2nd Interview
They told me today they had 70 people apply for this job. That is low, man. 70 is low.
Of that 70 they called a select number to have a phone interview. I had a phone interview. I don't know how many people they spoke to.
Of that they had a subset of people come in to meet with the search committee. Yes there was a search committee. I got an agenda emailed to me. The process was to be 3 hours long and would include a tour, a test to see if I could do the tasks, a 10 minute presentation on the topic of my choice, with handout (NO technology either), the interview with the search committee, an interview with the director, and an interview with HR Lady.
I don't know how many people they met or are meeting with. I will note there was a sign in book on the reception desk where you had to put down why you were there. The last person to write in "interview" was 3 weeks ago. Maybe they met me first. If so, I hope I gave my competition some tough standard to meet.
I didn't know where the place actually was -- just the address. I took the el as close as I could but it was still half a mile away. Screw that -- I took a cab the rest of the way. Turns out there is a Brown Line stop 3 blocks away. I went there when I went home.
It turns out, it is across the street from what people are shocking calling the Willis Tower (no. just... no.). Like, kitty corner across. I was standing there, looking, and thinking -- is that...?? I know I am a Chicagoan but I have never been that close to it. I usually see it from a distance, whether a few blocks or a mile or so.
Last night I was at FedEx Kinkos at 1:00am, printing out my handout and reprinting my business card file and hand cutting those out (I had ordered cards over a week in advance from Vistaprint.com and paid for rush -- two designs; they came Tues and both were utterly screwed up. I got my money back but I did not dare hand out those pieces of crap.). Then I noticed just a slight typo on my handout. It wasn't really a typo -- I was logged in to my online portfolio when I copied and pasted the link and I put down the secure link by mistake. I debated using a pen to scratch out the extra character but it would be obvious. I debated apologizing to the group and mentioning they should eliminate that character themselves. I WANT them to click that link, but then it won't work if they do. The link is correct on my cards. The job requires someone who is meticulous, detail oriented, and who emphasizes quality. Then I should tell them I made an error on my handout but didn't redo it? *sigh* It was 2am at that point.
I searched the house for a bottle of White Out. I kicked myself that I did not buy any at Kinkos. Or paper clips, because I wanted to clip my card and my handout together. They were designed to match and it would be obvious if I clipped them together. No paper clips anywhere. No White Out. Oh well.
Got my stuff together for today and put it all out. Borrowed my mom's black leather Steve Madden computer bag for the day. $145 is a lot for a damn tote bag, but it looks good. Tucked my laptop in it just in case, and then packed it with everything from my purse. Tried to get some sleep.
Woke up and hit the ground running. I had no idea for sure how long it would take me to get there, since it was going to be traveling via el and walking through the Loop. I left 90 minutes before my appointment and opted to drive to the el and search for parking instead of wait for the bus. Drove around stupid Oak Park looking for a place to park my car by the el stop. Everywhere said "permit parking only" or "2 hour parking" or "no parking 4-6 pm." grrr. Crossed Austin Ave to Chicago, found free street parking 2 steps from the el stop. Suck it, Oak Park.
Got as close as I could and caught a cab. I wound up looking up up up at the SEARS Tower a whole 30 minutes early and it was bitter outside. There was a Walgreens! I went in and bought White Out and paper clips. Then entered the swank marble foyer of a huge office building. I spent 15 minutes using White Out and paper clips, then I checked in with Security and got into the elevator. up up up up...
I got out of the elevator not sure what to expect. I interviewed at the ALA 3 years ago exactly. I was NOT impressed. The ALA takes up a whole building in the Loop, said building being from what appears to be the 60s. It has a great retro look -- on the outside. On the inside it is a pit. The carpet is old and stained, the walls are dingy, the furniture is from the 80s. There's no space, people are crammed in every which way, tiny little odd shaped cubicles everywhere. It is not charming at all. And the ALA laid people off last spring bc they, like libraries, have NO money. Like libraries, they pay nothing and expect everything.
So I guess that's what I expected at this place. I could not have been more wrong.
When I told one of my references I had this interview and said where, she exclaimed, "Oh those folks are SO NICE!" Yes, well, what is nice. Everyone is "nice" (one hopes), at least at an interview. But oh she was not kidding!
I walked off the elevator and a free standing sign of the type used to put up conference schedules stood next to the open double doors in the marble lobby. I idly glanced at the sign and did a double take. The free standing sign holder was custom made with the place logo on top. It matched the giant logo on the wall of the lobby. Inside the holoder was a sheet of paper. It said:
WELCOME [my name]
In color, on color paper. It matched the sign holder. IT SAID MY NAME ON IT. It was positioned so I would see it when i got off the elevator.
Yes, I took a picture. But with my phone, so it's a little blurry. I was trying to be discrete.
The receptionist did not ask my name. She knew who I was. She was expecting me. The offices were beautiful, but not pretentious. The decor was well chosen and new. The sign holder matched the rest of the decor. Recessed lighting, natural wood, leather chairs, and everywhere floor to ceiling windows with gorgeous city views. No fluorescent lights, old carpeting, or dingy cubicle walls. No uber pretentious art and self consciously hip chrome and black marble. Warm and inviting.
The nice receptionist took my coat and hung it up, then offered me the ladies room.
After I freshened up, the young woman at the ladies room sink started chatting with me in a friendly way. I'm glad I was friendly back because... she was on the search committee. She apologized for washing her lunch dishes in the bathroom. She explained that the kitchen sink had a problem and they were awaiting a plumber. I wondered that anyone would explain to a visitor there for a job why they were doing anything they were doing.... I really didn't even think anything of her washing her dishes in the bathroom. I told her it reminded me of college.
My time finally began and I got a tour from a woman who would be supervising me. The beautiful decor was not restricted to the public area or the lobby. We walked in the back and I got to see their collections and their work, their equipment, and the departments. Everyone I saw smiled at me but went on quietly working. I asked a lot of questions. I got to pick up manuscripts from 150 years ago, in a subject area so near and dear to my heart -- touch them, open them, read a few lines. Amazing. I wanted to read EVERYTHING I saw. I could just read and read and read.
We went to the tech area and saw all their equipment, all new, all up to date. The offices were spacious. Nothing was crammed together or jerry rigged. There was room for everything. We went down one corridor and ended up in a lounge area. Large deep leather chairs sat there with gorgeous skyline views out the window and bookshelves were full of what looked like... fiction??? "This is our lounge area for employees" she said. "If you want a book you can take it, and if you have one you don't like, you can leave it. No one keeps track or anything..." I saw Mercedes Lackey, Robert Jordan, Bridget Jones, Dan Brown.
We went through a large area with cubicles in the center and I wondered where I would sit. We walked down a line of offices and the supervisor indicated everyone's name and what they did. She paused at a large, empty office with an open door, new furniture, walls painted a deep cranberry red, and a floor to ceiling window with a view of the Sears Tower.
"If you take the job, this would be your office" she said casually. My eyes got very, very big. An office? For this job? With a door??? and a window???
She took me to the kitchen where people were hanging out and finishing lunch. THEY HAD A COUNTER TOP COFFEE MACHINE. Ok, I mean one of those machines where you can get a French Vanilla cappucino or a hot chocolate by pushing a button. And the water cooler... was the same one they have at school. The one I love. The one with the best water, ever. All the appliances were stainless steel, new. And the views!!!! Did I mention the view!?!?
We went back to her office and she set me up on THE TEST. The test they said I would get. She gave me a piece of paper and a computer file on screen and just told me to look at it and mark anything wrong, and I had 10 minutes. I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking at or for. Is it lo-res? Color off? Wrong file type??? I could not zoom in or anything. Just look. Look at it. Look at WHAT??? What were they looking for??? She would not say. I clicked on the pages, I wrote that the text seemed to be lo-res..??? Then I clicked more and then I realized what she meant. Upside down. Crooked. Upside down. Image too dark. This one has a line running down it. A little crooked. A lot crooked. Type blurry. Click click click. I hope they don't think I am too critical! I found a LOT of problems.
Then it was time. We went into the conference room and everyone slowly joined us. People came in all wearing business casual. No jeans, but no expensive designer clothes either. I looked just right. I was glad I had invested in a new scarf and earrings to give my outfit a pop. I stood near the door and shook hands.
Then I was on. I took out my phone and set my timer so they would know I took the time limit seriously. I took out my handouts and cards clipped together like packets and held them in my hands. They all looked at me quietly and expectantly. I could do a 10 minute talk on ANY subject of my choice. I did not give them my handout to let them know the topic. They had no idea what was coming. They waited to see what I would do.
I said, "Let me begin by telling you a story..." They all perked up. A story? A story?
I told a little story. There were nods and smiles when they realized where it was going. I said, "Don't stop me if you know how this story ends" and there were chuckles.
Then I said "Now take this example and apply it to the entirety of the world's scholarly research..."
Suddenly they all looked serious. This is what they do, after all. The smiles faded. But they looked more interested.
Then I said, "And apply this scenario to our society's entire cultural heritage...." Dead silence. But interested silence. A silence that said "Yes. Yes, we know what you are talking about."
I began walking around the room, handing out the handout with my card attached, to each individual person, while I said slowly, "This is why digital preservation issues are so very important, now and for the future..."
Of course, this is a main component of the job. And now they knew my topic. I went on to talk about how and why this is such an important topic. Yes it was kind of a brown nosing thing to do - basically telling them why THEY were important. But you know what? I believe they ARE important and what they do IS important, and I believed and meant everything I said.
I went over the issues. I talked about digital vs analog. I made suggestions. This is what most of them do for a living, so if I messed up or said anything wrong or BSed... they would know it. I went over strategies for the future. Obsolescence. Archival quality. I said a few things that again led to smiles and nods.
I finished by saying: "In closing, I would like to direct your attention to the list of links I have provided at the bottom for further information. And I would like to say that this list is part of a larger list gathered in June 2010. When I went to check the sites last week at least one of the links I had was no longer valid. The site still exists, and I found it, but the location had moved. In 6 months, what I had was no longer valid. THAT is why digital preservation issues are so important."
More smiles and nods. I looked at my phone. I had timed myself before and it was almost 10, but at the moment I was nervous and I rushed some. 7:30. Short. So I asked for questions.
The manager of the whole department: "I have a question. As I look at your links, I know them all (whew!)... except for one. This is new to me. (yay!) What is....?"
Me: (mind!!! blank!! shit!!!!) "Bullshit answer which I now realize was totally wrong."
Damn!
Then the meat of it all. The actual interview. They went around the room. Everyone took turns asking a question. Some I answered right away. Some I had to really think about.
Easy: "If you were given a new technology or piece of software to use, how would you go about learning it?"
Me: "Read the directions."
Response: (smile and laugh)
Me: "Yes for example, I had to teach myself this software at this job and blah blah blah..."
I did get one question that really irritated me. I have gotten this question from 3 library interviews now and it just pisses me off. I won't say more about it. I think I answered it well but Oh! It irritates me to be asked that! I would really like to say "I dispute the validity of that question!!!" But I don't. I did disagree with the person. I said "What do you mean by that?" thus forcing her to explain why she asked it like that. Then I tried to (non bitchily) explain how that is NOT what it was at all. *sigh* Maybe I should get over being irritated at the question, but .. Oh! grrr.
Most of the questions were the same ones I had just answered in the phone interview. I had good answers for most. How are you working in teams. What would you do if. Do you have any experience in working on large, complicated projects. (pause while I laugh hysterically) Do you prefer a lot of management or to be left alone (both). Do you prefer working alone or with people (both).
A lot of my answers were along the lines of "Ask my boss." Basically. If I am not managing a program then it is up to my boss to make those calls and tell me what he/she wants. And others were, "I am here to serve you/the organization/the clients/the customers. You tell me how you want it and that is what I will give you, if at all humanly possible."
I do believe I referred to myself as Jack Bauer-like in that regard. I do believe I may have mentioned that my ordered business cards came in on Tuesday and they were completely unacceptable, and thus I was at Kinkos at 1:00am having new ones printed and hand cutting them out myself. Because that's how I roll.
And I do believe I also said that in publishing I have sometimes gotten requests that were not, in fact, humanly possible. And I gave examples (Change 80% of pages on a 36,000 page program in 3 weeks, because the editor messed up the content? not humanly possible. sorry. just not. Back me up on this, Dar. Convert an entire 4000 page program from English to Spanish in 4 weeks? Barely possible and I will kill myself doing it. But it will suck and it will cost you.).
I said the first thing you do is negotiate with the client. You tell them, in your expert opinion, what can or cannot be done, and you let them make the call. Sometimes you bring a temp, freelancers, bring in more staff. Sometimes you have to work late, work weekends, that's ok. Sometimes you have to play the Mission Impossible music and decide, what is vitally important right now and what can wait or be let go. And sometimes you say no, that cannot be done. And if you have a client that will not listen to you, that expects the impossible, and will not pay for miracles, sometimes you have to fire the client. Sometimes you have to say, I'm sorry but if that's what you want I cannot help you. But maybe someone else can. Good luck with that.
Then I was given the chance to ask questions. This is fun. This is where you can turn the tables. This is where you can ask the questions that make them stop and think, gee that's a big question, how do I answer that?
And this is where you let them see that if someone pokes you, you will poke back. This is where you say something like:
"Yes, I do have a question. In looking at the job description, the tasks involved, the job requirements... public speaking and presentations were not at all a part of the job. So... why did I have to do one?"
Now if they will have a problem with someone who opens her mouth and asks the question then we will not get along. They will hate me, I will be miserable and demoralized. And if they won't answer a hard question then I will hate working there. I would still take the job and try and make the best of it, I am just saying, what is bred in the bone will come out in the flesh, sooner or later.
So then the person who asked me the irritating question - the only person there who does not work in the department that is hiring - is the one who wanted that. Who requires it whenever she is interviewing for an open position. And she had to explain her reasoning.
Which she did. They all agreed. When someone presents, they show you who they are, in about 30 seconds. Especially when they don't have technology to lean on as a crutch. Are they organized? Are they prepared? Did they take it seriously? Did they do any work at all, did they bother to try? Could they condense it down? Did they follow instructions? Did they think about the job itself? How does their mind work. What topic did they choose, how did they put it on a handout, did they make eye contact, did they smile. And this position does involve contact with other librarians, it has a public face aspect. Does this person present themselves well.
So basically all those Slug Librarians I went to grad school with Need Not Apply. Going to just fill a slide with text and then read it to me? Why bother. Going to BS that you did any work when you obviously did not? bye, now.
She gave a great example. She said years ago she had 2 candidates for the same job. They both looked great on paper and she liked them both. They both had to present. One girl spent 10 minutes presenting HER RESUME. Oh yeah. Thanks a lot, that did not waste my time at all. The other girl researched the upcoming national conference and presented on that. She had obviously BOTHERED. Guess which one immediately had the job.
Boy I am glad I did a talk on a topic that is what they all do for a living. I am glad I demonstrated in my resources list that I was more than familiar with the important movers and shakers in the topic. I am glad I connected with my audience, I was warm, I used humor. I am sooooo glad graduate school trained me for these presentations, and that I took classes where I had to present without technology.
You know where you won't learn that? In an online library program. You'll learn other important things, maybe better, but you won't learn how to stand up in front of a room and connect with the people in it. My school may not be the number one program in the country, but if I had gone to that one, I would not have learned how to present.
The time just flew by. I was with My Peeps. I could have sat there and talked scholarly research and technical issues and file naming conventions and work flow structures for hours and hours. But time did run out.
Gosh, I hope I did not stick my foot in my mouth. I hope I did not say anything stupid. It was more than wanting the job. I really liked these people a lot and I really wanted them to like me. The warmth in the room was palpable. I didn't feel like I was in a game of high stakes poker, holding my cards close to my chest. It was like going out on that first date with that great guy, you just talk for hours and you feel like you can be yourself, and you hope you end up married to that guy.
Then if he doesn't call you, you wonder -- why not?!?!? How could I like him so much and he didn't like me?!?!? Was it all in my head?!?!?
Yah I hate that.
After all that it STILL wasn't over. I got to meet the director. She was new. Had just moved to the Chi from out West. And I lived in Washington, so we talked about the mountains. We talked about Nebraska of all things. She was also super super nice, but not in a fakey way. She used to work for OCLC, oh gosh. And non pretentious. We chatted for a few minutes. She gave me her card. I gave her mine.
And she said some stuff that gave me a hint why they were interested in me. Because I not only know about libraries, I also know about business. I have a background in publishing as a business. I know about clients and cost-benefit analysis and how important it is to make the money to keep the place going.
After all that it STILL wasn't over. I had another meeting. The first question: Are you still interested in the job. Oh my yes. Then a run down of the benefits they offer their employees. Medical 90% paid. Dental. Disability insurance - long and short term. Life insurance. Cash bonuses every year, going up the longer you work there, to encourage longevity. A commuter benefit where you can buy your public transportation passes with pre-tax income. Retirement fund. Vacation. Personal days. Sick days. EAP. More stuff I don't even know what it is. On and on and on.
And finally.... we were done. The whole afternoon had flown by. She walked me out and I thanked her enthusiastically for her time, for seeing me. She said goodbye and left me at the elevator.
I don't know if I'll get the job. If it was based on qualifications and who rocked the presentation, I would have it in the bag. But. 70 applicants. They were swamped.
At this point it is not based on qualifications bc they will only give a 3 hour window to people who are qualified. At this point it is based on personality. Who do they like the best. Who "fits" in with their culture. Which is: Nice.
I don't know if I'm nice enough to work there. I don't know.
If I don't get the job I will be really sad. And I will envy whoever got it, so much. But I will also have hope, bc in library school they never told me places like this existed. They never told me jobs like this existed. If there is one, maybe there are more. Maybe I just have to find them. I will remember that I sent these people my writing sample and it was good enough. I sent them my resume, it was good enough. I talked to them on the phone, and it was good enough.
It's not a perfect job. It's not exactly what I want. But it's a great start. If I got the job... well. It wouldn't quite make me say "This is why I went through hell, this is why I lost my old life, because this one was waiting." It's not QUITE that much a dream job. it would send me in a different direction. I had assumed I would be moving out of Chicago for a job and then... I would end up staying here. A place I associate now with sadness and pain. No fresh start for me. No North Carolina.
I debated making this post f-locked. It's quite detailed. While it's open, I will not say where the job actually was.
But library schools and libraries are all about how hard it is out there right now. How you have to do more with less, fight for funding, pay $30,000 for a degree that qualifies you for a job that pays $32,000 a year to start if you are lucky, and is part time with no benefits if you are not. But there is more out there. There are things we never heard of or thought about. There are opportunities we never heard existed.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the sign. The sign with my name on it. The sign that said: "WELCOME."
Of that 70 they called a select number to have a phone interview. I had a phone interview. I don't know how many people they spoke to.
Of that they had a subset of people come in to meet with the search committee. Yes there was a search committee. I got an agenda emailed to me. The process was to be 3 hours long and would include a tour, a test to see if I could do the tasks, a 10 minute presentation on the topic of my choice, with handout (NO technology either), the interview with the search committee, an interview with the director, and an interview with HR Lady.
I don't know how many people they met or are meeting with. I will note there was a sign in book on the reception desk where you had to put down why you were there. The last person to write in "interview" was 3 weeks ago. Maybe they met me first. If so, I hope I gave my competition some tough standard to meet.
I didn't know where the place actually was -- just the address. I took the el as close as I could but it was still half a mile away. Screw that -- I took a cab the rest of the way. Turns out there is a Brown Line stop 3 blocks away. I went there when I went home.
It turns out, it is across the street from what people are shocking calling the Willis Tower (no. just... no.). Like, kitty corner across. I was standing there, looking, and thinking -- is that...?? I know I am a Chicagoan but I have never been that close to it. I usually see it from a distance, whether a few blocks or a mile or so.
Last night I was at FedEx Kinkos at 1:00am, printing out my handout and reprinting my business card file and hand cutting those out (I had ordered cards over a week in advance from Vistaprint.com and paid for rush -- two designs; they came Tues and both were utterly screwed up. I got my money back but I did not dare hand out those pieces of crap.). Then I noticed just a slight typo on my handout. It wasn't really a typo -- I was logged in to my online portfolio when I copied and pasted the link and I put down the secure link by mistake. I debated using a pen to scratch out the extra character but it would be obvious. I debated apologizing to the group and mentioning they should eliminate that character themselves. I WANT them to click that link, but then it won't work if they do. The link is correct on my cards. The job requires someone who is meticulous, detail oriented, and who emphasizes quality. Then I should tell them I made an error on my handout but didn't redo it? *sigh* It was 2am at that point.
I searched the house for a bottle of White Out. I kicked myself that I did not buy any at Kinkos. Or paper clips, because I wanted to clip my card and my handout together. They were designed to match and it would be obvious if I clipped them together. No paper clips anywhere. No White Out. Oh well.
Got my stuff together for today and put it all out. Borrowed my mom's black leather Steve Madden computer bag for the day. $145 is a lot for a damn tote bag, but it looks good. Tucked my laptop in it just in case, and then packed it with everything from my purse. Tried to get some sleep.
Woke up and hit the ground running. I had no idea for sure how long it would take me to get there, since it was going to be traveling via el and walking through the Loop. I left 90 minutes before my appointment and opted to drive to the el and search for parking instead of wait for the bus. Drove around stupid Oak Park looking for a place to park my car by the el stop. Everywhere said "permit parking only" or "2 hour parking" or "no parking 4-6 pm." grrr. Crossed Austin Ave to Chicago, found free street parking 2 steps from the el stop. Suck it, Oak Park.
Got as close as I could and caught a cab. I wound up looking up up up at the SEARS Tower a whole 30 minutes early and it was bitter outside. There was a Walgreens! I went in and bought White Out and paper clips. Then entered the swank marble foyer of a huge office building. I spent 15 minutes using White Out and paper clips, then I checked in with Security and got into the elevator. up up up up...
I got out of the elevator not sure what to expect. I interviewed at the ALA 3 years ago exactly. I was NOT impressed. The ALA takes up a whole building in the Loop, said building being from what appears to be the 60s. It has a great retro look -- on the outside. On the inside it is a pit. The carpet is old and stained, the walls are dingy, the furniture is from the 80s. There's no space, people are crammed in every which way, tiny little odd shaped cubicles everywhere. It is not charming at all. And the ALA laid people off last spring bc they, like libraries, have NO money. Like libraries, they pay nothing and expect everything.
So I guess that's what I expected at this place. I could not have been more wrong.
When I told one of my references I had this interview and said where, she exclaimed, "Oh those folks are SO NICE!" Yes, well, what is nice. Everyone is "nice" (one hopes), at least at an interview. But oh she was not kidding!
I walked off the elevator and a free standing sign of the type used to put up conference schedules stood next to the open double doors in the marble lobby. I idly glanced at the sign and did a double take. The free standing sign holder was custom made with the place logo on top. It matched the giant logo on the wall of the lobby. Inside the holoder was a sheet of paper. It said:
WELCOME [my name]
In color, on color paper. It matched the sign holder. IT SAID MY NAME ON IT. It was positioned so I would see it when i got off the elevator.
Yes, I took a picture. But with my phone, so it's a little blurry. I was trying to be discrete.
The receptionist did not ask my name. She knew who I was. She was expecting me. The offices were beautiful, but not pretentious. The decor was well chosen and new. The sign holder matched the rest of the decor. Recessed lighting, natural wood, leather chairs, and everywhere floor to ceiling windows with gorgeous city views. No fluorescent lights, old carpeting, or dingy cubicle walls. No uber pretentious art and self consciously hip chrome and black marble. Warm and inviting.
The nice receptionist took my coat and hung it up, then offered me the ladies room.
After I freshened up, the young woman at the ladies room sink started chatting with me in a friendly way. I'm glad I was friendly back because... she was on the search committee. She apologized for washing her lunch dishes in the bathroom. She explained that the kitchen sink had a problem and they were awaiting a plumber. I wondered that anyone would explain to a visitor there for a job why they were doing anything they were doing.... I really didn't even think anything of her washing her dishes in the bathroom. I told her it reminded me of college.
My time finally began and I got a tour from a woman who would be supervising me. The beautiful decor was not restricted to the public area or the lobby. We walked in the back and I got to see their collections and their work, their equipment, and the departments. Everyone I saw smiled at me but went on quietly working. I asked a lot of questions. I got to pick up manuscripts from 150 years ago, in a subject area so near and dear to my heart -- touch them, open them, read a few lines. Amazing. I wanted to read EVERYTHING I saw. I could just read and read and read.
We went to the tech area and saw all their equipment, all new, all up to date. The offices were spacious. Nothing was crammed together or jerry rigged. There was room for everything. We went down one corridor and ended up in a lounge area. Large deep leather chairs sat there with gorgeous skyline views out the window and bookshelves were full of what looked like... fiction??? "This is our lounge area for employees" she said. "If you want a book you can take it, and if you have one you don't like, you can leave it. No one keeps track or anything..." I saw Mercedes Lackey, Robert Jordan, Bridget Jones, Dan Brown.
We went through a large area with cubicles in the center and I wondered where I would sit. We walked down a line of offices and the supervisor indicated everyone's name and what they did. She paused at a large, empty office with an open door, new furniture, walls painted a deep cranberry red, and a floor to ceiling window with a view of the Sears Tower.
"If you take the job, this would be your office" she said casually. My eyes got very, very big. An office? For this job? With a door??? and a window???
She took me to the kitchen where people were hanging out and finishing lunch. THEY HAD A COUNTER TOP COFFEE MACHINE. Ok, I mean one of those machines where you can get a French Vanilla cappucino or a hot chocolate by pushing a button. And the water cooler... was the same one they have at school. The one I love. The one with the best water, ever. All the appliances were stainless steel, new. And the views!!!! Did I mention the view!?!?
We went back to her office and she set me up on THE TEST. The test they said I would get. She gave me a piece of paper and a computer file on screen and just told me to look at it and mark anything wrong, and I had 10 minutes. I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking at or for. Is it lo-res? Color off? Wrong file type??? I could not zoom in or anything. Just look. Look at it. Look at WHAT??? What were they looking for??? She would not say. I clicked on the pages, I wrote that the text seemed to be lo-res..??? Then I clicked more and then I realized what she meant. Upside down. Crooked. Upside down. Image too dark. This one has a line running down it. A little crooked. A lot crooked. Type blurry. Click click click. I hope they don't think I am too critical! I found a LOT of problems.
Then it was time. We went into the conference room and everyone slowly joined us. People came in all wearing business casual. No jeans, but no expensive designer clothes either. I looked just right. I was glad I had invested in a new scarf and earrings to give my outfit a pop. I stood near the door and shook hands.
Then I was on. I took out my phone and set my timer so they would know I took the time limit seriously. I took out my handouts and cards clipped together like packets and held them in my hands. They all looked at me quietly and expectantly. I could do a 10 minute talk on ANY subject of my choice. I did not give them my handout to let them know the topic. They had no idea what was coming. They waited to see what I would do.
I said, "Let me begin by telling you a story..." They all perked up. A story? A story?
I told a little story. There were nods and smiles when they realized where it was going. I said, "Don't stop me if you know how this story ends" and there were chuckles.
Then I said "Now take this example and apply it to the entirety of the world's scholarly research..."
Suddenly they all looked serious. This is what they do, after all. The smiles faded. But they looked more interested.
Then I said, "And apply this scenario to our society's entire cultural heritage...." Dead silence. But interested silence. A silence that said "Yes. Yes, we know what you are talking about."
I began walking around the room, handing out the handout with my card attached, to each individual person, while I said slowly, "This is why digital preservation issues are so very important, now and for the future..."
Of course, this is a main component of the job. And now they knew my topic. I went on to talk about how and why this is such an important topic. Yes it was kind of a brown nosing thing to do - basically telling them why THEY were important. But you know what? I believe they ARE important and what they do IS important, and I believed and meant everything I said.
I went over the issues. I talked about digital vs analog. I made suggestions. This is what most of them do for a living, so if I messed up or said anything wrong or BSed... they would know it. I went over strategies for the future. Obsolescence. Archival quality. I said a few things that again led to smiles and nods.
I finished by saying: "In closing, I would like to direct your attention to the list of links I have provided at the bottom for further information. And I would like to say that this list is part of a larger list gathered in June 2010. When I went to check the sites last week at least one of the links I had was no longer valid. The site still exists, and I found it, but the location had moved. In 6 months, what I had was no longer valid. THAT is why digital preservation issues are so important."
More smiles and nods. I looked at my phone. I had timed myself before and it was almost 10, but at the moment I was nervous and I rushed some. 7:30. Short. So I asked for questions.
The manager of the whole department: "I have a question. As I look at your links, I know them all (whew!)... except for one. This is new to me. (yay!) What is....?"
Me: (mind!!! blank!! shit!!!!) "Bullshit answer which I now realize was totally wrong."
Damn!
Then the meat of it all. The actual interview. They went around the room. Everyone took turns asking a question. Some I answered right away. Some I had to really think about.
Easy: "If you were given a new technology or piece of software to use, how would you go about learning it?"
Me: "Read the directions."
Response: (smile and laugh)
Me: "Yes for example, I had to teach myself this software at this job and blah blah blah..."
I did get one question that really irritated me. I have gotten this question from 3 library interviews now and it just pisses me off. I won't say more about it. I think I answered it well but Oh! It irritates me to be asked that! I would really like to say "I dispute the validity of that question!!!" But I don't. I did disagree with the person. I said "What do you mean by that?" thus forcing her to explain why she asked it like that. Then I tried to (non bitchily) explain how that is NOT what it was at all. *sigh* Maybe I should get over being irritated at the question, but .. Oh! grrr.
Most of the questions were the same ones I had just answered in the phone interview. I had good answers for most. How are you working in teams. What would you do if. Do you have any experience in working on large, complicated projects. (pause while I laugh hysterically) Do you prefer a lot of management or to be left alone (both). Do you prefer working alone or with people (both).
A lot of my answers were along the lines of "Ask my boss." Basically. If I am not managing a program then it is up to my boss to make those calls and tell me what he/she wants. And others were, "I am here to serve you/the organization/the clients/the customers. You tell me how you want it and that is what I will give you, if at all humanly possible."
I do believe I referred to myself as Jack Bauer-like in that regard. I do believe I may have mentioned that my ordered business cards came in on Tuesday and they were completely unacceptable, and thus I was at Kinkos at 1:00am having new ones printed and hand cutting them out myself. Because that's how I roll.
And I do believe I also said that in publishing I have sometimes gotten requests that were not, in fact, humanly possible. And I gave examples (Change 80% of pages on a 36,000 page program in 3 weeks, because the editor messed up the content? not humanly possible. sorry. just not. Back me up on this, Dar. Convert an entire 4000 page program from English to Spanish in 4 weeks? Barely possible and I will kill myself doing it. But it will suck and it will cost you.).
I said the first thing you do is negotiate with the client. You tell them, in your expert opinion, what can or cannot be done, and you let them make the call. Sometimes you bring a temp, freelancers, bring in more staff. Sometimes you have to work late, work weekends, that's ok. Sometimes you have to play the Mission Impossible music and decide, what is vitally important right now and what can wait or be let go. And sometimes you say no, that cannot be done. And if you have a client that will not listen to you, that expects the impossible, and will not pay for miracles, sometimes you have to fire the client. Sometimes you have to say, I'm sorry but if that's what you want I cannot help you. But maybe someone else can. Good luck with that.
Then I was given the chance to ask questions. This is fun. This is where you can turn the tables. This is where you can ask the questions that make them stop and think, gee that's a big question, how do I answer that?
And this is where you let them see that if someone pokes you, you will poke back. This is where you say something like:
"Yes, I do have a question. In looking at the job description, the tasks involved, the job requirements... public speaking and presentations were not at all a part of the job. So... why did I have to do one?"
Now if they will have a problem with someone who opens her mouth and asks the question then we will not get along. They will hate me, I will be miserable and demoralized. And if they won't answer a hard question then I will hate working there. I would still take the job and try and make the best of it, I am just saying, what is bred in the bone will come out in the flesh, sooner or later.
So then the person who asked me the irritating question - the only person there who does not work in the department that is hiring - is the one who wanted that. Who requires it whenever she is interviewing for an open position. And she had to explain her reasoning.
Which she did. They all agreed. When someone presents, they show you who they are, in about 30 seconds. Especially when they don't have technology to lean on as a crutch. Are they organized? Are they prepared? Did they take it seriously? Did they do any work at all, did they bother to try? Could they condense it down? Did they follow instructions? Did they think about the job itself? How does their mind work. What topic did they choose, how did they put it on a handout, did they make eye contact, did they smile. And this position does involve contact with other librarians, it has a public face aspect. Does this person present themselves well.
So basically all those Slug Librarians I went to grad school with Need Not Apply. Going to just fill a slide with text and then read it to me? Why bother. Going to BS that you did any work when you obviously did not? bye, now.
She gave a great example. She said years ago she had 2 candidates for the same job. They both looked great on paper and she liked them both. They both had to present. One girl spent 10 minutes presenting HER RESUME. Oh yeah. Thanks a lot, that did not waste my time at all. The other girl researched the upcoming national conference and presented on that. She had obviously BOTHERED. Guess which one immediately had the job.
Boy I am glad I did a talk on a topic that is what they all do for a living. I am glad I demonstrated in my resources list that I was more than familiar with the important movers and shakers in the topic. I am glad I connected with my audience, I was warm, I used humor. I am sooooo glad graduate school trained me for these presentations, and that I took classes where I had to present without technology.
You know where you won't learn that? In an online library program. You'll learn other important things, maybe better, but you won't learn how to stand up in front of a room and connect with the people in it. My school may not be the number one program in the country, but if I had gone to that one, I would not have learned how to present.
The time just flew by. I was with My Peeps. I could have sat there and talked scholarly research and technical issues and file naming conventions and work flow structures for hours and hours. But time did run out.
Gosh, I hope I did not stick my foot in my mouth. I hope I did not say anything stupid. It was more than wanting the job. I really liked these people a lot and I really wanted them to like me. The warmth in the room was palpable. I didn't feel like I was in a game of high stakes poker, holding my cards close to my chest. It was like going out on that first date with that great guy, you just talk for hours and you feel like you can be yourself, and you hope you end up married to that guy.
Then if he doesn't call you, you wonder -- why not?!?!? How could I like him so much and he didn't like me?!?!? Was it all in my head?!?!?
Yah I hate that.
After all that it STILL wasn't over. I got to meet the director. She was new. Had just moved to the Chi from out West. And I lived in Washington, so we talked about the mountains. We talked about Nebraska of all things. She was also super super nice, but not in a fakey way. She used to work for OCLC, oh gosh. And non pretentious. We chatted for a few minutes. She gave me her card. I gave her mine.
And she said some stuff that gave me a hint why they were interested in me. Because I not only know about libraries, I also know about business. I have a background in publishing as a business. I know about clients and cost-benefit analysis and how important it is to make the money to keep the place going.
After all that it STILL wasn't over. I had another meeting. The first question: Are you still interested in the job. Oh my yes. Then a run down of the benefits they offer their employees. Medical 90% paid. Dental. Disability insurance - long and short term. Life insurance. Cash bonuses every year, going up the longer you work there, to encourage longevity. A commuter benefit where you can buy your public transportation passes with pre-tax income. Retirement fund. Vacation. Personal days. Sick days. EAP. More stuff I don't even know what it is. On and on and on.
And finally.... we were done. The whole afternoon had flown by. She walked me out and I thanked her enthusiastically for her time, for seeing me. She said goodbye and left me at the elevator.
I don't know if I'll get the job. If it was based on qualifications and who rocked the presentation, I would have it in the bag. But. 70 applicants. They were swamped.
At this point it is not based on qualifications bc they will only give a 3 hour window to people who are qualified. At this point it is based on personality. Who do they like the best. Who "fits" in with their culture. Which is: Nice.
I don't know if I'm nice enough to work there. I don't know.
If I don't get the job I will be really sad. And I will envy whoever got it, so much. But I will also have hope, bc in library school they never told me places like this existed. They never told me jobs like this existed. If there is one, maybe there are more. Maybe I just have to find them. I will remember that I sent these people my writing sample and it was good enough. I sent them my resume, it was good enough. I talked to them on the phone, and it was good enough.
It's not a perfect job. It's not exactly what I want. But it's a great start. If I got the job... well. It wouldn't quite make me say "This is why I went through hell, this is why I lost my old life, because this one was waiting." It's not QUITE that much a dream job. it would send me in a different direction. I had assumed I would be moving out of Chicago for a job and then... I would end up staying here. A place I associate now with sadness and pain. No fresh start for me. No North Carolina.
I debated making this post f-locked. It's quite detailed. While it's open, I will not say where the job actually was.
But library schools and libraries are all about how hard it is out there right now. How you have to do more with less, fight for funding, pay $30,000 for a degree that qualifies you for a job that pays $32,000 a year to start if you are lucky, and is part time with no benefits if you are not. But there is more out there. There are things we never heard of or thought about. There are opportunities we never heard existed.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the sign. The sign with my name on it. The sign that said: "WELCOME."