Three years ago, I was 25, working in retail, dreaming of being a librarian. Fast forward to today, and I have a library degree, I’m leading a library team and applying the same customer service skills that I gained in my retail job.
My experience in retail delivered so many transferable skills that have proven valuable in my career as a librarian so far. At the completion of my Graduate Diploma in Information Management at the end of 2021, I felt that I had to start from scratch. I believed that my time as a retail supervisor would mean nothing to recruiters and subsequently did not put these skills on display when applying for librarian roles.

As a young person, entry level jobs are often just seen as the thing to do when you are trying to find your real job. I want to use this lightning talk to encourage all new graduates to think carefully about their previous roles in retail and hospitality. The experience that is gained in these jobs is valuable in libraries, you just need to outline why in applications. For me it all came together when I joined the ALIA mentoring scheme in 2022 and my mentor helped to identify these skills.

In my presentation I will explain how to read key selection criteria and how to map across transferable skills. I’ll also detail the key skills most ex-retail workers have that are valuable in a public library. New graduates should know how to map transferable skills across industries and be confident that they have the right skills and experience for the role. Just because you don’t have library experience does not mean you can’t get the job.