Marie O'Neill was the first speaker at the LAI CDG first 2022 webinar called: "Ace the Interview: All Things Applications and Interviews for Librarians!" Marie gave a list of key words when looking for an adaptable job for a librarian/information specialist. Marie then suggested how to look at transferrable skills accrued in other sectors, such as admin, data entry, etc. Marie gave a series of tips in how to tailor a CV for entry level librarianship; adding tips for a suitable Cover Letter. Marie spoke about Mentorship and how to approach it, she suggested the CILIP/LAI mentor scheme. Marie moved to give a list of tips in how to prepare an interview, including set a mock interview. Marie suggested to apply a STARSS methodology, second S for Library Strategy Plan and third S for Institutional Strategic Plan; mandatory pdfs to be familiar with for an interview. Marie mentioned Career Development Courses to be done at any stage, National Forum Digital Badge an example. Is a question at the end of an interview a must? ePortfolio something to be considered. Write your competency based answers and keep a diary.

1. Job Seeking
and Interview
Tips for
Librarians
Marie O’ Neill
Head of Enhancement

2. A little bit about me. I am a
librarian for 30 years. Now
working in academic
enhancement but as active
as ever as in the field of
librarianship (Council
Member of the LAI etc.,
member of the LAI Library
Publishing Group and the LIS
Joint Digital Badge).
Originator and co-founder of
the MSc in Information and
Library Management at DBS.

3. What I want to cover in this presentation:
1. Avoiding tunnel vision: What jobs to apply for
2. The benefit of work placements: quality not quantity is key
3. Valuable additions to your CV
4. What’s missing from a lot of cover letters
5. Be brave and secure a mentor
6. Upping the ante with preparation for interviews
7. The importance of the mock interview
8. My secret formula for acing interviews: STAR is not enough
9. Stand out in an interview with value added professional
development
10. The benefits of professional development frameworks
11. The myth of asking a question at the end of an interview
12. E-Portfolios for competitive edge
13. The importance of being likeable
14. Dealing with pre-interview nerves

4. Tip 1: Avoid
Tunnel Vision
When
Looking for
Work

5. When looking for a job, don’t
forget the information part of your
library and information
management/studies programme

6. Graduate Employment Data-
MSc in Information and Library
Management at DBS. Students
were very successful in securing
roles in the broader
information management as
well as library sector. UCD
Library school has had the
same success. Examples
include:
Taxonomist
Data
Protection/GDPR/Freedom of
Information Officer
Business Analyst
Records Manager and more..

7. Sample
Taxonomist
Role at
Amazon
https://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/Amazon%20Description.pdf

8. Data
Protection
Officer
FBD
https://www.irishjobs.ie/Jobs/Data-Protection-Officer-
8750801.aspx

9. Tip 2: Work
Placements –
Quality not Quantity
• If you don’t have much work experience, even a
three-week work placement can open doors for you in
relation to job applications. You secure a referee,
experience etc.
• Look for meaningful experience e.g., populating an
institutional repository, reader services, systems. Ask
for experience in areas that align to your career goals
• Low levels of work experience can also be
compensated by undertaking dynamic professional
development
• Draw on this experience/professional development
in the interview
• Keep abreast of the academic literature re library
developments, draw on this, in the interview, e.g.,
UNESCO Recommendations for Open Science 2022

10. Tip 3: Valuable
Additions/Approaches to your
CV
• Tailor your CV to the job vacancy. Your CV
should contain the vocabulary and competencies
associated with the role. To get a better sense of
this vocabulary, read articles relating to the area,
look at a range of similar job ads in addition to
the job spec provided by the recruiting library.
Talk to librarians in similar roles. If you wish to
be a teaching librarian or systems librarian as
examples, ask these librarians to peer review
your CV.
• Include a section in your CV entitled Technical
Proficiencies. Technical proficiencies can include
XML, Dublin Core, MARC, Koha etc. The increased
technicality of all aspects of library operations
means that this section provides reassurances
that you have the technical prowess to hit the
ground running.
• Include a link to your e-portfolio in your CV.
More on this in a later slide!

11. Tip 4: What’s missing
from covering letters
Your Covering letter should contain a brief description
of why you are suitable for the role but also why the
role and the library appeals to you. Close out your
covering letter with a couple of lines on why you want
to work in the recruiting library. Recruiters want to hire
interview candidates who are enthusiastic about the
recruiting library and can articulate why (with facts).
Don’t be glib. Have specifics: ‘the Library is a national
centre of excellence for medical librarianship’ as an
example. Reference a specific objective(s) in the
Library’s strategic plan that excites you.
The closing statement of what appeals about the
recruiting library is contingent upon the role that is
being applied for.
Always refer to membership of the Library Association
of Ireland and professional development activities in a
cover letter. This is always a good hook as it indicates
that you are a dynamic candidate.

12. Tip 5: Be Brave and
Find a Mentor
If you want to be a teaching librarian, reach out to teaching librarians in the sector digitally
(social media, ask for a zoom chat) and in person (coffee, at a conference etc). These contacts
are ideal peer reviewers for your CV, cover letters etc. Before you get an interview, ask them
what questions are likely to come up in an interview. Library professionals are very
supportive. CAVEAT: if you are applying for a specific role, don’t reach out to professionals in
the recruiting institution until after the recruitment campaign is fully completed. Twitter is a
good icebreaker.
Consider participating in a formal mentoring scheme. If this doesn’t suit reach out to a library
professional in a role to which you aspire. Ask could you contact them virtually or face to face,
informally from time to time for advice and guidance. Again, they can peer review your CV,
help with mock interviews etc.

13. Tip 6: Go above and beyond in your interview
preparation
Consult bios of interview panel
members, reference
presentations or projects that
they have been involved in
during the interview where
relevant
Consult library website Consult library’s strategic plan
Consult institution’s strategic
plan
Consult institution’s website
Consult library’s social media
pages. Do a Google News search.
Consult library’s Institutional
repository- have library staff
published? Search the academic
literature to see what articles
library staff have published.
PDF search of library, there can
be reports that the library has
published that are not on the
Library website yet. To reference
one of these indicates your
comprehensive interview
preparation
Talk to someone who has worked
at the recruiting library
previously

14. Tip 7: The value of a mock interview. Do several mock interviews with family, friends, library colleagues or a
mentor. A lot of interview questions are surprisingly predictable. Useful resource: Muse – 53 typical
questions and responses.
https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-questions-and-
answers

15. I am currently a
mentor in this
scheme. It is a
really rewarding
experience. It is an
ideal scheme for
locating a mentor.
Contact is:
Geraldine Blee
https://www.cilip.org.uk/members/group_content_view.asp?group=
201287&id=970445

16. • Competency Based
Interviews: Gather Up
Examples in Advance of the
Interview that you can readily
draw upon. Keep a diary re
STAR competencies as you
acquire them.

17. Tip 8: STAR is not enough. Add two more S’
(STARSS)
•S
Library’s Strategic Plan
• s
Institutional
Strategic Plan

18. Tip 9: Stand out with valued added professional development.
Get something new and different into your career
development toolkit. Skills pertaining to project management,
universal design, digital marketing, open science, diversity etc.
add value to a library and library team. Reference this
professional development in interview.
• Consider a National Forum
Digital Badge. You can also
facilitate one.
https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/partners/lai-joint-digital-badge/

19. Moocs (Many are free or low cost)
https://www.mooc-list.com/tags/public-library-management-
professional-certificate

20. Tip 10: The Benefits of PD Frameworks: Reference in the interview your strategic
approach to PD
https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/partners/lai-joint-digital-
badge/

21. Tip 11: Don’t ask question for the sake of
it/What happens if you don’t know the
answer to a question?
• Some interviewees can open a can of worms by asking the wrong
question or by asking a question that illustrates a lack of preparation
• It’s perfectly acceptable to say I have no further questions, the
information that I received in advance was very comprehensive. Thank
you. I have never asked a question at the end of an interview in 30
years! Frequently, interview panels are happy to see that they have
satisfied your interview information requirements.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question but are aware of the area
through professional development or by reading a report, say so. If
you don’t know anything about the area, show willingness. You would
be keen to research this area more/work in this area etc.
• Always thank the panel at the end of the interview.

22. Tip 12. Add Competitive Edge with an E-Portfolio
Map reflective e-portfolio entries to a professional development framework. Robert Alfis
has an excellent e-portfolio that does this. Consider using Google Sites in Gmail. It’s excellent
For e-portfolio creation.
https://robertalfis.wordpress.com/

23. Tip 13: The importance
of being likeable!
Watch your body
language - smile!
When all things are equal between
candidates, a person who is
pleasant, and a good team player
will be favoured. Librarians want to
recruit staff members that support
them and their staff.
Draw on competency-based
examples in your interview that
demonstrate when you supported
your manager or colleagues (team
working and customer service etc.)

24. Tip 14: Dealing with Pre-
Interview Tips
• Before the interview re-programme your brain
away from anxiety by going early and finding a
nearby café. Watch something that makes you
laugh on your phone (e.g., Father Ted, Monty
Python). Enjoy a coffee and a piece of cake. It is
amazing how relaxing this tip is. You will enter the
interview with a less scared and more positive
attitude. This small time-out literally re-wires your
brain.
• Good luck. You will be amazing!