Redesigning staff recruitment for the 21st century: a case study from the University of Chicago Library

Abstract

The University of Chicago Library acquisitions department experienced a significant amount of clerical and supervisory staff turnover between 2016 and 2019. Viewing this period of change as an opportunity to recruit a highly skilled and diverse staff poised to sustain the department for the future. We knew that we had to think differently about what skills we needed and what skills would be transferable from industries outside the library or academe into the library. This paper provides an outline of the potential benefits of non-library industry hiring by looking at current departmental needs and anticipating future industry developments and changes through hiring, and why considering applicants new to the Library may address each of those challenges, why and how to reframe job descriptions and interviews to focus on transferable and soft skills, in the absence of relevant library experience, and looks at needed training and development to acclimate new hires into library work.