De-Fragmentation Open Meeting coming up soon!

This is just a small sample of all the information groups out there - I couldn't possibly squeeze all their logo's into one blog post!

There are three weeks to go to the first open meeting for everyone interested in the future of the information profession to come and have their say on this important topic, and already 30 people have signed up to attend.

I am excited about this meeting in particular because it is open to all.  The two previous meetings, discussing how all the many and varied information groups, societies and associations can collaborate and work more closely together, have been attended by representatives of those groups.  While it is vital for the groups to talk to each other like this, I believe it is also important for the memberships to have their say directly.

This next meeting is for everyone – group member or not, member of one group or many, so long as you work within the realm of ‘information’ and have an interest in how the profession can gain wider recognition and increase its influence in society.  It’s a great chance to go along, have your say and brainstorm some ideas of how the groups can have more coherence and work better together, for example on joint advocacy.

I hope to meet many of you there; visit the Eventbrite site to sign up to attend this (free) event.

Recruiting the UK’s Meerkat Ambassador: Simples

One of the things I love the most about the world of recruitment is the diverse range of candidates I get to meet. However nothing I’ve experienced to date could have prepared me for the line-up I faced this week.

For the last two days I have been interviewing candidates for the role of UK Ambassador to the Meerkat village of Meerkovo. No you didn’t read that wrongly; that’s Meerkovo, home to Aleksandr Orlov and a community of highly frustrated meerkats. Despite Aleksandr releasing epic trilogy adverts, documentaries, an iPhone app and even writing a best selling book, the confusion between meerkats and cheap insurance deals continues to have a major effect on the villagers of Meerkovo and their livelihoods. The successful applicant will become the meerkats’ first ever, human, UK-based Ambassador and will be required to represent Meerkovo at a number of high-profile sporting and cultural events to raise awareness of the plight of the village.

Thousands of people applied for the role and understandably so as it does come with a not inconsiderable £40k salary for six months’ work. On the strength of their written applications, and in some cases accompanying Youtube videos, the group was whittled down to 24, all of whom were invited in for a face to face interview. I was asked to act as an independent recruitment consultant, leading the interview process and ultimately helping to shortlist a final group who will campaign publicly for the role.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the chosen few but given the people who I would be putting through their paces included a croupier, a zookeeper, a former bodybuilder and a parrot trainer I was keeping an open mind. On the whole they didn’t disappoint. 

For the role of ambassador we wanted someone who showed a clear understanding of the problems facing Meerkovo, outstanding communication skills, in-depth experience of using social media, and the social skills needed to make an impact at public events. There is no doubt whatsoever that each and every one of the candidates desperately wanted the role. Who wouldn’t? As opportunities go it doesn’t get much better. But whilst some of the candidates rose majestically to the challenge, delivering engaging interviews and showing exactly why they fit the bill, others were not as successful in responding to the demands of the brief.

It is imperative to remember that no matter what role you’re gunning for the fundamental principles of successful interviewing remain the same:

-           Prepare, prepare and prepare some more. You can never prepare too much.

-           Adopt an enthusiastic, alert, positive mindset. You don’t have to try to be someone you’re not but make sure you show some spark from the outset. If the chemistry is missing invariably your chances have gone.

-           Answer the brief. Identify the key criteria and ensure you demonstrate how you tick the necessary boxes.

For me it’s back to recruiting the UK’s best talent in PR, comms and social media. The shortlisted finalists for the Ambassador role will be announced on the 10th May and I wish them all the very best of luck as they thoroughly deserve their shot at glory.

Tim Court

How much does a bank holiday really cost?

The cost to the economy of a single bank holiday is £6bn according to the CBI.  With four such holidays in the next two weeks this equates to a £24bn hit to the UK at a time of already struggling finances. At Fabric we certainly foresee a slow-down in recruitment activity as many people will be off work from today until May 3^rd. 

However, what the CBI’s calculations don’t include are the benefits to the workplace of a much needed rest and recuperation period.  Employers and employees have been under severe pressure for the best part of three years now and the chance for two long weekends in a row combined with a national celebration is a welcome and well deserved break for many.  The benefits really could outweigh the costs.  We hope you all have a great few weeks.

- Justin Kent

Nicola Franklin receives IRMS Special Award for Contribution to the Profession

It was with great pleasure that Nicola Franklin, Head of Information Division at Fabric, accepted an award recognising her outstanding involvement and contribution to the information and records management profession from Matt Stephenson, the current Chair of the newly renamed IRMS (Information and Records Management Society), at the Gala Dinner of this year’s Conference. 

“I am greatly humbled and proud to receive this award,” said Nicola Franklin. “It is not only vital that a recruiter has a thorough knowledge of the sector they are working in, but I also believe in the importance of good information management to the success of organisations and that information professionals of all kinds receive greater recognition.  Having the work I have done to try and help achieve this recognised by the community means a lot to me.”

Getting involved with one or more of the membership groups and associations that represent the information profession is a great way to open the door to continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities.  Nicola is a great believer in the fact that career development is in the hands of the individual, and it is up to individuals to grasp opportunities.

As a recruiter supporting the information and records management industry for the past fourteen years, Nicola is a member of many of these groups and enjoys reading their journals and attending events.  To get the most out of membership, however, she believes it is important to get more involved and so over the years has volunteered to write articles, speak at seminars and conferences and sit on committees.

Nicola has been attending the IRMS Conference every year since it was held in Leeds in 2003.  She has been a speaker for three of those years, ranging from CV and interview advice to marketing records services internally.

Nicola joined the IRMS Accreditation sub-committee at its formation in 2007 and has been working to develop the assessment criteria and marking scheme with her colleagues on the committee.   The Accreditation scheme was launched at the 2011 Conference and all the documentation for it can be found on the IRMS website. 

Nicola has also been working with two colleagues to organise the ‘Fragmentation of the Information Profession’ meetings.  These are designed to facilitate closer collaboration and co-operation between as many of the information groups and associations as possible.

“I would always advise new entrants to the profession to get involved with their professional groups and volunteer for things,” says Nicola . “If you are nervous start off by taking small steps, like doing a short ‘newsy’ report on your experience of a conference for one of the journals, or comment on someone else’s blog post.  Gradually this extra-curricular activity will raise your confidence level, which itself will heighten your chances of getting a good career move.  Get involved in your professional associations, sit on sub-committees or volunteer for co-opted officer posts – make your association the group you want it to be.”

LIKE24 Event – Human Library

Last night saw LIKE members once again met at the Crown Tavern in Clerkenwell – although this time there was a huge crowd of people socialising outside in the sunshine and it was tempting to linger there instead of going inside!

Linda Constable, Senior Manager Customer Services at Dorset County Council joined us from Bournemouth to run a Human Library event for LIKE members. 

As part of the booking process for the event some delegates volunteered to be ‘books’ by nominating a topic.  On the night Linda gave a passionate description of the project and some of the feedback she has received from participants in events she has run around the country as part of a CILIP and MLA project.

Human Library is designed as a tool to encourage the breaking down of cross-cultural barriers and help people exchange ideas and share experiences.  It can give a voice to dis-enfranchised people who might otherwise feel marginalised.  Linda gave a poignant example of a ‘book’ on knitting being ‘read’ by a young mother at one event, where the ‘reader’ admitted that although she loved knitting her husband wouldn’t allow her to “waste time” doing it.  What could have been a superficial encounter about a hobby became a much more meaningful dialogue about women’s rights and interpersonal relationships in the home.

At LIKE I had the chance to be both a ‘reader’ and later on during the evening a ‘book’.  As the former I learnt about mountaineering, and specifically ice climbing in Norway.  As the latter I had 3 ‘readers’ asking me all about online gaming – from what it was exactly through to what I got out of it.

In a work environment, as opposed to a community library setting, this technique could be used to facilitate knowledge sharing.  For this the ‘books’ would need to be on ‘non-fiction’ topics such as ‘how to do xxx’ or ‘what to do in yy situation’, rather than from the auto-biographical genre.

- Nicola Franklin