
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?
√ Less than six months
Why are you job hunting?
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, Indeed, GovernmentJobs
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Requiring at least two years of experience,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ Public library
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ No
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
Close to home (I don’t drive), making at least $40,000, willingness to hire recent undergraduates
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
1
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,
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
Depends on the packet, but usually 6-8 hours
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
Tweak resume, write/edit cover letter, fill out application, send to someone for edits, make edits, submit
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
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
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?
A few months at most
How do you prepare for interviews?
Google potential questions, prepare list of stories relating to potential questions (according to STAR method), talk through stories on my own
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
What is your biggest flaw? (How do you pick one thing, impossible to know if employer wants genuineness or if they think certain flaws are red flags).
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Not Applicable
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Not Applicable
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Not Applicable
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m optimistic