Job search tips from the pros

Earlier this month Adín Palau, a training officer for the UW Office of Human Resources, and Sandra Guthrie, Director of Business Services at Memorial Library, met with students to discuss job searching for librarians from diverse backgrounds. Below is a distillation of their advice by topic area.


Job search

You need to create a brand for your job seeking, with large pools of applicants you need to find a way to stand out (eg. at UW, there were 60 applications for a cataloger position, a position that normally gets many fewer applicants).

Depending on your background, there may be quite a lot of job offers. However, sometimes an employer will assume that everyone will want to hire someone with a diverse background, so no offer is made.

The interview is the last thing you have to take into consideration.

You have to know where you want to go and based on that prepare yourself. Do your homework for each job. Check the institution out.

Make sure your references are prepared, ask them ahead of time.


Resume

You can't be shy with your resume, it is a marketing tool. It needs to catch their interest early on. Have it reviewed by many people. No typos! In academia you can have more info (3 pages), but in other positions you need less. To write an effective resume use power verbs, address the resume to the job. If your resume needs to be longer, make it longer.

Do not just put your background out there. If a job is looking for a diverse individual you have to illustrate your commitment to diversity. Demonstrate your background. You need to augment your application to show commitment.


Cover letter

In your cover letter you need to speak to why would they benefit from hiring you, not about how much you would like the job. Bring up actual experiences, but do not overdo it.

Address the job posting requirements directly. Speak to the requirements in the cover letter. Job postings for academia are very intentional, the words are very carefully chosen.

A portfolio can really help to illustrate what you have done. Especially highlight volunteerism.


Interviews

Question: How are the interviews decided at academic libraries?
Answer: At UW-Madison everything goes through a search committee. They will set up a grid and have certain requirements. If you do not hit the required elements you will immediately be eliminated.

For libraries you need to show intellectual curiosity. Come to the interview with questions that show curiosity. Search and screen committees appreciate these questions. Managers will ask what applicants what they know about the place they are applying, they are looking for this. If you see weak spots at the university highlight those as opportunities to help them.

Treat everyone at your interview well! You don't know how connected they are.

Even when interviewing on the phone you should consider dressing up. It communicates to yourself your attitude.

Libraries do ask behavioral questions: "What would you do in this situation?" type of questions.

Keep positive about prior jobs.

Think about the questions you might be asked ahead of time: what is your greatest weakness? Spin it into a positive on what you are working on improving. Share a story about yourself to illustrate how you are improving yourself.

Why should I hire you? At this point drop the modesty. It is your closing statement.


After the interview

Persistence pays off. If you don't get a job with a place the first time, try again. Sometimes it will take 3 or 4 applications before getting a job.

If you get a personal call, that is a good sign. Stay on good terms for the future even if you do not get the job; maintain the relationship.

Send a thank you note.

Sometimes individuals might be pigeonholed by institutions into certain jobs based on their backgrounds, you should try to get a feeling for this during the interview. However, these situations can often be made into opportunities.

A job is what you bring to it.