Sue Westcott, MA Dip Lib, FCILP

Currently Head of ICT, Communities and Local Government

Shortly to be Team Leader, Programme Team Communities and Local Government

Previously Head of Knowledge Management and Library Services Branch

Experience in 4 Government Departments, plus educational sector and third sector

Vice Chair of Government Libraries and Information Group and CILIP Mentor

Previously CILIP Councillor and Member of Executive Committee.

CharacterEducation and

Skills

ExperienceProfessionalism

We are all a mixture of the following:

Focus on collecting, organising, structuring and ensuring access to internal and external knowledge and information

Includes: ◦ Developing policy and strategy to support business

objectives◦ Management and organisation of data, information and

knowledge in all formats ◦ Knowledge and application of tools and techniques from

story telling to taxonomy◦ Ability to communicate and share these skills◦ Knowledge of relevant legislation eg data protection, FOI

How do you approach tasks? How do you learn? What role do you like to take in a team? How do you respond to pressure? Are you an optimist or a pessimist What are you “passionate” about? Are you resilient?

These are the things that are innate to you – you can change but it takes practice.

Formal Qualifications Knowledge Management Competencies Leadership and Management Skills Languages Specialist Knowledge eg law, company

information How to get things done in your organisation Delivery skills

These are things you can learn and practice – you can always learn something new!

Where have you worked? What are you proud of? What have you delivered? What has life taught you? Who do you know and how do you build

working relationships? What have you learnt about making decisions? What is you attitude to risk and failure? What is your reputation?

This is what forms the foundation of your career and can help you decide what you are likely to succeed at.

Competency and efficiency Standards Ethics and values Respect for yourself and others Responsibility to develop others and challenge

them Reflective approach to your work and

commitment to development

This is your approach to being professional – it is a combination of all the other areas but is also how your employer and your colleagues will judge you.

Employers want three dimensional employees If you don’t know about yourself how can you

communicate your value to others You can use this knowledge to guide you

through different challenges in and out of work You can make positive choices that will stretch

you whether your career is upwards, sideways or transformational (or even downshifting…)

Your sense of worth will not be dependent on the role you are currently in.