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. Getting started.

Tony Ross and Richard Fallis have a blueprint for a successful career right from the start.

Given that the theme of this issue of Information Scotland is that of continuous professional development, we should begin by stating the obvious: that we, having only just completed an MSc in Information and Library Studies, are not best placed to give an insight into this topic. However, we are well placed to describe our experiences in seeking to develop our careers from scratch, by following such avenues as joining CILIP, work placements and volunteering, networking and getting published.

We each decided to enter this profession having no practical experience of working in libraries. Our reasons for doing so were a mixture of pragmatism, i.e. wanting to put an end to a few years spent drifting following completion of our undergraduate degrees, and idealism, linked to a love of libraries and an interest in their function in society.

Such idealism, and the possibility of a fresh start, might have carried naïve expectations that attaining an LIS MSc would be a golden ticket that would open doors leading straight to the ‘dream’ job. However, on first encountering the Recruitment section of the CILIP Gazette we were left with a sinking feeling, as we realised that jobs in our chosen sector are scarce in Scotland. This was compounded by a lecture by practising librarians, who broke the bad news that the dream job was most likely a long way off, and that we might need to pursue part-time or temporary work, jobs at para-professional level, or at the very best professional positions in less sought-after sectors, in order to gain entrance to the profession.

Therefore, while struggling with the heavy workload of the MSc, we recognised early on that academic success was just one of many factors that would affect our employability. Since neither of us wished to move south, it became vital for us to set about quickly accruing the kinds of experience and contacts that would increase our chances of gaining employment in this highly-competitive sector.

Unsurprisingly, joining CILIP was an important early step for us. Doing so made us feel like we were joining a close community, in which we could take professional pride. This feeling was augmented by CILIP’s publications, which give insight into professional practice concerns, and by our experiences as members of CILIP’s special interest groups, which serve as channels for current awareness, keeping members informed of the latest developments within specific areas of the information sector, while also offering chances to attend conferences and contribute to professional publications.

Another crucial step was undertaking a five-week work placement during our MSc studies – one of the most valuable parts of the entire MSc programme. We both were lucky enough to be placed within our preferred specialist library sectors – academic and health – and we both found that our placement experiences affirmed we had made the right career choice, and gave us a real insight into the challenges of applying our academic knowledge to real-life situations. In each of our cases, the work placement was so instructive that we continued to volunteer one morning per week with our placement providers. This invaluable experience built up our level of skills and knowledge, and forged links with key contacts who might later become employers.

This was also our first opportunity to network – connecting with other information professionals and making sure they know your face, name, and organisations or projects with which you are associated. Face-to-face, at conferences, for example, may be the most effective networking. From our own experience though, this can be quite intimidating, and it is not unusual to feel that you have made little or no impact.

Journal articles serve the practical purpose of getting your name in print. This is a less direct method of networking but it also facilitates the sharing of experiences and opinions. We have developed journal articles based on projects undertaken at university. This has been challenging, but wholly worthwhile, since it has allowed us to feel that we are making a contribution to our profession and, on a pragmatic level, it gives us evidence of a degree of professional engagement to which we can point during job interviews.

In short, as people starting out in this profession, we have learned that, while it is necessary to take pride in the value of the work we do, you must accept the need to work long and hard to secure the role that you have in mind for yourself. To this end, we have come to recognise that, for the first few years of our careers, we may feel less like information professionals, so much as professional CV builders.

The main thing is, of course, to remain flexible. Admittedly this can be difficult, with the multitude of other commitments life entails. Juggling university studies, with part-time work which pays the bills, and with gaining real-world library experience, can leave little time for anything else. We have, however, recently completed our dissertations, and expect to graduate from university in October. Now, we feel that the way ahead for us is a little clearer. We must see our recent efforts for what they are: an investment that has, hopefully, brought us a few steps closer to achieving our career goals, and put us in a position where we can begin to contemplate undertaking continuous professional development through Chartership and other professional involvements.

Information Scotland Vol. 5(5) October 2007

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