Reference ~ Loans Mentoring Project 2016 by Tanya Bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti Made with good vibes en-us 2016-12-13 05:39:57 UTC 2025-12-23 22:53:05 UTC hello@padlet.com Daniel Giddens tanya_bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279367 Overall, mentoring was an enjoyable experience. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I was offering the right advice and guidance to my mentee, who is at a different stage in her career to the others, and so some of the meeting topics were not as relevant, while others were discussed in more depth. What the topics did do was open up a broader conversation around career rejuvenation and direction, which sometimes gets lost if you’ve been in a job for a while.

Through the process I saw in practice how mentoring is not just a tool is for those starting out in their careers, it can occur anytime; that having a basic structure to work from is good, but the conversation and sharing that happens between both parties is the most important thing, It wasn’t so much about talking to my mentee about getting a job like mine, but seeing all the possibilities of a LIS career, how the  skillset can be used in different ways  and how  to use our professional networks to remain active and engaged in the profession.  I realised that our mutual desire for career rejuvenation was what made us a good match, which made discussing job-seeking strategies and interviews for example, more meaningful and mutually beneficial.

At the start, I also wasn’t sure that I had had enough varied experience to be a mentor, but I do enjoy encouraging others to reach their own goals, so would be very happy to be a mentor again if the opportunity arises.

]]> 2016-12-13 05:45:12 UTC https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279367 “Since completing the mentoring project I definitely have a better understanding of the role of a reference librarian, their day to day tasks and the types of projects they are involved in. It was nice to get to know Tracey better, gain insight into her role and for the both of us to share some of our ideas and interests. I found the project really helpful in that I had dedicated person I could direct my questions to in relation to job applications I had submitted and receive helpful advice about my CV and approach to job interviews. I also enjoyed meeting with Julia and Craig as part of the program. I've since set up TOC alerts for key journals and search alerts on topics of interest. I genuinely feel more engaged in my library work and more informed about the library world”. tanya_bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279444 Hannah Dunlop]]> 2016-12-13 05:48:19 UTC https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279444 This was my first experience of being involved in a mentoring program and I can highly recommend it to other staff. It was great to take time out to discuss the topics on the program, and especially to gain the perspective of a member of the loans team. It was also useful to invite Craig and Julia to share their insights and ideas on professional development. I enjoyed meeting with Hannah and finding out about her career interests and perceptions of reference work, and sharing my views and experience, and more generally just getting to know each other better. Engaging in this process helped me to clarify my own priorities, recall useful practices I had forgotten, and more fully appreciate my work.Hannah and I have put together some suggested resources and activities for each of the mentoring topics on the program. This may be useful for the other mentoring partnerships (who are welcome to add to it), or for those participating in the future. tanya_bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279494 Tracey Love]]> 2016-12-13 05:49:40 UTC https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279494 tanya_bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279581
"I found the Reference Mentoring experience very rewarding. Marita (my mentor) provided me with plenty of insights into her own professional experiences, which have built upon my understanding of how everyone has their own unique (and often unpredictable) career journey. A highlight was meeting with both Marita and Craig Adams on job interview strategies and approach. Marita and I also spent some time together reading over a job application and my resume. This exercise was also invaluable and extremely helpful. I would highly recommend colleagues take up the opportunity to participate in mentoring in the future - definitely enjoyable and worthwhile. Thank you, Dr. Shelly!"  
Ursula Spiers
]]> 2016-12-13 05:52:22 UTC https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143279581 Maree Vaughan tanya_bramley https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143523089 I found the Mentoring program really worthwhile and rewarding. It was 'outward' focused and meetings covered: brushing up a resume/cover letter; searching for industry jobs (and wider); interview tips etc. We also discussed professional development ideas (CUEs; secondments, projects, volunteering etc) as well as further training.  Dan was also very good to talk about regarding current issues in the field and future trends.  I even got back onto LinkedIn!  Having such a thoroughly organised & thought-provoking mentor as Dan really helped make it all a worthwhile experience.  Thank you!]]> 2016-12-14 05:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/tanya_bramley/vpr77stl79ti/wish/143523089