed,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I’m running out of money,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Trying not to panic. Not obsessing about the process constantly.

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?

It’s hard. I’m struggling. I wish I had better advice.

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?)

2024

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Volunteer

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

No

#glamJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #lisCareers #lisJobs

“It’s hard lol. There are so many jobs, I don’t know what to focus my time on.”

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 more money,

√ I want to work at a different type of library/institution,

√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid),

√ I’m worried I will be laid off/let go/fired from my current position,

√ I need more flexibility in my schedule (to care for dependents or otherwise)

Where do you look for open positions? 

INALJ, ALA JobLIST, LinkedIn, HigherEd Jobs, college/university career pages.

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Supervisory

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Public library,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, anywhere

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Pay, reasonable schedule, hybrid or remote work

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

exactly 12 so far

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,

√ 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?

Requiring large amounts of experience while offering low pay.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

I spent a lot of time preparing my resume, CV, and cover letter templates. After that, I just make slight changes based on job listing.

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Creating and/or updating resume and CV. Also, creating cover letter templates based on the kind of jobs I want to apply for.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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 couple weeks max.

How do you prepare for interviews?

I look at the job listing and prepare answers for how I can carry out the job duties.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“Describe a time a patron was mad at you? What did you do?” I hate this question because I’ve answered a variation of this question too many times for many different jobs and it’s just annoying.

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• 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

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

I turned down an interview a year ago because I was still in grad school and wasn’t prepared to work full time yet.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Review applications and start interviewing faster. Many of us fill out dozens, if not hundreds of applications, we need to know asap if we are rejected or getting an interview. Also, list the pay. You can help yourself as an employer by listing the pay because some people won’t apply and you won’t have to read as many applications.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m despondent,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I’m running out of money,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Taking breaks. Talking to my wife.

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?

For job hunters, please take a break and enjoy yourself. Also, you may need to take a low paying retail job while you search if you are having money problems. Employers, stop low balling qualified candidates, or anyone. Pay a living wage and people will stay.

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?)

2025

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?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

University of Alabama sends out job posts the entire time we are enrolled and I still get the emails after graduation.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

It’s hard lol. There are so many jobs, I don’t know what to focus my time on. Even jobs that I am overqualified for, I worry that I won’t get a call back.

#glamJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #lisCareers #lisJobs

“While my school has resources for job hunting because I’m an online student who lives in another state it is often not applicable to me.”

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 more money,

√ I want to work with a different population

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Public library,

√ School library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, anywhere

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Collection development, chance for growth, and collaborative environment

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

4~

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?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

a few hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

making sure that know and have access to all vital information

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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 to a month

How do you prepare for interviews?

run through common and/or relevant interview questions and prepare answers

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Do you work well under pressure? Why should we hire you?

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ I don’t know
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened once
• 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,

√ I’m maintaining

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?)

2025

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

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)?

While my school has resources for job hunting because I’m an online student who lives in another state it is often not applicable to me.

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“My campus is being closed.”

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?

√ A year to 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid),

√ Other: My campus is being closed. My position has been extended several times over the last year, but will end around May 2026.

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, ALA JobList, USAJobs, professional organization websites, corporate websites

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Supervisory,

√ Department Head,

√ Clerk/Library Assistant

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Special library,

√ Other: non-library companies and organizations

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?

√ Other: I’d prefer a remote position

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

A good fit to my abilities and skills; a livable wage; congenial co-workers/administration

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

126 (exact)

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,

√ Funding professional development,

√ 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?

Poorly written job description; skewed wages/experience ratio

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Research hiring institution; talk to anyone I know there or adjacent; edit resume to fit job description; fill out application; write cover letter; submit.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

1-6 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

More research of the institution; look for anyone I know who has any insight to this particular institution; talk to colleagues in similar positions.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“Tell us about a time you faced a problem, and how you dealt with it.”

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened once
• 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 √ Happened more than once

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

Years ago I turned down a couple of offers when I realized they were not where I wanted to be, geographically.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Communicate, communicate, communicate!

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m somewhat depressed,

√ I feel alone in my search,

√ Other: I’m procrastinating, knowing that I have my current job for a few more months.

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?)

1994

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?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

no

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“No new employee can be expected to walk in the door and fix underlying staff issues right away.”

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,

√ I’m unemployed,

√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid),

√ I need more flexibility in my schedule (to care for dependents or otherwise)

Where do you look for open positions? 

Library & organization websites, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Other: Research/reference librarian, Database /Repository Data Librarian, Accesssibility Testing and Patron Support Librarian

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Public library,

√ Special library,

√ Other: Other data and information centers

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area,

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ No

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Professional growth, pay/benefits, work -life balance

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

Approximately 20

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,

√ Funding professional development,

√ Prioritizing EDI work,

√ Prioritizing work-life balance,

√ Other: Having & stating a clear understanding of how I can /will make a difference in the organization – why I am wanted for the position

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?

Saying they are all a family = poor work /life balance; a position where responsibilities and time commitment are not referenced clearly OR the position salary doesn’t match the expected employee time /responsibility level

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

At least 3-5 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Depends on what they want, but generally, I write a cover letter, make sure my resume fits the organization, proofread for typos, prepare anything else requested, practice, possible interview questions and prepare my own questions for that particular organization

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ No preference

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?

It depends on the seniority of the position and how many applicants they receive. If they receive less than 50 applications, the process could be finalized within two weeks. If they have more than 200 applicants, the process could take a month or more. The process for filling Director or other administrative positions sometimes takes two, three months, but, if they were not going to move my application through the interview process, I would expect to hear from them sooner rather than later.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Research the organization, review standard interview questions, and prepare my own questions for that particular organization and my goals

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

I don’t mind general scenario questions but I don’t like when I am asked specific scenario questions as if they want someone to come in and solve a problem. Especially when it is a personnel problem or a “personality conflict” question. No new employee can be expected to walk in the door and fix underlying staff issues right away.

I also don’t like being asked what is the least amount I will “take” for the job – as if I am buying something! (I’d rather ask what’s the most they will pay for my knowledge, skills, and experience)

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• 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 √ Happened once, Not Applicable
• Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

Requirements were added that I did not have

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

A salary range was not in the position listing. The interview process was quick and when the offer was made, the proposed salary was less than I made 20 -25 years ago, for an exempt, salaried position, with minimal benefits.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Communicate!!!

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Umm…what?

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 hunting stinks. I was very optimistic last summer and even in the early fall, but by the time I finished my program and took care of some family issues during the winter, the job postings I had been seeing throughout my MLIS program were gone. I haven’t seen many like them – in my area – since. I cannot relocate so I feel like I wasted time and money for three years.

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?)

2024

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

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)?

Not really just a list serve

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“Librarianship is not a career in which you are ever ‘finished’ training and learning new things”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

Job boards for regional and national professional organizations

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

When jobs end up on Indeed or other general job boards (including “alt-ac” lists), we do get more unqualified applicants.

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Other: We are not allowed by HR to include the salary in the job ad, but we are usually allowed to give a range if people ask directly.

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates? 

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ No

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ Yes

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Doesn’t meet the requirements. We try to keep the “required section” as short as possible and put most things in “preferred” experience, but we still frequently get applications from folks who just don’t have any practical or applied experiences (internships and class projects do count for this!), or who are trying to enter academic libraries after an advanced disciplinary degree program and don’t have any expertise in libraries.

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview?

√ Other: It’s not an official policy but we’ve been doing it more, according to the discretion of the search committee leader

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

One week

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ No, but we used to

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ First round/Initial Screen

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: This is not allowed by HR at all.

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

This is often said, but tailor the application to the job ad. If you have tangential experience, show us exactly how it applies to the stated qualifications in the job ad. Especially in the first round when we’re filtering out unqualified applications, we’re more likely to check the box “yes” if you use the phrasing used in the job ad. In the interview, show us examples of the skills we’re looking for – I often advise job seekers to make a list of anecdotes/project examples that correspond to each bullet point on the job ad, and bring it with you to reference.

I want to hire someone who is:

autodidactic

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Music Librarian

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25-75

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 25% or less

And how would you define “hirable”?

Meets the basic requirements for the job. As this position was an academic liaison librarian position, we received many applications from folks who either had no education/interest in the liaison area, OR from folks with advanced degrees in the liaison area who had no prior experience or demonstrated interest in librarianship.

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

We had a smaller pool because of the specificity of the liaison area, which is normal.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 10-50

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 3-4

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are the same number of positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade? 

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?  

√ Yes

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

The field is evolving and changing, as it always is. Librarianship is not a career in which you are ever “finished” training and learning new things; there are new areas of need emerging that didn’t exist 50 years ago, and former areas of priority in libraries that are no longer as relevant. However, over-reliance on temporary labor and budget crises are a huge threat to all of us.

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Mid-Atlantic US

What’s your region like?

√ Suburban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Academic Library

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?

Catalogers, subject liaisons and instruction librarians, technology librarians, archivists

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been:

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),

√ A member of a hiring or search committee

#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.”

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?

√ A year to 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,

√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),

√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it,

√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, specific career pages (60+ on my list), AMIA listserv, Archivesgig.com

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Clerk/Library Assistant

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Public library,

√ Special library,

√ Media Archives

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

relevance to my career goals as a film archivist, location, room for growth

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

80 (exact)

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Pay well,

√ Having a good reputation,

√ Funding professional development,

√ 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?

If it’s a part-time or short-term role with little pay outside of where I’m willing to relocate to, then I don’t apply.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

1+ hours.

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

I take notes on the job description, write/rewrite a cover letter tailored to the description, tweak my resume if needed, go through any application questions.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

Depends on the type of institution, but anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months (for an academic library).

How do you prepare for interviews?

I write out answers to potential interview questions and make sure I’ve researched their institution really well and have a good understanding of their collections and structure. I also try to write out as many questions as I can for them.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

I hate the vague, “tell me a time when…” questions because I feel like I don’t know what they want from my answer.

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 √ Happened once

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

Yes. I turned down an offer for a position that I didn’t feel ready for or qualified for and would’ve had to move across the country for (though they would’ve provided relocation assistance). It didn’t feel like the right job to warrant the move, though I probably would’ve taken the job if it were closer or in a more ideal location.

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Be quicker and more informative in the hiring process. Keep the candidate updated if they haven’t been selected. If there are interview questions you can share ahead of time, please do that!

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m somewhat depressed,

√ I’m despondent,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ Not out of money yet, but worried,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Get lots of sleep. Don’t just stare at LinkedIn all day. Go for a walk.

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?

It feels like it’s an especially hard time right now to find jobs in the LIS field and being rejected from jobs doesn’t always mean you’re lacking as a person. Things will turn around and something good will happen soon.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

It’s nice to know that there are resources for people looking for jobs in this field. 🙂

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?)

2024

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

RAILS Library Job board, ILA job board, Indeed

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

Yes

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates? 

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Yes

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ Other: We require experience working with the public, but not necessarily in public libraries.

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Experience for the position

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview?

√ Yes

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

2-4 days

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ Other: Depends on the situation. If we have out of state candidates, we offer virtual to all our candidates.

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ No

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

A good cover letter.

I want to hire someone who is:

engaged.

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Public Services Assistant Manager

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25 or fewer

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 25% or less

And how would you define “hirable”?

Qualified and interested in this position

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

Same – we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 10-50

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are fewer positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade? 

√ Yes

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?  

√ I don’t know

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Public Library

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?

Adult and children’s librarians.

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been:

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),

√ A member of a hiring or search committee

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“Sharing interview questions ahead of time is extremely helpful for me.”

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,

√ My current job is temporary

Where do you look for open positions? 

HigherEdJobs, ArchivesGig, Code4Lib, ALA joblist, ATLA, LinkedIn

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, within my country

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Type of work (cataloging), institution (special collections), and an urban setting

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

6 exactly

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Pay well,

√ Funding professional development,

√ Other: Convey a workplace that is welcoming to continued learning and collaboration in professional interests

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?

I have an academic background in religious studies, and have looked at ATLA’s job postings, but many require a statement of faith as part of the application materials, or state that you will have to sign a document agreeing with their doctrines. Definitely a red flag.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

Initially, after feeling too overwhelmed to start the process for weeks, I spent a few hours preparing a resume and cover letter for a specific cataloging job. Once that first application was out of the way, I took further time to revise and seek feedback

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

I asked two mentors for feedback on my materials, and adjusted accordingly. For each position, I write down key words and responsibilities from the posting and attempt to group them together in related categories, which I use to restructure my cover letter, and add sections if needed to my basic template for cataloging jobs. I also modify the language in my resume to match the wording in the posting, and remove any bullet points or positions not relevant so it is no longer than two pages.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

3-6 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

Preparing answers to common situational questions and examples for collaboration, technologies, and specific use of cataloging skills/standards/tools mentioned in the posting. Also a mock interview with a family member or friend.

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 √ Not Applicable
• Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
• Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened once
• Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

I was offered another position with better pay, location, and a focus closer to my preferred area of librarianship.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Sharing interview questions ahead of time is extremely helpful for me. I have anxiety, and find the interview process overwhelming to the point of physical sickness. This response is not representative of my actual capabilities at work, but to the specific context of an interview where I have no clear expectations and no familiarity with anyone involved. There’s a difference in expectations in the interview vs the workplace, and it’s unhelpful to insist that someone who can’t answer eloquently off the top of their head is unqualified or unequipped. If I know the questions 24 hours before or even just the morning of, its possible to have relevant experiences and thoughts on my mind that make the entire process better for the interviewer and for me.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m optimistic,

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m somewhat depressed

What are your job search self-care strategies?

designating time for it and trying not to worry outside of that time

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?)

2025

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?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No. It’s a high ranked school that frequently reminds us of the fact, but does not have specific career support for library students and gives no guidance.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

The support I had in my job search came from librarians I worked with in my school’s academic library. What allowed me to gain the skills I needed to get a job was prioritizing practical experience over classes, and taking every opportunity to do more varied work with a wide range of people.

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“We recently had an applicant tell us, ‘You don’t have a discovery layer or an AI chatbot. This is outdated, so you need me!'”

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Academic Library 

Title: Access Services Librarian

Titles hired include: Systems Librarian, Reference Technician, Circulation Technician, Student Assistant Supervisor

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ Library Administration

√ The position’s supervisor

√ A Committee or panel 

√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)

√ Other: Other faculty, for faculty librarian roles

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ Cover letter

√ Resume

√ References

√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc)

√ More than one round of interviews

√ A whole day of interviews

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ No 

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

Long! For librarian: online application (librarian/search committee chair can review all), round 1 (Zoom panel interview), round 2 (face-toface: panel interview, teaching demo, meet with library director, meet with potential staff if applicable, library tour, lunch), reference checks, Zoom interviews with AVP and VP, etc.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Really addressing the position description. Telling us how YOUR skills and experiences meet OUR needs.

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Cover letter/interview mismatched to job. E.g., talking a lot about your passion for teaching when we’re recruiting a circulation tech. It tells me you won’t stay in this job for long.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ Two is ok, but no more  

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more

CV: √ We don’t ask for this

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

Being overly terse and factual. Just saying “I can do X because I’ve done it for 10 years” — make a case for yourself!

How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?

Check your camera placement and background beforehand. Avoid anything distracting – if we’re looking up your nose or there’s something odd behind you (like a wrinkled bedsheet used to screen the room…), we’re not paying as much attention to what you’re saying.

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Show me that you understand how your skills transfer. E.g., for a circulation position managing equipment lending, the successful applicant explained how their background in healthcare would help them with data entry, detail orientation, and patron confidentiality. Great!

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

HR must approve candidate pools for diversity (self-reported demographic categories) and will readvertise if they’re too homogenous. We provide the interview questions in text, though not in advance. We invite interviewees to inform us of accommodations needed. Otherwise, not much.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Just be genuine. Read the job description – there’s only so much we can fit in there, so please ask about whatever we had to leave out! “What does a typical day/week look like?” is better than “Tell me about the training process/goals for the first 6 months.” Don’t ask about benefits – it’s on the website.

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Northeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban 

√ Suburban 

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions 

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ Other: 15-20 for library, but we’re part of a college

Is there anything else you’d like to say, either to job hunters or to me, the survey author?

We recently had an applicant tell us, “You don’t have a discovery layer or an AI chatbot. This is outdated, so you need me!” No consideration that maybe these were deliberate choices, just an assertion that this person knew better than the people already working here. The candidate did not advance to the next round.

#Librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs

“When they’ve cut people from the pool.”

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,

√ My current job is awful/toxic,

√ Other: I’d like to live in a different place

Where do you look for open positions? 

ALA jobList, ARLIS JobList, HigherEd Jobs, AltAc Jobs, Idealist, grad school job email, Words of Mouth

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Supervisory,

√ Department Head

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Special library,

√ Museums

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Not a kitchen sink job (clearly two or three positions bolted together), focused on instruction/research, space to be a little creative

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

24 (exact)

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,

√ 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?

really tight turn around times for library/higher ed jobs (tells me there’s an internal candidate that they’re fast tracking).

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

1-3 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

tailor CV/resume to job, write cover letter (I write new ones for every job; I don’t have a template), prepare any other statements (less common in this search than in my post-library school search), submit

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

When would you like potential employers to contact you?

√ To acknowledge my application,

√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me,

√ Other: when they’ve cut people from the pool. If I don’t make it past the phone interview stage, I want to get that automated email that says they’ve gone in a different direction

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?

3-5 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

If I have questions in advance, I write bullet point answers. If not, I review the materials I submitted and the job description and take a stab at what kinds of scenarios might be relevant to the interviewers and bullet point those. I also prepare a short list of questions, some that I always ask and some that are tailored to the job.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

I’ve never actually been asked any of the classic trash questions, but I never know how to answer “how do you like to be managed”

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened more than once
• 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

If you’ve asked for an accommodation, what happened?

The only accomodations I’ve ever asked for are dietary, and people are fine about allergies and the fact that I don’t eat meat.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Also, and I feel a little strongly about this, don’t ask for references at the start. You’re not going to use those until the on-campus stage at the earliest.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m optimistic,

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

My task manager is game-ified and that’s really helpful. I get a little reward when I submit something. I also try to keep it at a managable pace, so not pressuring myself to do too many. If I get more done in a day great, but I set a manageable goal.

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?)

2019

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?

√ Six months to a year after graduating

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

not really

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“turnover is a lot higher in the past couple of years”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

Partnership Job Board, municipal website

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

yes

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates? 

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ No

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ Yes

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Application does not demonstrate how the candidate meets the requirements of the position

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview?

√ Other: Sometimes for the first interview or if there is a presentation or demonstration

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

1 week

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ No, and I don’t think we ever have

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ None

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ If requested

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

Read what is in the posting and show how you meet the requirements

I want to hire someone who is:

accountability

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Circulation assistant

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ more than 200

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 26-50%

And how would you define “hirable”?

Application addresses skills and qualifications

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 10 -50

Are you unionized?

√ Yes, at least some workers are union members

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 3-4

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ Other: Have not changed but turnover is a lot higher in the past couple of years

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade? 

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?  

√ No

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

It is an evolving field

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Canada

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Public Library

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?

All at the library

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been:

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise)

#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“Rewarding myself with a little treat after each time I get an interview.”

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,

√ I want to work at a different type of library/institution,

√ My current job is boring,

√ I’m worried I will be laid off/let go/fired from my current position

Where do you look for open positions? 

INALJ, Indeed, LinkedIn, ArchivesGig

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Other: Yes, to blue states

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

More interesting work, better pay, better commute

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

20

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?

Job descriptions that emphasize faith-based values

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-3 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Research institution, write cover letter, tweak resume to suit position, proofread. If it’s a job I’m really interested in I’ll have a friend look at it too.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

2-3 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

Reread job posting, reread my cover letter, familiarize myself with the institution’s website and dig more deeply into it.

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 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 √ Happened once
• Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

Found out at end of first interview that the pay was extremely low and decided it was not worth it

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

Was told when offered the position that actually, someone in XYZ position has just left so the position I interviewed and was offered was also going to take on THOSE job duties – without any increase in pay

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

– Make it easier for people to apply; you have to jump through several hopes sometimes.

– Be clear, particularly about salaries.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I feel supported in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Ranting to friends who are in the same position, rewarding myself with a little treat after each time I get an interview.

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?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No.

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“If an hour is given for an interview and you finish in 15-20 minutes then you did not provide enough details in your answers.”

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Public Library 

Title: Branch Manager

Titles hired include: Public Services Librarian, Assistant Branch Manager, Branch Manager, Children’s Librarian, Mobile Services Supervisor

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ HR

√ Library Administration

√ The position’s supervisor

√ A Committee or panel

√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)

√ Other: Outside organization professional

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ Resume

√ References

√ Supplemental Questions

√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc) 

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ No 

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

Job postings are made with a typical 2 week opening. Internal and external postings are done at the same time- no internal preference given. Applications require a resume, references, and short essay questions. Cover letter is optional. There are a few qualifying questions that weed out applicants. A panel independently scores the resume and essay questions with a structured rubric and the top 5-8 candidates receive an interview. Interview questions are given 24 hours in advance. The panel interviews the candidates and independently scores each candidate with a rubric. Executive director compiles the scores and we discuss the candidates, strengths in the position. The top candidate is typically offered the position, but occasionally the second candidate is offered the position at the directors discretion usually with the direct supervisors influence. I have served on 30+ interview panels.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Their personal story and what they overcame to get to this interview- immigrant from Africa, learned to read from classic books her dad brought home, immigrated as a young adult to the US, studied in public libraries until their English was strong enough to enter college. She educated her 9 children using the public library. There is nothing more she wants in life then to go back to Africa and open a public library which do not exist there.

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Using AI to answer application and interview questions. It is a regular occurrence in past year and a half.

What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?

Flexibility and willingness to pitch in to get a job done.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ Only One!

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more 

CV: √ Two is ok, but no more  

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

If an hour is given for an interview and you finish in 15-20 minutes then you did not provide enough details in your answers. Applicants should use close to the allotted time without going over.

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

Yes, dress in professional or at least smart casual. A crewneck is not good enough. Be aware of your background, blur it if need be. Use the time allotted without going over. Provide details and illustrate your answers with stories that showcase your skills.

How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?

Stories bring skills and relevant experiences to life. Do not tell the same story more than once. It is a wasted opportunity to repeat yourself.

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

Hiring training on reducing bias in interview process. We openly talk about ways to reduce bias by learning about types of bias in depth.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Ask questions of genuine interest or of things they want to know. I love a workplace culture question.

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Notheastern US 

What’s your region like?

√ Rural 

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ 51-100

Is there anything else you’d like to say, either to job hunters or to me, the survey author?

Very interested in crowdsourcing how people feel about applicants that use AI in their interview and application answers. I clearly have very strong feelings against it.

Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

#AcademicLibraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #LISCareers

“I spend my time pouring over their website or social media”

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?

√ A year to 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,

√ I’m unemployed

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, Glassdoor, The Partnership, Indeed, local library job boards, local college job boards

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Clerk/Library Assistant

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Public library,

√ School library,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Canada

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ No

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Livable salary, good benefits, strong & clear mission statments

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

estimated 50+

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits,

√ Introducing me to staff,

√ 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?

Entry level work that requires five or more years of experience.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Research institution, Check my resume and cover letter and try to tailor them to fit what the job requires.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

2-4 Months

How do you prepare for interviews?

I spend my time pouring over their website or social media, this helps give me an idea of what that organization strives to accomplish, as well as how I can best fit within said organization.

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 √ 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

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

If the position has been filled, just send an email.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated,

√ Not out of money yet, but worried,

√ I feel alone in my search

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?)

2024

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?

√ Substitute/Pool position

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

Occasional emails about new positions from my professors

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“When I started as a Librarian 26 years ago, all we heard about was how librarianship was a dying profession.”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

Our county’s career site, state library website, our state’s library assoc. listserv, BCALA, 2-3 local library school job posting sites

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

Unfortunately, the county job application does not track where an applicant saw the job ad.

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates? 

√ Other: I’m not sure. Our county HR department does the initial screening.

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Yes

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ No

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

We typically have a healthy pool of candidates in terms of numbers and to narrow it down, we have to use consistent criteria. It usually comes down to years of experience in public libraries. We look at both professional and paraprofessional experience.

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview?

√ We have done it sometimes, but are moving to consistently sharing before the interview.

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

About a week

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ No, and I don’t think we ever have

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ Other: It depends. If the candidate is out of town and cannot travel, we will offer a virtual interview. For managers, the first round is virtual.:

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: We do if requested. Typically feedback is offered to internal candidates.

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

Do their research on the organization they are applying to. Visit it if possible!

I want to hire someone who is:

Adaptable

Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?

We are working on more diversity in our hiring, and on being more inclusive in our interviewing practices.

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Library Assistant (2 positions)

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 75-100

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 26-50%

And how would you define “hirable”?

Have strong customer service experience, possibly library experience; took care with their cover letter, resume, and application; flexible availability/able to work the schedule posted; interested in library work

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

We are getting many more applications than in years past, and the quality of candidates has definitely gotten stronger.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 200+

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are more positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade? 

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?  

√ No

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

When I started as a Librarian 26 years ago, all we heard about was how librarianship was a dying profession. The profession has changed tremendously and we have to adapt, but we are still relevant and are not going anywhere!

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area,

√ Suburban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Public Library

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?

Managers (both location and Adult/Youth Managers), Adult Librarians, Youth Librarians, Selection Librarians, Technology/PR focused Librarians

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been:

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),

√ A member of a hiring or search committee,

√ Other: I am the Senior Library Manager for Recruitment and Onboarding for my system. I coordinate and manage all hiring of permanent staff.

Do you have any other comments, for job hunters, other people who hire, about the survey, or for Emily (the survey author)?

I love that you are providing resources and support for job hunters and those of us involved in hiring! It’s become a very competitive market and candidates need to do their research and be prepared for interviewing.

#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“It’s also okay if you decide to do something else for a while”

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?

√ More than 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,

√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),

√ Looking for a promotion/more responsibility,

√ I want to work with a different population,

√ I want to work at a different type of library/institution

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, Simmons Jobline, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners jobs postings, specific local libraries’ employment sites, HigherEdJobs

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Public 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?

√ No

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

public-facing work, professional-level title and equivalent responsibilities, located in or near my community

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

48 (exact)

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Pay well,

√ Introducing me to staff,

√ 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?

Complete absence of EDI language in listing; listings that include mostly librarian-level work but are presented as para-professional roles

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

3-6 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

research library, including department structure, major initiatives, and current staff; adjust resume language to create a version that mirrors job posting; adapt the most relevant previous cover letter to fit role; proofread

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

The average over my search has been about 75 days, so I guess that’s what I expect at this point. That’s pretty terrible, though.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Researching committee members, department, larger library system, relevant topics, etc. and typing up copious notes. Writing out answers to common questions to find articulate ways to say things (obviously I don’t read the notes in the interview, but writing through things helps me). Making an extensive list of questions that I want to ask. Reading up on recent literature in the field for areas that I have less direct experience with.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“What tools or tricks do you use to stay organized?” – I don’t have many, but I’m still a pretty organized person, so it either comes off like I’m bragging or I haven’t thought about how to organize my work.

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 √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
• Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened more than once
• Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

The position wasn’t ideal in the first place, but I really wanted to move on to a new thing. Then during the interviewing process it became clear that it was a bad match.

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

It turned out that working with children and young adults was a much larger part of the role than I had anticipated, and while I wasn’t opposed to that, the pay was quite low so those two things combined made me think it wasn’t the right job for me. I kind of regret that now, though.

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

I applied for a role that was fairly similar to the one I have now, but would have been a professional librarian position (my current role is classified as para-professional) and it was at a different type of library, about halfway between where I am now (academic special collections) and where I’d ideally like to be (public). During the interview, it became clear just how clearly matched my skills from my current role were to the role they were hiring for, and the hiring manager just said “I think you’d be bored in this job. Would you be bored?” I mean, he wasn’t wrong, but that was a weird thing to be asked/try to answer in an interview setting. Also I once went through four rounds of interviews for a job only to have one of the interviewers tell me (in a one-on-one zoom conversation) that I shouldn’t want the job because it would basically crush my spirit. Again, wasn’t wrong, but…how do you respond to that??

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

I know it’s never going to happen, but please, once you’re into final interviews, can you tell the rest of us that we’re out of the game?? Also, way more people should consider providing interview questions in advance, I don’t know why this isn’t normalized. Yes, many types of librarianship require being able to answer questions on the fly, but usually with resources at hand! And in a deeply interactive way! I’m also kind of sick of the idea of being “overqualified”–this is not my first career, I’m coming to it a little older than some others, and yes, I have the degree and some experience, but I can’t even get interviews for assistant/associate jobs, and I have to assume part of that is the assumption of being “overqualified” and/or that it would be a “stepping stone” but it’s really frustrating!

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m somewhat depressed,

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

keeping data on the search is helpful for me in terms of feeling informed and managing expectations; existentialism?? idk

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?

This is kind of the worst, and I know that’s not inspiring, but hey, solidarity. It’s also okay if you decide to do something else for a while–I’ve had like three and a half careers and have multiple advanced degrees and I’m still in my thirties, you can broaden your horizons and it’s not the end of the world.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

I’ve been reading these for so long and the responses are always meaningful, even the ones that seem to have very little in common with my own experiences. I didn’t realize the survey was still open until today, but I’m thrilled to be able to participate! I really appreciate your work on the site (and the podcast!)–thank you for this!

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)?

√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

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)?

Ha no. I tried working with career services for resume/cover letter review. They gave me one formatting suggestion (which I didn’t take) and told me that my cover letter was “one of the best” they’d seen–I mean, thanks? But it’s not working? So???

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

See comment about about the “overqualified” paradox. Also switching from one type of library to another is shockingly hard??

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“I coordinate and manage all recruitments for permanent staff.”

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Public Library

Title: Senior Library Manager for Recruitment and Onboarding

Titles hired include: Managers (location and department), Librarian, Library Assistant, Interns, IT staff (desktop support, IT Manager, IT Specialist)

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ Library Administration

√ The position’s supervisor 

√ A Committee or panel

√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ References

√ Proof of degree

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ Other: I’m not sure. County HR does all of the initial screening, and I believe it’s done manually.

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

I coordinate and manage all recruitments for permanent staff. A supervisor/hiring manager will inform me of a vacancy. My department coordinates gathering information from the supervisor about schedule and anything special they may want mentioned in the job ad. Me and my department staff submit the request to post to county HR. The hiring manager puts together their interview panel of at least three people and decides on questions. Those details are required by county HR when posting a position. Once the job posting closes to applications, my department coordinates getting all the applications to the hiring manager who can then screen the applications and decide who they will interview. Once interviews are complete and a selection is made, the hiring manager contacts references and my department coordinates the background check and education verification. Once those are back and are satisfactory, the hiring manager can make a verbal offer. Once a verbal offer is accepted, my department drafts and sends the official offer letter to the hiring manager and candidate for signatures via DocuSign. I work with our HR rep to determine salaries for all hires.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Impressive candidates are usually the ones who are prepared and have done their research. They learn what they can about our library system, and visit the location to which they are applying. They are prepared to answer any question asked and can provide concrete, real world examples. They can “go off script” and participate in a genuine conversation about the position, their experience, the system, state of librarianship in general, etc.

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

It usually depends on the position. For part-time staff, it’s usually that they cannot work the schedule. In all instances, red flags about how they handle customer service or conflict (soft skills).

What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?

Interpersonal skills are so important in a public library job. It’s hard to really get to know someone’s strengths in a short interview.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ only one!  

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more 

CV: √ We don’t ask for this  

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

Not listening carefully to the question being asked, and not thinking about the question behind the question. Candidates should consider questions from the standpoint of, “what is the organization trying to learn about me with this question?” “What relevant information can I share that will help them make an informed decision that I am the best person for the job?” There is a balance to it, as well, and candidates should not ramble on for too long. Bring notes to the interview so that you can cover all of your points succinctly.

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

Yes, we conduct virtual interviews. Job hunters should treat a virtual interview just as they would an in person interview. Dress professionally, make sure your environment is conducive to the interview (check your background, tech, noise, etc), have your notes with you, smile and make eye contact with the camera. If there is more than one person on the panel, make sure that you are addressing them by name if you are asking questions.

How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?

It’s all about transferable skills and experience. This is where the cover letter and resume are important. One mistake that job hunters make is when they are applying for multiple jobs, they send out almost the exact same cover letter and the same resume without tailoring it to the job they are seeking. We have received countless cover letters addressed to the wrong organization.

For someone seeking to transition to public library work, it’s important to focus on “people skills”, customer service, experience working with children or adults as applicable, and experience presenting to diverse groups. Working in teams and collaborative work are very important. Having the ability to weather change, being flexible and adaptable, being solution-oriented and having leadership skills–and being able to back this up with real life examples from current or past jobs, or in school.

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad 

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

Our application has no demographic information, so we cannot make conclusions about candidates ahead of time. We try to put together diverse hiring panels–diverse in gender, race, ethnicity, positions, etc. Our questions are approved in advance by HR so that we are not asking anything illegal or discriminatory. In the end, we are all human and personal bias will still come into play. All we can do is strive to mitigate it.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Thoughtful questions are always appreciated! Candidates should ask whatever is important for them to know about an organization. What opportunities are there for me to grow and develop in this job? What are the organization’s values? What is their mission? Do those values align with my own? What does a typical day look like? Will I get off-desk time? If so, how many hours per week average? How many hours will I spend on the desk? Ask about benefits. In the public library, we cannot pay as much as a private company, but usually benefits are good such as a pension and 401(k), paid time off, holidays, etc. Ask about leadership styles. How are decisions made? What kind of input and participation will I have in system initiatives/projects? How does the organization communicate with staff? How would the panel members describe the culture of the organization?

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southeastern US 

What’s your region like?

√ Urban

√ Suburban

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ 201+

#Librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #SpecialLibrary #stateLibrary

“Convenient location, interesting subject matter, good benefits.”

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?

√ More than 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ I’m unemployed

Where do you look for open positions? 

SAA, INALJ

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Supervisory

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Archives,

What part of the world are you in?

√ Mid-Atlantic US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Convenient location, interesting subject matter, good benefits.

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

6 (estimate)

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

Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

1-2 days

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Update and revise resume as needed prior to careful proofreading of all documents. Draft a list of questions, and if it is unclear why the position is open and consider whether to ask how long the position has been unfilled.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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 do you prepare for interviews?

Review position description, note items that are vague or unclear. Consider whether to ask why the position is open.

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened once
• Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √
• Asked for an accommodation for a disability √
• Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √
• Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

Did not want to relocate after seeing the city

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Explain their hiring procedure and indicate how long it may take before a final decision is made.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Cook extra good meals, take an afternoon walk around my neighborhood for at least 30 min. Once back home I lie down and read for at least 1 hr.

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?)

1973

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ 18 months to two years after graduating

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“A thoughtful letter is very likely to get you at least to a phone screen.”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here. 

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

America’s Job Exchange, Northern California HERC, HigherEdJobs, Inside Higher Ed, LinkedIn, Indeed, DirectEmployers, Glassdoor, HandShake, CA Association of Research Libraries (CARL), ALA JobList, HBCU Career Center, We Here, and subject-specific lists (datalibs, PAMNet, etc.)

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

Yes, we’ve had good luck with the subject-specific mailing lists).

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?  

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Yes

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ No

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

They don’t meet the minimum requirements. For example, for subject liaisons, we require some amount of relevant subject area experience. It doesn’t have to be exact, but we aren’t likely to consider someone with a BA in History for a science librarian position.

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview? 

√ Yes

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

For the phone screen, we try to give a week. For an in-person presentation, we give at least 2 weeks but we aim for a month.

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ Yes

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ First round/Initial Screen

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: Sort of. We usually tell people why we went with a different candidate but we don’t go into how they could have improved.

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

Make it clear that you aren’t just looking at *a job,* you’re looking for *this job,* and tell us why you are a strong candidate.

I want to hire someone who is: 

curious

Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?

I have been a hiring manager several times and it has been extremely rare for someone to reach out to me with questions about the position. I would be happy to answer questions, and I’m sure most folks doing the hiring would be, too. We all want to have a strong pool – help us help you!

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Engineering Librarian

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25 or fewer

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 25% or less

And how would you define “hirable”?

They met the minimum qualifications posted in the job posting and did not need a VISA.

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

It seems like it’s getting harder to hire for subject liaisons – it’s tricky to get the right combo of subject experience and library experience.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 200+

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are more positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?  

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?   

√ No

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

There has never been more of a need for professional support in navigating information.

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US (including Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific Northwest)

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Academic Library 

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire? 

subject liaisons

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been: 

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise), A member of a hiring or search committee

Do you have any other comments, for job hunters, other people who hire, about the survey, or for Emily (the survey author)?

For job hunters seeking a subject librarian role: a cover letter is important. Regardless of how many applications we get, we can only phone screen so many people (less than 10, usually only 5-6). A generic cover letter sends a message that you aren’t really interested in the job you are applying for. The subject liaison role is fairly specific, and we understand that very few candidates meet every single criterion in the job ad. That’s okay! Tell the hiring committee why you’re interested in the position and why you are a good candidate. A thoughtful letter is very likely to get you at least to a phone screen. It’s worth the effort.

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“I’m retiring with a pension from a public school position I’ve held for many years, and looking for an entry-level position in an academic library.”

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 at a different type of library/institution

Where do you look for open positions? 

LinkedIn, ACRL, Google

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Requiring at least two years of experience

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Northeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area,

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ No

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

New challenges, collaborative environment, intellectual stimulation

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

3

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job? 

√ Introducing me to staff,

√ 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?

Mismatch between salary and responsibilities/qualifications.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

one hour

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

I tailor my resume and cover letter to the job description and the information on the college’s website.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

Two months.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Review relevant standards, visit the library if possible, explore the information on their website, look at the LinkedIn profiles of library staff, take notes on the job description and how my experience might match what they’re looking for.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years. It seems like there is simply no right answer to this question. If you say “doing this job I’m applying for,” it seems like you have no ambition. If you say, “moving into administration,” you could be a threat.

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?

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Submitting an application shouldn’t feel like buying a lottery ticket. Highly educated professionals are spending their time trying to present themselves to you. The least you can do is acknowledge applications and write to inform you about whether or not you are being considered.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m optimistic

What are your job search self-care strategies?

I’m in an unusual position. I’m retiring with a pension from a public school position I’ve held for many years, and looking for an entry-level position in an academic library. I’m also adjuncting in information literacy. I have health insurance and a spouse who is not retired. So while I would like very much to have a new job by September, I’m not going to stress if I don’t get one. I can afford to wait a while, although not indefinitely.

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?

Employers, you are librarians. Please show respect for our profession by showing respect for applicants, all of whom are, in a larger sense, your colleagues.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

No, but thank you, Emily!

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?)

2003

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?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Part Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No, but I didn’t ask for any, either.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

I don’t know if this works anymore, but I visited the library, introduced myself, and scored an interview on the basis of that conversation! I don’t even think they had a job posted.

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“more people dropping out of the process partway through”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here. 

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

listservs, LinkedIn, HigherEdJobs, and others

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

no

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?  

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Other: must meet minimum qualifications, but all others are optional

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ No

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

not meeting minimum qualifications

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview? 

√ Yes

If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?

24 hours

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ Yes

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ First round/Initial Screen

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ No

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

make it obvious how you meet the qualifications in your cover letter and resume

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Director of Collections

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25-75

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 25% or less

And how would you define “hirable”?

had experience in the right areas

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

more people dropping out of the process partway through

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 100-200

Are you unionized?

√ Yes, at least some workers are union members

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 7 or more

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ I don’t know

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?  

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?   

√ Yes

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US (including Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific Northwest)

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Academic Library 

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been: 

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),

√ A member of a hiring or search committee

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“My job search self-care strategy is pretty simple: I’ve stopped participating in the circus.”

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?

√ More than 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it

Where do you look for open positions? 

CLR+DLF Job Board, ALA JobLIST, Library school listserv, LinkedIn, institution websites, county/state gov websites

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Requiring at least two years of experience,

√ Supervisory

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Library vendor/service provider,

√ Public library,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area,

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Purpose, Fairness, Transparency

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

40

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,

√ Prioritizing work-life balance,

√ Other: People who are hiring/already work there need to be competent and be able to demonstrate a clear purpose in what it is THEY do. Too often, I’ve found that people who are hiring or have held the same job for decades are unable to articulate the value they bring and the standards they are held to, while putting candidates through the ringer.

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

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-3 Hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Preparing a LIS application packet feels like navigating a maze with no clear exit, where advice contradicts itself at every turn. I start by dissecting the job posting to uncover the keywords and tone, then agonize over whether my non-library customer service experience deserves a starring role or a quiet omission. On one hand, it proves I’ve worked steadily and can handle people; on the other, I fear it screams, “Not enough library jobs!” My resumé becomes a game of selective truth-telling, carefully tailored to the posting, while my cover letter attempts to strike that elusive balance between confident and a blow hard. After obsessively proofreading and second-guessing, I send it off knowing there’s no definitive right way no matter how much the career coaches try to convince you otherwise.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Email

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?

3 months tops.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Preparing for interviews feels like a bureaucratic ritual where you’re expected to recite the organization’s mission statement back to them while pretending you didn’t just memorize it an hour ago. I review the job description and tailor my responses to match the exact phrasing, knowing they’re likely checking for buzzwords. I rehearse answers to questions I’ll probably never be asked and debate whether mentioning my genuine accomplishments be evaluated in good faith.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

My most hated interview questions are the dreaded “Tell me about a time…” prompts. They don’t evaluate problem-solving skills or how someone approaches challenges—they test your ability to craft a convincing narrative under pressure, which feels more like an acting exercise than an assessment of competence. These questions reward storytelling and improvisation, leaving room for embellishment or outright fabrication, rather than providing a realistic measure of how someone actually works through issues. I’d rather discuss my methods or strategies than spin an anecdote that sounds rehearsed or fictional.

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• 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 √ Not Applicable

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

I was rejected for a role where I gave a presentation only to see the ideas from my presentation published on the institution’s website by a member from the committee.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Hiring committees especially those in the public sector should be more scrutinized by other departments in the org. More checks and balances and less opaqueness.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

My job search self-care strategy is pretty simple: I’ve stopped participating in the circus. I’ll no longer waste time on interviews that go beyond two rounds or create presentations for my ideas to be used without any guarantee of being hired. I’m done proving myself for free. I’m happy to discuss my experience, ask questions to learn more about the organization, and connect my skills to their needs. But that’s where it stops. I’m not going to jump through endless hoops or give away my expertise without knowing it’s a real opportunity. My time and energy are valuable, and if that’s not respected, then the process ends 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?

Job hunting in the LIS field has become a masterclass in pointless hoops and unnecessary qualifications. What used to be a relatively straightforward process is now bogged down by layers of bureaucracy, where your skills take a backseat to how well you can jump through the right hoops. But hey, if you’re into making things more complicated than they need to be, I guess it’s working for someone.

To employers, it’s fascinating how you’ve convinced yourselves this convoluted process is necessary. When you started 25 years ago, you didn’t have to deal with all this nonsense, but now you’ve created a system where the people who can withstand the most pointless scrutiny are somehow the best fit.

The idea that the LIS market is “oversaturated” is convenient. It’s a perfect excuse for why expectations are through the roof. But what if the oversaturation narrative is less about too many qualified candidates and more about creating a monoculture? What if it’s not about having “too many” professionals, but about shaping a field where only certain types of candidates are deemed acceptable, making it easier to filter out those who don’t fit the prescribed mold? Over-saturation, in this sense, isn’t the problem, but perhaps the cover for maintaining control over a system that thrives on conformity. The real competition is about fitting into a narrow, predefined idea of who should belong in the field.This, in turn, feeds into the cycle that benefits those at the top: LIS professors, who continue to push out graduates, and institutions offering pay-to-play certificate courses that promise to “fix” your qualifications. The more people funneled through this process, the more they reinforce a system that privileges those who can afford the constant stream of qualifications, while keeping the salaries and careers of those profiting from it intact. It’s not about too many candidates; it’s about making sure only a specific few make it to the top.

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?)

2021

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?

√ A year to 18 months after graduating

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

It wasn’t anything I didn’t already know.

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“Hiring practices vary in every country.”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here. 

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

Website, IFLA LISTSERV

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

Not at all.

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?  

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ No

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ Yes

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

It is more of shortlisting, the one with higher score in the preliminary review gets to the 2nd interview.

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview? 

√ No

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ No, and I don’t think we ever have

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ It is entirely virtual

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: I can, if they ask.

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

Meet the qualifications

I want to hire someone who is: 

I cannot have same adjectives, each position has different skills needed.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?

Hiring practices vary in every country. In Europe, there are positions that are not necessarily filled in by an LIS graduate. In the Philippines, to be a librarian, you need to have a license. In Other countries they require an ALA Accredited or CILIP accredited degree.

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Acquisitions Librarian

When was this position hired?

√ Within the last three months

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25 or fewer

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 25% or less

And how would you define “hirable”?

They meet the minimum qualifications.

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

Less applicants for this position.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 10-50

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 1

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 3-4

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are fewer positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?  

√ Other: I never tried but I can.

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?   

√ Other: I never did. It will not be a replacement, it is more of having a different position.

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

Librarians are still needed but it is an evolving position. With the emerging technologies, new tasks come in e.g. Data Librarian, AI Literacy Librarian. But the essence of task dealing with people, information and technology is still the same.

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Europe

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Other: I only hire for my research library 

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire? 

Catalogers, Reference Librarians, Special Collections librarians

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been: 

√ A member of a hiring or search committee,

√ Other: The main person in charge of hiring as a Head Librarian

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“If one more of my employed colleagues suggests volunteering as a means to gain more experience, I might lose it.”

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?

√ A year to 18 months

Why are you job hunting?  

√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,

√ I’m unemployed,

√ Because I’m worried about a possible recession

Where do you look for open positions? 

APALA listerv, WeHere, archivesgig, LinkedIn

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level,

√ Other: ACTUALLY entry level, not “2 to 3 years experience” entry level that seems to be inescapable

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives,

√ Public library,

√ Special library

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ 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?

training, professional development opportunities, mentorship

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

64 (exact)

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,

√ Funding professional development,

√ Prioritizing EDI work,

√ Prioritizing work-life balance,

√ Other: Hiring new grads

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?

If I have applied to the organization before and got ghosted after an interview in the past (which has happened to me 3 times this past year at the same public library system), I am not applying again.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

Depending on the org, it can take me anywhere from 3 hours to a day or two.

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

I try to tailor my cover letter to match the job description. I also try have at least one other person proofread my cover letter so I can apply the feedback they give me. If I have a connection at the place I am applying, I try to reach out to ask them informational questions or if they have any advice/tip they can offer before I send in my application.

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

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?

3 to 6 months (the snail’s pace of academic hiring process has worn me down)

How do you prepare for interviews?

I practice answering interview questions using Big Interview, which is especially useful for remote interviews. I still have access to my grad school’s career counseling services, so I also like to set up a mock interview with a career counselor. For in-person interviews (which are less common in my experience) I prefer an IRL mock interview with a trusted colleague.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” Since 2019, the past five years of my life have been completely derailed by ongoing the COVID-19 pandemic. When I started my MLS in January 2020, I was certain I would finish in 2 years. It took nearly 4 years after the death of my mother in April 2020, becoming a caretaker for my dad, and taking on odd jobs to make ends meet. I have learned not to share these struggles at work, so I never mentioned them in interviews over past year. This job search has been quite dehumanizing so I do not expect empathy from employers, especially not during the hiring process. I know this comes off as cynical but this where I am at after the five years.

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• 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 √ Not Applicable

If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?

n/a

If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?

I’m not in a position to turn down any offers. 😦

If you’ve asked for an accommodation, what happened?

I have yet to ask because I fear of being discriminated against. However, I would LOVE to have interview questions sent to me ahead of time. I know this is common in other states but sadly not in mine.

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

Buckle up for this one: A month after applying for a librarian job at a special library, I was over the moon when I was offered zoom interview for a position I could see myself thriving in. A day after that initial interview, I was offered a second interview in-person. This was a 3.5 hour interview that an agenda that included back-to-back, one-on-one interviews with the HR manager, department manager, library director, and a panel interview with the entire department. Following the interviews, I also had to take a quiz on Boolean logic before giving a 20 minute presentation (10 minutes to perform a database search and 10 minutes for Q&A). I created an accompanying mini zine to distribute to each person present, which took quite a bit of time, on top of the hours I spent practicing interview questions.

To add insult to injury, this interview took place the morning after the presidential election. For the sake of my own mental health, I did not watch the news or use social media the week leading up to 11/6, so I did not know the results of the election until after the interview. I’m glad I made this decision because it helped me perform but it ultimately felt like I was put through the ringer for no good reason.

Two weeks later, I was informed that I was not selected via email. When I asked for feedback, I was told that “Everyone loved your personality and thought you would be a great fit. The selected candidate did come in with about 2 years of experience so that gave them a bit of an edge over you.” It was a little victory for me, as this was first time I ever got a response after asking for feedback following a rejection. But this feedback was still quite frustrating to receive, as it did not have any actionable steps to take in my job search moving forward.

How am I supposed to get paid experience if I keep getting rejected for not having enough experience? (Of course, I didn’t respond to the feedback with this question. I just said “Thank you!” and licked my wounds offline.) If one more of my employed colleagues suggests volunteering as a means to gain more experience, I might lose it. In the past year, I have given plenty of hours of unpaid labor for different professional orgs and during my graduate practicum. I have yet to see that strategy pay off in the form of a job offer.

TLDR: I had the horrific experience of having to endure a 3.5 hour interview which included a quiz and a presentation, only to come second to someone who had two years of experience.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

I know this is not common practice in the south, but it would be amazing if more employers provided interview questions ahead of time so candidates can answer these questions thoughtfully. This practice alleviates the already nerve-wracking ordeal of interviews, especially for neurodivergent candidates.

Please consider hiring new grads for their potential to learn on the job. If you are willing to hire new grads, please say so in the job posting. Even with an internship, a practicum, and past experience as a library assistant, I am still being rejected due to “lack of experience.” I know I am not the only new grad struggling with this and I really wish more employers had more empathy for those of us fresh out of library school, especially since 2020.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated,

√ Not out of money yet, but worried,

√ I feel supported in my search,

√ I feel alone in my search,

√ Other: I’m very depressed. While I’m grateful to have loved ones and colleagues supporting me by sending me job postings, I still struggle to find hope the longer my job search drags on.

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Unplugging does wonders! It can be really easy for me to doomscroll on LinkedIn in the I can find that elusive “good fit” job, so I try to not apply for jobs after 5 pm on weekdays. I also avoid applying on the weekend or holidays, it’s really easy for me to spiral over I try to reward myself for effort rather than the coveted outcome of a job offer. In the past I have been too hard on myself for not getting the offer. In the last 13 months of my job search, I have learned that no matter where I am in the application process, it is worth celebrating each victory: that could look like taking a walk with my dog after working on a particularly tedious application, treating myself to a nice meal after an interview, etc. I’m not going to wait until I have a job offer for permission to give myself grace, especially in this dumpster fire of a job market.

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?

To fellow job hunters: If you are a BIPOC LIS professional and not already part of WeHere, please join. Free tools that have made the job search less daunting include Teal, which is a job application tracker to keep tabs on the status of multiple applications. As I mentioned before, Big Interview is another great tool to practice interview questions, especially for remote interviews. A helpful mantra for me has been “Practice will never make you worse.”

To employers: If you are posting entry level jobs, hire candidates who are actually entry level. Requiring two years of experience is, by definition, not entry level. Please give new grads, especially those who endured grad school through the COVID-19 lockdown, a chance. There were not a lot of opportunities for students at that time to get on-hands experience, especially those of us who lost loved ones during that time. If you were lucky enough to get through 2020 to the present without COVID-19 having a material impact on your personal and professional life, please have empathy for those of us were not as fortunate.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Emily, thank you so much for this survey. It is invaluable for folks like me, especially during times when I wonder if I am the only one struggling to find paid work.

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?)

2023

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

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)?

To some extent, yes. I’m grateful I have access to my library school’s career counseling services. However, my library school could have done a better job at matching students with practicum experiences and internships aligned with our interests. Even when I was speaking regularly with my advisor, I still struggled to find those opportunities on my own. With a bit more guidance and direction from my institution, I wonder if I could have landed a job by now.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

n/a

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here. 

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

Local listservs, state library association, county library association, governmentjobs.com

Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?

I don’t think so but we also haven’t always asked where they saw the ad

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?  

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Yes

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ No

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Doesn’t meet criteria at all (for example, someone with no children’s department experience who has never worked in a public library applying for a FT children’s position and submitting a resume and cover letter that did not actually express interest in the listed responsibilities)

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview? 

√ No

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ Other: No, we never have, and this is also something I have never experienced myself or heard of any other local libraries doing

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ Other: Interviews were virtual during COVID and we have accommodated applicant requests for virtual interviews. Default process has been moved back to in person since 2022

Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: As a dept head who makes hiring decisions, I give SOME feedback sometimes. If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that (e.g. “I really loved hearing about XYZ and was impressed by your ideas for ABC. It was a tough decision, but we ultimately went with another candidate for this particular role. Please don’t hesitate to apply for future opportunities with us, and feel free to reach out to me for any feedback.” I don’t offer constructive/critical feedback unless requested

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?

Read the job description thoroughly before the interview / know what you’re interviewing for

I want to hire someone who is: 

Coachable

Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?

My organization hasn’t hired much lately. Some of it is due to upper administration insisting on “consolidating.” I’ve seen a lot of libraries operating with very lean staff. If a staff member leaves, they’ll do something like promote an existing PT staff member from PT to FT, so it will look good on paper but we wind up with fewer people and fewer hours overall still. Admittedly, there have also been times where we did try to hire but did not have any suitable applicants

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

PT Children’s Librarian

When was this position hired?

√ Between six months to a year ago

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ Other: 2. I realize this is “25 or fewer” but it was so few that it seemed worthy of specifying

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 26-50%

And how would you define “hirable”?

Having requested availability and either some experience or a willingness to learn

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

Laughably worse

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 50-100

Are you unionized?

√ Yes, at least some workers are union members

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 1

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are fewer positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?  

√ Yes

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?   

√ Yes

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ Yes

Why or why not?

Because the people actually running libraries are killing it. Pay not keeping up with cost of living, benefits rapidly eroding, job creep, and burnout. A lot of excellent librarians are choosing to leave the profession, which puts even greater strain on qualified librarians who stay. Professionals leave and are replaced with paraprofessional staff. Talent leaving the profession means that the hiring pool isn’t as good, which often means qualified librarians who remain are often left in increasingly toxic environments with staff members and/or management who wouldn’t have been hired if it wasn’t for the mass exodus (or who have been there playing solitaire on their computer for 30 years and have no reason to suddenly contribute). It’s not worth it anymore. Even people who care are struggling to justify staying at this point.

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Northeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Suburban area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Public Library 

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire? 

Children’s staff (librarians, trainees, assistants)

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been: 

√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),

√ A member of a hiring or search committee

Do you have any other comments, for job hunters, other people who hire, about the survey, or for Emily (the survey author)?

Hi Emily! Thank you for doing this research! I’m severely worried about the future of public libraries and wanted to do similar research myself

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“Consider whether that desk job REALLY requires a driver’s license.”

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?

√ Other: 8 months, short break once i got my internship, now starting again

Why are you job hunting?  

√ My current job is temporary

Where do you look for open positions? 

ALA Joblist, SAA, ARL, HigherEd Jobs, school/professional listservs, local public and academic library websites

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Academic library,

√ Archives

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern 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,

√ Other: Yes, to a city with acceptable public transit

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Enough money to rent a 1BR apartment on my own, stable environment, opportunity for advancement

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

0 (my current job lasts about 5 more months. i’m getting an early start to take the pressure off, but am not quite available yet.)

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,

√ 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?

Seeing the same positions open up over and over again. When the job search takes months, we can see your high turnover!

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

1-2 hours

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Review the institution’s website and job description, research the city, tailor resume, write cover letter, call my references

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

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

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?

1-2 months

How do you prepare for interviews?

Get a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast, leave the house early, review the job description and the cover letter I sent, double check the interviewer’s name

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“How did you prepare for this interview?” is a wild thing to ask when we’re in the interview. Are you busting my chops or what! Best/worst quality is also very bad – I could say anything!

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always
• Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened once

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

I showed up 20 minutes late and soaking wet to an interview inside a labyrinthine government compound where I had gotten lost in the rain. 6 months later they informed me that I didn’t get the job!

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Consider whether that desk job REALLY requires a driver’s license. Occasional travel within the city I can bus or Uber. For frequent travel outside the city… why are you sending the cataloger?

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m optimistic,

√ I’m maintaining,

√ I’m running out of money,

√ I feel alone in my search

What are your job search self-care strategies?

Only apply for jobs I actually really want. (The shotgun approach will get you nowhere!) Limit the number of times per day I’m allowed to refresh the job boards. Know that it’s not the end of the world if I have to go work a cash register for a while.

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?

I’m in my 30s. I got a house and a life. I am not packing up and moving out of state for a job that lasts one year with no benefits.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

thank you!

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?)

2025

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?

√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

No, except for the occasional job posts on the school listserv

#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

“We lack the budget needed to advertise postings on bigger platforms (e.g., ALA, etc.) and attract a limited candidate pool as a result.”

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 hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here. 

Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs

These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).

Where do you advertise your job listings?

University job portal; Amigos newsletter; OK-ACRL listserv, COIL-L listserv, TWU SLIS “Cassandra” listserv, and other listservs as appropriate.

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Yes

Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?  

√ No

Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?

√ Yes

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)

√ Other: It depends. In some cases, appropriate coursework or an internship suffices for that requirement.

What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Application received after the soft deadline.

Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)

√ No

Do you provide interview questions before the interview? 

√ No

Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?

√ No, and I don’t think we ever have

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ Other: We always conduct the first round virtually. Depending on where the applicant lives, the second round may be in-person or virtual.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?

We lack the budget needed to advertise postings on bigger platforms (e.g., ALA, etc.) and attract a limited candidate pool as a result.

Your Last Recruitment

These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.

Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?

Instructor of Library Services

When was this position hired?

√ We were not able to fill the position

Approximately how many people applied for this position?

√ 25 or fewer

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 51-75%

And how would you define “hirable”?

Meets or exceeds the qualifications required for the job, and passes both informal and formal background checks.

How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?

It was about the same.

Your Workplace

This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 10-50

Are you unionized?

√ No

How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?

√ There are fewer positions

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?  

√ I don’t know

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?   

√ Yes

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No

Why or why not?

Librarians are information professionals who are essential in the Information Age.

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US

What’s your region like?

√ Rural area

What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):

√ Academic Library 

What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire? 

Subject Liaisons, Research & Instruction Librarians

Are you a librarian?

√ Yes

Are you now or have you ever been: 

√ A member of a hiring or search committee,

√ Other: Hiring/Search Committee Chair

#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs

Researcher’s Corner: Recruiting for Cultural Competency

In this installment of Researcher’s Corner, Dawn Schmitz explores how to hire for the skill of cultural competency. I am grateful to Dawn for writing a thoughtful post that addresses not only the theory and practice of hiring, but how questions become research and subsequently, scholarly papers.

I think you will find the following post very interesting, and if you’d like to read more, see the following citation:

Smith, H. W., Schmitz, D., Shein, C., & Schmitz, with L. (2024). Recruiting for Cultural Competency: A Content Analysis of Archives Job Postings. American Archivist, 87(2), 438–465. https://doi-org.ezproxy.sfpl.org/10.17723/2327-9702-87.2.438

In 2018, I was working on a job posting for a new faculty position in our academic library: Community Engagement Archivist. How could we maximize our chances of recruiting and hiring a candidate who was capable of competently and ethically engaging with students, colleagues, and community partners? There is a wide range of cultural backgrounds represented on our campus and in our city of Charlotte, NC. We needed to be sure to carefully craft the required qualifications for this position.

For previous postings, we had used language like “Commitment to fostering an environment of mutual respect and inclusion in the classroom and workplace” (for an instruction archivist) or “Commitment to fostering an environment of multiculturalism and inclusion in the workplace” (for a digital archivist). But I wanted to move further in the direction of cultural competency as a requirement for this new position. In looking for language that would work, I perused other position postings in the field, but I didn’t find very much that helped. 

After careful thought, we came up with two separate bullet points: 

• Commitment to continuous personal and professional improvement in cultural diversity competence.
• Commitment to fostering an environment of mutual respect and inclusion in the community, reading room, classroom, and workplace.

Having these requirements for the position cleared the way for us to ask interview questions such as:

• “Tell us about a time when you have had the opportunity to play a role in making an organization, group, or environment more diverse, inclusive, or equitable. What steps did you take, and what was the result? This can relate to a workplace, educational or volunteer setting, social setting, or any other situation.” 
• “If you were personally conducting an oral history interview with a member of an underrepresented community of which you yourself are not a member, what steps would you take to ensure you were honoring that community’s cultural values, ways of knowing, and perspectives?”

In the end, our search was successful, and I credit these interview questions with helping us discern which candidate would be most capable in the role. But I had a lingering concern: Since both the library and archives professions have institutionalized the value of cultural competency, then why don’t archivist job postings usually have anything related to cultural competency as a requirement?

But my sample was small. I decided it might be a good research project to look further into this: What is the commitment of the archives and library professions to cultural competency, and how common (or uncommon) is it for position announcements to reflect these values?

At the 2019 annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists, I caught up with Helen Wong Smith, who conducts workshops on cultural competency and has championed it in many other ways within the archives profession, and Cyndi Shein, whom I knew had done a lot of great work on DEI in recruitment. (I was fortunate to have shared with these two colleagues the experience of being part of the 2016 cohort of the Archives Leadership Institute.) We hatched a plan to systematically analyze postings for archives jobs and write about our results. We brought in Lisa Schmitz, a statistician (and my sister), to analyze our results. I knew she would help us make sense of the findings and write about them intelligently.

During three specified time periods between March and September of 2021, we downloaded all of the jobs posted by U.S. employers on the Archives Gig blog, a total of 499 postings after deduplication. We decided to manually code each one according to whether it called for cultural competency as a required or preferred qualification for the position. 

First, we needed to write a code book to guide our discernment of what constitutes a cultural competency requirement in a job posting. We decided it was not necessary for the words “cultural competency” to appear (and we don’t necessarily endorse using that term, since not everyone is familiar with it). What should we look for?

We started with the basic concept that cultural competency is a framework used to advance one’s ability to function with awareness, knowledge, and interpersonal skills when engaging with people of different backgrounds, assumptions, beliefs, values, and behaviors.* Then, in order to further guide our understanding of how cultural competency is conceptualized within the LIS professions in particular, we conducted a literature review that looked at how the term was used and discussed by librarians and archivists. 

We found that these writers viewed cultural competency as including elements of introspection and continual growth, and that it was not limited to the interpersonal realm but included an understanding of structural factors. So we derived a definition of cultural competency that included these concepts:

The capacity to continually improve one’s ability to function with self-awareness, open-mindedness, humility, respect, knowledge, and interpersonal skills when engaging people from all backgrounds and experiences. It involves an awareness and understanding of the significance of culture, beginning with one’s own, and an orientation of respectful curiosity towards the beliefs, values, and practices of others. A key component is the recognition of the structural, socioeconomic, and political factors that adversely affect diverse populations and the commitment to respond with policies or practices that recognize, affirm, and protect the dignity of individuals, families, and communities.

We determined that if any part of the above definition applied to a position, we would score it as requiring cultural competency. We also decided to look for language like “cultural awareness,” “cultural sensitivity,” “demonstrated ability working successfully with diverse cultures,” and “valuing differences.” We decided not to count postings that simply call for experience working in diverse environments or for candidates who will add to the diversity of the workplace. 

With this guidance in hand, we completed the coding. When we had finished, we were stunned by our findings: only seven percent of job postings for archivists and related positions listed any knowledge, skills, or abilities relating to cultural competency among the requirements. We found this proportion was shockingly low, particularly since both the library and archives professions have made it a point to include cultural competency among their stated values for the past 15-20 years. 

We also coded the job postings for several other factors, allowing us to discover some notable patterns. We found that ads for public-facing positions were much more likely to include cultural competency requirements than were those for technical service positions. While we understood why this was the case, we argue in the paper that every employee in the organization needs to be expected to strive for cultural competency. And those creating archival description and metadata have a unique responsibility to do so, given the need for responsible and, at times, reparative work in this area.

We also found that corporate employers were less likely to include cultural competency requirements than academic employers, and employers in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions of the U.S. were less likely to include them than those in the West.

With regard to the latter finding, given current political realities, it is likely that if this research were replicated today, this disparity would be even more stark and the Southeast would be even further behind the other regions. As an employee of a state university in the Southeast, I am acutely aware of how anti-DEI rules and regulations enacted at the state level can affect hiring practices, including how recruitment is now often circumscribed with respect to asking candidates about their views on diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, I would advise anyone who works at an institution that has enacted such anti-DEI provisions not to assume they cannot include a requirement that gets to cultural competency at some level. 

While it may be forbidden to use a very strongly-worded requirement that gets at candidates’ personal values, it may be possible to include one that focuses on cultural competency as a basic job skill. For example, a strong statement such as this may not be allowed: “We are seeking professionals who enthusiastically embrace the empathy, courage, self-reflection, and respect of a multicultural, diverse, and inclusive workplace, and who strive to incorporate these values into their work and interactions.” However, the following may be allowed: “We are seeking candidates with a demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement in the ability to interact effectively with people from the full range of cultural backgrounds represented in our [company/campus/community].” 

In my experience, it was worth asking for clarification on the guidance we received. I did so at my institution and confirmed that we are still allowed to include language such as the latter example above, despite the anti-DEI rules that have come down from the state level over the past few years. This paves the way for us to include cultural competency on our hiring matrices and ask interview questions pertaining to these important skills, thus enhancing our ability to recruit qualified candidates.

*(Mikel Hogan-Garcia, The Four Skills of Cultural Diversity Competence: A Process for Understanding and Practice (Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1999).)

Dawn Schmitz is the Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she previously served as Associate Dean for Special Collections and University Archives. In these roles she has served on or chaired quite a few search committees for faculty and staff positions, continuously working with others to improve recruitment practices. She is an active member of the Society of American Archivists and a word nerd who served for 11 years on the committee that writes the Dictionary of Archives Terminology.

#culturalCompetency #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02 E12: Jay

Oh hey, it’s the twelfth episode of season two!

This episode my guest is Jay, who you may know from the Library Punk podcast. If you haven’t listened to it, it’s a leftist podcast, and I find it fun, interesting, and opinionated. I did an episode back in October. While I was there, Jay mentioned that he had recently transitioned from his role as the director of a small academic library to a role in the cataloging department of a public library system. I thought that would be an interesting journey to talk about, so (six months later) here we are. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

My system to generate the AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is currently down, but I’ll get that linked here ASAP.

Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:

• Library Punk
• Homosaurus
• Democracy is Power: Rebuilding Unions from the Bottom Up
• Berserk

This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).

I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!

#CripLib #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryPodcast #LISCareers #MEAction

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02 E09: Katie Quirin Manwiller (part one of two)

Oh hey, it’s the ninth episode of season two! This is the first of two episodes discussing disability and LIS hiring. This first episode focuses a bit more on advice for people looking for work, and the second episode focuses a little more on advice for people doing hiring. But both of these perspectives come up in each episode.

Katie Quirin Manwiller is the Education Librarian and Assistant Professor at West Chester University. She is chronically ill and dynamically disabled. Katie’s scholarship focuses on improving disability inclusion in libraries through incorporating disability into equity work, addressing disability misconceptions, and creating accessible work environments. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree focused on disability inclusion in higher education.

A few months ago, I was looking for resources to add to the “Accommodations and Disabilities” section of Interview Resources for Job Seekers. Katie Quirin Manwiller, who had written Hiring Better: Disability Accommodations & the Hiring Process here on Hiring Librarians, popped up to provide several great links. She was also kind enough to agree to come on the podcast to talk about this more (and not just once, but twice!)

You can find an AI-generated and not completely error free transcript here.

Here are links for some of the things we talk about in this episode:

• #CripLib Website – for access to the Discord support network, and other LIS disability news and resources
• ADA timeline – While we don’t specifically reference this timeline by the American Bar Association, we do discuss the relative recency of the ADA, and talk a little bit about the timeline of Disability rights in the US.
• We Here Job Board – This is a job board for BIPOC in LIS. We don’t know of any job boards specifically for people with disabilities, but this one might be good for BIPOC library workers with disabilities.
• Job Accommodations Network – One of the things this website provides is suggestions and information about possible accommodations for various disabilities, limitations, and occupations.
• Navigating the Academic Hiring Process with Disabilities by Gail Betz – article describing academic librarians’ self-accommodations strategies (and you might also be interested in the synopsis she wrote for Hiring Librarians)

This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).

I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!

#CripLib #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryPodcast #LISCareers

Interview Questions

Have you been on a library interview recently? Or are you prepping for one?

Sounds like you could use The Interview Questions Repository!

This resource holds questions that people were asked in interviews from more than 550 respondents over nearly a decade. Click on the upside down triangle to the right of the question in the header row to sort by things like interview type, position, etc.

Please help this resource grow! Share the link widely with your friends and colleagues and if you’ve had a library interview recently, report the questions you were asked.

Crowdsourced Salary Info

Interested in viewing Salary Info from more than 300 LIS workers? The second page of the Interview Questions Repository shares that data. If you are interested in adding your own salary info, please use this form.

If you have feedback, I’d love to hear it. Please feel free to email me or use the contact form.

Chat, Connect, or Follow on Way Too Many Social Media Sites

You can always email me at hiringlibrarians AT gmail or comment on one of the posts (remember when commenting used to be a thing and there were good discussions in the comments? That did happen)

If you’d like the content to come to you, you can subscribe via email or within the WordPress.com platform. Those are both available in the right sidebar, as are links to almost all of the social medias listed below.

Hiring Librarians is also on the following:

• Bluesky: @hiringlibrarians.com
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Thank you!

This site is free to use. I pay for the website and other tools out of pocket, and no one pays me for my time. Your monetary support is appreciated. One more link for you:

• Patreon: hiringlibrarians (read more about this site’s finances and other ways to donate or provide non-monetary support here)

Best,

Emily

https://hiringlibrarians.com/2024/06/04/reminder-report-your-interview-questions-or-your-salary-or-read-what-others-have-reported/

#librarians #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #LISHiring #LISInterview #LISSalaries #OpenSalaries