How to create your Spotlight profile – for jobholders
Creating your own Spotlight profile gives you insights into some important (but
often invisible) skills you may already use at work, and your scope for further
developing those skill sets.
You my simply decide to keep your profile for your own personal use, and if
so you do not need to show it to anyone. Or you may wish to discuss it with
your manager – for example at your staff appraisal. It’s entirely up to you.
These instructions are designed to help you, the jobholder, build an easy to
read diagram of the Spotlight skills you already use at work, and those you
might want to acquire in future. There are also two lists you can generate to
help you add to your cv and plan your career development.
If you are a job-seeker and not currently in employment you may wish to
simply focus on the two lists of skills created by selection options F and G.
NB: In due course it will be possible to complete the Spotlight tool online.
We’re working on this! But right now you will need to download the relevant
workbook and complete it by following the simple steps set out here.
Completing the workbook
1. First, go to the ‘tools’ page of this site. You will see there are two options of
the workbook: one version each for New Zealand job-holders and one for
international for job-holders. From these two options, select the right one for
you.
2. Download the workbook you have selected onto your computer desktop. If
you prefer, you can print it out. You are now ready to complete it.
3. You will see that the workbook contains 135 activity descriptors. Each of
these descriptors contains an empty box, which you complete by putting in a
letter D-H. From the list below, select the letter closest to your own current
situation.
Mark each statement with a D E F G or H as follows:
D I often use this skill in my present job
E I want to develop this skill to use in my present job
F I already possess this skill (but seldom use it in my present job)
G I want to gain this skill for my future career development
H Not applicable
For example the statement "Automatically monitor the work situation
and evaluate its impacts." might be an E.
Completing your radial diagram
The radial diagram provides a clear illustration of the Spotlight skills you often
use in your present job. It will also help you to identify training and
development needs and learning goals in your present job.
It will be helpful to look at the example of a completed radial diagram on this
website. Next, print out an uncompleted radial diagram.
NB Competing your personal radial diagram cannot at present be done on the
computer, and will have to be done on a printout. You may decide to complete
your radial diagram with a pencil in case you make a mistake.
Now take the following steps:
Step 1: Firstly you will add up the Spotlight skills you regularly use in your
current job. To do this, begin by counting the number of times you have
selected option D in the workbook, section A1. Write down this number. Then
divide this number by 3. Note that the result might not be a whole number - for
example it might be 1.3 or 1.6.
Step 2: Turn to the radial diagram. To enter the number you have just
calculated, count outwards from the centre of the radial diagram. (The centre
is 0, the innermost spoke is 1 and so on). Draw an unbroken line across A1,
parallel to the spokes of the diagram. Look at the example of a radial diagram
if you need guidance.
Now repeat this process with A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2 and C3.
When you have completed this process you will have created a profile of the
Spotlight skills you currently use in your present work. Most people find that
some Spotlight skills are used more than others in their job. You are therefore
likely to see that some of the lines you have drawn are closer to the centre
whilst others are nearer to the outer edge of the diagram.
Step 3: The next step is to add into the picture the areas where you have
scope to develop new Spotlight skills in your present work.
Add up the number of times you have selected option E in the
workbook section A1. Divide this number by 3. Now, add this number to
the score you had in A1 when you calculated you D score.
Again, count out the score from the centre of the radial diagram. This time,
draw a dotted line across A1. You will see that there is a gap between the
unbroken line and the dotted line. This gap represents your training and
development potential in Spotlight skills in your current job.
Step 4: Repeat this process with A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2 and C3.
Understanding your radial diagram
The gap between the bold line and the dotted line represents your potential
for training and development in your present job. You may wish to use the
skills needs, as identified in the gap between the hard line and the dotted line
to plan your staff development in your present job, in consultation with your
manager.
Don’t worry if your dotted line does not go all the way to the outer edge of the
diagram. This is normal. It occurs because most jobs don’t allow most
employees to use the full range of Spotlight skills. This is especially in areas
such as creating new systems of working or representing the public face of
the organisation.
If you feel you already have or could acquire advanced Spotlight skills but
your current job does not require this, consider this as an opportunity to
consider your future career options, including updating your cv.
Spotlight skills to add to your CV
Many people have learned a range of Spotlight skills (in previous paid and
unpaid work) but don’t get opportunities to use them in their present job. It is a
good exercise to acknowledge these skills. Here’s how:
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Open up a blank Word document.
Cut and paste all the examples for
which you selected option F. Some of these activity descriptors may
need to be slightly modified to describe the skills you use or have used.
Give examples from your experience at work.
Keep your list safe, and add new examples if they occur to you later.
Add some or all of these skills and examples to your cv.
Don’t feel you have to include everything at once in your cv. You may choose
different example in applying for different positions, so it’s good to keep as
many examples in reserve as possible
This exercise may also help with your future career planning (see section
below).
Spotlight skills for your future development
Open up a second blank Word document. Into this, cut and paste all
the skills for which you selected option G. These are the Spotlight skills
you would like to gain in a future position or role (such as management), even
though they could not be used in your present job.
This document may help you with career planning and/or your personal
development. Keep a record of the skills you have marked with a G and think
about ways to acquire them: for example through mentoring, observation,
keeping a journal and/or action and reflection.
Skills that are not applicable
Finally, look again at the Spotlight skills where you have selected option H. It
may be that you consider that these skills are not relevant to your line of work,
either now or in the future. There is still time to reflect on whether you might
have acquired any of them in the past or might wish to gain them in future. If
so, move them to one of your two lists.