[Publib] Toxic Workplace - Interview Questions?

[Robert Balliot]

Howdy Judith -

>From the response I have received so far this morning, it looks like toxic
work environment questions should be addressed in three parts:

   - Overall process.  (which you have begun to address here)
   - Questions for Management Positions.
   - Questions for Non-Management Positions

R. Balliot
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Judith Turner <turnermalibmba at yahoo.com>wrote:


> Interesting approach, Robert, but one that might be difficult to put into
> effect in an interview situation.
> I'd recommend that the Library Director, Head of HR, departmental
> supervisor or whoever is conducting the interview (possibly some who will be
> working closely with the chosen candidate) be as upfront as possible about
> the situation at Library X.  Trying to sugarcoat a toxic situation is the
> worst possible approach, no matter how much Library X wants to hire a
> specific candidate.
>
> Rather than recommending the individual applying for the job try to ask
> questions that might reveal the depths of the problem in an interview
> situation, I think he or she ought to do as much research into the recent
> history of Library X as possible.  Ask colleagues or librarians you know
> (from publib? or conferences?) what they've heard about the situation at
> Library X, visit Library X as a patron and wander around, observing (as much
> as possible) the staff in the public areas.  Go online and check back issues
> of the local newspaper for articles about Library X, its budget and its
> relationship to funding sources.  If the local paper isn't online, then
> check for issues while making a site visit to Library X.
>
> Definitely go online and read minutes of the Board of Trustees and back
> issues of the Friends newsletter, blogs or whatever you can find that sheds
> light on recent history.  Be alert to frequent changes in the Director or
> Dept. Head positions and, especially, "mass' retirements.  Such turnover is
> a good indicator this place is in some turmoil and turmoil breeds toxicity.
>  It's a bit harder to gauge with lower level positions as there are other
> reasons (including promotion exams that allow municipal or county employees
> to move up to higher paying jobs elsewhere) that can explain turnover.
>
> Basically, be a snoop or a detective.  It's at least partly the
> responsibility of the person applying for a job to find out as much as
> possible about the potential employer to determine if he/she would fit in at
> a given company, agency or organization.  That doesn't change just because
> the economy is in rough shape and local governments are trying to keep their
> costs down as much as possible.
>
> Not everybody will be frightened away from toxic workplaces; some people
> actually find them more interesting than placid, serene workplaces where
> everybody gets along swimmingly.  Admittedly, most librarians don't match
> this personality type but I still think it's a good policy to be as truthful
> about the problems as people seem to want to be about good points in the
> interview phasse.
>
> Judy Turner
> Whitefish Bay, WI Blogging at:
> http://alms-jact.blogspot.com/http://judyct.wordpress.com/
>
> "Donna Noble has left the library. Donna Noble has been saved." ----
> "Silence in the Library"  (Doctor Who, Season 4, Ep. 8)
>
>
>
>
>
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