“You’re not alone in this.”
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: I never really stop hunting. I started my last job about a year ago, but kept searching regardless.
Why are you job hunting?
√ 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,
√ Looking for more money,
√ Looking for a promotion/more responsibility,
√ I want to work with a different population,
√ Looking for remote/virtual work (or at least hybrid),
√ My current job is boring,
√ Other: I’ve been in public libraries for 3 years and will get my MLIS in a year and a half.
Where do you look for open positions?
INALJ, LinkedIn, the MBLC job board, HigherEe, USAJobs, the websites of individual universities near me.
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Requiring at least two years of experience,
√ Supervisory,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ 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?
√ Yes, within my state,
√ Yes, to a specific list of places,
√ Yes, as long as at least some of my moving costs are covered
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Higher pay, better title, more relevant job responsibilities.
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
Estimate — around 50 in the past year.
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well,
√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits
√ Having a good reputation,
√ Funding professional development
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Other: Yes, and it will be legally required starting in August 2025 in my state. [survey completed September 2024]
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
Lack of clear job responsibilities, low salary compared to requirements, mandatory Sundays.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
About an hour.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Review resume, rewrite cover letter, check with ChatGPT if it thinks I forgot something in my cover letter or resume that’s mentioned in the job description.
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?
2-3 months.
How do you prepare for interviews?
Research the company, take notes on their mission statement, check Glassdoor for previous interview questions, and see if I can find the last person with the position on LinkedIn to see what sort of position they moved to.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
Tell me about a time when […].
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 √ Happened more than once
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Happened more than once
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
If you have ever withdrawn an application, why?
The job was listed a remote, but could require going in person at times to deal with issues on-site. It was a two-hour drive, and they couldn’t guarantee how often I’d have to be on-site, nor would they pay for travel from home to the site.
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 job and heard nothing, only to find out later the hiring manager had skipped all interviews and hired their friend directly instead. This was for a city’s library position, so the hiring manager did get in trouble and was forced to reopen the search.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Please be up-front about any issues previous employees had while in the position and include salary in postings!
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?
Remembering that the job market is terrible right now.
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?
You’re not alone in 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?)
Anticipated in Spring 2026. [Survey completed September 2024]
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ Other: Looking prior to starting MLIS, as most job postings say other experience can be equivalent.
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Other: Hasn’t happened yet, but I haven’t graduated yet.
What kind of work was your first post-graduation “professional” position? (check all that apply)
√ 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 – access to Handshake doesn’t count.
#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
