Table 1Transition record

librariantoarchivist

A librarian already meets 39% of what the archivist role asks for. The move turns on 11 required skills not yet in the profile.

From librarian

39%

Overlap1

To archivist

14 Skills carried over

11 Required, not held

62.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 62.8

This move: 62.8 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the archivist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the librarian profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 14 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A archivist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a librarian background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held manage information access aids information skills
already held collection management social sciences, journalism and information
already held create semantic trees information skills
already held digital curation social sciences, journalism and information
already held develop classification systems information skills
already held use software for data preservation working with computers

All 14 carried skills, including the 4 the archivist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 13 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 4 required

required, not held appraise historical documents required
required, not held facilitate access to information required
required, not held perform records management required
required, not held study a collection required

02 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held aid archive users with their enquiries required
required, not held respect data protection principles required

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required

required, not held contextualise records collection required
required, not held write scientific publications required

04 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held manage archive users guidelines required

optional, not held manage budgets optional

05 arts and humanities 1 required

required, not held conservation techniques required

06 handling and moving 1 required

required, not held store archival documents required

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a archivist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 14 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held collection management knowledge
already held create semantic trees skill
already held digitization knowledge
already held manage digital archives skill
already held coordinate educational programmes skill
already held develop classification systems skill
already held digital curation knowledge
already held digitise documents skill
already held manage human resources skill
already held manage information access aids skill
already held perform customer management skill
already held recruit employees skill
already held use databases skill
already held use software for data preservation skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held manage digital documents optional

2 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held manage budgets optional
optional, not held manage digital documents optional

40 held skills the archivist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse library users' queries skill
not needed by the target role apply for library funding skill
not needed by the target role apply social media marketing skill
not needed by the target role arrange interlibrary loans skill
not needed by the target role assess informational needs skill
not needed by the target role assist in library facility planning skill
not needed by the target role assist in the organisation of school events skill
not needed by the target role assist students with library operations skill
not needed by the target role buy new library items skill
not needed by the target role classify library materials skill
not needed by the target role compile library lists skill
not needed by the target role conduct scholarly research skill
not needed by the target role confer with library colleagues skill
not needed by the target role copyright legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role develop artistic educational activities skill
not needed by the target role develop solutions to information issues skill
not needed by the target role draw up professional texts skill
not needed by the target role escort students on a field trip skill
not needed by the target role evaluate information services using metrics skill
not needed by the target role guarantee students' safety skill
not needed by the target role information governance compliance knowledge
not needed by the target role kindergarten school procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role literature knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain library equipment skill
not needed by the target role manage digital libraries skill
not needed by the target role manage fundraising activities skill
not needed by the target role music and video industry knowledge
not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
not needed by the target role negotiate library contracts skill
not needed by the target role organise information skill
not needed by the target role oversee extra-curricular activities skill
not needed by the target role perform playground surveillance skill
not needed by the target role post-secondary school procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role primary school procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role provide library information skill
not needed by the target role scientific research methodology knowledge
not needed by the target role secondary school procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role select new library items to acquire skill
not needed by the target role supervise daily library operations skill
not needed by the target role types of literature genres knowledge

1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held conservation techniques required

Index

Other moves recorded from librarian

Full index of moves from librarian

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.