Inside An Interview: Understanding What Hiring

Committees Want

ALA JobLIST Placement CenterSunday, June 26, 2011  

12:00pm-1:30pm

#interviewbetter

About This Presentation

• Topic and Scope• Poll Everywhere• Housekeeping Issues

#interviewbetter

Who We Are

Teresa Doherty,Virginia Commonwealth University

Megan Hodge,Chesterfield County Public Library

Nicole Spoor,Hampton University

#interviewbetter

Now tell us a little about you!

#interviewbetter

Survey

• Disseminated through multiple listservs• Qualifications to Participate

–Academic or Public Library Staff–Participated on hiring committee for

entry-level librarian since 2008• 430 respondents

–70% academic, 30% public

#interviewbetter

Literature Review

• Applicants spend a lot of time creating resumes and cover letter, but little time preparing for an interview

• Practice, Practice, Practice

• Attitude and Personality are more important than skills, education or experiences

• Don’t forget to interview the library

#interviewbetter

What should you know before an interview?

• Be familiar with the library’s website and social media pages (143 respondents)

• Know about the institution and library (84 respondents)

• Learn library’s mission and strategic plan (65 respondents)

#interviewbetter

What kind of experience is important?

• 89.3%-at least moderately important to have ANY type of library experience in ANY type of library

• 88.8%- at least moderately important to have experience in the same type of library as you are applying to

• 85.2%-at least moderately important to have experience specifically related to the position

#interviewbetter

What are some of the things hiring committees look for in a candidate?

• Personality and attitude were important or very important to 98% of the respondents

• Institutional fit was important or very important to 95.3% of the respondents

• Education was important or very important to 89.5% of the respondents

#interviewbetter

What competencies are most important to a hiring committee?

• Communication skills (73.7%) and customer service skills (76.7%) deemed very important.

• Familiarity with library technology was third most important competency (32.4%)

#interviewbetter

What character traits are most important to hiring committees?

• Intelligence (176 respondents)

• Enthusiasm (170 respondents)

• Cooperativeness (140 respondents)

#interviewbetter

Break!

What is your “elevator speech”?

#interviewbetter

Has the economy affected hiring in libraries?

• Over 75% of respondents said that they had seen an increase in the number of applicants

• Most respondents (80.8%) did not change the number of applicants called in for interviews

• “We have a stronger base from which to choose, but only interview the best of the best.”

#interviewbetter

Do hiring committees require presentations?

• 55.5% said yes• 15.5 % said only for positions with

instructional responsibilities• How are presentations evaluated?

– Using rubrics and other survey instruments– By hiring committee, but may include others– Looking for communication skills and

organization

#interviewbetter

How to be Impressive!

• Ask lots of relevant questions (19)

• Show passion and excitement for THIS job (14)

• Give a great presentation (11)

• Have a portfolio of great work (9)

#interviewbetter

Advice for Newbie Librarians

• Be enthusiastic (75 respondents)

• Connect your experience/skills to the position (65 respondents)

• Gain experience through volunteering or internships (65 respondents)

• Showcase technology skills (45 respondents)

#interviewbetter

Respondents Comments• “Put your best foot forward,” because “personality plays a

bigger role than most people think.”• “We are trying to find somebody who is a good fit for our

library.”• “I think that brand new librarians can be the person to

beat. They bring a fresh energy and viewpoint.” • “Many of the hires I have been involved in during the past

12 years have been new grads, who brought energy and new ideas to the library. I cannot imagine not hiring new grads!”

• “I feel lucky to already have a job, because some of the candidates we get are so smart and creative I don’t think I would be able to compete against them!”

#interviewbetter

Academic library interview process

• Timeline• Screening and search committees• Site visit• Etiquette counts

#interviewbetter

It’s a marathon, not a sprint

• September: position is advertised • November: deadline for applications• March: candidate visits• April: offer made• May: welcome aboard!

#interviewbetter

What does the screening committee do?

• to identify candidates• to perform background checks• to summarize strengths and weaknesses of

the candidates for interviewing and hiring decisions by the University Librarian and appropriate Associate University Librarian.

(VCU Libraries Faculty Recruitment manual)

#interviewbetter

Screening vs. search committee

A screening committee’s job is to screen out the applicants to get a strong set of candidates to interview. It makes recommendations to those who can make decisions about hiring.

A search committee does all that, and can also make the hiring decision.

#interviewbetter

Candidate visit to an academic library

“The purpose of the interview is to both solicit information from the candidate and to provide the candidate an opportunity to assess his or her interest in the VCU Libraries.”

(VCU Libraries Faculty Recruitment manual)

#interviewbetter

Sample Itinerary: the day before the full-day

interview

4:00: pick up at airport, drive to hotel

5:30: pick up at hotel

6:00: dinner with library representatives (may be division head, department heads or colleagues)

#interviewbetter

Sample Itinerary: morning

8:30: pick up at hotel

9:00: meet with screening committee

9:30: meet with librarians and staff from your department

10:15: break

10:30: presentation to library staff

11:15: meet with faculty

#interviewbetter

Sample Itinerary: afternoon

12:00: lunch with department heads

1:30: tour of the library

2:15: meet with library administrators

3:00: meet with screening committee

3:30: meet with University Librarian

4:00: return to hotel or drive to airport

#interviewbetter

What hasn’t changed

• Dress up• Be polite• Defend every item on your resume• Do your homework• Send ‘thank you’ notes

#interviewbetter

What also hasn’t changed

The importance of cover letters• Make it specific to the job you are

applying for• Make sure names are spelled

correctly• Make sure everything is spelled

correctly

#interviewbetter

Even more that hasn’t changed

Prepare those you ask for references• Share your current resume, cover

letter and position announcement• Give them ammunition for the

reference call – projects you worked on for/with them– anecdotes about your interactions– positive comments by patrons, co-workers

#interviewbetter

What has changed #1

Review your social media presence• Change your Facebook privacy

settings to limit access• Create a professional email

address (stella.smith@gmail.com NOT sexy_librarian2be@gmail.com)

• Be aware of listserv etiquette#interviewbetter

What has changed #2

Brush up on your presentation skills • Don’t create victims of “death by

PowerPoint”• Speak to the audience, not to the

projection screen• Spell-check!

#interviewbetter

What has changed #3

When Skyping, keep the cat out of the room• See what your camera sees• Choose a professional background• Dress for an emergency (head to

toe)

#interviewbetter

Suggestions from screening committee chairs

• Google yourself and be prepared to explain what you find

• Ask questions of each group you meet

• Act as though you are on stage at all times during the visit

#interviewbetter

Tough Interview Questions

1. What is your greatest weakness?

2. Why do you want to work in THIS library?

3. How would you enforce a policy which you do not agree with?

4. Why did you leave your previous position?

#interviewbetter

Additional Resources

• Ask a Manager blog: http://www.askamanager.org/

• Career Q&A with the Info Career People: http://www.lisjobs.com/careerqa_blog/

• Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? by Ellen Gordon Reeves

• The Librarian's Career Guidebook by Priscilla K. Shontz

• Resume Writing And Interviewing Techniques That Work!: A How-to-do-it Manual for Librarians by Robert R. Newlen

#interviewbetter

Any questions?

If you would like to view this slideshow, visit slideshare.com

thanks,

Megan, Nicole, and Teresa

#interviewbetter