1. Career Building Basics: Successful Interviews
April 17, 2012
Mary Krautter, Head, Reference and
Instructional Services, UNCG
Anna Craft, Metadata
Cataloger, UNCG
With Support from Nancy Ryckman, Assistant Head,
Reference and Instructional Services, and Beth Filar
Williams, Distance Education Librarian, UNCG
2. Webinar Outline
Telephone interviewing
Skype interviewing
In person interviewing
The interview presentation
3. The Telephone Interview
Prepare for usually 30-45 minutes
Usually a couple of people from search
committee
Usually 6-8 general questions:
“how do you fit this position?”
“give an example of how you handle X”
Have notes, possible answers, &
documents ready for reference
4. Skype Interview
Demonstrates your comfort with tech
They see you - not just hear you – so:
Dress appropriately
Be in location w/o distractions
What do they see behind you
Practice w/ friend if you haven’t used Skype
5. The In-person Interview
PREPARE! Do your research.
Know the school, library, people on the search
committee (their research or publications).
Review mission statements, visions, goals.
Know job description well – & how you match it.
Have questions to ask! Interview them.
Dress appropriately – but be prepared for a long day on
your feet too!
Have energy and enthusiasm – get sleep!
6. The In-person Interview (continued)
For academic jobs generally all day +
An all day interview from breakfast until evening
Dinner night before or after the all day interview
Meet/Interview with various stakeholders all day:
With search committee
With department or team
With boss
With Dean of Library
With HR (benefits)
With tenure committee
Do a presentation to all staff & more
Tour of library/campus
7.
8.
9. The Interview Presentation
WHY AM I DOING THIS???
For the interviewee :
The presentation is stressful.
The purpose is unclear.
The tone is difficult.
stage
fright!!!!
10. A potential employer is evaluating:
Your ideas
Your confidence
Your teaching ability
Your interpersonal skills
Your presentation should reveal
these qualities!
11. Types of Presentations
Mock lessons –designed for students, but delivered to
other professionals.
Topic presentation –general, such as “current concerns
and future directions.”
Demonstrate:
Knowledge of established practice and new trends
Optimism, positive attitude
Creative solutions, not complaints
Your comfort level in presenting/teaching
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT
THEY WANT
12. Software
PowerPoint –
Typical choice; avoid wordy slides, include graphics
Prezi – www.prezi.com
Dynamic, single canvas, non liner choice
Zoho show- show.zoho.com
ppt like but free, online, access anywhere, share, embed
*Check out your library’s recorded online workshops for more help:
http://library.uncg.edu/info/distance_education/onlineworkshops.aspx#past
Beyond Powerpoint
Powerpoint Makeover
Intro to Creative Commons (how not to steal images!)
13. Prepare!!!
Practice, practice, practice.
Find someone to listen.
Ask for constructive criticism, not flattery.
Research – varies by topic:
For practice lesson
Know any databases inside and out.
For more general topic
Check articles for current trends; reports from ALA, ACRL,
PEW, EDUCAUSE.
Try listservs, conference programs, and blogs for hot topics.
14. Technology can fail!
Ask about their set up BEFORE you arrive:
versions of software , hardware, internet readily available, etc.
room set up for presentation
Ask for practice/test the set up in advance of presentation
Have multiple versions of a presentation:
Web (Dropbox)
Thumb drive
Screenshots – don’t rely on internet working
Consider alternatives in case they have technical
problems.
15. Logistics
Volume –SPEAK UP!
Questions from audience
Water
Personal necessities
NEVER go over the allotted time
16. Personality
Interpersonal skills
Let your enthusiasm and energy show!
Humor can backfire - be cautious
Be yourself - but a little
exaggerated.
17. Your audience
Tailor your remarks using clues:
Their demeanor
The job ad
Contacts with the search committee
Do your Research :
Know your committees’ research areas; read/skim articles they wrote
Review the library website & mission/plan
Find commonalities
…. Bring the ideas you discover into your presentation-
acknowledge positive, cool things they are doing already and
highlight what you can do!
18. Wrapping it Up
Summarize your major points
Have a cadence, "a melodic or harmonic configuration
that creates a sense of repose or resolution”
Ask for questions
Don’t let a curve ball throw you
AND REMEMBER:
Your audience WANTS you to succeed, so give
them what they want!
19. Sources
Any relatively recent book on presentations and public speaking is worth skimming
for hints.
"Effective Presentation Skills." Incite 27.8 (2006): 20. Library, Information Science &
Technology Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 21 Mar. 2012.
Murray, Jennifer S. "10 Steps To Releasing Your Inner Public Speaker: How To Conquer Your
Fear And Add To Your Job Skills." One-Person Library 23.1 (2006): 7-8. Library, Information
Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 21 Mar. 2012.
Rogoschewsky, Tanya Lisa1 "Developing A Conference Presentation: A Primer For New
Library Professionals." Partnership: The Canadian Journal Of Library & Information Practice
& Research 6.2 (2011): 1-7. Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson).
Web. 15 Mar. 2012.
Spohr, Cindy. "Powerful Presentations." AALL Spectrum 14.2 (2009): 8-9. Library Literature
& Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 21 Mar. 2012.