The post title is actually search terms that somebody used to find this blog. It’s always interesting to see how people get here. Fortunately all the terms that I’ve seen have something to do with libraries.

But “what questions to ask when interviewing ” is a very good question.

First off, let me say that not asking any questions is not a good idea, unless they really have been so thorough and covered everything. Chances are that is not the case.

I think one of the big questions people worry about asking is the salary/benefits question. It’s not wrong to ask this question, but there are bad times to ask it. Right off the bat in a phone interview may be bad timing. This is one of those things that you might have to get a feel for the atmosphere before asking. One thing to also think about when asking about benefits is conference funding/support or other educational funding.

Definitely ask questions about projects that are being worked on and future plans for things. You want to make sure that you are going to be the right fit. This is also a round-about way of finding out what kind of support there might be for new ideas and what kind of innovative things are happening, if that’s important to you. There is nothing wrong with starting a discussion about potential ideas and current projects, although keep in mind when you ask during the interview process.

If you’re interviewing at a university, it’s fine to find out about collaborations between the library and other departments on campus. You might already have some ideas about what’s going on if there is info on the library’s website. Feel free to ask more specifics. If it’s a public library, find out what types of partnerships they’ve developed in the community.

My point is that it’s okay to ask questions when you interview. It shows that you are interested in the library and the job (and if you’re not that interested, then you better think about why you’re interviewing in the first place!) Take a look at the library’s website ahead of time and write down potential questions. You won’t look silly. In fact, that might just be the edge you need over an equally qualified applicant.