I have recieved refusal letter yesterday. I have given below full details which may help new HSMP applicants as well as those already applied (but not yet processed). I also need help from experts in this regard.
My details are:
Reference No: 02006*
Application reached: 7th June
Payment deducted: 8th June
The decision letter was dated 5th Jan 2005.
I awarded me 40 points out of claimed 75
The details of points claimed and awarded are:
Education 15 points (as claimend)
Master in Computer Science (1998) from HEC recognized university in Pakistan
Earing 25 points (as claimed)
Employer letter stating detials of salary
Income Tax return
Work Experience 0 points
I am working in IT sector in Pakistan since 1st Oct 1998 in same organization. I joined this organization as Junior Software Engneer after completion of my MSc Computer science degree. I was later promoted to Software Engineer and now I am working a project manager. I supplied a detailed job reference letter with details of each role that I held and also their detailed responsibilities. The starting and ending dates were also mentioned and there is no gap in between.
As I am at present working as Project Manager I claimed 35 points for senior level positoin and was expecting that even they dont consider my senior level postion I will get 25 points for minimum of 5 year job experience. But strangely enough they didnt awarded any points at all and say that my job letter does'nt show that its is a gradutate level job.
Below is what they stated about it in rejection letter.
"Work Experience- 0 points awarded
In order to score points in this section of the application the applicant must provide employer references that illustrates start and finish dates of employment, position held, full job description and list of responsibilities of post and a employer derived document to illustrate your position with your employer’s company structure. This evidence is required to demonstrate HSMP graduate, senior and specialist level work experience as stipulated in HSMP guidance 7.2.1, 7.2.2 and 7.2.3.
The employer derived job description present with your application for the post of Junior Software Engineer was not sufficient to illustrate the post held required you to have a minimum educational standard of UK first-degree level qualification to undertake the duties of the post. Therefore the post has illustrated HSMP graduate level criteria.
We were not satisfied that sufficient evidence was provided to demonstrate that your post of Project Manager involved two years specialist/senior level work as described in the published guidance notes of the HSMP arrangements. With reference to paragraph 7.2.2/7.2.3 of the HSMP guidance notes, you will note that senior level work experience would normally be a role at board level with in a small company where there would be evidence of your active involvement in the day to day running of the company. For a larger company, the expectation is that evidence provided to demonstrate that you have ultimate control of a sector of the business such as Department Head or leader of a project management team. A specialist position is one, which would require a very high level of technical or artistic expertise. We were not satisfied that the evidence provided met the requirement of this category.
We are unable to award points as you have failed to illustrate a minimum of five years graduate level work experience. "
The only mistake by me is that I have not mentioned in my work experience letter that it requires a Masters degree in computer science. Infact as I as started my job after the completion of my degree so this thing was not in my mind. Furthermore two of my colleagues applied job reference letters with same format and they got approvals (one of them has recently applied for 3 year extension) and I was not expecting any such thing.
Now I have two optoins either to send a unpaid review to reconsider my application on the basis of documents that I have orginally provided. The role of Junior Software Engineer in Pakistan requires a master degree in computer science and its a graduate level job. The organization in which I work is quite known both nationally and internationally. Also I can argue that I started my job after completion of my degree and this in itself makes it clear that it requires a masters (equivalent to uk graduation as they have awarded 15 points for it). This is all that I am able to suggest after a night's brain storming. My gut feeling is that it may not work as my job letter doesn't mention that it was graduate level job. If any body else have something in mind I will appreiciate any suggestions.
The second thing is to re apply with full fee and additional documents like
1) A detailed job decription also mentioning against each role that it required master level degree in computer science
2) A letter from the human resourse dept of my organization stating the eligiblily criteria for each role that I held as masters in computer science and further stating that I was fulfilling the eligiblilty criteria when I was appointed/promoted to each role.
Another option can be I first try my luck with reveiw (to save 150 pounds
) and if not successful reapply with full fee and additional supporting documents.I also advise those applying HSMP and those that have already applied (especially from India. Pakistan and other under developed counteries) but not yet reached case worker to produce a clear evidence that the job required the qualifications that are equivalent to Uk gradutate level education.
I request experts to kindly advise me which option is the best.
Regards
