The end of the 23 Things

the 23 Things for professional development is formally over now. Throught reading other blogs I have pretty much stayed up to date and have enjoyed learning about web based applications such as prezi, evernote, and still want to explore 'remember the milk'.

I have also completed (and passed) the ILM qualification I was working though, so am beginning to breathe a bit easier.

Work has been very busy - we have just recruited student shelvers, so I went through 90 applicants and interviewed 10 people in one afternoon. This fitted very well with thing 21 about writing applications which isn't always obvious or easy, particularly for students who are just beginning to learn about this particular skill. Several applicants asked for feedback so I was able to explain the process so that should help for the future.

Working so closely with the Exeter University students lead me to remembering by own student days. At one point I had 4 jobs to keep my debts to a minimum! Although some jobs I had as a student were not career related (such as waitressing, and selling double glazing!), I did a shelving job, and also volunteered at American Express. This was a valuable insight into the business world, and I spent a long time working with the files of information held there. Thing 22 recommends volunteering, and this was certainly beneficial in the early days to give my CV a bit more interest. However, 20 years (I can't believe it's been that long!) later, businesses are reluctant to take on volunteers - certainly I have not been permitted to use volunteers in the library even though there are several projects which would benefit from youthful energy, and the students would benefit having the experience. Perhaps it is a sign of the litigious time we live in and of higher expectations in terms of health and safety.

This blog will stay open, but I am not sure how often I will update it. I will continue to read widely from other bloggers in the field, and will continue to stay 'linked in'. Thank you to those people who structured the programme and made it easier to learn extended web applications and network.