Competencies Sought by Information and Knowledge Employers: An Analysis of Job Advertisements

The aim of this study was to determine the type of information professionals sought by the employment market. Job advertisements provide an effective source for identifying core qualifications, competencies and experience required by employers. These also help to discover any gaps that may exist between education and training provision and employers' expectations. A total of 150 job advertisements were collected and analysed from different newspapers, periodicals and job websites. For the knowledge management professionals, qualification in business was the most frequently sought requirement. In addition to management skills and knowledge of the business sector, experience in information and knowledge management and research know-how were also perceived as important. Online searching abilities, communication and interpersonal skills, presentation and facilitation skills were also high on the employers' list of preferences. For library professionals, library and information science qualification was a prerequisite for employment, with emphasis on information handling skills, management and leadership skills, communication and interpersonal skills. Experience in collection development and management, reference services and cataloguing were also frequently sought requirements.