Thing 13: Reflective Post

I enjoyed this session of Rudai 23. Although, I discovered that I already have used many of the recommended tools, it was good to learn a little bit more about them or just to be reassured that they are still recommended.

Thing 10: Networking Tools

I removed myself from Facebook a number of years ago and aside from a possible professional aspect, I have no real desire to re-join. I actively use Twitter already although I may not post much, I certainly check it daily. So, I was interested to learn more about Lists and how to use them. I always noticed the Lists tab on my account but was never too sure of its purpose. I took on this task and soon got carried away, I joined six of them almost instantly and now keep my eye out for more interesting ones. I’m not sure I fully understand yet the difference between being a member of a list or a subscriber, but I do find this very useful to focus on one topic in the greater Twitter discussion world.

Thing 11: Your Professional Brand

Expanding on my professional brand is something I have been thinking about since qualifying in July and I think this is why I really like this part of Rudai 23. Although, it may seem obvious to ‘put yourself out there’, it is nice to get some guidance and be offered choices. It is true what Jane says about librarians coming from many different backgrounds, with a range of different degrees and work in a variety of environments. We are all at different stages in our careers so it makes sense to try and define yourself and maybe even stand out. I also agree that it gives you control on how you are perceived professionally and maybe a little boost when next going for that job interview. So for this task, I chose to write a professional biography to have ready for when next needed. 

Since graduating, I have joined some professional organisations but have not yet created a LinkedIn page. I intend on doing so in the future. For now, the prepared bio will be a start. I also, took this opportunity to reflect on my current online presence, Twitter and Blogger accounts mainly, and I have updated my profile image to make these more professional looking. Although I may not like having my face so exposed online, I think professionally I should bite the bullet and take the plunge.

Thing 12: Collaborative Tools

This was an interesting Thing, as it made me realise how often I do collaborate, not just on once off projects but on a daily basis. The example I chose for my blog post, is an account of my weekly collaborations, due to being a member of a team. I had not heard about Trello or Slack before but I chose not to try these as I think I would have to persuade others to use them too. As I have mentioned in my Thing 12 post, the Library here recently moved to Office 365 and this in itself takes much getting used to. The amount of useful collaborative tools within this package is slowly coming to light, so getting to know them and using them creatively is quite enjoyable. I have only ever used Skype in a personal capacity but not too frequently, due to the arrival of Face-time and What’s App. I don’t know that professionally I would use Skype, not in my current role anyway. Doodle is an old favourite and one that is used regularly when organising meetings, trainings etc.


I really enjoyed these last few Things and I think I have come away with an awareness of the importance of my professional branding. Thanks Rudai 23.

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