Careers information officer
Careers information officers identify, analyse and assess the suitability and value of information relevant to a careers service or careers information unit.
They develop strategies for information planning, procurement, provision and management to meet current and anticipated needs, while considering budgeting constraints.
They provide a service to internal service users, such as current and former students and work colleagues, as well as to external users, such as other organisations and clients. They may also be responsible for other areas within the service, which are not necessarily information-related, for example:
Individual tasks vary between post holders, depending on the size and type of the employing organisation, but there is common ground, and typical activities usually include:
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, a degree in librarianship or information science/management, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) may improve your chances.
A qualification in careers guidance or information technology may also be useful, although a degree background in almost any subject is acceptable when teamed with the desired skills.
Entry may be possible with an HND or foundation degree only, though a degree is increasingly preferred in most employing organisations. Entry with an S/NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance, together with the relevant skills and experience may also be possible, particularly in private careers services.
Although a postgraduate qualification is not essential, an MA or MSc in librarianship or information science/management, accredited by CILIP, may improve your chances.
Relevant pre-entry experience in library, information or guidance work is advantageous, as is marketing or research experience, particularly in private careers services.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Voluntary work or work shadowing at your university or local private careers service may be advantageous and will provide a useful insight into the range of skills required and activities involved in careers information work.
Competition is keen for all posts, but especially for those open to new graduates. In some cases, entry at a lower level, e.g. as an information assistant, may be necessary before you can secure an information officer post.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
There is no specific, national-level training, but there are opportunities to undertake in-house training and to attend one-off external courses. These may be related to information provision itself or cover related areas such as staff supervision or web development. Courses and training opportunities vary from region to region and service to service.
Professional bodies, such as the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) , provide a range of training opportunities in specific subjects, such as:
There are a wide range of options available: from short courses to post-experience certificates, diplomas and MAs, delivered via seminars, conferences, taught or research courses and through more informal meetings and discussion groups.
Some careers information officers may undertake postgraduate or professional qualifications in more specialised areas, such as librarianship or information science/management (accredited by CILIP), IT or careers guidance.
Other bodies, such as employers' groups, may offer day events where information staff can broaden their knowledge and understanding of a specific occupation, employing organisation or area of work.
There may be little scope for advancement once you have progressed through the pay scale of a particular post. Development is more likely to be into additional management responsibilities or specialisation within the service, although such additional duties may be unrelated to a typical information provision role. Moving from a small service to a larger one may provide more scope for progression.
Additional guidance training and a transfer to a careers adviser/personal adviser post is an option for those with an interest in guidance. It is not uncommon for careers information officers to train in this area while in post, either by part-time evening study or by day release. More information is available from the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) .
Within professional organisations, such as the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) , there are opportunities to get involved in researching and writing materials for national publications or to provide training to colleagues across regional or national areas. Collaborative research projects with other organisations may also provide opportunities for specialisation and personal and professional development.
Chartered librarianship status, recognised by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) , is another possible option for career development.
Employment may be in any organisation with a careers information service or unit, particularly:
The size of the organisation may have an impact on certain aspects of the job, such as the amount of routine 'housekeeping' tasks, supervision of information staff and the potential for specialisation. In services where there is more than one information officer, the post holders may be responsible for specific sections of the information individually and the entire unit jointly. Equally, small services' facilities may require the information officer to complete basic administrative tasks, such as booking appointments, photocopying or dealing with vacancy information.
In organisations where there are several information points, such as some private careers services, information officers may have little contact with service customers. Instead, they may fulfil a more consultancy-type role, supporting the initial contact staff within individual units and working with external organisations, such as schools, to offer advice on the contents of their careers libraries.
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