HIT: Job Interview Experiences

[Robert Melgaard <rmelgaard@WEBZONE.NET>]

rom owner-lm_net@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU Sun Jan 31 23:28:05 1999
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 16:57:02 -0600
LM Netters,

Here are the experiences you shared with me about interviewing for library
positions:

Tricia Melgaard
U of Oklahoma Library School
Tulsa, OK
rmelgaard@webzone.net

One question that kind of caught me off guard (but probably shouldn't have)
was "How will you meet the needs of special needs students?" I asked the
group of administrators that interviewed me what their view of a school
library was. How does it fit into the school? Told me a lot about what the
teachers were expecting, but also how in tune the principal was to what is
really happening in media centers.  I graduated in Dec. of 97. Before
spring break last year I had two interviews.  I went in armed with my
freshly finished portfolio (didn't hurt that I had a year of being a
part-time LMS) and examples of things I'd done with the kids.  I had always
meant to do a portfolio, but hadn't gotten around to it, so I spent 15
hours the weekend before the interviews putting it all together. I really
think that the portfolio is what helped me get an edge because I know the
other interviewees had more experience than I did. It also helped that I
know a bit about technology. I actually got to choose between the two jobs
because both were offered. It was such a great feeling. It is so hard to
get teaching jobs in my area, but media specialists are really in demand.
You are going into a great field. I love this job! Some days really stink.
And some days I feel like I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but most of
the time I love it.

One question that kind of caught me off guard (but probably shouldn't have)
was "How will you meet the needs of special needs students?" I asked the
group of administrators that interviewed me what their view of a school
library was. How does it fit into the school? Told me a lot about what the
teachers were expecting, but also how in tune the principal was to what is
really happening in media centers.  I graduated in Dec. of 97. Before
spring break last year I had two interviews.  I went in armed with my
freshly finished portfolio (didn't hurt that I had a year of being a
part-time LMS) and examples of things I'd done with the kids. I had always
meant to do a portfolio, but hadn't gotten around to it, so I spent 15
hours the weekend before the interviews putting it all together. I really
think that the portfolio is what helped me get an edge because I know the
other interviewees had more experience than I did. It also helped that I
know a bit about technology. I actually got to choose between the two jobs
because both were offered. It was such a great feeling. It is so hard to
get teaching jobs in my area, but media specialists are really in demand.
You
are going into a great field. I love this job! Some days really stink. And
some
days I feel like I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but most of the time I
love it.

 The stupidest question I was ever asked was "What would you do if a
hurricane hit?"  Of course I wanted to say, "What do you think - stay home
and stockpile food, of course!"  However, I was expected to give a serious
answer.  We live in hurricane country, so although it wasn't totally off
the wall, it was not very well stated!

The toughest job interview question I ever faced was "Why do you want this
job?" Now this was not a school library media job but as a librarian for a
school for prison guards to become better prison guards and this was not,
to put it mildly, my number one career choice. However, I did want to get
back into the field of libraries. I answered honestly "Because it's
available." This was a 9 am on a Wednesday. When I got my mail at noon the
next day the rejection letter was already there. Since them I have ALWAYS
made sure I can answer that question.

In my first interview out of library school, I went through a six-hour
ordeal for a middle school position. After a 90 minute grilling from six
persons covering everything from technology use to positions on censorship
and a 2 hour personality assessment with the assistant superintendent, I
was led into a room with a Mac and type-written question. The question was:
"If you were to design the ideal library media center, what would it
contain? Include a floor plan. Use appropriate software." Despite the
ordeal, I kicked butt in the interview. Nevertheless, they
ended up hiring internally a person that didn't have library credentials at
all. Some months later, while working at a professional library at my
library school, a woman came up to the counter looking for information
about what to look in hiring a library assistant. It was the woman who got
my job! Since then, I've been riding a wave of good mojo.

I just went through the process of being interviewed and my first job
starts Friday. My first interview with the school district I was hired by
(I thought) went terribly. They asked me the type of essay--philosophical
questions that would be on the NTE exam. I felt like asking them if they
would give me a blue book and let me get back to them in a week! The bottom
line was this (and it was so for my fellow practicum library science majors
as well). They want librarians who are technically competent (or at least
not afraid of technology), but who can also teach and relate to the kids.
You often get one or the other, but not both. Just be sure to mention that
you have both skills. Then you will be fine.

If you have confidential references at your university, have these files
forwarded to a relative and have the relative forward these to you.

When I was ready to start interviewing from graduate school 5 years ago, my
prof told us that one question sure to be asked would be: "Why should we
hire you, a recent library school grad, when there are so many people out
there with many years of experience?"  We were told to answer that the
advantage we had over the others was that we were on the cutting edge of
the new technologies, and knew what kinds of products and services were out
there and how to evaluate them.  The other, older librarians were going to
have to go back to school and play catch-up.  It worked for me in the first
interview I had and I got the job!

You will undoubtedly be asked about technology!  Be prepared to answer lots
of questions about the role of technology in the media center.  You also
could be asked about how you would cooperatively plan with a teacher.  Make
sure you have ideas as to how to do that.  Try to "wow" them with idead you
have for additional programs you would be willing to sponsor, such as Young
Author's conferences or reading incentive programs.  Above all, be
enthusiastic.  We all have to face such stereotypical views of librarians -
(boring, dull, rigid), make sure you don't fit that mold!

The best advice is to learn all you can about the district before you
apply.  Be aware of whole language emphasis or multi-ethnic goals.  Advance
preparation is best.  Show up for those interviews with sample lesson
plans, your courses taken, and the aims and goals you feel are critical.

I brought a portfolio with me and I was the only candidate who did, and
that seemed to impress the interviewing team.

I recently interviewed for a position in an elementary school and they
asked me to name a book for aK-1 lesson and for a grade 4-5 lesson and tell
them how I would teach the lesson.  This really threw me for a loop as I
was not prepared to discuss specific books, and I had gotten a list of
about 50 questions from one of my profs consisting of many different
interview questions.

I've not had a principal ask any hard questions.  The last principal I
interviewed with asked me how I would get high school students to read.
That was the only question I was asked.  Most principals know very little
about the library.

How will you solve my overhead shortage - how we could make everyone happy
with less than enough for each staff member.  I was thinking Big 6 and
flexible scheduling and teaching skills and students, and she's thinking of
ways to solve local problems!

I am a new media specialist and I was interviewing last spring. The main
questions principals asked me involved my view of the media center, how
I would handle lost books with students and teachers, and if I would
have story time (for elementary schools).

I was asked, "What would you do if the parents of a young man came to you
asking that you not allow their son to check out books on auto mechanics.
Let's say the parents were doctor's and want to discourage their son's
aspiration to become a mechanic."  I hadn't thought of something like that
when I was practicing my interview AND something like that actually
happened after I got the job!  The guardian (grandmother) of a 4th grader
wanted me to not let the boy check out certain books.

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Subject: HIT:  Comparing Print to Web

Thanks to everyone who responded...most wanted HITS, so here it is.

For those who are interested in showing some "bogus" websites as
examples of what you will find in the "real Internet world", the
following was my favorite:
http://anokahs.anoka.k12.mn.us/Media/bogus.html

Among the items are studies done regarding "Feline Reaction to Bearded
Men" and "Hacker Barbies".  This is a nice example of some wild things
which appear to be real.

The bogus White House site is:  http://www.whitehouse.net  Please make
sure that you check your website address on this one!  If it ends in
com. or org.  you will have reached the "adult-rated" site which
certainly embarrassed me! :-)

The Discovery Channel website which has Kathy Schrock's material also
has some wonderful materials regarding evaluation of websites.  You can
find that at:  http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/chaff.html
The title is "Separating the Wheat from the Chaff."

Then there is the "criteria for evaluation of resources" available at:
http://evalutech.sreb.org

I'm going to move on toward this assignment!  I hope you have fun with
this too!

Thanks for helping!

Shonda Brisco
Library Media Specialist
Oklahoma School for the Blind
bso@ok.azalea.net (work)
cowboys@ok.azalea.net (home)

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