Awhile back I wrote a post based on my recent experiences serving on many, many library search committees with the hope of providing guidance to those seeking work in libraryland (and hopefully making one small drop in the bucket to end some of the more frustrating mistakes I’ve noticed). I wanted to talk today about the next part of the whole job search process: the interview.
I’ve recently heard that this process works very differently in public libraries. I don’t know anything about public libraries, but I’ve been the interviewee at five different colleges and universities (and university-affiliated units), and have participated in many search committees in two of those institutions. The interview process in academic libraries has been very similar across all of these experiences. There is an initial phone or video chat interview that lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. If you pass the first level of screening, you’ll be invited to what is usually an all-day interview which includes dinner. If you’re interviewing anywhere at any kind of distance from where you live, they’ll put you up in a hotel and pay for transportation.
These all-day interviews will involve meeting many different people in different configurations of groups, where you’ll probably answer the same questions multiple times. You will almost definitely have to give a presentation of some kind. You’ll probably need to do a good amount of walking and standing. And you’ll almost definitely need to share at least one meal with people on the search committee and/or other people who work in the library. This is an exhausting process. I don’t know why we subject people to it, really. I mean, it does make it easier to get a sense for someone, for how they approach problems, how they work with others, when you’re spending that much time with them. But it can be a tough day for people. So here’s my advice for getting through it and wowing the search committee.
First, prepare for the interview. Obviously, you’ll prepare for your presentation (I hope!). But prepare for the questions, too. I have a weird little trick I’ve used that has helped me a lot. I spend some time in the days before the interview writing down my answers to common interview questions. Joe Hardenbrook (a.k.a. Mr Library Dude) has compiled a great list of links to common interview questions. There is also this great Quizlet that uses a flashcard style presentation to shoot random questions at you.I will literally sit down with an open Word document or Evernote in front of me and write my answers to a list of questions like these. You can also do a practice interview with an actual person asking you these questions, but I’m a writer. Having the time to think through and write out my thoughts helps me know what I want to say and lock it all in my mind.
Second, dress appropriately. A suit is always appropriate for a job interview in a library. You will not be overdressed. No, it’s unlikely anyone on the search committee will be wearing a suit (unless you’re on the East Coast, maybe?), but you will still not be overdressed. You don’t NEED to wear a suit, but a nice fitting blazer is not a bad idea. Don’t wear jeans. Definitely do not wear shorts. Don’t wear a low cut shirt or unbutton your top too far. Avoid miniskirts or anything you would wear to a nightclub. Honestly, if you can, go with a suit. Double points if you can take it to a tailor to be fitted so it’s more comfortable. You want to be comfortable, but still look like a grown up professional.
Which brings me to the sub-point about clothing: Wear comfortable, but nice, shoes. This is not the time to break in a new pair of heels or Oxfords. Unless you wear heels all the time and don’t feel comfortable without them, go with flats. You’re probably going to be walking a lot. Don’t make it worse for yourself.
Third, don’t get too casual. You can be warm and friendly while still maintaining professionalism and polish. Don’t make jokes that have even the slightest potential for offending someone. Don’t chew gum loudly or suck on a lollipop or candy. Don’t undo your belt after lunch. Don’t overshare about your personal problems, your health, your family, or your bodily functions. I have been in interviews with people who did all of these things and it is not good. It can be hard to know what the line is between friendly and overly familiar, I know. Think about it like you’re meeting the beloved grandmother of someone you really care about, or something like that. Think decorum.
Fourth, and most important, keep this in mind: You are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. You are not desperate (even if you feel desperate). It’s important to find a work place where you want to be. You’re going to spend a good chunk of your waking life in this place! You want to find a place where you can succeed, where you can be supported, where you can find friends, and where you can love your work. What will it take to be a place where you want to be? Do you work well without a lot of guidance, or do you prefer a structured period of training and a manager who will check in on you? Do you want a steady routine or do you prefer to always be doing new things? Will you be comfortable working in an open office plan space (that would be my nightmare)? Are you ok with hierarchy and structure, or do you prefer a more matrix- and project-based organization? Think about these questions and about yourself, and know what it is you’re looking for. And then pay attention during the interview. Ask questions about how work is delegated, about how frequently people meet with their bosses, about how many committees there are in the library (probably a gajillion, let’s be honest), about how people communicate with each other. Find out what you’ll be working on right when you start. Ask LOTS of questions. There are two benefits to this: It demonstrates to the committee that you’re interested and thoughtful, and it helps you figure out whether you actually want to work in this place.
I have been in a few interviews in my life when something about the place just didn’t feel right for me. The first time this happened, I didn’t get a job offer. I later found out that the position was one that no one in the organization agreed about, that it was badly defined, and that the poor person who got the job was miserable. The second time this happened, I ignored my niggling sense that I wouldn’t like it and I took the job. And while it wasn’t a terrible job, I wasn’t happy there. The third time this happened, I listened to my gut and turned down the job offer and I have never once regretted it.
When you go into an interview thinking about what you need and want, you project confidence. You’re also not trying to be something you’re not, and search committees can usually tell when you’re saying that you love collaborative work when really, you’d prefer to be working quietly in your office on some metadata project. (That being said, all work involves collaborating with people on some level and those are skills you need to cultivate…but that’s another post for another time.) Know what you’re looking for and being ok with recognizing that a particular place or position isn’t it. That is so much better than taking a job and then leaving two years later.
There is probably so much more that could be said about interviewing, but I think most of it comes down to knowing who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you want. Finding the right place to work is a tricky business. The more you know about yourself, the easier it will be.
I’m happy to answer any questions about interviewing and applying for jobs. I’m not an expert, but I’ve been on both sides of the table a number of times, and that experience should benefit someone besides me. So feel free to leave a comment and I’ll answer any questions I can.