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Rank: Newbie
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Joined: 1/31/2008
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Location: beavercreek, ohio
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I have a possible interview with a university coming up and I am curious about the types of questions search committees ask the candidates. It is a public services position and seems pretty entry level from the job ad. Are the questions broad in nature (everything from background to service philosophy) or are they more specific to the job ad itself? Are behavioral questions common (or scenarios)? Since I am a recent grad and have been working in a special library I am not familiar with the interview process in an academic environment. I have a strong background in academic libraries, but did not get a chance to be on a search committee, so I am unfamiliar with the process. Any helpful advice would be most welcome.
Thanks!
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
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jandel72 wrote:I have a possible interview with a university coming up and I am curious about the types of questions search committees ask the candidates. It is a public services position and seems pretty entry level from the job ad. Are the questions broad in nature (everything from background to service philosophy) or are they more specific to the job ad itself? Are behavioral questions common (or scenarios)? Since I am a recent grad and have been working in a special library I am not familiar with the interview process in an academic environment. I have a strong background in academic libraries, but did not get a chance to be on a search committee, so I am unfamiliar with the process. Any helpful advice would be most welcome. All the options you listed can be included. It all depends on the organization and/or people conducting the interview(s). Read the job ad closely and prepare for any questions about how you meet or do not meet the qualifications. Look up the names of the people that will be interviewing you. Look of the website. Think of questions to ask them.
Brian C. Gray Head of Reference & Engineering Librarian Kelvin Smith Library Case Western Reserve University http://blog.case.edu/bcg8bcg8@case.edu
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I think the shortest academic position interview I had was six hours and I've had ones that spread over two days. I would expect to be asked a little of everything more than once. In addition to formal interview sessions you may have to have meals, go on tours, wait for the dean to be available, etc. which are all in effect non-traditional interview sessions as well. In addition to preparing interview material I would suggest having a reservoir of neutral small talk to make as you may have a make a lot of small talk for long periods of time.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Location: Maryland
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Last year I had an interview with the library director at a small college in eastern PA. (The library staff was small too!) The other person who came in was one of the professors. The whole interview took about an hour and 15 minutes! That was the extent of my interviewing in an academic library.
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Rank: Newbie
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Hi.
Would anyone have any suggestions on how interview questions might be different at a community college library than at a large academic library? I interviewed for a position at a major university before, and soon I will be having an interview for a position with a community college library.
All the best,
Rob Langenderfer
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