I didn’t even get an interview :(

[Colourblocks]

I feel really embarrassed and disappointed in myself.

I am currently unemployed and wanted something to work around my nearly 4 year old and childcare. He doesn’t start school properly until next September. And because I struggle with my mental health.

Anyway, I applied for a casual job in a local library as the hours would fit in around my son and you can pick and choose what you want to do, so it was pretty ad-hoc.
I thought I’d written a really good personal statement and was pretty convinced I’d get an interview at the very least.
Long story short I haven’t received anything - no phone call or email so I’m assuming I wasn’t shortlisted for an interview.
I then emailed and they told me they’ve already shortlisted.

My background is working in schools as a support assistant/TA but I no longer want to do that, so thought I’d try something different.

I just feel really stupid and annoyed at myself.

If I can’t even get a job like this, I’ve got no chance long term.

I remember applying for a library job like this when my kids were little

Me and 2000 other mums

Fact

Everyone wants the same...

I don't know what part of the country you're in, but that's a major factor. Qualified librarian here (20 years plus) - unless you're in central London or another "shortage" area, library assistant jobs really are like gold dust, lots of qualified librarians apply for them, especially in the North of England where I grew up (speaking from experience)! And sometimes those jobs would go to volunteers who'd already worked in the system.

We're currently in the part of the cycle where there aren't enough vacancies (unless you want to manage a library, in which case several sectors are struggling, but you would usually need at least a Master's in Library Management these days and a decent number of years' experience and the stress really isn't usually worth the salary) and too many qualified people. Plus there is a Local Government Review on the horizon which may very well mean cuts in health, education, libraries, and leisure etc (even before Truss and co have decided exactly what they're going to target this round).

Don't give up, but do think about other types of work as others have suggested. A friend of mine used to reckon that out of every 3-4 jobs you apply for, if you were really lucky, you'd get 1 interview. And of those interviews, if you were really lucky, you'd be offered a job about 1 time in 10, and that was usually pretty accurate...

Think of it as a marathon not a sprint 👍

Conversely, I am desperately recruiting for straightforward admin roles, and can barely get any applicants! The pay isn't spectacular but its not awful, and we can be really flexible with hours.

Its so frustrating that the jobhunters and the vacancies never seem to be in the right place.

I'm a freelance writer. I've sent out 4 pitches for work in the last week and haven't had a reply from ANY of them. I feel your pain.

you don’t sound remotely arsed about the job, only that it suits what hours you can work. I’m sure they’re on high alert to applications like yours, or which there will have been hundreds

I worked within various front office and back office roles within Libraries for 20+ years. I moved on 10 years ago. Council Libraries have been decimated by 12 years of Tory cuts = branch closures, regular restructures and redundancies.

I was only able to choose my days and hours when I moved from a permanent contract to an adhoc/zero hours type basis whilst studying at Uni and juggling childcare.

There are obviously various roles in Libraries, but you’ll still likely to need a Librarianship qualification to hold the role of a Librarian.

Exactly what do you mean by a ‘…job like this’?

Why do you think that you were entitled to an interview, over and above all of the other possible 100’s of other applicants that applied for the same role?
Imagine if everyone managed to secure an interview for every single job that they had ever applied for!

If I can’t even get a job like this, I’ve got no chance long term

A job like this is exactly what hundreds of thousands of people
would give their eye teeth for. I worked in a library when my children were
small, hours to suit myself - but I did it as a volunteer. It didn't pay anything
but the social contact and being actually good at what I did was priceless for my confidence and self esteem. It's worth considering.

Unless you are also a qualified librarian (MLIS / MSc etc) you won't be considered for a role as a librarian

Really? My neighbour is a librarian and she just has a BA in Geography... I know a school librarian and the only qualifications she has are A Levels and GCSEs. They don't have specific librarian qualifications...

Some people state that they are Librarians, but they are in fact ‘Library Assistants/Customer Service Assistants/Library Managers/Acquisitions & Database Officers, etc’. You do not necessarily need a degree or Librarianship qualification for those roles.

Plus, qualifications required and salary levels will depend on whether the library sits within the public or private sector.

I'm a casual library assistant.
I only have GCSEs. But the distinction is I am library assistant, not a librarian.
There are several librarians in my Borough and all have had to do their degree. But plenty of library assistants who are just great at customer service and have the patience and the right attitude to help the borrowers who come in all shapes and sizes and require a lot of extra help and compassion.
9 times out of 10 a permanent contract becomes available it goes to someone who is a casual library assistant already employed by them, trained, DBS checked, has uniform, references from the staff, you know if they click with the team.
I took my 0 hour job over a 16 hour contract in retail so as to get my foot in the door.
Jobs are advertised at the same time to all internal and external applicants.

Sorry you are having such a hard time in yourself, but I would say most jobs go to someone the manager knows, or an internal candidate, its hard when you get yourself excited for a position and then don't get it.

It could be that the position was given to someone who currently works there anyway or they already had someone in mind but unless it’s changed, employers still have to advertise a job externally even if they have no intentions of employing externally. Good luck with future applications x

Sorry I should have read the comments 😂it seems similar has been posted already

*Really? My neighbour is a librarian and she just has a BA in Geography... I know a school librarian and the only qualifications she has are A Levels and GCSEs. They don't have specific librarian qualifications...

There are no rules/laws that say you have to get a qualified librarian in your library, I would bet the school is not paying what a librarian should get. School libraries are also quite different from local authority and academic libraries too, let's face it not many of them have them any more.

Exactly @NaturalBae

Those people are not librarians, doing librarian roles. The organisation is incorrectly using the title 'librarian' (which is why in the UK, posts will often require CILIP Chartership.

In certain areas eg academic librarianship you must have an academic & professional qualification.

I used to be a library assistant many years ago it’s essentially a customer service/admin role did you highlight those sorts of skills, having said that the pay was really low. To be a librarian you need to be qualified with either a degree in information science or another subject and then
a masters on top and even then jobs are difficult to obtain

All those saying what a low paid job being a library assistant is. I started my working life as one, was paid a reasonable salary, stayed 7 years and then moved on. I am thankful every month for the final salary pension payment that drops into my bank account. It more than keeps me in gin!

This. Library jobs are incredibly competitive, don’t let the low pay fool you. Jobs with hours that flexible will also be incredibly competitive. If you stay completely wedded to school hours only, then you will probably find it difficult as that’s what so many people are looking for.

If you are looking for a flexible, casual hours job @Colourblocks you could consider invigilating if you have a secondary school/college close enough to you.

Schools are generally desperate for invigilators at the moment. I've had a few invigilators who were sah mums wanting some more recent job experience and as an ex TA you would be perfect. It's not great pay but generally above minimum wage so not bad.

Interesting thread.

I applied for library assistant role (ex teacher) at my local library which is staffed by library assistants.

I did well in the interview apparently but the post went to someone who was on their casual staff- they offered me a casual

... a casual staff post and said that's a good route in.

Now why don't they just say that instead of giving false hope to the 100s of us that apply? I can't take a casual role currently (kids/can't have ad hoc childcare) but may still consider it in the future.

I think it works out about £10 an hour so isn't overly well paid. Not sure it would contribute to a great pension (My other worry! )

There are no rules/laws that say you have to get a qualified librarian in your library, I would bet the school is not paying what a librarian should get. School libraries are also quite different from local authority and academic libraries too, let's face it not many of them have them any more

Yes, precisely - a librarian qualification is not necessary. I think our school librarian gets paid a lot actually (big independent school). Agreed school libraries are different, but my neighbour works in a LA library and also doesn't have any library- related qualifications.

I failed an interview to load groceries into delivery vans for Tescos.
You'll find something.

@surreygirl1987 then she isn't a librarian, libraries hire lots of different type of staff.

The thing is you've got no experience in libraries and have nothing else to demonstrate your enthusiasm for working in a library, so anyone with either of those is going to get the job ahead of you.

Local authorities have to be very careful with their recruitment and can only recruit against the person specification and objective criteria.

Maybe you need to be a bit more strategic and show your commitment to this line of work (eg work in a bookshop, volunteer at a library or a charity bookshop , do a lateral move into a school library, do a course).