Envy Queue

At the last count, I have six CVS (even if most of them arecalled resumes). As any expert will tell you it’s never a case of one size fitsall, and the key lies in attuning the CV to the client or opportunity. It’s asort of stylised authenticity.

 

What I find mildly fascinating is the filtering process,which is often driven by space as much as any other considerations. Forexample, I rarely refer to my stint as an NVQ Assessor (Customer Service andBusiness Administration – thanks for asking), unless it’s for a role that has asimilar approach to data handling or detail-orientated work.

 

I last assessed an NVQ more than 20 years ago and I recentlylearned that they were withdrawn in 2015, in preference for the Qualifications andCredit Framework (QCF). It might also explain why that particular batphonehasn’t rung for a while.

 

I remember assessing three people in a six-month period (two for Cust Servand one for Bus Admin). What stood out for me was how indifferent thecandidates they were about the qualification and, crucially, how passively theyapproached the study and evidence gathering. It seemed to be a case that theemployer/s wanted their staff to have them but hadn’t really sold them on thevalue of NVQs, the process, or the amount of work required.

 

For one candidate I attended a call centre and completed a series ofobservations, followed by two Q&A sessions and an evidence review. Thecandidate, clearly a conscript, showed almost zero proactivity. I checked andrechecked their understanding about what was required, and how they planned tobreak down the tasks and map the outcomes to the modules, and they made all theright noises. But in the end it became clear that they were hoping I couldrepeat the success of the first signed off module (i.e. I observe them in theirday-to-day work and effectively fill in the blanks with them). We arranged numerous meetings and agreed milestonedates but they never progressed beyond that one module.

 

Now, they may have had otherthings going on in their life and, without doubt, a full-time job does notalways lend itself to professional development, but I don’t think we could havemade the process less onerous.

 

Another candidate wanted to do Business Admin NVQ Level 3, but theiremployer would only support (through time and any costs) it at Level 2. Theknock-on effect was that the candidate remained less than committed. Considerablyless.

 

They dragged their heels with the ‘coursework’ for so long, and with somany extensions granted, that they eventually completed it less than a monthbefore they were due to leave the job. The NVQ team (Internal Verifier andbeyond) were not prepared to process it because by the time an NVQ would havebeen awarded the person would no longer be in the job. Or possibly any job.

 

I’ll spare you the tale of the third candidate but, suffice it to say,things did not go well. Now, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, three strike-outsbegins to look like carelessness, and I did consider whether it was time tohang up my D32/D33 hat.

 

In the end, much like gardening, even though we can prepare the ground andprovide all the necessary conditions, sometimes the ground remains fallow.

 

Perhaps NVQs were not for them and, in some parallel universe they’rewriting a blog post about the terrible jobs that made them start an NVQ they didn’twant, and how they rebelled by failing to do the work. Who knows?

 

My point, if there is any, is that sometimes all we can do is turn up andgive it our best shot. Now, tell me more about QCFs…

 

 

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