The process of developing skills and acquiring knowledge is not quick, easy, or straightforward. These are things gained through longer term experience, and require considerable thought and effort. But as you will see from the personal examples provided throughout, this is something well worth pursuing. Unexpected opportunities will arise which could result not only in personal growth and development, but also promotion, career change and a great deal of job satisfaction. The more you explore possible avenues, the more you will find there is to pursue. The same skills and knowledge base could be useful in a range of appointments in different functions and sectors.
In this report we look at the sorts of skills and knowledge that you might need to acquire and the situations in which you could apply them at various stages of your career. Whilst particular attention is given to those qualities and skills necessary in the field of information, library, and research services, many of them will be equally relevant to other professions, especially those skills relating to the management of various cross-functional activities. For example, project management, financial planning, staff development and service evaluation apply to most professions and businesses.
Certain skills will be applicable and useful throughout your chosen career, even if you move between different types of organisation, as is illustrated by the examples provided. Individuals who feature in the report show the sort of career moves which could be made, covering career change, mid-career development through IT, and making it to the top. The report considers what you will need to think about at different stages and in different roles, for example, when setting out in a career or when taking on the top job. It looks at various job options and related skills requirements, including those needed when moving into an independent role as a consultant.
To see a sample (table of contents, sample page) view the Sample PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat).
Author
Sylvia P. Webb is a well-known consultant, author and lecturer in the information management field where she has lectured internationally.
Testimonials
"Yes the report was very readable and informative. Value for money."
"Yes, the report was informative throughout and gave relevant references to other books/information to follow up on ... It was an informative read and really well put together."
"The report had much useful information, some of which covered matters of which I had no real knowledge. I definitely thought the quality of
material justified the asking price."
"I have found this report to be extremely informative and useful. It is written with clarity and an understanding of the library and information profession. I will certainly take on board some of the suggestions that have been made in the report."
"Yes, not for me personally, but in the context that I teach management in a university information and library studies department and can use it for introducing the skills and knowledge issues to students with no practical experience."
Table of Contents
| | Contacts | 2 |
| | About the author | 4 |
| | Acknowledgements | 4 |
| 1) | Introduction | 5 |
| 2) | Where to start | 6 |
| 3) | What employers want | 7 |
| 3.1 | Example 1: BRIS - business information skills | 8 |
| 4) | Investigating potential employers | 8 |
| 5) | Impact of the corporate culture | 9 |
| 6) | Knowledge management & the LIS | 11 |
| 7) | Training and development: What the employer might offer | 11 |
| 7.1 | Example 2: KPMG - a strategy for learning and development | 11 |
| 8) | Job options | 13 |
| 8.1) | Key LIS activities and related skills | 13 |
| 8.2) | Enquiry handling skills | 13 |
| 8.3) | Initiating a search | 13 |
| 8.4) | Identifying key sources | 14 |
| 8.5) | Conducting a research project | 15 |
| 8.6) | Organising and disseminating information | 16 |
| 9) | Management skills | 17 |
| 9.1) | Example 3: Lynne Brindley - a successful path to the top | 18 |
| 9.2) | Managing the service | 20 |
| 10) | Managing staff, managing training | 21 |
| 10.1) | Job-specific skills assessment | 21 |
| 10.2) | Team working | 22 |
| 10.3) | Training skills | 23 |
| 11) | Transferable skills and career change | 24 |
| 11.1 | Example 4: “Jane”: transferable skills and career change | 24 |
| 12) | Further options in the information field | 25 |
| 12.1 | Example 5: Anna Atkinson - developing with IT | 26 |
| 13) | Management of change | 27 |
| 13.1 | Impact of technology | 27 |
| 13.2 | Outsourcing | 29 |
| 13.3 | Flexible working | 29 |
| 14) | Evaluating the service | 30 |
| 15) | Skills for the independent consultant | 31 |
| 16) | Conclusion | 33 |
| 17) | References | 34 |
An introduction to the topic can be found in the article appearing FreePint No.157.
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