Working KnowledgeA Monthly Column about Life on the Job |
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By Mary Pergander American Libraries Columnist Mary Pergander is director of the Deerfield (Ill.) Public Library. Send comments or questions to working@ala.org. Column for August 2007 |
Take It or Leave It
The delicate art of the revolving door
Following a recent hiring process of the nine excellent prospects invited to interview, only three sent thank-you notes afterward—and one of those was an e-mail! I had expected to hear from nearly everyone, but a colleague noted that, increasingly, few prospects follow through.
On the other hand, I have spoken to many frustrated candidates across the country who have waited up to three months without a word from potential employers. Usually this is a sign that the process is moving forward without them. However, one job-seeker, after enduring two months of silence, received word he was one of two people selected to begin interviewing! In some cases this news is welcome, but often the candidate has gone on to seek other opportunities.
Librarians are not alone in these frustrations. Historian Michael S. Foley wrote in the March 2001 issue of Perspectives, a publication of the American Historical Association, about the “indignities of the job market.” Among these are interviews gone bad, calls never returned, and mail never acknowledged. After reading Foley’s reactions to various styles of rejection letters from potential employers, I remembered what it is like to be at the receiving end of the job process, and I resolved to do a better job of communicating with candidates, no matter how busy I am.
Good communication also is important when leaving a job. Sergio Socite, a public library page leaving to attend college, wrote one of the best resignation letters I have ever seen. In a few short paragraphs he expressed appreciation for all he had learned, explained the dreams he had for his college years, and thanked coworkers by name for all their support.
Sometimes a candidate seems to be coming and going at the same time. Just two months after beginning a new job, librarian Blaise Dierks received a call from her former employer, offering her a promotion. It was a wonderful opportunity the new library could not match. She immediately contacted her manager at the new library, explained the situation, offered to continue to work undesirable shifts for the period of the posted schedule, and left the door wide open for the future.
Conventional wisdom says she should have stuck with the new library, for the sake of her résumé and her commitment. Nevertheless, this librarian handled the whole thing so professionally and with such sensitivity for each employer that she created support for her career in both organizations.
What is the lesson learned? Whether you are the employee or the employer, make the effort to communicate well.
(c) Copyright 2007 American Library Association