Keep on keeping on

Taking the chance of a cpd23 lull to add some more job-hunting news. I'm still unemployed and feeling anxious.

So far I've been chivvying my sons about their exams and generally keeping busy on a domestic front, but I can see that that's going to pall quite quickly. When I receive my final payment from HWPH I think I may really start to panic.

So, what's going on.

Completed Applications

• Clinical Librarian post in Surrey - unsuccesful. Waiting for feedback.
• 3 posts I've asked agencies to put me forward for - no news. I'm slightly miffed about this because in one case I didn't even get an acknowledgement from the agency. This was an academic library post in London so not ideal, but even so.. Next time I think I'll try phoning.

Current applications in progress/under consideration

• Librarian in very local to me NHS Trust Library. This would be perfect, and I have the skills. Just need to refine and complete the application form and submit.
• School librarian in a very local to me primary school. I'm not sure about this one -  I don't have school library experience but I do have some experience with primary age children from my work with the After School Club and volunteering in the CofE school when the boys were there.
• College library post in Hants. I have the academic library experience, but I'm put off by the travelling (48 miles, 51 mins according to Bing) and the fact they start at 7.45. I know that's shallow. On the brightside I'm guessing the travelling would be much quicker at that time in the morning. I think this will go on the back burner.
• Final post is in Herts.(43 miles, 45 mins) Library manager, Part time and a band 7. This actually sounds better the more I think about it. I think I will move onto this one when I've finished the local NHS one.

So that's a brief update. I'm being even more circumspect about details than I was before, following my thoughts about branding. If any other jobseekers would like to compare notes I'd be delighted to hear from you via comments or by e-mail - and good luck to all of us.

Branded as well as weeded?

Today's exercise is to consider our personal online presence.

As suggested I searched for myself on Google and most of the early hits which came up did relate to me - my name is quite unusual - possibly this was also distorted by my already being logged in.

My Linkedin account came up, this blog and various things I was involved in when working for HWPH. Also the fact I'm registered on ALISON.

I don't have a Twitter account and my knitting and Archers messageboard activity wasn't picked up!

There was nothing there that I wouldn't want a future employer to see - although I may be watching what I say here about job hunting a bit more carefully since I'm using this blog to record that as well as my 23 things.

I feel my online presence is a bit "thin" - I don't actually do much with my Linkedin account and I've always tended to be a reader rather than a commenter on blogs. I've also not used a photograph of myself here or on Linkedin or Facebook. Not sure why this is - perhaps because as a not-so-young woman I don't want to be judged by appearance? I'm reconsidering this but would obviously need a stunningly good photo to use! One of the good/bad things about the internet is its anonymity. The ability to present yourself as who you want to be without meeting preconceptions based on appearance - but also the ability to deceive.
I think my blog title "The Weeded Librarian" which was chosen defiantly, and because I like puns, is not particularly memorable and has some unfortunate associations with weedy. Although I do like my dandelion photo, which is appropriate, so that could  become a kind of trademark like Jo's penguin.

I'm not particularly design conscious so I probably need to have a hard look my blog. I do like the books background but is that really what I want to say about myself and libraries?

CPD 23 Thing 02

Thanks very much to the people who have left comments on my blog. I can't tell you how exciting I find this - somebody has noticed me - yay.

I've just spent an hour or so visiting other people's blogs and leaving comments. Although I have been a keen blog-reader for many years I very rarely leave comments, so this is also very exciting.

Just a sample of the blogs I visited:

• Passionatemedicallibrarian
• The padded envelope
• Blogging to succes
• Much ado about blogging 

I found it reassuring that some other bloggers do also have concerns about privacy, the dangers of employers seeing critical comments and so on.

Quite a few people expressed concern on their blogs about the reflective writing aspect of these postings. Having undertaken the CTLLS, whch involved reflective writing, and having advised a Chartership mentee, I'm hoping this will not be too difficult.

Looking forward to next week "Consider your personal brand"

CPD23 - Thing 1

I've decided to join the CPD23s free 23 things CPD this summer. They suggest that for the first post we do some reflective writing about why we're taking part in the course.

I think I'm likely to find it increasingly difficult to keep up-to-date if I don't find employment soon, so this is a really fantastic opportunity for me. I'm extremely grateful to have the chance to explore some of the new technologies in a structured way, rather than just noodling around by myself.

I'm considering whether I want to add links to my blog to my rather basic Facebook page, or my Linkedin account. I see this comes up later on and I'm really looking forward to that. I think there are some real questions about privacy and the division between professional/public face and personal/private face. The separation seems to be breaking down which is all part of our 24/7 never off-line society and I'm uncomfortable with some aspects of this.

At the moment I'd just be grateful to continue to have a career. My experience is quite broad, I've worked in HE and the NHS and I'd like a chance to put some of that experience back to work. I'd also like to get involved in some areas where I've managed to miss out,  my web design skills are rusty and rudimentary for example.

I think my blogging is currently a bit boring, so I'd like to improve it by adding some photos - possibly some garden ones, in keeping with the title!

A new hope?

So, not succesful with the Wellcome. Not surprised as it was a pure cataloguing job, which is not really me.
Invited for an interview at Chertsey on 16/6 for the Clinical Librarian post. Quite a challenge, as they want a 10 minute presentation of a critical appraisal and a search skills exercise. I'm a bit nervous about this as the latest changes on NHS evidence have not been completely incorporated into my skill set yet. I guess I could practice by doing the search skills group task. What will they do for people who don't have an NHS athens? Maybe it will be writing a search strategy?

No news on the CAM post.

No news from SCIE either.

On a brighter note I've been awarded an HLG sponsored place at Umbrella. I'm delighted, as I don't think I could have justified spending money on going. I think I should sign up with Twitter and tweet and or blog while I'm there which might make the writing up easier.