Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

SMART Searching
When looking for a public appointment, consider the following questions to help you
refine your strategy for identifying a suitable vacancy and focussing your search plan.

What issues or topics are you really interested in contributing to? (Not just the
professional areas in which you work).

What is it that appeals to you about the opportunity to contribute to this area through a
public appointment? How do you want to contribute?

What do you - honestly - want to get from the public appointment? How likely is it that it
could provide these opportunities?

How much time can you realistically offer?

Are there any specific constraints on how your time can be offered (e.g. do you need a
regular or fixed number of planned commitments or do you need to offer your time more
flexibly or intermittently?

What will help you make a compelling business case to your employer, to allow you to
take up a public appointment?

How essential is it that the public appointment offers some form of remuneration? Why
and how much?

Who knows you are interested in getting a first/new public appointment? (Which
personal, professional and other networks)

Where have you registered your interest in a public appointment?

Is your CV up to date and has anyone reviewed your CV and given you feedback about
it, preferably from a potential appointment panel perspective?

Who can you give you some background briefing on the subject area or role you are
interested in?

Who (else) do you need to network with and who do you know that can help you do
this?

If you were unsuccessful in previous applications, how are you using any feedback to
increase your chances on the next occasion? (Either before or during a future application
research, networking, skills enhancement, presentation of evidence, etc)

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

Getting A Public Appointment

INSTRUCTIONS: In pairs or in groups (as instructed) please discuss the following (Give Specific
Reasons/Examples)
What is your motivation for wanting a public appointment now (either for the first time or a
new/different one)?

What kinds of public appointment interest you (responsibility level or areas of work)?
What issues are you really passionate about?

What do you want get in return from a public appointment?

What support do you need to help improve your chances of getting a public appointment in the
future? Whats getting in the way of you finding or using this support effectively?

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

Packaging Your Talent

Its not the detail that counts, its what the details tells me about you
What examples could you use as evidence of your skills, knowledge and capabilities in the
following key areas?
Some examples may demonstrate evidence in more than one box. If so, be clear about how
they show different skills or capabilities.
The examples should demonstrate the underlying, transferable skills.
Think about: level of skill/accountability, your personal contribution, the impact (what difference
you made),

NOTES:

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

Strategy and Policy Formulation and Review

Leadership

Governance

Specialist knowledge or special interest

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

Commercial/Business skills

Community/consumer/user group advocacy and engagement

Partnership/Collaborative working

Organisational skills

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

Interpersonal skills (Incl. communication)

People Management

Financial skills

Resources/Asset Management (Excl. finance)

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

SMART Search Checklist

SMART 1

Checklist Have you:

PPPPPPPPPPPIPIPPIPIPIPP

Step 1

Identified your transferable skills?

Step 2

Identified the best fit between your needs, passions and posts?

Step 3

Developed a SMART search strategy?

Step 4

Identified what cultural intelligence you need to better gain?

Step 5

Started researching?

Step 6

Made effective use of social media?

Step 7

Reviewed your CV?

Step 8

Identified networks and relationships you need to better build?

Step 9

Asked for help if and where you need it?

Step 10

Identified strategies to help keep resilient?

Step 11

Started to take action?

Produced byDIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

TAKING ACTION

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk

Diversity and Inclusion in Public Appointments

You Are The Change

An underpinning belief to the DIPA approach is that You Are The Change.
To achieve this, we believe it is necessary to undertake and maintain development that builds
competencies, confidence and resourcefulness in the four dimensions set out below.

Cultural Intelligence

The Value of Me

SMART packaging of
talents and experience
Presenting with impact
Critical Skills building
Presenting with impact
What change am I?
Readiness for change

Connecting Resourcefully
For Success

Signposts to resources
Opening doors
Network and relationshipbuilding
Coaching and mentoring

Shadow Watching
Appreciating internal and
external contexts
Identifying who wants
what?
Whats really going on?
The governance
challenge

Building Resilience For

Sustaining Success

Staying Motivated
Getting Support
Combating Isolation
Developing selfawareness

Copyright DIPA/Shaama Saggar-Malik/ November 2012. Website www.dipa.org.uk. Email: info@dipa.org.uk