CILIP New Professionals Day by Nicola Semple, CILIP North West Bursary Winner

In October, I was offered the CILIP NW Member Network bursary for the CILIP New Professionals Day which took place on 22nd October 2019. 

I am currently studying the Library and Information Management MA at Manchester Metropolitan University and chose New Professionals Day as my first CILIP conference. Having never attended a CILIP conference before, I thought this event would ease me in. I also hoped that it would give me a brief overview of the different career paths an information professional might choose. Entry for the randomised bursary was straightforward; it required an email from me with my CILIP member number, name, and the title of my university course.

On the day of the event, I got an early train down to London, paid for mainly with the bursary. At CILIP HQ, we were offered coffee, tea and biscuits and I sat down for a catch up with a fellow student who had also come along to the event. Ahead of the day attendees received a workshop checklist so, while we waited for our first workshop to start, we sat with our teas and checked if we were attending any of the same talks. Just by chance, we were!

Workshop 1: Emerging and Existing Careers in the Civil Service

The first workshop was a detailed overview of careers within the civil service, presented by Adebola Dada, Knowledge Management Analyst at the Home Office. The talk covered the success profile used to assess applicants, the courses you can do to put you on the right path and the variety of roles within the sector. One job role of interest was a Data Protection Officer (DPO). DPO is an entirely new role, created after the introduction of GDPR. This workshop was fascinating and gave an in-depth view of a sector that had previously seemed so mysterious to me.
We also discussed different aspects of CILIP such as the regional member networks, special interest groups, the BAME and LGBTQ+ networks, and professional registration such as Chartership.

Lunch!

Workshop 2: How To Nail Your Dream Job

The second workshop involved a detailed talk of how to prepare for an interview.  This ranged from what to wear to how and what to research on a company. Tracey South and Jayne Winch from CB Resourcing gave this talk, and I’m sure it will come in handy for any future interviews!

Workshop 3: What Else Can You Do? - Crossing Sectors

Before the next talk with User Researcher Natasha Chowdory, we first had a short Q&A with Helen Berry, Workforce Development Manager for CILIP. We focused on the topic of crossing sectors and having variety in your career. The answers were constructive, and a great added extra for the day. Natasha then continued her talk, taking us through her career path, which was both intriguing and refreshing to hear.Having worked in copywriting and marketing for almost seven years, I recently decided to change career and found my feet while studying a Librarianship MA. Changing career at 30 can result in many questions as to whether you are doing the right thing. It is a classic recipe for imposter syndrome, something I think many in the librarianship profession feel at times. After attending Natasha Chowdory’s talk, I’ve since felt very comfortable with my own decision. I’ve also discovered numerous times since that not all career paths are the same, but yours will make a lot of sense in the end.Before we went into the final workshop, we had tea and biscuits in the Ewart Room, while catching up on the talks we’d had so far.

Workshop 4: It’s Not All Money, Money, Money! 

To wrap up a jam-packed day, the last workshop I attended was a talk on working in finance, with Penny Leach from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Working in the corporate sector couldn’t be further from what I expect I’ll do after my MA. Still, it’s essential to consider all the potential directions you could follow during your career.
The discussion gave a much broader perspective on information careers from a more analytical standpoint. It also covered the different roles within this sector, and the kind of work you would do. It has reframed my perception of this particular area of the financial industry. It also has given me a list of books to read, which is always a good thing!

Reflections on the day

The ability to attend a wide variety of talks is a highlight of conferences, and you should always take advantage of this. Even if they never lead on to anything directly similar in your career.
Overall, I had a productive and enjoyable time at the CILIP New Professionals Day 2019. I have a broader perspective of the information profession as a whole. I also think I caught the conference bug while I was there - so I hope I’ll be attending many more in the future.
Thank you CILIP for a great day.