Originally presented at the SLA Europe, BIALL and CLSIG Graduate Open Day, on the 17th April 2013. The slides are not as attractive as my usual decks as they were in accordance with corporate branding requirements. Notes from my talk can be found here: http://libwig.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/clsig-biall-and-sla-europe-graduate-open-day/

1. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
ENERGY
INFRASTRUCTURE, MINING AND COMMODITIES
TRANSPORT
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
PHARMACEUTICALS AND LIFE SCIENCES
Library Success In About 10 Slides
BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day
Sam Wiggins
Information Officer
[17/04/2013]

2. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day2
Who am I?
Chartered Librarian
Information Officer
Librarianship MA
Part-time Volunteer
(in a non-contentious sense)
Indecisive History
Undergraduate
Graduate Trainee

3. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day3
What am I doing here?
• What skills are required for work in ‘special’ libraries?
• How does one obtain them?
• Raising your profile
• A few words of caution

4. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day4
Skill sets
Two sides to specialist library work
• Traditional “core” skill set
• Acquired, tailored skills
*Caveat* this does apply to a certain extent to every job role, but that is partly the point

5. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day5
Breaking the Circle
“I can’t get
experience as
I don’t have a
job”
“I need
experience to
get a job”

6. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day6
Identifying and Applying Skills
Core:
• Research Skills
• Cataloguing
• Information Management
• IT literacy
• Team skills
• Current awareness skills
• Ability to train others
Acquired:
• Legal knowledge/research
• Commercial knowledge
• Product specific knowledge
• Understanding of cost information
• Resource understanding

7. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day7
“Enthusiasm, a fresh set of eyes, up-to-date digital skills, new ideas”
“Drive to achieve and progress”
“Open to new ways of thinking and doing things”
“A natural curiosity”

8. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day8
“cheaper labour”

9. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day9
“Eagerness to learn”
“Enthusiasm”
“Good grasp of general knowledge”
“Shows initiative”
“People skills and can quickly build a rapport”

10. BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day10
Raising your profile
Stand out on your CV, and in your interview
• Blog
• Tweet (sensibly)
• Apply for things
• Don’t wait to be asked
….Does it matter?

11. Any Questions?
@Libwig
Libwig.wordpress.com
Linkedin.com/in/SamuelWiggins
BIALL/CLSIG/SLA Europe Graduate Open Day11