This anonymous interview is with an Academic Librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring committee at a library with 0-10 staff members.
What are the top three things you look for in a candidate?
Professional appearance, demeanor and attitude
Having done their homework on my organization
Enthusiasm for the work
Do you have any instant dealbreakers, either in the application packet or the interview process?
Typos and errors on application materials, including poor spelling and grammar, as well as awkward sentence construction.
Please don’t use the same letter for me that you sent to 12 other Colleges and forget to change the college name.
In the Interview process, answer the questions asked! If you can’t think of an answer, say so.
Also – don’t apply if you don’t meet the criteria.
AND – please professional librarians, stop applying for paraprofessional jobs. I sympathize with the fact that you need employment, but professionally you are not doing yourself any favor by taking a paraprofessional job after you have the degree.
What are you tired of seeing on resumes/in cover letters?
Very long, unfocused cover letters – no one is that good (with the possible exception of the POTUS), and if they really are that good, they are too good to desire my entry level job.
Cover letters that don’t address the requirements of the position.
Cover letters that make excuses for shortcomings – don’t point them out!
Resumes without e-mail contact information on them!!!!
Is there anything that people don’t put on their resumes that you wish they did?
Complete information
Account for gaps in years between jobs
Include volunteer and other extracurricular things that might be appropriate
Accurate information with contacts for previous employers
Links to their online portfolio type information
Achievements, achievements, achievements
I appreciate also letters of recommendation, even though here it is not standard to request them.
How many pages should a cover letter be?
√ Only one!
How many pages should a resume/CV be?
√ Only one!
Do you have a preferred format for application documents?
√ No preference, as long as I can open it
Should a resume/CV have an Objective statement?
√ Yes
If applications are emailed, how should the cover letter be submitted?
√ Both as an attachment and in the body of the email
What’s the best way to win you over in an interview?
Be enthusiastic, dress professionally.
Show that you are relaxed.
Engage with me and my team in a great conversation about the work and its possibilities.
Sell yourself, but not in an unrealistic or obnoxious way.
Answer all questions, be able to tie them back to your experiences. All experience has relevance, even if it is not professional work experience.
I love it when a candidate presents me with an idea which I have not considered.
Show evidence that you have done your homework.
What are some of the most common mistakes people make in an interview?
Come poorly dressed.
Come late.
Don’t prepare in advance.
I have had candidates who are too nervous to talk.
Profess to have skills which their written materials clearly show they do not have.
Apply for jobs for which they are way overqualified.
Push for changes to the job – for instance, if I am recruiting for part-time evenings, state that they are really hoping to work full time and days and ask me if i can accommodate that.
Unrealistic salary expectations.
Please withdraw yourself from consideration if after the interview you realize the position is not for you.
How has hiring changed at your organization since you’ve been in on the process?
More team work involved in selection.
More carefully developed interview questions designed to get at soft skills. we think we can teach people how to use software, but if they are not by nature flexible, we can not teach them flexibility, for instance.
Final round candidates are required to give a presentation.
I have gone to first round e-mail interviews, in which I clearly state salary and hours up front.
Anything else you’d like to let job-seekers know?
Thanks for asking – I think I had had a chance to say everything I was dying to say above!
Filed under: 0-10 staff members, Academic, Evening Schedule, Paraprofessional
