Amy Limpitlaw, public services librarian at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School library, and Roberta Schaafsma, associate director of the Duke University Divinity School library, provided these resources following the roundtable they facilitated at the ATLA 2003 Annual Conference.

	Preparing for the Interview
	During the Interview
	Preparing for Questions You May Be Asked
	Illegal Interview Questions
	Asking Questions of the Interviewer
	Following up after the Interview
	Brief Bibliography

Preparing for the Interview

A. Background research—Sources of information

• Library and institution web sites
• Written history of the institution (book, articles)
• ATLA Annual Proceedings (Statistical records section)
• Fact Book on Theological Education (published annually by the Association of Theological Schools)
• Confidential conversations with former employees or others who may have knowledge of the library
• Use the Internet or print resources to find information about the locale and cost of living

B. Anticipate questions you may be asked and think about your answers. Remember that (a) there are no innocent questions and (b) questions are opportunities to convince the interviewer that you are perfect for the job

C. Develop a list of questions to ask the interviewer. Impress the interviewer with well-thought-out questions.

D. Choose conservative, professional clothing and be sure everything is clean and pressed.

E. Think through your travel plans so you will arrive on time.

F. If asked to prepare a presentation, practice giving it before a mirror or before a spouse/friend.

During the Interview

A. Be positive and try to make others feel comfortable. Firm handshake and smile.

B. Relax. Think of the interview as a conversation, not an interrogation.

C. Show self-confidence—make eye contact.

D. Remember to listen. You will be gaining information not only to ask follow-up questions but to decide if this job is a good fit for you.

E. Reflect before answering a difficult question. If you are unsure how to answer a question, you might reply with another question.

F. Show you want the job. Display your initiative by talking about the functions you could perform that would benefit the organization.

G. Avoid negative body language (touching face, gnawing on lip, forced smile, swinging foot/leg, folding/crossing arms, slouching, avoiding eye contact, picking at invisible pieces of lint).

Preparing for Questions You May Be Asked

It is important to do some preparation before your interview by thinking about some of the questions that might be asked. Below is a list of some common interview questions. While it's not a great idea to have memorized or canned answers prepared, you should have a basic idea about how you are going to respond to questions like these.

Answering just "yes" or "no" to a question is not a good idea; you should always be ready to elaborate on why your answer is "yes" or "no". Give specific examples from past experiences to illustrate your strengths; for example, don't just say that you're a responsible person, also give specific examples of times when you've shown responsibility. If creativity is one of your strengths, give specific examples of when you've exercised creativity in a job situation. Also, try to connect your strengths or skills to the requirements of the job you're interviewing for.

You may be asked questions about a past failure (for example, losing a job) or about your weaknesses. These are difficult questions to answer. It's important to be honest and take responsibility for failures, but you can also try to frame your answer in terms of how you've learned and grown from past failures or how you've managed to compensate for a weakness.

Questions you may be asked

General questions about yourself:

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your hobbies?
• How would a friend/coworker describe you?
• Tell me about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles to meet a challenge.
• Tell me about the person(s) you admire most—and least.

Questions about your current/former job(s):

• Why did you leave your last job?
• Why are considering leaving your current job?
• What did you (or do you) like most about your last/current job?
• What did you (or do you) like least about your last/current job?
• Give me an example from your last/current job where you've shown initiative.
• What have you learned from your past job(s)?
• What do you consider to be your major accomplishments in your current/past job?

Questions related to the job you're interviewing for:

• Why do you want to work here?
• What about our organization interests you?

Questions about your qualifications for the job you're interviewing for:

• What qualifications do you have that relate to the position?
• What are your best skills?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What is your major weakness?
• Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?
• What can you do for us that someone else can't do?
• What specific skills acquired in previous jobs relate to this position?
• What new skills or capabilities have you developed recently?

Questions about your career goals:

• What are your career goals?
• What are your future plans?
• What would you like to be doing in five years?
• What motivates you in your work?
• What kind of salary are you expecting?
• Describe your ideal job.
• What is important to you in a job?
• How will this job fit into your career plans?
• If you come to work here, how long would you expect to stay?

Illegal Interview Questions

While laws vary from state to state, there are some definite taboo areas with regard to interview questions that employers should be avoiding. The following list includes some of the basic subject areas and sample questions that, if asked during the course of the interview, might be viewed as illegal questions or intention to discriminate:

Questions related to birthplace, nationality, ancestry, or descent of applicant, applicant's spouse, or parents.

• Example: "Pasquale—is that a Spanish name?"

Questions related to applicant's sex or marital status.

• Example: "Is that your maiden name?"

Questions related to race or color.

• Example: "Are you considered to be part of a minority group?"

Questions related to religion or religious days observed.

• Example: "Does your religion prevent you from working weekends or holidays?"

Questions related to physical disabilities or handicaps.

• Example: "Do you have any use of your legs at all?"

Questions related to health or medical history.

• Example: "Do you have any preexisting health conditions?"

Questions related to pregnancy, birth control, and child care.

• Example: "Are you planning on having children?"

It should be noted that just because an illegal question has been asked does not necessarily mean a crime has been committed. It is up to a court of law to determine whether the information was used in a discriminatory manner.

Asking Questions of the Interviewer

It is just as important for you to have your questions answered in the interview as it is for the employer to learn about you. Not asking questions can be taken as a sign that you are not interested or knowledgeable enough to ask questions. Having well-thought-out questions will further impress the interviewer and give that person the opportunity to add to his/her evaluation of you as a job candidate.

It's ok to ask questions to clarify something that came up earlier in the interview—it shows you have been listening. For example, you can preface a clarifying question by saying, "You mentioned earlier that. . . . Could you say a little bit more about that?" Or ask questions about the information you researched. "I read that . . . "

Examples of other questions you might ask:

• How would you describe the library's (or the seminary's) culture/environment?
• How would you describe your management philosophy?
• What characteristics best describe individuals who are successful here?
• What do you feel is the greatest challenge the library is facing at the present time?
• What changes do you see coming for this library in the next five years?
• By what criteria will you select the person for this job?
• Why is the position open?
• What are the ideal experience and skill set for this position?
• What are your expectations of the person hired for this job?
• What are the three most significant things that need to be accomplished in this position in the first year and what are the major hurdles?
• Is there anything else I should know about this library/seminary?
• Are there aspects of my background or skills about which you'd like to hear more?
• How would my performance be measured/evaluated? (or) Please describe your performance review system.
• What kind of time frame do you anticipate for making the final decision about this position?

Following up after the Interview

After the interview it is very important to send a handwritten note to the interviewer. In the note you should express your appreciation for the opportunity to meet with them. You should also affirm your interest in the position, briefly reiterate why you think you would be right for the job, and express your availability for answering any further questions they may have of you.

Often you will have interviewed with more than one person and also met with potential coworkers. Although not required, it is still a good idea to send a brief note to these people as well. These notes can simply express appreciation for having met them.

As for contacting the prospective employer if you don't hear back from them, you need to be careful how you do this, since you don't want to be seen as a pest. During the interview process you can ask what time frame is anticipated for making the decision about the position. If you haven't heard back after this period has passed, it may mean that they've decided not to offer you the position, but it also could mean that the decision is simply taking longer than anticipated. One way to elicit some sort of response is to send something to the interviewer along with a note—for example, send something that you've written and maybe mentioned during the interview, or send an article you've found that might be of interest to the interviewer. This is a good way to remind them that you're still out there without appearing to be overly impatient to hear their decision.

Finally, if you don't get offered the job try not to take it too personally. The interviewing process is not meant to be a judgment on you as a person, but simply a way to find out if your skills and abilities fit the needs of the particular organization. Sometimes the fit just isn't right, and you've not lost anything by not getting offered a job where you wouldn't be happy. Try to look upon it as a learning experience.

Brief Bibliography

Books

Fein, Richard. 101 dynamite questions to ask at your job interview. 2nd ed. Manassas Park, VA : Impact Publications, c2000.

Fry, Ronald W. 101 great answers to the toughest interview questions. 4th ed. Franklin Lakes, NJ : Career Press, c2000.

Interview for success : a practical guide to increasing job interviews, offers, and salaries. Caryl Rae Krannich and Ronald L. Krannich. 8th ed. Manassas Park, VA : Impact Publications, c2003.

Medley, H. Anthony. Sweaty palms : the neglected art of being interviewed. Rev. ed. Berkeley, Calif. : Ten Speed Press, c1993.

Nail the job interview! : 101 dynamite answers to interview questions. Caryl Rae Krannich and Ronald L. Krannich. 5th ed. Manassas Park, VA : Impact publications, c2003.

Veruki, Peter. The 250 job interview questions you'll most likely be asked : and the answers that will get you hired! Holbrook, Mass. : Adams Media Corp., c1999.

Articles

Amdursky, Saul J. "Confessions of an interview junkie" American Libraries 32 (Oct. 2001) : p.66-8.

Collins, Sandra. "They want to talk to me?" Library Journal 120 (Oct. 15, 1995) : p.34-5.

Morgan, Steve. "Seven suggestions for apprehensive interviewees" Library Association Record 103 (Dec. 2001) : p.750-1.

Topper, Elisa F. "Working Knowledge". A monthly column appearing in American Libraries since January 2003. Topics cover a variety of issues related to job hunting and the workplace. The column in the May 2003 issue provides tips on clothing and appearance for job interviews.

Humor

Biblia's Warrior Librarian Weekly "Career Advice".

"How to answer the tough interview questions, by Grunty". (click on 'Files', then 'InterviewTips')