Member interview: Anne Jordan

In the first of our upcoming series of member profiles, we talk to SLA Europe member Anne Jordan about her career history and how she has used her skills as an information professional in various different career settings. Anne is a freelance business information researcher, research consultant and contributing editor for Freepint’s VIP Magazine. She became an independent practitioner after positions in business research and research management at various City of London-based financial services institutions and management consultancy firms. Anne’s first book, a historical biography about the life of Lady Colin Campbell (1857-1911), was published in December 2010.

I understand you’ve had quite a varied career up to this point. Can you tell us a bit about your background, and the career paths you’ve taken?

I started off studying German and Russian, but after a 6-month stint as a translator at a chocolate factory in Hamburg, decided that translation and interpreting wasn’t for me. So I spent a year on a pre-library school SCONUL trainee programme at Exeter University Library, and then took a Masters degree in Library & Information Studies at Loughborough University. After graduating I moved to London and over a period of ten years worked for a range of companies before deciding to become self-employed.

Can you give some examples of where you worked?

My main jobs were for a corporate investigations company, a niche M&A boutique and a management consulting firm. Between permanent jobs I often took short term contracts or temporary work, and found that these provided invaluable insights into new sectors and often opened up new opportunities. Between jobs, I once took a temporary research contract at Goldman Sachs in London which led to a six-month posting out to their Frankfurt office to help set up the new library. Another time, I took a three-month contract at Lloyds of London and learned a lot about the insurance sector, which helped get my next job at a financial-services-focused management consulting firm.

What sort of roles did you undertake?

Most of my work was in-depth secondary research, which usually involved some writing. For example, I was the solo information specialist at a corporate investigations consultancy and wrote reports about individuals and companies, based on my research. At the M&A boutique I wrote sales memoranda, integrating my research about an industry sector with client-provided information. Later on in my career I ran an information department, so there was less research and more research management, with the responsibility for building a service, managing staff and administering the function.

Why did you decide to become self-employed?

I’d spent ten years totally focused on my work. I’d learned a lot and developed professionally at a fast pace, but was tiring of the long hours and lack of time to spend on other aspects of my life. In particular, I’d started researching the life of Lady Colin Campbell (1857-1911) and wanted to see if there was enough material for a book.

Tell us about your recent book, Love Well the Hour. How did you come to write it?

I’ve always enjoyed reading historical biographies, particularly about strong women! I saw the Boldini portrait of Lady Colin Campbell at the National Portrait Gallery and was captivated by such an unusual image in amongst all her serious contemporaries in the Victorian gallery. I tried to find a biography, but there was only one book about her notorious divorce trial, so just decided to go along to the British Library and see what I could find at weekends. It was initially purely out of interest. I could also identify with her experiences as a professional woman, based in London, who enjoyed her sports and the rich cultural life of the city.

How did you the book change from being a hobby into a commercial prospect?

My interest grew as I did the research, until I realised it could become a book, but I needed much more time to find enough material. I decided to use my savings to take a year off work, during which I did the bulk of the research, mainly in London-based libraries but I also travelling round the UK and to various European locations to visit archives and museums. After that, I had to work on the book on a part-time basis, whilst I focused on freelance business research work to earn a living.

How have you used your skills gained as an information professional in writing your book?

My training and experience as an information profession were invaluable in undertaking what has been the largest research project of my career! There are the technical skills – for example I set up a database of all the references in such a way that I can easily track back to sources by free text or by index term, and I’ve needed spreadsheets to look at patterns. What was most useful, however, was my understanding of how information is structured – not just libraries, archives, catalogues and indexes – but also the approach to finding information about something, when you start with nothing but a small clue. It’s why I think research work is like detective work.

What does the future hold for you? Any more writing in the works, or are you moving on to something different?

I will continue to be a “portfolio worker,” as Charles Handy has described it, a freelancer with various sources of work, and my information skills unpinning them all. My core skill is business research and I continue to do this for a range of clients. I’m also a contributing editor and product reviewer for VIP Magazine, which combines writing skills with a knowledge of information products and the ability to analyse new offerings. Then there’s my book, which I’m currently marketing. Lady Colin Campbell is not a well-known historical personality, so to drive sales I need to generate interest. My top aim is to get a TV drama or film commissioned, but that won’t happen overnight. In the meantime I’m raising her profile by undertaking interviews, organising some talks and other forms of marketing.

Many thanks to Anne for the interview, and best of luck with promoting the book and any future endeavours! If you are an SLA Europe member and would like to be featured in an upcoming member profile, please contact blog editor Laura Woods.