“HR will ‘reject’ those who don’t meet the requirements but if we justify why we want to interview someone without them, we can”

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 board, ACRL, three library-specific Facebook groups, NCPH

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

Yes – LinkedIn or Indeed are not as good of candidates as those that found it on the University job board

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: HR will “reject” those who don’t meet the requirements but if we justify why we want to interview someone without them, we can

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?

Don’t have the necessarily skills

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?

√ Other: For faculty positions. Not for staff or administration/professional positions

How much of your interview process is virtual?

√ First round/Initial Screen 

I want to hire someone who is: 

Meticulous

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

Metadata Specialist

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?

Within the last three months

When was this position hired?

√ Other: 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”?

Have experience working with metadata and mentioned some sort of work with library collections 

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?

√ 5-6 

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 more 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  

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 

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

√ Academic Library 

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

Archival metadata experts

Are you a librarian?

√ It’s complicated 

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 

“I was finally diagnosed as not neurotypical, which may help long term with my career. “

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

√ I want to work with a different population

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

√ My current job is awful/toxic

√ 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?  

Montana OPI

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level 

√ Clerk/Library Assistant 

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

√ School library 

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest) 

What’s your region like? 

√ Rural area 

Are you willing/able to move for employment? 

√ Yes, within my state 

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

Safety, a good school district for my kids, and lower cost of living.

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?  

√ Pay well

√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits

√ Introducing me to staff

√ Having a good reputation 

√ Prioritizing work-life balance 

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

√ No (even if I might think it *should* be) 

Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?

Local gossip. Montana is a small state and we talk amongst ourselves about what districts to avoid.

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

4 hours

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

Modifying my cover letter for each opening

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone 

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 

How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?

A few weeks

How do you prepare for interviews?

Speaking with others who have been through similar interviews, practicing answering questions

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Why do you want to leave your current employer?  I’m leaving this employer because I’m afraid of a guy harassing me. It’s a lot to lay out in an interview.

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 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

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

Be clear about things like grade ranges and types of classes you’ll be expected to cover. There’s a lot of diversity in schedules. Also, some districts will accept a provisional library license and some won’t. It would be nice to know up front as I’m just getting started.

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?

I was finally diagnosed as not neurotypical, which may help long term with my career. 

“my current job is somewhere I’m comfortable staying for a little while longer, but its getting frustrating, feeling like I’m never going to be able to move up”

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 underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position) 

Where do you look for open positions?  

INALJ, ArchivesGig, USAJobs, ALA, SAA, AAM

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Requiring at least two years of experience 

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

√ Archives 

√ Special library 

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?

Professional title, fewer front desk responsibilities, commuting benefits

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

approximately 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 

√ 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 defined job duties and/or position descriptions that describe enough for multiple FTE

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

around 3-4 hours

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

I update my resume and customize the wording for the position I’m applying to. I create a new cover letter and have it proofread by at least one other person. If there are additional questions that the application asks for (typically USAJobs) then I will compose those responses. I then spend probably an hour or more worrying about whether or not to actually submit it, and then I turn it in.

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 

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?

If I receive a response (rejection), I usually anticipate it coming about two months after I’ve submitted my application materials. More often than not, I have no idea as I never hear back.

How do you prepare for interviews?

I read up on the organization I’ve applied to and their current projects, just enough to have a passing familiarity. I practice my response to “So tell me a little about yourself” and practice discussing my recent projects. I make notes about statistics and numbers that I’m otherwise likely to forget. I print out copies of the resume I submitted as well as a copy of my references, just in case.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

I dislike being asked to describe my weaknesses or mistakes that I’ve made, particularly as they often feel like a double bluff. As far back as I can remember, the advice I’ve been given is to “make your weakness actually a strength” like “oh I’m such a perfectionist, I go over things more than necessary to make sure they’re right”. So I’m trying to guess what kind of “weakness” could be interpreted as a good thing, and my interviewer is trying to guess if I’m being genuine or if I’m lying to make myself look good, and I’m trying to see if they think I’m lying and if I’ve just tanked the interview. I don’t think they’re a good use of a question or interview time, because no one is going into an interview with the approach of “well if I tell them about the time I failed a public speaking class, they won’t think poorly of me and my communication abilities at all”.

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

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

Set expectations at the outset. If you’re not going to respond to every applicant because you’re overwhelmed by the number, say so. If you’re aware of what kind of salary you’re able to offer, say so. If you’re hoping for a mid-career professional, say so. Don’t be vague. Applicants will self-select out or not, but if some aspect of the job ISN’T flexible its better for us to know instead of thinking that it’ll go over well if you surprise us with it.

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?

I take long breaks from job searching, I’ll sometimes go months without even looking at open positions. I’m in an enviable position as my current job is somewhere I’m comfortable staying for a little while longer, but its getting frustrating, feeling like I’m never going to be able to move up. I also have a therapist, who I speak with weekly, and we’ve talked about my job search in depth.

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?)

2015

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?

√ 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)?

No

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

I was incredibly ill prepared to search for and start a job post-graduation. I didn’t know how to vet positions, how to determine what a reasonable starting salary was, what kind of calculations to make between hourly/salary rates. I didn’t know how to advocate for myself.

“my career history shows that I’ve held professional positions for 20 years which doesn’t seem to align with expectations for someone applying for an entry-level library 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?  

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

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

Where do you look for open positions?  

ALA JobLIST, HigherEdJobs, Indeed

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Entry level 

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

√ Academic library 

What part of the world are you in?

√ Midwestern 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?

Opportunity to provide instruction, working with humanities or social sciences, location

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

5

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?

Religion requirement to work at the institution, low pay

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

average 10-12 hours

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

review job description & note requirements to match against my experience, review library and school website  for values/mission, revise CV/resume to align with job description, write cover letter, share cover letter with others for feedback, confirm recommendations, submit application

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 

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?

Read about the library & school online, visit the campus (if nearby), research potential job interview questions online & prep answers, review resume & cover letter 

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 √ Not Applicable
• Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable

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

Stop asking for letters of recommendation, provide clear & timely responses

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?

Talking with a friend who is a librarian & has been through this process successfully, spending time with hobbies and stepping away from searching as needed, talking to my therapist about the process and how I’m feeling, looking for ways to build relevant experience in my current non-library job 

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

Since you ask about hated questions, maybe also ask about most appreciated questions

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?)

2020

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?

√ 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)?

I used a listserv for students that notified us of jobs; Instructors are willing to be recommenders

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

Finding a first librarian posting has been challenging as I’m switching careers. So my career history shows that I’ve held professional positions for 20 years which doesn’t seem to align with expectations for someone applying for an entry-level library position. I have decades of professional experience in IT, but most academic library positions require at least a year of working in an academic library, disqualifying me. 

“Hiring practices are inconsistent and administration pushes to hire unqualified applicants just to fill the opening”

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?

Governmentjobs.com, linked in

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 

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?

√ No 

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

Tailor their resume and application to the position and show what skills they have developed in previous roles and how it relates to the position.

I want to hire someone who is: 

coachable and self starter

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

Hiring practices are inconsistent and administration pushes to hire unqualified applicants just to fill the opening.

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?

Customer Service Clerk

When was this position hired?

√ Between six months to a year ago 

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”?

Lacked customer service experience

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

Less qualified individuals with no transferable skills

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?

√ 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?

√ 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?  

√ 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?

√ No  

Demographics

This section asks for information about you specifically.

What part of the world are you in?

√ Southwestern US 

What’s your region like?

√ Urban 

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

√ Archives 

√ Public Library 

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

Librarians, catalogers, archivists

Are you a librarian?

√ Other: archivist

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 

“I set a specific amount of time aside to search for and apply to jobs each week”

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 

Where do you look for open positions?  

INALJ, Archives Gig, ALA JobLIST, institution websites

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? 

√ Archives 

√ Special library

√ Other: Manuscript, archives, rare books departments at museums or historical societies

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? 

√ No 

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

Good salary, interesting collection/work, and room for growth

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

About 10

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

√ Pay well 

√ 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?

15 to 30 minutes

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

Ensure my resume is up to date, add any special skills or knowledge to my resume that are specifically relevant to the job I’m applying to, and write a cover letter for the position.

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?

About a month

How do you prepare for interviews?

Research the institution/library/etc. more in depth, make a list of any questions I might have, do a mock interview with my partner

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

“Why do you want to work here?” – it is so broad and there are a lot of reasons usually, some I feel like employers don’t want to hear like the monetary benefits.

“How much are you expecting to be paid?” – It feels like they’re trying to get you to low ball yourself so they can pay you less.

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

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

Be upfront and honest – about salary, hours, expectations. Provide more information in job postings whenever possible. Notify the applicant if they haven’t been selected or are not moving onto the next stage of hiring so we don’t sit around waiting to hear for something not coming.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m maintaining 

What are your job search self-care strategies?

I try not to over-stress myself. I set a specific amount of time aside to search for and apply to jobs each week. Outside of that, I try not to get too bogged down in worrying about it. (to varying levels of success) 

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?)

Just graduated end of 2022 [Survey answered 2/8/2023]

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)?

Yes, my school provides a lot of help for job searching such as forwarding job postings, sharing listservs, holding job fairs, etc. 

Sign Up Today, Start Next Week: A Class for Job Hunters

Hi Friends and Colleagues!

Are you looking for work? Have I got the thing for you!

Help for Your Job Search: A Hiring Librarians Class

Your Supported Job Search is a four week online course that will run from May 20 to June 14, 2024. It’s being offered through ALA’s CORE and is free for CORE members. There are four (optional) Zoom meetings, in addition to activities and discussion. It is for folks at all levels, from new to seasoned, in any LIS field.

Students will get support for search organization, application materials, interviewing and most importantly, their own well-being.

Best,

Emily

“Application with typos, grammatical errors, formatting issues, etc. (this indicates lack of attention to detail)”

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?

LinkedIn, Indeed, regional archives and museum organizations

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

Yes; applicants who saw the posting through regional archives and museum organizations are typically higher quality.

Do you include salary in the job ad?

√ Other: It depends on the requirements of the platform.

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…)

√ N/A – we don’t hire librarians  

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

Application with typos, grammatical errors, formatting issues, etc. (this indicates lack of attention to detail); Cover letter/resume that don’t provide enough detail to get a good sense of the candidate’s skills, experiences, and interests

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?

√ None 

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

√ Other: Prefer not to, but sometimes will if applicant specifically asks.

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

Proofread your materials!

I want to hire someone who is: 

Detail-oriented 

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?

Archives Assistant

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?

√ 26-50% 

And how would you define “hirable”?

Demonstrated interest in the archives field (whether they have experience or not); at least some relevant education; strong writing skills shown through cover letter

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

When hiring for the same position two years ago, we received more applicants.  I would say the quality of the applicants was similar.

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?

√ 0-10 

Are you unionized?

√ No 

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

√ None! 

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

√ None! 

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?  

√ N/A we don’t have librarian positions 

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

√ N/A we don’t have librarian positions 

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ No 

Why or why not?

Librarians are just as (if not more) important now in a rapidly-changing and increasingly digital information environment.

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?

√ Urban

√ Suburban

√ Rural 

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

√ Archives 

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

Archivists and archives assistants

Are you a librarian?

√ No 

Are you now or have you ever been: 

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

“Finding the job does happen! Sometimes dream jobs don’t turn out the way you think though”

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 

Where do you look for open positions?  

Archivesgig, Linkedin, indeed, INALJ, ALA JobLIST, individual library websites, KY library job list

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?

√ Southeastern US 

What’s your region like? 

√ Urban area

√ Suburban area

√ Rural area 

Are you willing/able to move for employment? 

√ Yes, within my state

√ Yes, within my country

√ Yes, to a specific list of places

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

Close to family, in my speciality,  pays well

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

0 – Just started after leaving my last job

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 

√ 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?

Too many job responsibilities which show that the position is a catch-all rather than it’s own position, quick turnover

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

an hour-ish

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

not sure what you mean?

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?

depends on the insititution. Up to 6 months depending.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Research the institution, look over the job posting and job responsibilities, Write down things I want to mention or questions I have.

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Questions that have to deal with random traits (“what type of animal symbolized you and why?” etc.). They have nothing to do with work and there are better ways to figure out applicants personalities.

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

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Not Applicable
• 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?

Post salaries!

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m somewhat depressed 

√ Not out of money yet, but worried 

√ Other: feels impossible to find a job with everything I want

What are your job search self-care strategies?

de-stress via crafts and video games

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?

Finding the job does happen! Sometimes dream jobs don’t turn out the way you think though – I had (what I thought was) a dream job in a dream location but ended up leaving it after getting overwhelmed/due to internal politics. So here I am, starting over. 

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)?

√ 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?

√ 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)?

yes – our listserv has job postings 

“enough money to live on, health insurance, health insurance”

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 

Where do you look for open positions?  

ALA list, listservs from my college, colleague recs

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?

√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest) 

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?

enough money to live on, health insurance, health insurance

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

currently 8 but still going

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 EDI work 

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?

research the institution and the area, peers review my cover letters and other components, many revisions

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?

Months

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

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Not Applicable
• 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

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m somewhat depressed

√ Not out of money yet, but worried

√ I feel supported 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?)

2023

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 [note: survey completed 2/8/2023]

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)?

no