Tell me about your experience in libraries...Ms. I've-not-worked-in-a-library-yet

Gah! Imagine getting this one when you haven't worked in a library yet. Yes, not everyone in library school has worked in a library--not all of us know the glory of the shelving, the shelf-reading and the weeding.

Anyway, you should prepare for something like this, or others like it, like tell us how your previous experience relates to this position, by reading through the job description and deciding what you have done in the past that matches with the current job. It also helps if the job description in front of you also has percentages of work, like spend 50% teaching, so you know what your answer should focus on.

Obviously, anything that you have done, either paid or volunteer, that matches with the job description should come out in your answer. You can use more than one previous job experience to describe what you can bring to this current position and how you would apply your skills.

You can also, very carefully, use any of the relevant class projects that you have worked on that relates to the job at hand. I say to do this carefully because they are probably interviewing some of your other classmates and it might start to seem like you are interchangeable if you are all describing the same experiences and assignments. Use the stuff on your resume that is relevant but unique to you as a candidate.


Brought to you from David Grant's list of 50 Most Common Interview Questions

Tell me about the most fun you have had on a job

What a freebie! Take this one and run with it. Use a project that you had which you did well on--maybe it's featured on a website so they can look at it if they are interested--which you delivered on time and which you have received praise for.

By happy coincidence, this is usually when you have the most fun at work: doing something that you liked that people are impressed with. It also helps if you can prep one of your references to talk about the same project when they get called.

And it does happen, but don't talk about how you and your co-workers took the afternoon off and had a really great bonding experience that included alcohol or errant frisbees. I would forgive you for the alcohol, no freebie on the frisbees, but you have just talked about how much fun it was to not do work together.


Brought to you from David Grant's list of 50 Most Common Interview Questions

What irritates you about co-workers?

That I have any.

That would be a very wrong answer, so don't obey that instinct. Don't be flippant if they ask what irritates you about patrons, since that one, or some variation may also be coming up in your interview.

Your answer could end up revealing personal flaws. You reveal that you are uptight about some minor character flaw or laziness which makes you seem like a nit picker. You could also try to dodge with, oh, I love everybody, hearts and flowers, want to exchange bracelets? But you're going to get that little tsk, which means, we're on to you. And you did reveal a flaw: you avoid conflict and just swallow your frustrations instead of resolving them.

You could say something like this:

I've been very lucky to have worked with supportive and helpful professionals, but there are always minor irritants. For example, a former co-worker would often change deadlines, moving up the dates for projects, sometimes without apparent reason. These decisions made it difficult to deliver on time and to provide my best work. However, I usually found that if I discussed it with her that I would usually find out a legitimate reason for the hastened delivery and that we could work out some time around another project.

And look at that: you identified a problem, dealt with it like an adult and sounded reasonable.

If you tend to brush off annoyances, or don't keep a grudge book, you could read Maureen Roger's post, Throwing at the Batter, to find a brief list of aggravations that colleagues can throw at us. Don't just pick one and make up some creative speech. More than likely you have encountered these behaviors, even from normally rational people. Explain it, name no names, describe how you dealt with it and ask for the next pitch from the interviewer.

Brought to you from David Grant's list of 50 Most Common Interview Questions

I'm new here

How do you become accustomed to a new workplace? What are the steps you take to become familiar with the work environment?

An interviewer will ask this question for two reasons:

1. Time is short to get you up to speed, such as a contract position or a summer job, and he wants to make sure that you can organize your time effectively to get accustomed to the new environment, and complete the project you have been hired for, and
   
2. Because he wants to know about your work habits, how you learn new things, and where getting to know your co-workers will fit on your list of priorities.

Obviously, responding to this question effectively requires a bit of self-awareness, and the ability to recognize, not only your habits, but also the knowledge that you already possess that you could apply to the new workplace. They will also like to hire someone who not only gives a self-aware answer, but someone who learns in a similar style to the other people in the workplace. Since you can't know what learning style is preferred--unless you have already worked there--you can only answer this question by stating what you have done in the past, how you will apply it on the first day on the job, and how you will look for direction from your new supervisor and coworkers.

What do you value most in a team mate?

When we think of a team, we think of different players on the field, all with different strengths or roles to play in the service of the team. If you have ever played on a team, there are also some team members who urge us to play harder, to try again--and not to spit in our hands when we go to shake the hands of the opposing team members at the end of the game.

Think about how your co-workers or project partners have made you better: did they realize what your strengths were and try to give you projects that accommodated those strengths? Did they try to push you to try something new or help you over an obstacle? Did they give you something personal--like suggest you be kinder, more forgiving, or efficient. Think about it.

Do you have a person in mind who may have improved one of your hard skills and one softer skill? You can treat this question as a BDI question and give an example of your best team mates and what you learned from them. Try not to use names.

Now, one of the ways people falter with this question is that they confess how their team mates keep their bad habits in check. You stay stuff like, he always made sure my work was handed in on time and helped me with my punctuality problem. Uh-oh, you look like a wayward calf that he had to rope--so you're the weak link. You're someone the excellent team mate, who didn't apply, had to coddle.

Candidates also drop the ball on this question when they need something that the organization can't--or is unwilling--to provide. For example, if you talk about how your team mates mentored you as the newest librarian on staff and the interviewer does not think that mentorship is necessary, strike one. This is why a long list of team qualities is bad: you could unknowingly hit some of their pressure points.

Try not to confess to personal weaknesses as part of the team--especially if you're sometimes a poor sportsman. Don't give a litany of great qualities and no examples. Limit your response to one or two examples, explain and shut up.

What is one professional goal you want to accomplish this year?

This question wants to know if you have a plan--and if that plan matches with their job. Suggesting that you want to do research in teaching methods and effective instruction when the position you are interviewing for is collection development and licence negotiation means that you haven't read the job posting. Or that there will be a constant push-pull between the duties of the position and your real desire.

I'm not going to say something like, why are you interviewing for a job that is not part of your professional plans? It's a good question, but if you're an entry-level candidate, you may not know what you would like to do as a librarian--and, well, you need to eat. So, obviously, look at the job posting and see where it is going professionally and hopefully you want to walk a little way with it.

If you were applying to this position currently available at the University of Manitoba libraries, what could be one professional goal that you could latch on to? Well, taking an additional course in cataloging may not be a bad idea. You can also discuss, generally, a conference that you would like to attend that has relevant information. If your capping exercise is related to the position, discuss how you would like to turn it into an e-book and make it available to other librarians, or how you would like to develop it into a course. But look for something that is professionally related to the position that looks like it would be worth their time and investment.

If I remember one thing about you, what should it be?

Before you answer this question, take a good hard look at the job posting for the position that you are interviewing for. Now, here are your two choices for preparing your answer:

• Desired skill that they want that you have. Take a moment to reiterate that you possess this skills, whether it is teaching, program development or reference experience, stress how you can fulfill this need.
• Desired soft skill that they want. Do they want team players? Collegial? Committed to learning? Do you have any of those traits? How can you show them and why do you think you could demonstrate them here. Do not underestimate the power of a soft skill: if this is an entry-level position, all of the candidates should possess the requisite hard skills for the position. Therefore, the question is one of "fit": whose personality do we like best?

This is not a plea for a job time. This is stressing how you fit, either personality-wise or skills-wise.

And though some interview books may suggest that you talk about how this job fits with your career path, I would advise against that response. You want them to remember you not for what you will get out of the job, but for what they will get out of you.

What was the most difficult course you've taken?

This is a good question for a person who is fresh out of school, usually asked if the employer expects the candidate to apply their classroom knowledge to the real world.

You have to pay attention to the question though: this class was difficult, meaning that it was a hardship in some way. You can answer it by saying the subject matter didn't interest you--but if you mention your cataloging course and you're interviewing to become a cataloger, you're could be in trouble. Some people are a bit too forthcoming and describe their clashes with their prof (too difficult/obscure/hidebound/whatever), which could be a legitimate reason, but makes you seem like a maverick--great on film, but we don't want to work with you. So here's a strategy: tell the truth.

We don't always like all of the stuff that we have to do, but we persevere or we find a part of the task that we like and we do it well. You persevere because you have to pass the class to become a librarian. To pass, you need to find some aspect of the dreaded class that you can understand so you can either crack the code of the rest of the subject matter, or to finish enough components of the class well enough to pass.

For example, the research methods class that we had to take included statistics which are not my favorite subject--there are stronger words I normally use for statistics but I won't use them here. But students could focus on qualitative methods and that is what I used to pass the class--and do pretty well. It also helped that I had a kick ass prof who wanted everyone to do well in the class. I'm still not happy with statistics, but because I took the class and did extra reading, I was able to pass (better than pass) and I can still deal with them now. I have to: they're part of my job.

So pick the class that you found difficult--and hope it isn't 90% of the duties of the job that you are interviewing for--and describe what you found difficult, why and how you dealt with it. Stay focused on your difficulties--not problems real or imagined caused by others (difficult professor, dog ate my homework)--and how you manage yourself and your resources to overcome obstacles.

Follow-ups to this question could include what do you like least or best about your current job? or what do you do to overcome obstacles?

What's your leadership style?

No, really, what is your leadership style? The interviewers have asked this question for two reasons:

• Will you do well under the current leadership structure at this library--or the branch you are interviewing for because there could be big variations between outposts--and
• Could you become a leader at their organization?

Obviously, the best way to answer this question is with an example: when were you a leader? Look at your past for an example similar to this:

• The leader receives an assigned task, or many tasks, that is too large for one person;
• She selects or inherits her team to complete the work;
• Based on the duties of each team member, the leader must assign each person a task and a delivery date and the leader decides who is responsible for what, how much and when.
• If a team member becomes confused, the leader tries to explain or clarify the process the person is responsible for.
• If a member isn't motivated, the leader may be the person to give him a push, either with rewards or punishments, depending on their leadership style.
• The leader is responsible for completing the task on time and when it is completed, decides how credit (or blame) will be distributed.

And I am not being negative by mentioning blame: projects do fail and the leader either accepts responsibility for it or ducks and covers. Remember, a follow-up to this question could be giving an example of your leadership abilities or explaining the outcome of the project.

This example assumed that the leader was selected and called "The Leader", but sometimes, a leader is just a motivator who keeps people on track and disperses knowledge. They may also not hold that role all the time (or get paid for it). You may have an example in your past where you stepped up and motivated everyone to a reach a shared goal. Just make sure your references will back this up.

You should at least know some basic leadership terms and describe how your leadership style fits. About.com Psychology has a section on leadership theory, as well as a quiz that will help you express your decision-making process. There are many other quizzes you could take, and a simple search for leadership style and quiz should turn up several.

Knowledge at Wharton and the MIT Sloan Management Review each have a section on Leadership, from a business or corporate perspective--the perspective adopted by some library managers-- but watch out for business jargon and be careful that you are using the correct term for what you mean.

Try to come up with an example that expresses your style--school work is fine, but this needs to be a big project that required the input of several people that you directed, this isn't the time for a soliloquy about how you personally manage time--and explain with that style is. Briefly. Anticipate that the next question will ask about outcomes and where you see room for growth.

I don't do nuthin' without authorization

Describe the level of responsibility you have in your current position.

Expect this question if you are interviewing for a position where you have to supervise anyone, make schedules, provide evaluations and, possibly, fire or hire. The interviewers also want to know if you can approve projects or release information that will directly impact the public and that you have the final say in when a project is finished. Not realistic for a student position, but you can explain the training wheels.

For example: As an intern, I was responsible for developing the instruction program that taught students how to use RefWorks. I created all of the class notes and exercises, as well as the evaluation form that was used to assess this new program. I did present the notes to my supervisor, and he accepted the program for presentation, indicating that unless the students felt it was too complex, that he would feel confident reusing the module that I had created. Additionally, I also spent half of my time, approximately 12 hours each week, answering questions in person at the Reference Desk or via chat, usually in the evening or weekends with little or no supervision. I also participated in two interviews to hire student library clerks and provided feedback, as all of the reference librarians did, about the punctuality, attention to detail and speed at completing assigned tasks of the student staff.

Project, evaluation, delivery, little supervision.

Every position has some level of responsibility, so try to explain how you delivered within organizational constraints.

The questions this week came from Interview like a Top MBA by Dr. Shel Leanne. Passages from the book are available from Google Books if you are interested.

Fun and games

What is your favourite extracurricular activity?

At the public library where I had my student job, my boss always moaned about the fact she never asked at an interview if someone sewed or fixed cars as a hobby. It was her first draft pick: someone with a hobby that would unwrap the mysteries of those sections to patrons who needed more help than a vague Dewey Decimal Number and bon voyage wave to the stacks.

When I served on a panel about interviewing, I mentioned this story to the attendees and the head of the local public library sitting next to me shook her head with an emphatic no. She cared nothing for the hobbies of the people who worked for her and was convinced that extracurriculars brought nothing to the reference desk. (Which explains why no one can give me a better book about fuel injection than Cars for Idiots or the Chilton's).

Anyway, if an interviewer asks this question, I don't think it's a probe for how much internet porn you surf, nor even an examination of your libertarian political affiliation. I think they are honestly trying to find out more about the whole person who may be an expert in a subject that their clients want more information about: buying stocks online, teaching seniors how to Facebook, or Korean blockbusters.

Think about the extracurricular activities you have that can inform your patrons. Yes, beyond I read a lot. Competitive swimming, Pilates, knitting, World of Warcraft, converting cars to biodiesel: what's your poison? If you are into them, so are our clients.

And by favourite, they mean, mostest, so stick to just one.

The questions this week came from Interview like a Top MBA by Dr. Shel Leanne. Passages from the book are available from Google Books if you are interested.

What did you do the day before yesterday?

Describe the last job you had before your present one.

This question wants career path information:

• What does your career path look like?
• Have you been progressing or promoted from job to job?
• Were your moves lateral ones, using new skills or are you just hopping to the next attractive contract?
• Did it relate to libraries?
• Can you recall what you did?

Obviously, for a person who moved from waiting tables to libraries, the match isn't obvious but you could describe your customer service, handling cash, dealing with difficult people, variable hours, punctuality and, if you were employed there for a long time, longevity in the position. It is a good idea to describe this position, even if it is not related to libraries, if the supervisor for that position is one of your references. You don't have to gloss: you had a student job to survive as a student and the position has given you some applicable skills and a good reference.

If your previous position was in libraries, it is a bit easier to explain its relation to the position you are interviewing for: you are moving up or laterally after attaining your degree. If you have had a series of contract positions, and--in this era of cutbacks--there should be no stigma attached to a contract that was not renewed. Try to show you made a good leap to the next position and believe you can do the same with this one.

The questions this week came from Interview like a Top MBA by Dr. Shel Leanne. Passages from the book are available from Google Books if you are interested.

An adjective is...?

Name three adjectives that describe you.

Truthful, diligent, punctual. No: I was lying. Calm, kind and friendly. [Mops brow]. I'd like: Fun, friendly and firm for five hundred, Alex. No, firm sounds like I moonlight as a dominatrix...not that I work as a dominatrix...not that there is anything wrong with domination...Can we start over?

Why do people make this question so hard? You should pick three qualities that are reflective of the work you have done in the past and what the position asks you to do. You should give a brief example of each attribute and how you have demonstrated it, preferably while indicating those points on your resume. For example:

I am detail-oriented, as you can see from my previous work on the series fiction cataloguing project. I am collaborative because I like to work with others and have worked on several successful partnership projects. I am creative and look for opportunities, like my capping project on using handhelds in the school library, where I can do something innovative.

You have even snuck in some extra adjectives--successful and innovative--but still answered the question briefly.

Sometimes people shoot themselves in the foot by getting their adjective-gun stuck in their holster. Don't be a maverick or a loner if you are working with a team. Don't possess lovely, sounds so good to be you qualities; use actual attributes that you have demonstrated in the past. Why? Because the next question will probably be: how would your colleagues/supervisor describe you? If that answer sounds very different from your adjectives, this means that you just gave them a BS answer or you are not self-aware. Both are not the impression you would like to make.

There is also one last little persnickety point you should keep in mind: answer with adjectives not nouns. Many librarians are writers and editors and not knowing the correct part of speech could get you a lower mark.

The questions this week came from Interview like a Top MBA by Dr. Shel Leanne. Passages from the book are available from Google Books if you are interested.

I have a plan?

What early experiences led you on your current career track?

The best answer will indicate how the position you are interviewing for fits on your career plan. This is a variation of Tell me about yourself by examining your professional experience.

Why are you a librarian? Why are you X-type librarian?

If you have worked in libraries and realized that management was out without a graduate degree, your answer is that you decided to become a librarian to progress in your career and have greater responsibilities. Indicate how previous experiences led you to this decision or how they have helped you narrow your choices within the field of librarianship.

This is a hard question if you have no library experience though experience in cultural industries, education and non-profits can help. Think: why are you a librarian? Was it kids, books, computers? What have you done to put yourself on this path--reformed teacher, a summer in the archives, bookish techie--that you can now apply to this experience in libraries? If something attracted you to the position--working with seniors, training, supervision--explain that this is a fresh or repeatable experience for you and that you felt you could put your skills to work in this position.

The questions this week came from Interview like a Top MBA by Dr. Shel Leanne. Passages from the book are available from Google Books if you are interested.

What am I going to be doing?

Tell me about your ideal work environment.

There are a few points in the interview where the interviewer is going to probe to make sure you understand the duties of the job and the work environment. This is one of them. So it measures your research skills, but it also measures your fit. For example, if you respond that you have enjoyed working with children and that you like the daily interaction with clients and you like to have close relationships with your colleagues, if you are about to be consigned to a lonely outpost with limited interaction beyond phone or chat, you are not going to be a good fit for the position.

It is, however, a BDI question, so they are looking for an actual work environment that you have experienced that you felt brought out the best in you. Try to find a work environment that seems closest to the one you are currently interviewing for, with a similar managerial structure. I hope to Hades that this does match with what you are looking for...I'm not going to ask, if this position doesn't match with your ideal, why are you interviewing for it? I'm guessing you need grocery money.

If school was your ideal work environment, think about it: what made it so good? Structure, intellectual challenge, clear deadlines, interaction with knowledgeable supervisors and working with peers. You can also suggest that the ability to assume responsibility for tasks and complete them on time was also exciting and vital to your daily happiness. (There is one problem with using school as your ideal work environment: it's over. Don't look like you will run back to academia with open arms. So be careful how you phrase this.)

This question can also be used as a measure of your ability to mesh with management. If you have seen their org chart or if this is part of a series of questions that asks about management style or structure, you can reiterate some of the points about management style in this answer. But, be brief: you have already had a shot at those questions.

Row together

Have you ever been a member of a team that failed to complete a project or finish the task? Could you describe why the team failed to meet its goals and what you would do differently in the future?

Yes, you can use a classroom experience for this question but do you really want to confess that you failed cataloging in the middle of your interview for a metadata librarian position?

Begin by explaining a bit about what the project was and the goals for the project. Who was the audience? Was there a deadline? Did you have a budget? The criteria for the project will help you explain the failure: what broke down?

Projects usually fail for either time or money reasons, and with both, a larger failure. Once you have explained the project and decided why it failed, explain the situation but it should sound as though lightning struck, or take responsibility for a minor complication. People blow this question by:

• Suggesting that co-worker incompetence led to the failure. You don't look like a team player, nor do you look smart enough to tell people to stop rowing on the same side at the same time.
• You were WAY, WAY over-budget. Math much? Sometimes, costs are really outside of our control, but managers have to trim the fat on items. Why did your project need two demonstration laptops instead of one, especially if only one presenter traveled?
• Your project is still not finished and it's REALLY late. A project is not a failure until it is done and you can measure the results. There are few projects that are never-ending (How to Deal with Resource Challenges in a Library), or cyclical (How to Use RefWorks) or finite (Instructions on How to Use the Catalog). What type of project are you describing and is it really done?
• No one used it. Some projects fail because they aren't used (you thought it was a great idea, but...) and you can't find this out without promotion or evaluation. Failures in promotion are good examples about what you learned about increasing your user base, a concern at every type of library or for every type of librarian.

Remember those rules above and explain how the problem--just one is fine, don't sound like the sky fell--was resolved, or explain, hypothetically, how this experience changed your ideas about project management.

And I'll form...the Head!

Can you explain your role in a previous project that you worked on that required the efforts of a team to complete?

Yes, you can answer this question with a class project but work experience is preferred. This question wants to find out a few things about you:

• Are you a leader or a follower?
• Are you a bully or a consensus-builder?
• Did you complete the project on time and within budget?

I'm not going to kid you: very few librarians get to be leaders right out of the launch bay, but, supposedly, this question is looking for leaders. You should show that you know when to lead (you know what you are doing) and when to follow (you have another role you can do better), a concept I was recently introduced to as kinetic leadership. In a kinetic team you are the leader when you have the skills and you are the follower when the current leader needs a plan executed. Show that you know your role and that you contributed what you knew, not that you were a Schrute constantly undermining your colleagues.

You should also not come across as too bullish when a lighter, china-smoothing touch was needed. It is also important to explain if the project was completed on time and if you spent all of your money without exceeding a limit. If you missed either mark, can you account for it? Explain how, in a future situation, you would not need elasticity in time or money.

This question wants to know about your management skills, both when managing and managed and if you can deliver the desired package.

The separation was amicable

Why did you leave your last job?

As a student, you can usually get off lightly with this one: you had a student job and once you were no longer a student, you have to move on. A simplified, no-fault divorce. But some of us are leaving positions for other reasons, some with fault and some merely uncontested. This question is trying to find out just how much fault and acrimony is on your side.

• The best answer is to just want a career change. You are interviewing for a position with more responsibility and you hope to learn more about your profession.
• A mediocre answer is to describe that the writing is on the wall at your old job: your beloved supervisor is moving on, positions are getting whacked with cutbacks, your contract has not been renewed. In these cases, do your best to phrase your answer to this question as if the circumstances were unexpected but you are taking charge of your career.
• Bad, bad answer: I wanted to set their clothes on fire on the front lawn. We leave jobs sometimes because we 1) hate our boss; 2) hate our colleagues; 3) hate the clients we serve; 4) hate the work environment. Hate may seem strong, but we sometimes cling to a pay check much longer than we should, irritating ourselves past irrationality. Additionally, you could have been fired or had your contract unexpectedly, not renewed. In these cases, your answer comes with a lot of bile and you sound like a victim, rather than a proactive, take charge survivor.

If you have a bad, bad answer to this question, I strongly recommend some practice with this question before trying to answer it. Even in circumstances beyond our control, you should do your best to sound as though you understand what happened and that you are taking steps to find a new position and give your best work to the new employer.

This question, though on the surface simple, can elicit some interesting responses from people who have not reflected on their role in their job loss or who are not very good at planning their career moves.

Applying a little persuasion

In the past, how have you persuaded people to try your ideas?

Persuading people--whether it is patrons, other colleagues, supervisors or other community members--is an important part of any librarian's job. Picking books for a book discussion group, convincing your boss to run a class for professors who want to use social networking or asking the library board to increase salaries: you better know how to persuade.

What example should you use? The best is another work-related example, preferably one that involved more than one person or transaction and which had a measurable outcome. You should focus on the evidence that you gathered to persuade the person to accept your case, if there was more than one person (a client) or a hierarchy involved (boss to manager to library board to public). Try to tell the story in chronological order with a positive and "they accepted it!" outcome.

The initial sale is also the big question: don't spend 15 minutes talking about outcomes and how you would have done things differently this time around. You should also avoid sounding glib or use an example that is too simple, the teenager believed me when I said that this was the best book on potato cannons! Avoid bullying examples, such as: I convinced the book club to read a translated, 1,300 page stream of consciousness novel and it just made them all better people! You should show how you persuaded for the greater good, not your own ego.

The ability to persuade, as selling, marketing or convincing, is one of the most useful soft skills a librarian can possess.

My feedback is "you suck!"

Tell me about a time when you worked with a colleague who usually gave negative feedback or no feedback for your performance.

Additionally, the interviewer may ask about an overly critical supervisor, or a person who usually corrected you in public. The interviewer wants to know how you deal, not only with stressful co-workers, but also with clients or students who don't have time to fill out evaluation forms or who may tell you flat-out that they hate the job you do and don't want to spend their tax dollars on you doing it (ask a person who's had a book challenge and get back to me, if you don't think people are that rude).

Your answer should show your resiliency by rebounding from negative feedback, how you deal with complaints--diplomatically--and that you can keep a battery-pack full of good comments to get you through the lean times. This is also a BDI question, so you need to come up with an example from the first two--negative feedback or complaint from a customer--to answer the question properly.