Human Resources experts often promote the value of transferrable skills to job seekers who want to make a change in the direction of their careers. The Niagara Institute blog of 2021 defines Transferrable skills as “habits, abilities, and skills that allow you to succeed in the workplace, regardless of what title you hold, the organization you work for, or the industry you work in.”
PPRC Connect job seeker Louise Perreault has held administrative jobs in the past, now she wants to make a change to where she can use her talents. This was one of the factors that led her to participate in PPRC Connect, the mentoring service offered by Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care Inc. (PPRC). The service connects job seekers with disabilities, like Louise, with mentor guides who can help them solidify a career goal and learn what working in a particular employment sector is like.
Louise wanted to explore being employed as a page at the Ottawa Public Library (OPL). To guide her, PPRC Connect Coordinator Susan Forster reached out to Marie Anick Brazeau, Public Service Supervisor at the St. Laurent Branch of OPL. Marie Anick addressed the question of how Louise could use her transferrable skills, but she also provided her with information and tips about working at the library.
Louise wanted to know about the specific responsibilities of a library page. Her mentor explained that pages take care of the physical collection, books, and materials than can be circulated or borrowed. Pages make sure that returned items are in good condition, sort books carefully on carts to be returned to the shelves or put them aside for those bound for other branches. Pages also keep the shelves tidy. To better explain their role, mentor Marie Anick noted that public service staff, like her, love working with patrons whereas the page team love working with books. She informed Louise that branch staff will go to other branch locations to help where required. This illustrated the point that at OPL teamwork is a key value. In Marie Anick’s words, “We work all together to make the magic happen.”
When Louise asked, “What are the physical requirements to be a page?” her mentor answered that pages need to be able to lift 40 pounds. However, she clarified “there are requirements for lifting but there are workarounds for accommodation purposes. Members of the page team could help to pick up a heavy box of books”. Marie Anick emphasized that OPL has policies and procedures in place to accommodate job applicants with disabilities and employees from recruitment to retention. Requesting accommodations if you need them, is a good strategy and only those who need to know will be informed of your accommodation requirements.
Another question Louise posed to her mentor was, “What in your experience are the most essential skills necessary to succeed in this job?” Marie Anick listed the ability to read, being adaptable, embracing teamwork, and excellent skill in attention to detail, to sort books accurately. As they talked, Louise realized that she had shown attention to detail when she prepared documents and files in her administrative positions. She had even acquired customer service skills in previous jobs, an asset for pages.
Marie Anick pointed out that generic skills like the ones they were discussing were the transferrable skills to highlight in all components of an application when Louise next applies. This is essential to do because the library receives numerous applications for each posting. Those who have a background in library science, previous employment, or volunteer experience at a library or who have worked at a bookstore are given priority. All the more reason to clearly delineate your transferrable skills when applying for a job as a page if you don’t have directly relevant experience on your resume.
Mentor Marie Anick gave Louise some tips as well. Remember to use key words from the job posting each time you apply for a position, in other words always customize each application, including your resume and cover letter. Be familiar with the Dewey Decimal System, the means by which library books and periodicals are labelled. Her mentor also told Louise that if she was chosen for an interview, she could request a practice session at her local library beforehand to learn how to sort books on the carts. This is because the recruitment process for pages includes the usual question and answer segment but there is a practical activity as well for applicants to demonstrate their sorting skills.
Marie Anick encouraged Louise to check for page competitions regularly and to keep applying. After their conversation, she stated: “I believe Louise would be a valuable asset to the library team.” PPRC Connect job seeker Louise concluded “it was a positive experience for me. My mentor was so nice and friendly. I learned a lot from her.”