Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal October 2007 Volume 5(5)

Aiming higher

Career development. All round benefits?

Jill Evans grills two successful Chartership candidates on what it has meant for their careers.

The opportunities open to those who gain Chartership status is probably well documented, but I thought it would be a good idea to ‘interview’ two colleagues here at the National Library of Scotland – they are both successful candidates – on the benefits of chartership. Graeme Hawley (GH) is the Library’s Corporate Information Officer and Angus Wark (AW) is Deputy in Inter-Library Services. Both have been successful in their applications to appointments to higher graded posts since achieving Chartership status, but their varied responses to the same questions reveal some stark differences in opinion and experiences.

What were the immediate benefits of gaining Chartership status?
AW spoke of an improved self belief, with the opportunity to develop oneself and of becoming ambitious. Improved self confidence came from the knowledge and practical experience that he gained during his determined commitment to work towards Chartership. He also would now consider the possibility of applying for other posts in the library. However, the negative aspect of working towards Chartership was the work/life balance, as it involved a significant personal commitment. He also stressed the importance of a supportive manager.
GH thought it was difficult to associate his promotion with Chartership but considered that colleagues who accepted the invitation to work towards Chartership would subsequently develop their career.
However, for GH, the Chartership programme did give him the opportunity to meet senior managers and discuss issues which he would otherwise not have encountered. It provided a networking opportunity which was invaluable when the new post of Corporate Information Officer became available for which he applied
successfully.

Has the promoted post offered significant differences in your responsibilities?
GH said that his current responsibilities enabled him to work in conjunction with other colleagues and other teams which offered a nice blend as he is the sole member of staff with this new role – the post did not previously exist. His responsibilities encompass managing legislation and NLS corporate information.
AW considered that his responsibilities now included financial and human resources issues and that as Deputy to the Senior Assistant he now has responsibility for the ILS team. Based within the same team, AW was comfortable with the promotion internally and, with incremental change in his responsibilities, he considered it easier to adapt to evolving responsibilities.

Did the Chartership programme equip you with the necessary skill set for the new post?
AW was clear that the programme gave him confidence to interact with colleagues on different grades and in a harmonious working environment with his fellow Chartership candidates. In contrast GH admitted that the skills required for working with Freedom of Information requests, Data Protection legislation and budgetary demands were so specialised that they could not be covered in the programme.

Is the post a ‘stepping stone’ to new opportunities?
GH said that as his post is new, there is still opportunity to develop both the post and himself and this, he considers, is an exciting opportunity, as the library moves towards a strategy of managing corporate information. AW said his promotion was a gradual step to new opportunities and that he was open-minded about further opportunities but that he would wish to make each future post bigger and better as his confidence increased.

Has Chartership status given you the confidence and skills to consider applying for posts outside the NLS?
AW was confident that he would be comfortable working in any sector of the library and information community while GH said that he was very happy in his current employment and was naturally inclined to stay within the NLS.

Do you consider that you now have the skills to critically evaluate and analyse human resources situations and strategic policies – and to contribute to the successful management of your institution?
GH thought that as his post was placed within the Human Resources team that he had benefited from ‘spin-offs’ with the nuances of staffing and management issues as a central component to the library so he was accustomed to thinking strategically. AW acknowledged that composing documents and reports for the Chartership programme helped him to be critical, opinionated, and with a mindset to grasp library issues. Through the programme AW became familiar with the NLS Strategic Plan, Divisional Plans, and that he was more confident to state his opinions and very interested in the next strategy.

Do you consider that the Chartership programme was ‘value for money’ for the National Library of Scotland?
AW considered that it had given him the skills to become more engaged with the library, more confident and competent – a better employee. He would recommend the programme to other colleagues but he considered that the library was very fortunate to have such a well-designed and constructed programme. GH considered that it was healthy for internal recruitment to retain the expertise within the library. Some tangible outcomes are that the Chartership candidates are asked to assist with guided tours of the collections, and that they also learn so much about the library from their senior colleagues and this reciprocates goodwill around the library.

Information Scotland Vol. 5(5) October 2007

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