Advice to new information management professionals, using my experience to show the diversity of routes into the profession and explain how to adapt skills to new career paths.
From Oil and Gas to Local Government: the How and the Why
1. From Oil & Gas to
Local Government:
the How and the Why
Joe Chapman
Aberdeenshire Council
Career Skills event
22 April 2016
2. Overview
1. Where I came from
2. Where I was
3. Where I went
4. How I got there
a) Continuous development
b) Clear vision of my future
c) Tailored applications
3. Where I
came from
Good school results (don’t forget
or underestimate them!)
Academic degree (any subject;
skills widely applicable)
Work experience (it’s all relevant!)
4. Where I was
Petrofac – Forties – commercial
Timesheets -> PPE -> billing
* Supervision *
Mostly routine duties, quite a
specialised discipline, but with
aspects applicable elsewhere
Professional development
Crossroads in career path
5. Where I
went
“What did I want to do?”
Public sector; project management
Information? Not knowingly!
Agencies, job portals, false dawns
“Information Management Project”
… and the rest is history!
Now – progressed within team,
developing via IRMS, moving on?
6. How I got
there
3 key factors in any job change:
Track record of CPD
Medium-term vision
Tailored applications
Advantages of MyJobScotland etc
Online form similar to CV and letter
7. Summary
1. Where I came from
2. Where I was
3. Where I went
4. How I got there
a) Continuous development
b) Clear vision of my future
c) Tailored applications
I was recently advised to reinstate my school results on my CV to demonstrate a solid educational background which could yet distinguish me from some other applicants for a post – especially through agencies.
I include university, subject, award (in that order) as well as some modules on my CV and applications; I’ve worked with people with a whole range of degrees, but all have the same inherent and sought-after skills.
For the work experience, pick out the key duties and responsibilities and make sure you’re able to demonstrate the value you added, and the progression you made during your time in each employment.
Progressed from timesheet entry to PPE procurement, billing (in the £100,000s), and month-end accounts; supervision of my successors on the timesheet entry side – small part of my role but one from which I learned a lot and which is a big asset when drawing on this experience for job applications.
I was also just one small part of a huge team, but my increasing responsibility and the skills and characteristics required, I still had things I could apply to other potential roles – but there’s a need to explain this clearly in applications – don’t assume employers will see the links.
I’d studied a Project Management qualification to gain a broader understanding, and was at the point of progressing to take on sole responsibility for a smaller project, which required committing myself to a line of work that wasn’t my intended one, so it was time to move on to something new.
Around that time I had a much better idea of what I didn’t want to do (what I was doing!) than what I did. Did I want to go back to my degree subjects – economics and politics? Was I prepared to take something as an ‘experiment’ and risk ending up in the same situation? Not easy questions…
I tried going through agencies but they didn’t seem able to accommodate my range of experience and desire for a sector change – they seemed fixated on either oil & gas, or commercial & contract management, or both. So I invested time in doing my own research, sifting through job portals – s1jobs, jobsite, Guardian, civil service and Scot Gov… and MyJobScotland. After a few failures, something called an ‘Information Management Project’ appeared…
I was fortunate – it was a brand new team, with 3 roles available at my level, the interview (which I struggle with) included a presentation (which I enjoy)… and above all I had a bold and perceptive manager who was recruiting a diverse team with varied backgrounds and complementary skills.
Now, I’ve progressed within the department, I’m involved with the IRMS for professional development… I’m armed and ready for my next move!
These 3 key factors are always applicable but especially when changing sector and/or specialism.
You need to have a strong track record of professional development – the ability to look beyond your desk and your job description… but above all it’s about the inclination – the mindset, and what that shows. Everyone is basically good at their job, so it’s difficult to distinguish yourself on the basis of core abilities. What makes you stand out, and how you will add value over and above an alternative candidate, are the things you need to prove.
You need to have a reasonably long view of your career, so that applying for a particular job is seen as a strategic action and not a whim. Why are you applying, where do you want to end up, how will this get you there, what can you achieve/deliver along the way… these are the fundamental questions you need to answer.
If you don’t know or can’t explain why this job is right for you, why should an employer that you are right for this job?
And you need to tailor your applications to each job you apply for. We’ve all heard horror stories – people saying: “I apply for 10 jobs a day and can’t even get an interview!” … Well that failure is probably because of, rather than in spite of, that volume. An employer doesn’t care that this CV is applicable to 10 different roles – only whether it meets their specific criteria and requirements. Quality is better than quantity!
Job portals like MyJobScotland are an advantage because they provide space for a detailed but standard description of your past experience (this is viewed in real-time, so don’t keep changing it as you’re effectively altering submitted applications!) which is separate from the application questions where you can refer to this experience and emphasise the key points specific to the particular vacancy.
And don’t think MJS is just for councils; there’s a growing range of public-sector bodies and some charities on there – including colleges and universities.
After today, no answers for a while – 2-week holiday!
