We've identified 3 Stages in the Self-Assessment Process:
Preparation: This stage starts with understanding the reasons and motivation for embarking on a self-assessment and informs identifying helpful SFIA resources and the evidence to support the self-assessment. See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 4 & 9.
Assessment: The approach to self- assessment including time invested, and depth of detail is based on your reasons for embarking on the activity. Each approach has their merits, the principal is of gradually increasing depth of analysis. Starting at an introductory high level with "Scoping skills". See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 11,12.
Next Steps: One of the most exciting aspects of completing a self-assessment is what you can do with the results, the "next steps" suggest some tools and ways of extracting value from your self-assessment. See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 15 & 16.
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Stage 1 - Preparation
Your Motivation for completing a Self-Assessment will influence your approach and the depth of evidence in the Collect Evidence Step.
Collect Resources: There are many SFIA resources to help you with self-assessment. The SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline a PDF is an important reference to access.
There are many skills in SFIA and different views to them, in addition to using SFIA References resources, you'll also want to Understand Principles that underpin the framework.
For example: Responsibility and Capability. See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 5 and 6.
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Stage 2: Assessment
Your reasons for doing a self-assessment will inform the approach you take and the Depth of your focus.
Scope Skills focuses on relevant professional skills. This approach can be a good starting point to enter the framework.
With an idea of your skills next consider Levels of Responsibility which describe the scope and impact of applying a skill. For each period of your Experience being assessed, review the Level descriptor and generic attributes (autonomy, influence, complexity) to determine an overall level of responsibility. Then look to Professional skills descriptors at that level.
The final step is to Identify significant examples from your work to provide Evidence to support your professional skills, take into consideration if you perform the activities at lower levels and your contribution to higher levels.
See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 7 to 14.
Next steps
The next steps depend on your motivation for doing the self-assessment.
It may be a one-off activity however, in most cases this becomes an iterative process, including reflection and deepening understanding of the framework and how it applies to your work and professional development.
As you look forward to developing / growing your skills, there are some tools that will help extract value from your skills profile. These tools include motivated skills, job crafting and the STAR technique.
See SFIA Self-Assessment Guideline – Page 16.
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Motivated Skills
This simple tool can help you make sense of your skills profile. The graphic contains all the information needed.
The tool has 2 dimensions: Capability and Engagement and a simple scale of low and high. Creating a quadrant.
This tool can be used with a "Scope skills" level of assessment, where you want to sort skills at a high level.
Of course, a more nuanced use of the tool is achieved with an "Experience" and "Evidence" level of assessment by including levels of skills.
Job Crafting
This is a more involved process which combines your SFIA skills profile, your values and strengths to help you tailor your job.
The tool is a 2-step process identifying a current and future state. Each state identifies your job roles and the amount time spent in each role.
The future state challenges you to identify how to design your job to reflect your values and strengths. Think of it as adjusting an "off the shelf" suit i.e. your job description. This tool can be used with a "Scope skills" level of assessment. A more nuanced use of the tool is achieved with an "Experience" and "Evidence" level of assessment.
When you want to convey your experience and strengths think about using the STAR technique.
Consider developing a STAR for each of your skills. Use your Motivated skills and your competent and proficient skill-types to inform which skills to focus on.
Consider drawing on your generic attributes to inform the way you describe the Situation and Task and the Professional skills level descriptions to describe the Actions.
Remember the Result could be tangible achievements or learnings from the experience.
This tool is best used with the "Evidence" level of assessment. It could also be used to take a "Scope skills" and "Experience" assessment to the "Evidence" level of assessment.
