Working towards Registered Membership - Zoe
Zoe Fullard, Archives Cataloguer at Transport for London, won the New Professionals Award 2018 for demonstrating leadership and initiative in her work with Preservica at the Transport for London Corporate Archive, as well as taking on a voluntary role managing the ARA Conference Twitter feed. The Section for New Professionals who judged the awards said: “Zoe’s work has clear impact far beyond her own organisation and she has shown dedication to professional development both in her own career and in her support of other new professionals.”
Q. What attracted you to Registered Membership?
New legislation, revision of standards, and technological advancements are changing the way records are created, stored, preserved and accessed – all of which impact the way we do our job. Developing my Registered Member application ensures that my industry knowledge and professional skills remain up to date. The programme will also enable me to critically reflect on traditional archive theory and practice and how these apply to digital environments. I want to continue to provide a relevant and meaningful service to users and share current knowledge and critical thought processes with colleagues and aspiring record-keepers.
Q. We advise candidates to undertake a self-assessment of their experience using the competency framework. How useful did you find the self-assessment process?
Mapping myself against the framework helped me identify which eight competencies to develop, and how to achieve the desired level for Registered Membership. In some areas I realised that I already had the experience necessary to qualify as a Registered Member, which made me feel like I had a solid starting point. As I continued looking at the competencies and experience levels in closer detail, I brainstormed how I was achieving some of them through current responsibilities. I could then begin to determine what evidence I could submit to demonstrate how my experience meets the criteria. The self-assessment process was also useful as it brought to my attention certain competencies I would like more experience in. This made me more proactive and aware of opportunities within my current job role and beyond.
Meetings with my mentor have really helped. They provide a space to discuss progress and reflect on what I have learnt. My mentor offers guidance, encouragement, expertise and different perspectives on topics discussed. This makes me feel that I am on the right track towards the next step of my career and builds my confidence as a new professional. Mentor meetings also act as a driver to make progress with my application so I can feed back something new each time.
Q. What advice would you offer to those thinking of enrolling onto the programme?
When I began the self-assessment process I had initially picked eight competencies to develop, but these have changed over time. Learning is a dynamic process and opportunities may arise that could develop your skillset which you may not have considered at first. So be flexible and open to all development opportunities – be proactive seeking them out whether that’s within or outside your organisation.
Article first published in ARC magazine January 2019