CHANGING SECTORS – DEVELOPING SKILLS AND

EXPERIENCEAMANDA POULTON

ABOUT ME• Qualified in 1997• Chartered in 1999• Worked in three sectors

– NHS, Academic and Public• Involvement in a range of CILIP activities• Further qualifications

– Teaching , management and health & safety

WHY CONSIDER ALL SECTORS?

• Capitalizes on your skills• Develops a broader range of skills and

experience• Opportunity to work in wider variety of

work areas• Increases employability in an uncertain

job market• Keeps your professional life interesting

INTERESTED IN MOVING SECTOR?

• Research your target sector• Talk to contacts/follow Twitter people in your

target sector• Contact CILIP, a Special Interest Group e.g.

UC&R, PLG or HLG, or your local CILIP branch for advice

• Arrange to visit a local library in your target sector

• Consider work experience • Join an appropriate professional group

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

The role will include research enquiry work, current awareness, supplier liaison and

intranet development. We are looking for candidates with excellent communication

skills, capable of working flexibly and independently, and with excellent online and

general IT skills. 

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

The role will include research enquiry work, current awareness, supplier liaison and

intranet development. We are looking for candidates with excellent communication

skills, capable of working flexibly and independently, and with excellent online and

general IT skills.

Commercial law firm 

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

Candidates must have well developed verbal, written and communication

skills, with a flexible attitude, along with enthusiasm for delivering information

skills training and using ICT

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

Candidates must have well developed verbal, written and communication

skills, with a flexible attitude, along with enthusiasm for delivering information

skills training and using ICT.

Academic library

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

The successful applicant will be expected to actively promote the library service

and assist with the practical management of the library collections

including electronic resources and databases.

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

The successful applicant will be expected to actively promote the library service

and assist with the practical management of the library collections

including electronic resources and databases.

NHS Library

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

You will be experienced and enthusiastic with excellent

communication and IT skills enabling you to deliver a high quality service.

CROSS-SECTORAL JOB HUNTING

You will be experienced and enthusiastic with excellent

communication and IT skills enabling you to deliver a high quality service.

Public library

APPLYING FOR A JOB IN A NEW SECTOR

• Identify your skills• Match your skills to the Person Specification• Demonstrate how your experience gives you

the necessary skills• Consider how you can adapt your skills to meet

the needs of your target sector• Do you have a Unique Selling Point you can

bring to the sector?• Find out what the key priorities are for your

target sector

AT THE INTERVIEW

• Focus on your skills and how they can be applied to the sector

• Demonstrate you understand the sector by using appropriate examples– E.g. Reference to key issues

• Don’t overwhelm the panel with your research• Be prepared to explain why you wish to

change sector – Focus on the benefits of the new sector

SKILLS AUDIT• Carry out a skills audit• Identify skills needed from your research or by

studying job adverts in your sector• Match your skills and experience against the

skills required• Is there anything missing?

• Consider specific skills if you have a sector in mind

• Identify ways to fill in the gaps– E.g. Volunteering for a particular project– Training/qualification– Job shadowing– Work experience

Skills Audit for Sector Change – Current Skills

Skills/Competences/Experience List specific examplesConsider how you might

demonstrate application to another sector

Training/teaching skills Training the public how to use the Internet – demonstrates

ability to teach students how to find information

  SKILLS AUDIT FOR SECTOR CHANGE – SKILLS TO

ACQUIRE Other professional

skills/experience neededHow might you acquire

these?

Liaison/negotiation skills (for liaison with academics)

Join a professional committee, get involved in a working party, work

shadow a subject librarian

KEEPING YOUR OPTIONS OPEN

• Maintain knowledge and awareness of developments in the sector you have left– Reading/Twitter– Professional involvement e.g. CILIP groups and

networking– Training and visits

• Maintain skills valued by the sector you have left• Consider how you might further develop your

transferable skills• This may not be possible in your new role so

consider other activities e.g. committee work

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS• Communication and negotiation skills• Enquiry skills• Staff management• Budget management• Collection development• Teaching/training• Marketing and promotion• IT skills• Team working• Problem solving• Planning and organising

CONTACT

Amanda PoultonAcademic Team Manager

(Learning and Skills Development)

De Montfort University

apoulton@dmu.ac.uk

Twitter - @rangtang