View from the Hill

Striking a chord

Calling all researchers and info pros, here is a Friday challenge for you all.

As it is the season to be striking I have a topical question for you and the first person to post a comment to this blog post with the correct answer wins the prize at stake, in this case, a limited edition Sue Hill Recruitment mug.

Question:
In thousands, what is the the difference between stoppage days lost due to strike action in the public sector throughout 1998, compared to those lost in 2008?

Is anyone up for the challenge?

- Jeremy Clarke

The Recession - is the worst over?

Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP has admitted in the Evening Standard last night and again on BBC Breakfast this morning to being caught out by the severity of the recession and its effect on advertising spend and 'the impact on profitability has been severe'.  However Martin believes the worst is over - is it?

In many ways the recruitment industry can sense the climate of the market and although still not anywhere close to the numbers of 18 months ago, there is definitely a sense of upward movement and a movement of black clouds above.  Market Research, Insight and Analysis roles are on the up in the main and more companies are looking to strengthen there teams and not just replace.  This is all good.  Not just good for us, but also our candidates who are not being given empty promises about roles and companies.  It is also good for the economy and with confidence creeping back, candidates who were scared to move and were staying put are now interested in moving again.  Clients are still being cautious (rightly so) and recruitment is slower, but just maybe the worst is over.

As Martin Sorrel says he sees 2010 being a flat year but maybe this is the impetus for companies to start putting in place the good people now to ensure that when the flat becomes an incline, they are ready.

So not over but not as bad as it was and I certainly get the sense that we will start to see better things by the Spring of next year.  The hill has started to be climbed but currently it is a gentle incline but that can only be a good thing especially as Martin Sorrel highlights 'things have been very very tough' and 'I cannot remember seeing worse'.

- Damon Thomas, Recruitment Manager - Market Research

Pop up Restaurants, Pop up Museums - why not Pop up Libraries?

Why do I never have the good ideas first?

Last week I went to a pop-up bar, and have been hearing wonderful tales of pop-up restaurants.  I even contemplated having one in my house to raise funds for charity.

I belong to the Guerrilla Gardening Group who brighten up those dull bare plots on road sides, roundabouts and in Council estates with glorious flowers.  This is a cause I support with all of my heart.

Today I see that at the Musuem Association's event for emerging museum professionals(now there is another great idea) a Dragons' Den type event was won by a team whose one minute pitch entailed setting up Museums in the many vacantshops that blight our town centres.  Bringing exhibits that otherwise languish in basements straight to the eye of the public can only be a good thing. More can be read at the Museum Association website.  A brilliant idea and well done the winning team.

Now - come on Libraryland.  Let's get out there and have pop-up libraries in the vacant shop next door to our museum colleagues.  Perhaps even put the mobile library in the car park (I know some of you do already).  Sell off your excess books - raise funds.  

Friday to day so off to the pop-up cafe bar on the top the multi-story car-park in Peckham again tonight to admire the sunset while sipping a welcome Campari. Plenty of room there for some books. - Sue Hill

Liberian Girl

Michael Jackon's sad, early demise this morning reminded me of the song Liberian Girl.  Many years ago in another life I met the Liberian President, also sadly no longer with us.

Today's news caused me to reflect how many times in my career I have been asked to find a Liberian.  Yes I knew they wanted a librarian, but it was so tempting to say I would get back once I had spoken to the Liberian President.  But then I would think - who I am to talk.  I often mention the Boys' Brigrade.  Not for nothing are there ontologists working on natural language searching projects.  That has to include natural language mistakes as well.

Yes, it's Friday, and the weather is warm and muggy.   Off now to find that ontologist.  I'll leave the Liberians til Monday. - Sue Hill

Learning or working - similar issues affect us

I have just been reading with interest a new JISC report - ostensibly relating to HE information matters http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/documents/heweb2.aspx but in fact it reflects much that I encounter managing a fully diverse workforce.

I like to consider myself reasonably technically aware and competent even though the hair is grey (underneath the artifice) and my pensionable age is drawing ever nearer.  It is still a jolt to realise that across each decade of age the interest in, ability with and capability to learn and use all aspects of IT, Web 2.0 technologies included, varies widely.  The digital divide is not vastly different in those in their twenties and those in the forties. We are not yet hiring 11-15 year olds so I await their arrival with interest.

Something that struck me in a planning meeting with a public libraries client today is that access to technology varies widely from street to street, never mind social demographics.  This can result in the need for one public library branch in an authority to need to focus all their resources on computing technology for those nearby who do not have the wherewithall to have it at home and yet just across the borough the need may be for books and meeting spaces.   We need to take the findings of this report out beyond education and take note for our every day lives. 

Among the key findings nestles a statement that says 'Face to face contact with (academic) staff matters to students.'  This is good to hear, as although we are all increasingly being warned we will all work from home, there is no doubt that our best and most productive business relationships are formed through face to face contact.  This carries through to CPD and continued learning in the work place as well. - Sue Hill

#clex09

Skills and Thrills galore

2009 must be Skills Year.  I'm delighted to be speaking on Transferable Skills at the excellent Perfect Information Conference "Transforming Today's Challenges into Tomorrow's Opportunities" in St Albans next week and again at Cilip's Umbrella 2009 in Hatfield in July for CDG on "Packaging transferable skills for a move to a different sector" (slightly disconcerted here to discover I am up against a parallel session on "Why is poo brown? - The child's right to information."  Well I shall never know as I will be speaking in the room next door to that one!)

When I speak I like to do as much research and reading around the topic as I can.  I live in fear of being asked that killer question at the end when the Chair says - "Thank you very much - and now - Any Questions?"  I would rather speak every day to an audience of 1000 than face questions.  Particularly scary when they are from peers, clients and colleagues in this august information profession of ours.

I'm delighted to say that I have learned much about skills, in particular today I have enjoyed reading about DIUS partner organisations and Sector Skills Councils.  GoSKills on passenger transport sounds like something the bus driver who shut the door in my face as I ran to the stop this morning on my way to work could well do with.  SkillsActive with a focus on active leisure and learning might just be the thing for me for weekends.   A day is never a day unless you learn something and I have learned a lot today.

I know that people who come to hear me speak will expect to go away with a list of skills that will transform their lives.  That elusive 'little bit extra that makes the difference".  Of course that isn't going to happen.  I will be challenging my listeners to go away and do their own research and find out what skills will work for them and where it might add value.  And now off to do more research on the question I am not going to hear the answer to!

An expensive luxury?

Last night I attended the CLSIG Seminar on Redundancy hosted by Jacky Berry and Bruce Madge at the British Medical Association. It was attended by a variety of people who are or may be affected by redundancy. Jacky started off the session by asking that we abide by Chatham House Rules in order that people feel safe and secure in discussing what can be a highly emotive and sensitive problem. This encouraged lively and also frank discussion from both managers and employees.

Jacky spoke honestly about her experiences and the often overlooked position of the manager having to put aside their feelings to utter the words "you're redundant". The lists of both the range of emotions felt and the reasons for redundancy could've been separate seminars in themselves, such was the strength of feeling in the room.

I think what I will take from the seminar is that if you are affected by redundancy, you must remember you are not alone. We resolved to form a network, a community of support from last night's attendees, to know that there is someone else out there who can listen, support, advise and understand. Also that we have to be objective, to realise and accept that redundancy is a business decision, that it is not personal.

"An expensive luxury we can't afford" was the title of the seminar. If you have the privilege of hearing Jacky speak, ask her about her first experience of redundancy and the fabulous jumper she has as a souvenir!

Library offers hints for Credit Crunch Christmas Lunch

I varied my usual Google news search on the word "library" by adding in "Christmas", just to be topical!

Having been wowed by Delia and her £28 Christmas lunch for 4 I was intrigued to see a much earlier version of the Credit Crunch lunch offered up by Cambridge University Library's Darwin Correspondence Project. "Mrs Charles Darwins' Recipe Book" is a new publication of a very old book, housed in Scientific Manuscripts at Cambridge, and it tells us how to broil mushrooms and make turnip cresselly (any suggestions?!) but also teaches us to be frugal and make our own snacks like cheese straws and ginger biscuits. Good skills for all. The original book is used by researchers and proceeds from the new publication will be going towards funding more research into Charles Darwin's letters.

What other credit-crunch-beating tips or Christmas hints can be found in your libraries?

Keep your mind and those options open!

The knock-on effect of the credit crunch affects everyone whether directly or indirectly. A few little ripples have disturbed our pond recently.  But it isn't all bad news.

A law client put a job on hold, even though it was interview stage, as they were suspending all recruitment for the time being. Four keen candidates had to be told - sorry, don’t buy that new suit after all.

A candidate turned down an offer last week of an almost perfect job at an excellent salary and then heard that his job was being sidelined in a major reshuffle. Luckily that door was not closed and he went back and put his case for having an attack of the wobbles. The client understood and re-instated the job offer. (The moral here is the devil he did know turned out not to be as good as the devil he didn’t).

A very similar event happened a month ago and the candidate decided to stay where they were. They felt new job on offer was just too different and so it then went to the second choice (luckily they hadn't been rejected). Sadly and a week later the first candidate was one of many to lose their job in the banking fall-out. How could you know?

Today a candidate called to say she had made an application for a job 'outside of the box' (and outside of London) just because her job in The City no longer had that busy buzz (but was probably safe).  To her surprise she got the job and is now about to start an exciting new venture with much to learn and keep her busy.  And no commute.

We're noticing that permanent jobs are slightly less in number. Last week we took half of the usual number. However, candidates seeking permanent jobs are still plentiful. Temporary roles continue to hold up. Some of those fill within a day or two as there are certainly candidates around.  It will be interesting to see what November brings.

New copyright licence for law firms

I was interested to see on Friday that the Copyright Licensing Agency has announced the launch of a new licence designed specifically for UK law firms. From 1 November, the Law Licence will enable articles and clippings from law reports, journals and press cuttings (magazines, journals, legal and other periodicals, but not newspapers) to be scanned, stored electronically and distributed externally to clients.

Good news for current awareness services in law firms?