SFIA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

A unique process of comprehensive assessment based on the SFIA Framework.

This robust methodology completely enhances the recruitment process, and provides detailed assessment results allowing employers to make the right appointment quickly, and ultimately increasing retention.

If you would like any further information on how this has worked for other organisations and how it can benefit you please contact: UK-sfia@hudson.com. We will also be presenting at the SFIA conference outlining how the SFIA Professional Skills assessment has developed, and showcasing specific examples of its success with key clients.

Background on SFIA

Essentially SFIA provides standardised definitions of information technology skills and levels. SFIA makes a clear distinction between skills and technological matters; does not contain technobabble; is compatible with your way of working; is not tied to any group of products; can be understood by technical managers and HR managers. Use of SFIA will help you create a common language of IT skills development and deployment, so as to improve communications between IT staff, management, HR and stakeholders.

SFIA defines 96 professional IT skills, organised into six categories, each of which has several subcategories. It also defines seven levels of attainment, each of which is described in generic, non-technical terms. Each skill has an overall definition, and an “at-level” definition for each of the levels at which it can be recognised.

Hudson IT and Validateskills have joined forces to develop the SFIA Professional Skills assessment. It is currently being used by Hudson, who have recently trialed the methodology with their clients in order to successfully recruit senior level IT positions.

Combining Hudsons recruitment expertise, with Validateskills online assessment capability we can map the job descriptions to the SFIA codes and supply our clients with detailed assessment results. This allows employers to make informed appointments above and beyond the usual assessment of core competencies.

SFIA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

In short, Hudson have been an accredited partner to SFIA for 8 years, we are one of the only Recruitment companies in the UK and Globally with this association and were recently invited to present at the SFIA Conference on how we are now integrating SFIA with IT recruitment.

We have developed a globally unique professional skills assessment tool and methodology for clients to use within their recruitment process, we’ve recently trialed it with four different organisations and are now looking to launch the product.

SFIA's intellectual content comes from a broad open consultancy process, focused on the practical management of IT professionals in the workplace. 

It is a serious management tool produced by experienced managers and practitioners in information technology. SFIA is used in over 100 countries.

SFIA: Supports management systems in corporations, governments and charities Defines membership grading in professional bodies Provides mappings for well-known certification bodies such as ISACA and CompTIA Is used as a guide by training companies Underpins curricula at Universities.

To give an idea of scale, circa 80% of the UKFTSE companies are implementing SFIA within their IT practices, within the Public Sector it’s wholesale  – this is being been done mainly through L&D and HR however Hudson are approaching this from a recruitment perspective.

We firmly believe this new approach will become common for IT recruitment and Industry leaders have been extremely supportive of what we’re trying to achieve. In terms of Industry validation that includes The SFIA Foundation which is a not-for-profit organisation which has five corporate members:

The Institution for Engineering & Technology - The IET The Chartered Institute for IT - BCS The IT Service Management Forum - itSMF The Institute for the Management of Information Systems - IMIS e-skills UK - UK Sector Skills Council for IT

The Hudson Approach

SFIA can be used in many situations because it is a component that fits into any approach. SFIA provides the professional skills part of the Capability Mix. However, SFIA's Generic Level definitions also provide excellent guidance to the sort of business and behavioral attributes that enable employees to work at higher levels.

Professional skills

Business process improvement and Database design are just two examples of almost 100 fundamental professional IT skills defined by SFIA.

Behavioral skills

Hudson Talent Management Products would fit this area of assessment, particularly Hudson 5+1 and Hudson BAQ.

SFIA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Experience and qualifications, Technical

These validate the individual's capability. Qualifications certify elements of skill or knowledge; experience gives practical demonstration of capability. The right sort of experience also acts as a powerful force for learning, thereby enhancing capability – Hudson are using Techchek to test a candidates Technical Knowhow.

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SFIA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

TO DO – (some of this is done) Decide on a Product name – drill down onto what the proposition really is Confirm who will be trained to use and sell this proposition Formal costings – how much do we offer this product for and how do we measure it’s

success – does it have it’s own P&L line in each IT Business, similar to Client paid Advertising ?

Do we need to protect ourselves with some from of formal agreement between Validate and Hudson ?

Marketing Requirements Help in developing marketing input - support on proposition development for internal and external

use – Inc. language, positioning, sales collateral (Inc. case studies).  Agree a timeline of activity - soft and focused approach to market, building up to some

broader external launch activity once all of the internal work is in place.

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SFIA PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

About HudsonHudson is a global talent solutions company with expertise in leadership and specialised IT

permanent and contracting recruitment. We believe in working closely with you to help you solve your toughest people challenges. Our business and market knowledge, together with our proprietary assessment tools, helps us deliver the right talent for your business. Our extensive country presence and on-going relationship with millions of specialised professionals worldwide — and across a wide range of functions and industries — allows us to provide you with talent solutions, quickly and efficiently.