The interview process consisted of a brief tour of the particular area of the library that I had applied to work in, along with an opportunity to meet the team with responsibility for that area and ask incumbent team members questions. Following the tour, I was taken by a member of the interview panel to the interview room. There were three panel members: the manager of the department that I had applied for a position within, the assistant manager of that department and a Director with overall responsibility and oversight. The interview itself included a series of sensible questions directed towards my employment history, generally requiring me to extrapolate the lessons that I had learnt in previous roles and demonstrate that I could apply the benefits of my experience within the library context. I was presented with a brief exercise that tested my ability to prioritise a potential future workload under different stressful conditions. Finally there was a period of open conversation which provided an opportunity to ask questions and determine the kinds of responsibilities and future projects that were presented to employees.

The interview for the library assistant position at the University of Cambridge was insightful and engaging. The panel’s questions were thoughtful, reflecting a deep commitment to academic support and library excellence.