alternative careers
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Alternative careersSLA LMD webinar series, Jan 2012 #lmdcpd
Bethan Ruddock, Mimas@bethanar bethan.ruddock@gmail.comhttp://www.slideshare.net/bethanar/alternative-careers
Bethan Ruddock
Content Development Officer, Library and
Archival Services, MimasThe University of Manchester
Bethan Ruddock
Copac Challenge Fund Support Officer, MimasThe University of Manchester
What is ‘alternative’?
• Same job, different sector• Same sector, different job•Different job, different sector• ... anything you want it to be!
• Might not be called ‘librarian’• Or archivist, records manager,
knowledge manager• Might not be in a library• Will use your librarian skills• And require you to learn new
ones• Might be in a library• But a different sort of library
What is ‘alternative’?
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Technology
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Research
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What do we do?• Take in data from major UK libraries and archives, and
make it searchable from a single interface• But not just the major libraries/archives!
Specialist/underused too, eg:St Paul’s Cathedral Architectural Archive; the Freshwater Biological Association; the library at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle; the library of the Royal Botanic gardens, Kew, and the archive of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Edinburgh; the Met Office; the Scottish Brewing Archive; the Royal College of Surgeons of England; the library of the Society of Friends; the archives of the British Postal Museum.
The techy stuff
The techy stuff
• HTML• XML• XSLT• UNIX• json• Javascript• Linked Data• Learning to code with CodeAcademy codeyear.com
Bleak House Charles Dickens
Wrote
Subject: Bleak HousePredicate: WasWrittenByObject: Charles Dickens
Subject > Predicate > Object
WasWrittenBy
Linked Data
The people stuff• Teaching/training• Archivists• Archive students
• Conferences• Working stands• Attending as delegate• Giving presentations• On panels• Giving posters
The people stuff
CommunicationSince joining Mimas, I’ve:• Given 5 conference presentations• Been on 4 conference panels• Given 2 conference posters• Authored/co-authored 11
journal/magazine articles• Written regularly for 5 blogs, and
guest-blogged on others• Written a book
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UK release April 2012 http://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/title.php?id=7685US release May 2012 http://www.neal-schuman.com/the-new-professional-s-toolkit
http://lisnewprofs.wordpress.com/
The traditional stuff
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My job requires me to be...• A good communicator• Face to face• In writing- various styles• Teach & train
• Technically literate• Enough to know what can and can’t be done,
and work with programmers• Flexible• Work on different projects & need to switch
quickly• Willing to learn• Don’t be scared of trying new things – always
ready to have a go• Proactive• I need to identify and take opportunities
• An expert• And willing to use that expertise
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Finding an alternative career
• Decide what you want to do!
• Skills audit• What can you do?• What do you enjoy
doing?• How can you do more
of the stuff you enjoy?• Tools: http://
www.sla.org/content/learn/members/competencies/index.cfm
• http://www.sla.org/content/resources/toolkit/index.cfm
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Finding an alternative career
• Look beyond “librar*”• Information• Communication• Research• Training• Data handling• Outreach• Support• Metadata
Where to look?• Job sites• Library/information-specific• Sector-specific (eg Higher Ed, Legal)• www.libraryjobpostings.org• http://infospace.ischool.syr.edu/2011/12/23/61-n
on-librarian-jobs-for-librarians/
• http://www.wearelibrarians.com/• Recruitment agents• Your network
What to look for?
• Think about your skills• Think about your interests• Where would you like to work?• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?• Disney Animation Research Library?• San Diego Zoo?• The Pentagon?• Eton College?
• What would you like to specialise in?• Manga?• Film?• Orchestral music?• Botany?
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Use your contacts• Build good professional
networks• Be generous – give and
receive• Ask them about their
workplace• Make new contacts• Talk to people at
conferences• Talk to vendors in the
exhibit hall• Talk to friends and family
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Get that application right
• The application is your chance to show how flexible, adaptable, and knowledgeable an info pro can be
• Use all of the information you can find about yourself and the organisation
• Include as many examples as possible• From whatever source
• Don’t use librarian/info pro/sector jargon!• Prepare to be Googled• Have a good online reputation that showcases your
professional skills
Get that application right• The application is your chance to show how flexible,
adaptable, and knowledgeable an info pro can be• Tailor your application to that job.• Speak the language of the organisation – align yourself
with them• Address all essential requirements• Address as many ‘desirable’ requirements as you can
• Be explicit, not implicit. • Don’t expect them to make the connections between your
experience and their needs – lay it out for them.• Be brave! A job application costs you nothing, except a
little time and effort, and the rewards can be huge.
• Soulla Stylianou• BSc Hons, Information Science• Client Director, Daden Ltd• Virtual Worlds and AI solutions provider• Virtual Library of Birmingham in Second Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11SPISd1qUI&• HR/management• Proposals/press releases/social media• Account management• Negotiation
• Skills:• Research• Finding resources• Using Boolean logic• Writing copy
• Jo Alcock• MScEcon Information and Library Studies• Evidence Based Researcher, Evidence Base, Birmingham
City University• Research• Evaluation• Consultancy• Project work• Funding/bids/proposals
• Skills• Project management• Research skills• Technology/software
• Wendy Padley• MSc Library and Information Skills• Academic Research Assistant, Health and Life Sciences
Faculty, De Montfort University• Information gathering• Information synthesis• Bid writing• Data management & storage• Clinical systematic reviews
• Skills• Information handling• Analytical skills• Writing skills• Data handling
And finally...• Keep an open mind• And a wide field of view
• Talk to people• Be polite and generous, and
they’ll want to talk to you• Align with the organization• Speak their language, refer
to their values• Don’t be scared!• Believe in yourself• Take a chance
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@bethanar bethan.ruddock@gmail.combethaninfoprof.wordpress.com lisnewprofs.comhttp://www.slideshare.net/bethanar/alternative-careers
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2012 Virtual Professional Development Series
Thursday, February 23, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST• “Content Negotiation” with Barbara Hirsch”
Thursday, March 29, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST• “Mining Enterprise Assets: Another Role for Info Pros”
with Deb Hunt, SLA President-Elect
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