View from the Hill

Successful networking: A case study

We are delighted to introduce this post by Lena Roland, another of our guest bloggers, who shows us how to make the most of a networking opportunity:

I recently attended a Sue Hill Breakfast Briefing at Roast. Over a breakfast of egg and Marmite soldiers a group of 12 Information Professionals discussed some of the pertinent issues facing our profession such as data security and that old chestnut: adding value.

Above and beyond this lively and relevant discussion I surreptitiously took my seat next to a Research Specialist in the legal sector.

Having swapped business cards I later made contact with Lisa via LinkedIn. I explained that I was keen to apply my information and research expertise in other sectors, particularly the legal sector. I went on to explain that although armed with a recently acquired MSc qualification thus far I have been unable to secure an interview as a legal researcher. A lack of knowledge of the specialist legal databases such as Westlaw was my barrier to entry. Although frustrating, it is also an understandable situation.

Quite simply I asked Lisa for her advice and guidance. Perhaps she might know of any contacts who may be looking for a temp? Much to my surprise (and delight) Lisa kindly suggested I do unpaid work experience in their department for a few days. This was more than I expected and of course I did not hesitate to seize the opportunity that was presented to me. Not only did this experience enable me to gain experience of the key databases, I also developed an understanding of the legal terminology as well as the types of information required by the fee earners. It was also helpful to get a feel for the law firm culture.

In return I was able to advise the team on some major, yet often obscure sources of free business intelligence. In my experience it is often this type of data that can make the difference to winning a new business pitch or not. Delivering unique insight can make a company stand out from its competitors by looking beyond the obvious.

I now feel more confident to apply for work in a law firm. I'm by no means an expert, but I certainly have a good understanding of the databases, and I hope by doing voluntary work I have shown good enthusiasm for the sector.

All in all, it was a mutually beneficial experience. I was genuinely touched by my fellow information professionals' willingness to help me advance my knowledge of another sector, and everyone in the team made me feel very welcome. It just goes to show what can happen from attending these events, by seizing an opportunity, and of course by being fortunate enough to meet generous and open people. I hope one day I will do the same for someone else!

- Lena Roland can be found on Twitter @rolandreckons

Work Experience - good for all

For the last two weeks we have had the pleasure of two students from local schools, undergoing work experience. Eamon is 15 at a local school and Hawa is 17 and studying at a nearby college. The timing was fortuitous as they started at the same time as our new Administrator, Shelley (who is 18 and who I found handing out her CV in a local bookshop - never one to miss an opportunity I pounced and brought her back to the office for an interview and she joined us the following week).

Eamon and Hawa have been a delight to have, they have sat in turn with each member of the SHR team understudying and sometimes doing their work with them. They have restored my faith in the education system as both are numerate (essential when checking piles of temporary worker timesheets) and also articulate. They have both impressed Gary our accountant with their intelligent questions about accounts and quickly picked up the essentials of Records Management - I think they know more than me about retention scheduling now.

It takes time to put a work schedule together for them, and then more time to sit with them and explain our work processes but the team here have been happy to share an insight into work in a busy SME, which I think has benefited them as well as Hawa and Eamon. 

In all our years of having work experience students from local schools and colleges we have never been disappointed. In fact one of our work experience students came back here and worked for seven years. He is now a Senior Credit Controller for an investment bank and another (Karen) who joined us straight from school, is a mother and works part-time for us in our payroll and credit department.

We're not that scary really...

The second instalment from our work experience students –

 For a teenager, the work experience is somewhat daunting, and the experience away from the security of school and college is in one word…SCARY. This was how I felt until I actually started my work experience at SHR, where I was immediately welcomed by Tina MGarvey and made to feel completely comfortable, it is a warm friendly environment where staff are patient and informative towards me, helping me to fully grasp the concept of the database. I can already tell that I will leave here with newly acquired skills and knowledge which I can implement in future jobs!    

 - Hawa

Bakehouse, Lounge and Hive

No not a law firm, three models of future libraries.

Amidst share price fluctuations, Euro zone rescue plans and continuing cuts in the UK job market we are living in a time when funding issues aren’t just feared, they are expected.  So at times like this we need a few more success stories. 

Having recently taken up swimming I have spent the past six weeks walking to my local pool (which also houses the local library) passing by a building site which has been taking shape into a rather funky gold building.  But it was not until I noticed the sign on the library door declaring it closed and reopening in the new build, christened the Deptford Lounge, that I put two and two together. 

There has been a fairly high profile campaign surrounding the closure of five libraries in the Borough of Lewisham, Wavelength Library (the new Deptford Lounge) is one of the lucky ones which is not only being retained but upgraded.  The other five have all been re-opened as community run libraries (does my Society look Big in this?).  In Blackheath a charity, Age Exchange, has led the charge reopening the library temporarily in a local theatre, with a view to creating a purpose-built space to combine the library service with the charity’s existing services.

With service integration in mind this leads me nicely on to The Hive which when it opens next year will house both Worcester City public library and the university library under the same roof, I am told the first of its kind in Europe.

So as the axe swings about our heads let’s all remember how through vision and hard work some groups have been able to adapt and improve public library services to meet today’s challenges.

Well done all!

- Jeremy Clarke

Going for a song?

I was delighted to hear (via Facebook of course, where else?) that an old friend had won an Olivier Award for his involvement in OperaUpClose's production of La Bohème.  I was also interested to see that the BBC news coverage of this focussed on the company’s ongoing discussions with Equity over their use of voluntary workers, in this case members of the chorus.

We’ve been seeing an increasing number of candidates with voluntary work highlighted on their CVs particularly, but not exclusively, those who work in the arts and cultural sector. Voluntary work and unpaid internships have long been a significant source of basic work experience for archivists and museum staff in particular, either for those just entering the profession, or for those wanting to maintain their skills between contracts.  More controversially, formal volunteering schemes are being proposed as a strategy to reduce the impact of local authority cuts on public library services.  There’s a whole range of ethical arguments there about the de-valuing of professionals, and another about the class-based assumption that those who want to work in the cultural sector must be able to support themselves.

As a professional recruiter, I obviously do not want to actively encourage unpaid work, but of course if the job market is depressed, any realistic method of increasing your employability should be considered. However, when requests for voluntary workers and unpaid interns become routine in some organizations, the boundaries between acceptable practice and exploitation can become blurred.  The Arts Council jobs site temporarily suspended adverts for internships recently due to increasing contraventions of basic employment law.

So what’s the answer? If you’re thinking about participating in voluntary work, be very clear about what you want to do and what you want to get out of it.  For employers wanting to set up voluntary worker schemes, make sure you get to know the basics of the National Minimum Wage Regulations.

-Donald

Once upon a time, Fido

And the lovely feelgood story of the day today? Got to be The dogs who listen to children reading from the Guardian. Danny the Greyhound is a trained "listening dog" deployed to help encourage pupils at Oakhill primary school in Tamworth, Staffordshire, to read aloud. Apparently it helps with the children's self-esteem in reading out loud because Danny is non-judgmental.

Delightful. Wonder if I can train the cat up...

- Fiona

Time Out

So you have just been made redundant.  What now?  Have you thought about having a gap year?  A recent survey conducted by Travelex, the foreign exchange company, conducted a survey which showed that 78% of people who have recently been made redundant have taken the decision to take time out and travel.  In fact the 30-55 age bracket are twice as likely to travel that the 18-24 year olds.

But what about skills and continuing professional development?  Well you can take the opportunity to volunteer, whether overseas or closer to home.  Freepint have produced some helpful information on how to keep your skills up and how to stay in touch with the information world. 

Whether you have taken a self-imposed time out or you had no choice in the matter, you have options.  All doesn't have to be lost.  It can be an opportunity and the advice and guidance is out there and available.  And we, being information professionals, will be able to find it.

 - Katharine Liu 

 

The Apple and The Kama Sutra

Project Gutenberg's most popular download yesterday was The Kama Sutra. Project Gutenberg's free ebooks are available on the iPhone via the Eucalyptus app. Now. But they weren't until very recently. Apple deemed the app to be inappropriate as it would give access to such "objectionable" material. The questions that arise following this, quite rightly, are around censorship. Who is making the decisions that allow applications such as The Baby Shaker but deny readers the chance to explore literature?

This article in The Telegraph made me seethe for a few minutes but then I clicked on to Project Gutenberg and found myself at peace again. It's a collection of over 28,000 free ebooks and is entirely run by volunteers. As soon as I publish this page I'll be emailing my ebook-reading friends to alert them to this great resource.

- Suzanne Wheatley

Civic Duty - or sheer pleasure?

On Saturday I had the pleasure to be awarded a Civic Award by Southwark Council in recognition of my contribution to the local community.  In a cheerful and uplifting ceremony at St Giles Church in Camberwell I gathered with a diverse cross-section of others who were also to be commended for their contributions.  We were honoured by a panoply  (a magnificent or impressive array) of Mayors of Southwark, past and present, who took turns to read out our citations.  We then processed down Camberwell Church Street to the Town Hall where we were treated to a magnificent champagne tea.

A lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon and also very humbling.  It was eye opening and at the same time touching to speak to people who give up hours of their spare time to provide services, to help or to run organisations for others and consequently change their lives.  Many of them do this in spite of their own circumstances which are often difficult.  It was good to see young people awarded as well as those traditionally thought of as having the time to volunteer.

A good reminder that many things in life wouldn't happen if it weren't for people who are prepared to give up a little (or a lot) of their own time.  Volunteering is also an excellent way to gain new skills and meet new friends.  So don't just think about it.  Do it!