Bridging the gap: From Employability
... To Employme
ntEleni Zazani
New Professionals Conference, Sheffield, 2010
Today ...
Eleni Zazani, New Professionals Conference, 2010 2
Our major Challenges
What employers are looking for
How a positive mind-set can make a difference while in job hunting
My career curve
3Eleni Zazani, New Professionals Conference, 2010
11 years
Summer 2008
Summer
1994
Make Sense
Be visible
Maintain enthusia
sm
ProvideEvidenc
e
Our Challenges
The Changing nature of our worldFinancial downturn | Technological advances | New roles
Seek new cost-effective ways of operating
Sustainable services are those with the greatest impact.
Rethink their levels of staffing and provision of services.
The Changing nature of our worldFinancial downturn | Technological advances | New roles Shape the digital
future of our society
Transform the businesses’ models, our behaviours, and expectations.
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The Changing nature of our worldFinancial downturn | Technological advances | New roles
The brainstorming ...
Examine the current climate
Envision the future
Define new employability skill-sets
Numerous reportsEndless discussionsEver-growing
LiteratureEleni Zazani, New Professionals Conference, 2010 8
Making senseNew working culture and LIS domain:
New working patterns, such as:
Fixed Short-term and Part-time contractsFlexible working practicesTraining is among the high priorities of Organisations
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Terms DefinedEmployability | Skills | Competencies |
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Core Competencies
•Self-management•Teamworking•Problem solving•Communication and literacy, etc.
Core Librarianship skills
•Cataloguing •Information management•Training Users•Evaluating , etc.
Specific Skills/sector
•Subject knowledge•Business related skills, etc.
Our Skills
Key attitudes across all competencies
Flexibility
Networking
PassionEvidence
Passionate and Enthusiastic Professionals
Employers want
Eleni Zazani, New Professionals Conference, 2010 13
Academic Liaison Librarian
“You will be an enthusiastic ... graduate”
Library Assistant (Collection Development Services)
•We are seeking an enthusiastic and proactive individual
Part Time Library Assistant (Information
Services)“An enthusiastic and dedicated
person is required to work in the Library”
Why passion is important to the employers
Creates energyBuilds loyaltyEnhances focus Motivates into actionCreates a positive mindsetGenerates innovative solutions Increases performance
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The more you feed it the brighter it is!
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Proving our enthusiasm and passion
Fuelling our Passion
Fuelling our Passion (cont.)
Networkers and liaising professionals
Employers also want
Eleni Zazani, New Professionals Conference, 2010 18
Learning Support Adviser
“The postholder will network with the wider Library and professional
community
Senior Librarian: Adult Services
“.... liaising with other staff to ensure customer
needs are met.... Recognise the
importance to the Council of active
partnership working.”
Senior Librarian: Adult Services
“.... liaising with other staff to ensure customer
needs are met.... Recognise the
importance to the Council of active
partnership working.”
Professional networking is important for employers
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Complexity | Sharing | Confidence |Decision Making | Visibility
Our Challenge is to...
Identify like-minded peopleBe visibleHave a sense of belongingStand out of the crowd
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Building effective networksAsk for help or advice |
“asking for help is a behaviour tied to job success”. (Byham, 2010)
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Building effective networksGet involved |
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Building effective networksIntroduce yourself |
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Building effective networksEngage with social media |
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Flexible & adaptable professionals
Employers want
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“... those skilled individuals who are prepared to work flexibly will get higher
rewards”. (CBI, 2009, p. 22)
The plethora of job titles and job descriptions actually expands and redefines our careers; it increases our employment-seeking spectrum.
See job-seeking as a full-time occupation.
It is essential to balance our abilities
with our expectations.
Filling in job applications is a skill
The more we fill in and send the more excellence we acquire
More applications increase the likelihood of finding a job (probability theory)
Proving our worth means ...giving evidence of our skills
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During Interviews ...
Preparation starts from
making sense of every single organisation and its environmentpaying attention to the big picturepaying attention to the details
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Conclusions ...
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Conclusions ...
Images used for this presentation - 1Slide Number
Image Details
1 “Figures putting together puzzle” available from Microsoft at http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/results.aspx?qu=puzzle&origin=FX010132103#ai:MP900442177|
4 “Stick figures fitting arrows” available from Microsoft athttp://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/results.aspx?qu=arrows#ai:MC900439356|is:0|
5 “3d puppet, holding big magnifier” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915512820/
6 “Stick figures with laptops” available from Microsoft at http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/results.aspx?qu=networks#ai:MC900439359|mt:0|is:0|si:1
7 “MP900422954” available from Microsoft at http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/images/results.aspx?qu=index+cards#ai:MP900422954
8 “3D Bar Graph Meeting”, used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2136954043/in/photostream/
9 “Jobs Gear Runner Concept”, used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2281131302/in/set-72157603545131468/
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Images used for this presentation - 2
Slide Number
Image Details
14 “Enthusiasm” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3027627141/
15 “Agni's Dance or Drawing with Fire” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/hb2/110666865/
19 “Social Media Landscape” available from http://elisabethsterling.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/social-media-landscape.png?w=305&h=432
20 “团队排列 3D小人高清图片 _zcool.com.cn” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/crystaljingsr/3915516172/in/photostream/
21 “communicate 3” available at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1139527
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Images used for this presentation - 3SlideNumber
Image Details
22 “3D Full Spectrum Unity Holding Hands Concept” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137735924/in/set-72157603545124242/
23 “customer-loyalty_retention.jpg” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/enriqueburgosgarcia/3364250371/
24 “Anti-Social Media?” used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/intersectionconsulting/3469011188/
25 “Bending Building” Ginza, Tokyo, Japan 2008/04/29, used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/guwashi999/2451050777/
26 LuMaxArt Golden Guy Trophy Winner, used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2293239853/
27 & 28 “Keys 1”http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenda-starr/3466560105/in/set-72157617806022838/
29 “August 25th "The Big Picture We've Done It I'm a World Record Holder!”, used under the Creative Commons Licence http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/2796568625/
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SlideNumber
Image Details
30 1. “Vertical process of STAR model”, © Eleni Zazani 20102. “Light bulb word cloud” made from the text of the full
paper of this presentation, © Eleni Zazani, 2010
31 “Film Clapper 4”, available at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/975857
32 “learn 2”, available at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1013123
33 “Career gear”, © Eleni Zazani, 2010
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Images used for this presentation - 4