CV Re-write
So many commissioners feel that quality independent reviewers are hard to find. And many reviewers find it hard to demonstrate their competence for delivering a quality review. This is particularly difficult for those who do not have a published overview report to use as evidence.
‘Most problems encountered in reviews result from a poor match between the commissioner and reviewer. I believe that a number of small changes could make all the difference.’
Donna Ohdedar, Safeguarding & Domestic Abuse Sector podcast, 2023
What are these changes?
The majority of hiring decisions are made in the first five to fifteen minutes of a job interview.
The reason?
Maybe it is because the extent to which you can deliver against a person specification or job description is only part of the picture.
The key to identifying personality fit for a particular review opportunity is to be clear in your application about your innate qualities. These are relatively constant across your lifetime.
Acquired qualities or skills are learned or developed over time & these can be assessed against a person specification.
Both acquired & innate qualities can provide valuable but different information.
Acquired qualities are helpful to assess training needs, but they don’t necessarily indicate what a person can learn in the future.
Most standard review applications processes don’t provide an opportunity for reviewers to demonstrate their soft skills, values or vision for how a quality review should look.
Missed opportunities
Maybe there are review opportunities you haven’t applied for because you’re not sure your current CV brings out the qualities that are most important.
So taking the next step to develop your review practice has been on hold until you can create the wording that is likely to succeed in this competitive market.
Let me fix that.
I’ll work with your version 1 & ask you the questions needed to craft a CV for you which will enable review commissioners to see exactly what they need. A CV which uses the key message regarding what you can bring to understand what you can bring to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, Safeguarding Adults Review or Domestic Homicide Review you wish to be commissioned to deliver.
You can use the wording in a variety of different places, too. Examples are supporting statements, covering letters & application forms associated with securing that next commission.
If you want to feel confident your CV speaks directly to those who commission reviews and have it working for you in every application you make going forward.
"There is a saying in management that "the hard is easy and the soft is hard... The "soft" stuff resides in the skillfulness of the professionals, which is determined by the human attitudes and responses to the uncertainty and anxiety of child protection work that either elicit or diminish intelligence and practice depth".
Turnell, Munro & Murphy (2013) Soft is hardest:
Leading for learning in child protection services following a child fatality. Child Welfare, 92(2): 199-216
What is the Approach?
I occupy a unique position in my role overseeing hundreds of review applications and commissioners responses. My unique position has led me to consider how we can do this better. I am passionate about matching quality reviewers with the right review commissioners.
I will use key words designed to highlight the importance of certain learning behaviours based on your responses to a brief e-questionnaire. The key words will help to elicit the word which help you to highlight the qualities you can bring across 4 key areas:
⭐ sensitivity
⭐ motivation
⭐ values
⭐ vision
Working with the SILP reviewer competencies*, we will agree which of these are most important for you to highlight within your CV.
*these competencies can normally only be accessed by SILP School or Momentum members
"As a mentor, Donna achieves a very good balance between being supportive and challenging in a positive manner. We all benefit from a second expert opinion. Writing reviews and managing the associated relationships can be challenging, so I have appreciated her role as a mentor and colleague."
Geoff Corre
SILP Reviewer
ON THE FENCE AS TO WHETHER THIS IS FOR YOU?
OPTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER TO SUPPORT YOUR DECISION...
Increasing your self-awareness is the key to highlighting your key qualities & making your application stand out from the others.
Use the SILP Assessment to better understand your innate & acquired qualities.
Understand how naturally strengths focused you are when it comes to learning from strengths in your day-to-day work here using our strengths focus assessment tool.
SILP School and Momentum members can also download our strengths map exercise to develop this.
