Aiming Outside: Other Careers Ulla de Stricker www.destricker.com

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Aiming Outside Other CareersUlla de
Strickerwww.destricker.com
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You - Yes You Could You be a Policy Analyst?

• Of course.
• Question Are we game?

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What We Will Cover

• Part One What Jobs/Requirements are Out There?
  
• Part Two Mapping Translating Skills
• Part Three Overcoming the L

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Part One Work Out There
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Thought Experiment

• In what other settings could the things we
  routinely do be applicable?
• Six examples of requirements lifted from recent
  online job postings

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Example 1

• CONDUCT RESEARCH, COMPILE DATA, AND PREPARE
  PAPERS FOR CONSIDERATION AND PRESENTATION BY
  EXECUTIVES
• PREPARE INVOICES, REPORTS, MEMOS, LETTERS,
  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, USING
  WORD PROCESSING, SPREADSHEET, DATABASE, AND/OR
  PRESENTATION SOFTWARE
• ANALYZE INCOMING AND OUTGOING MEMORANDA,
  SUBMISSIONS AND REPORTS AND PREPARE AND
  CO-ORDINATE THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF
  SUMMARY BRIEFS AND REPORTS TO EXECUTIVES
• MEET WITH INDIVIDUALS, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
  AND OTHERS ON BEHALF OF EXECUTIVES, COMMITTEES
  AND BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

• Conduct research, compile data, and prepare
  papers for consideration and presentation by
  executives
• Meet with individuals, special interest groups
  and others on behalf of executives, committees
  and boards of directors
• Prepare reports, memos, letters, financial
  statements and other documents
• Analyze incoming and outgoing memoranda,
  submissions and reports and coordinate the
  preparation and submission of summary briefs and
  reports to executives

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Example 1

• CONDUCT RESEARCH, COMPILE DATA, AND PREPARE
  PAPERS FOR CONSIDERATION AND PRESENTATION BY
  EXECUTIVES
• PREPARE INVOICES, REPORTS, MEMOS, LETTERS,
  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, USING
  WORD PROCESSING, SPREADSHEET, DATABASE, AND/OR
  PRESENTATION SOFTWARE
• ANALYZE INCOMING AND OUTGOING MEMORANDA,
  SUBMISSIONS AND REPORTS AND PREPARE AND
  CO-ORDINATE THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF
  SUMMARY BRIEFS AND REPORTS TO EXECUTIVES
• MEET WITH INDIVIDUALS, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
  AND OTHERS ON BEHALF OF EXECUTIVES, COMMITTEES
  AND BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

• Conduct research, compile data, and prepare
  papers for consideration and presentation by
  executives
• Meet with individuals, special interest groups
  and others on behalf of executives, committees
  and boards of directors
• Prepare reports, memos, letters, financial
  statements and other documents
• Analyze incoming and outgoing memoranda,
  submissions and reports and coordinate the
  preparation and submission of summary briefs and
  reports to executives
• Research/reference and analysis

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Example 2

• Develop Strategic Insights by understanding of
  market research data and analysis of program
  results to develop business strategies for the
  client and presenting them to key stakeholders
  during review sessions being informed of
  internal/external factors that may affect client
  operations.
• Manage Key Client Deliverables by fulfilling
  daily client requests, creating and managing
  project plans for new programs communicating
  with client(s) on a daily basis managing
  internal and external suppliers.
• Provide Effective Direction to Clients by
  performing systems training for clients and their
  users cultivating client relationships
  maintaining a consultative role.

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Example 2

• Develop Strategic Insights by understanding of
  market research data and analysis of program
  results to develop business strategies for the
  client and presenting them to key stakeholders
  during review sessions being informed of
  internal/external factors that may affect client
  operations.
• Manage Key Client Deliverables by fulfilling
  daily client requests, creating and managing
  project plans for new programs communicating
  with client(s) on a daily basis managing
  internal and external suppliers.
• Provide Effective Direction to Clients by
  performing systems training for clients and their
  users cultivating client relationships
  maintaining a consultative role.
• Original research, acquisitions, client
  service, vendor relations, user training

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Example 3

• Develop and write backgrounders, presentation
  support materials by researching, writing, and
  editing marketing materials for milestones,
  events, programs, etc.
• Write corporate communications documents,
  strategies, reports, marketing material, print
  and electronic communications.
• Provide speech writing and presentation support
  for CEO, Chair of the Board, Executive Team
  Members and senior staff. Conduct all necessary
  research, prepare all briefing materials. Ensure
  good exposure for top staff to deliver messaging.
• Responsible for the development, writing and
  delivery of key reports including Annual Reports.

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Example 3

• Develop and write backgrounders, presentation
  support materials by researching, writing, and
  editing marketing materials for milestones,
  events, programs, etc.
• Write corporate communications documents,
  strategies, reports, marketing material, print
  and electronic communications.
• Provide speech writing and presentation support
  for CEO, Chair of the Board, Executive Team
  Members and senior staff. Conduct all necessary
  research, prepare all briefing materials. Ensure
  good exposure for top staff to deliver messaging.
• Responsible for the development, writing and
  delivery of key reports including Annual Reports.
• Excellent Written Communication Skills

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Example 4

• Investigate, assess and make recommendations
  regarding program planning, policy and evaluation
  
• Proactively problem solve, recommend ideas and
  strategies, and share information and best
  practices wrt sensitive and complex issues
• Prepare financial and statistical reports
  budgets
• Develop marketing outreach strategies, including
  research, presentations, briefing materials and
  other external communications

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Example 4

• Investigate, assess and make recommendations
  regarding program planning, policy and evaluation
  
• Proactively problem solve, recommend ideas and
  strategies, and share information and best
  practices wrt sensitive and complex issues
• Prepare financial and statistical reports
  budgets
• Develop marketing outreach strategies, including
  research, presentations, briefing materials and
  other external communications
• User needs assessments strategic planning,
  preparing budgets, marketing library services

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Example 5

• Lead research using available information sources
  on local market demographics, settlement and
  employment service needs to effectively provide
  data and analysis on newcomer, employer, service
  provider and community assets / capacity
• Coordinate needs assessments, focus groups, and
  surveys to clients / employers / community
  partners to determine settlement and integration
  challenges into the community
• Promote the organization through excellent
  marketing, public relations and presentation
  skills  

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Example 5

• Lead research using available information sources
  on local market demographics, settlement and
  employment service needs to effectively provide
  data and analysis on newcomer, employer, service
  provider and community assets / capacity
• Coordinate needs assessments, focus groups, and
  surveys to clients / employers / community
  partners to determine settlement and integration
  challenges into the community
• Promote the organization through excellent
  marketing, public relations and presentation
  skills  
• Research PR

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Example 6

• demonstrated knowledge of communication and
  information theory, methods, techniques and
  practices, and stakeholder relations in order to
  plan, coordinate and implement initiatives and
  projects
• knowledge of contract and vendor management
  processes and practices in order to coordinate
  and administer the procurement process
• knowledge of Internet, satellite broadcasting,
  digital video conferencing equipment and Wide
  Area Network technologies in order to provide
  customized and professional events to clients

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Example 6

• demonstrated knowledge of communication and
  information theory, methods, techniques and
  practices, and stakeholder relations in order to
  plan, coordinate and implement initiatives and
  projects
• knowledge of contract and vendor management
  processes and practices in order to coordinate
  and administer the procurement process
• knowledge of Internet, satellite broadcasting,
  digital video conferencing equipment and Wide
  Area Network technologies in order to provide
  customized and professional events to clients
• Planning and project management / Vendor
  negotiations

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Investigation

• We are familiar with adjacent employment areas
  such as CI/BI, web/content management, and IM/KM
• Research Project
• Analyze the content of job postings in the next
  adjacent employment domains Managerial,
  Policy, Marketing, Communications, Media, Senior
  Administrative, etc to find matches to specific
  skills

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Where to Look?

• Naturally, repositories such as Workopolis,
  JobStart, GoJobs
• Organizational websites job listings -
  government entities at all levels, nonprofits,
  NGOs, associations, startups

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Where to Dig Some More?

• In target industries, seek out individuals who
  may be willing to describe what they do day to
  day
• Diagnose the functions and activities from the
  point of view of what would I need to add to my
  skill set in order to perform such a function?
• Sidle up Attend meetings of e.g.
• http//toronto.methods.knowledgeworkers.org/
• Read the professional literature of the target
  industry

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Part Two Mapping and Translating Skills

• Potential job postings feature a vocabulary we
  may use as a basis for the translation of our
  skills and experience the other way into
  language matching employers requirements and
  desires
• Build concordance from info pro experience and
  expertise to business/government/nonprofit
  activities
• Example

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Mapping and Translating Skills

• Example from the non-L world
• I combined 15 years worth of records/information
  into a simple and quick retrieval system for a
  group of 20 analysts. Apparently many previous
  attempts had failed. It took me about three
  months to set up a working system after going
  through every piece of existing information to
  determine what to purge and keep and then to
  understand the users types of queries.

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Concordance

• Perform reference and research
• Assess user needs and broker service agreements
• Analyze and summarize content for distribution to
  various stakeholder groups

• Conduct research, compile data, and prepare
  papers for consideration and presentation by
  executives
• Meet with individuals, special interest groups
  and others on behalf of executives, committees
  and boards of directors
• Analyze incoming and outgoing memoranda,
  submissions and reports and coordinate the
  preparation and submission of summary briefs and
  reports to executives

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Does it feel about this natural?
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Questions to Prompt the Concordance

• How have I supported knowledge workers or
  business processes?
• When did I conduct research to support a
  proposal?
• How have I ensured stakeholder needs were
  considered in strategic planning?
• What has been my contribution to protecting
  corporate memory?
• How have my advanced searching skills saved the
  day for clients?

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Questions to Prompt the Concordance

• What are my client services accomplishments?
• What are the best examples of my ability to lead
  teams?
• How have I supported and promoted change
  management?
• What difference have I made to any department in
  which I worked?

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Dictionary Examples

• Reference research support
• Acquisitions procurement and vendor
  negotiations
• Cataloguing document management
• ILS content management system, inventory
  tracking
• Indexing content tagging, taxonomy
• User instruction training in the use of tools /
  systems
• User surveys client needs assessment
• Online searching skills using enterprise
  search systems

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Part Three Overcoming the Perception of the L

• Old Analogy Housewife logistics and
  operations manager, educator, negotiator,
  nutritional consultant, events coordinator,
  nurse, guidance counselor
• Librarian program coordinator, researcher,
  analyst, client service director, policy
  developer, marketer, communications specialist,
  shareholder relations manager
• Face the challenge up front without using
  but
• State the competencies without our jargon

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Leverage Association Roles Volunteer Activity

• Describe experience and expertise gained during
  the work of chairing committees, holding elected
  office, organizing association events, etc
• Use accomplishments as community volunteer to
  demonstrate service ethic, planning skills, etc
• Point to seminars and presentations as evidence
  of communication skills

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Tackle the Question Up Front

• In the cover letter, come right out and say it
• From professional experience in an information
  centric environment, I offer the skills and
  expertise your organization needs
• Track record of
• Demonstrated success in
• Solid accomplishments in

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Deal with Subject Matter

• As employers may desire hiring someone with a
  specific subject background, address industry or
  domain knowledge
• Subject knowledge Through my work supporting
  knowledge workers at . , I developed extensive
  familiarity with . and with the challenges
  commonly encountered in .

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Then Speak to the Job Functions One by One

• List the key requirements and show how each is
  met
• Develop marketing outreach strategies In 2010,
  I led a new .. initiative for organization
  and created the communications plan to engage the
  stakeholders
• Proactively problem solve and recommend
  strategies In 2009, I undertook a research
  project to discover why . and built a business
  case to address the findings

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Long Term Further Education Couldnt Hurt

• Let personal interest, undergrad major, or
  skills in demand point to more education so as
  to show knowledge of the field in question
• Knowledge of XXXX During the last three years,
  I completed the YYYY program at ZZZZ College

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Question

• Based on a remarkable boom in .., what kind of
  professional will be in high demand in the coming
  years?

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Questions?Thank You!Seminars, articles, and
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