needs digital skills and strategic vision to harness these things for their communi- ties. This is why Surrey recently joined the Library Consortium – the largest library consortium in the UK – which is in the process of developing a new LMS that is likely to be ahead of most local authority technology, potentially allowing library services to link into their councils more effectively and opening up other oppor- tunities. Sue said she needed people with vision who “know how to max out the benefits of a consortium” adding: “I came from Poole where we had Libraries West, one of the most mature consortia, so I can see the potential of strategic relations and sharing of expertise, but another reason we need strong digital skills is because without them we are in danger of repeat- ing or duplicating the work of the British Library. We need people who can help us nurture the relationships between the various organisations.”
Opportunities in weakness “The plus side of all of the challenges the sector faces is that if you have these skills, now is the time to make your mark. I need people who are going to create that kind of excitement and focus. The upside is that you are going to be in increasing de- mand for your skills in stock selection and the same is true in digital. Those are the two weakness we have now. With people retiring and the digital world changing so fast, there is a vacuum. However, this leaves room to make your mark profes- sionally and to really help the communi- ties that we serve.”
Accredited courses
She adds: “Surrey is a major employer but we don’t have much interaction with library schools. When we’re looking at applications we do look for CPD. It is something that has become more sig- nificant since Surrey joined the CILIP Employer Partners Scheme, because now our managers are more aware of the benefits of networks and the PKSB. When you start getting people plugged into the CILIP network you start getting those pro- fession-focused conversations in-house. There are people coming to me and saying “have you seen this really interesting article in Information Professional?” So CILIP membership is a shorthand way of saying ‘I’m paying attention’. People who aren’t doing it can’t see what’s coming up and find it difficult to be part of that conversation.”
Employee’s market
Simon Burton, Director and co-founder of CB Resourcing says: “Demand for new professionals is coming through but it is uneven. It is uneven between different sectors but also within particular sectors depending on their focus. But there is evi-
September 2021
Angela Krzyzanowska.
dence that the market is changing from an employer’s market to an employee’s mar- ket. Starting salaries had been stagnant since about 2010 and many organisations didn’t hire anyone last year. There was a perception in some firms that there would be lots of people looking for a job, but like most things it depends. Candidates enter- ing the job market are often being hired relatively quickly in the corporate sector and responsive employers aren’t hanging around. Employers that aren’t responsive to that, who don’t move their processes on quickly, don’t feed-back quickly, will struggle... and they are struggling. It’s a wake-up call for organisations who haven’t hired for 18 months or so.”
Employer reaction
Simon sees employers are getting wise to this and are putting in processes to win back some advantage in the hiring pro- cess, saying: “Because there’s competition for these candidates now organisations are not just increasing salaries they are also working very hard to secure talent different ways, like in their interview process which have been condensed and refined to make them a better opportunity to sell the role to candidates.” So, while it might be an employee’s mar- ket, Simon advises against complacency. “There is demand for candidates but it comes in waves. If you get a good oppor- tunity don’t over think it, every opportu- nity is precious. Make your decision and ask all your questions during the process. For the interview itself he said: “Don’t fall into the trap of being too casual, treat it as you would a normal interview, go
prepared, well-prepared notes about the firm, sector, the people interviewing you and their competitors and make sure you have questions for them, a glass of water and no distractions. We’re not used to zoom. Suddenly the hour is done, so make sure you have your ques- tions there ready for them.”
Accreditation
Like Sue, Simon says: “What is valued is people taking their professional development seriously. It’s valued by employers. That could be internships, it could be accredited qualifications or being connected to your peers and networks. You cannot under estimate how much that gives someone an edge, particularly at a junior level, showing that you take professional development seriously. People value it.” He also agrees that employers value connectedness, saying: “If you’re in a network you might get a chance to run some webinars or something similar, dealing with lots of different people. These are great skills, but also being connected to the profession gives you insights and where the industry is going. It’s always harder for managers if you have a team that doesn’t really professionally network. It’s hard to communicate with them, where the pro- fession is going. If you have a team that gets involved it is a real bonus. IP
l To find out what your next move could be visit
www.informationprofessionaljobs.com or speak to the team at CB Resourcing www.
cbresourcing.com.
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