Work Experience: Specialist and/or Senior?

[zeke]

My position for the XYZ company can, I think, be classified primarily as specialist in nature – say 75% of my duties and responsibilities. In this position I made much use of my specialty certificate that I hold in my field and which is held by few in my profession. I was the only individual holding the position for XYZ, and the position performed a function unique in the organization.

But there was also a senior aspect of the position – say 25% of the total duties and responsibilities. I supervised one person, assuring that their actions were consistent with standards of practice in our profession. It was considered a management position for XYZ . Furthermore, the changes to organization policy and procedure which I recommended and which were implemented impacted about 30 other staff members, even though I was not directly supervising them. I initiated and led ad hoc committees concerned with new challenges to the organization – in other words, I lead project groups and made significant contributions to policy and procedure which allowed the organization to adapt to the many changes in its industry.

In your opinions, is it wise for me to claim that the position falls into both specialist and senior categories for work experience? Or would it be more straightforward and less confusing for me to claim just one or the other? I am hesitant to say that it was specialist in nature only, because the “senior” aspects of the position, while not the greater part of my duties and responsibilities, did comprise a meaningful part of what the job consisted of…

I am able to provide a employer letter confirming that there were duties and responsibiliites in the position which do place it in both categories.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated... :

[Ajay Kumar Singh]

The question of senior position and specialist is subjective.

I think the example is given in HSMP guideliens. Only you may be the best person to judge urself (be honest )

If you are well above 65 points without these 2 sections that i don't think that there is a harm in claiming point for these 2 sections. Worst case they won't consider these 2.

[bani]

I would claim it's both. I would place in the experience letter, "this was both a senior and specialist position". then devote one paragraph on why it's a specialist role, another on the senior aspects - whom you supervised. also submit a heirarchy chart. I don't think this would be too complicated for the caseworker because a lot of highly skilled jobs can be of that nature. in fact, I think it strengthens your case for the work experience category to claim both specialist and senior as you have evidence for both.

Just to clarify, you won't get extra points for claiming it's both a senior and specialist job than just specialist. But it does strengthen your case.

[zeke]

Thank you Ajay Kumar Singh and Bani for your quick and thoughtful replies.

You have helped me to feel a bit more confident about this. (Yes, I am being very honest about my experience and I do not expect to get "extra" points -- just the full 50 from having 10 years in graduate level positions plus at least 5 years in specialist or senior level roles ( I am claiming an additional position, but I am claiming it as a senior role exclusively. With the two positions I have a total of five and a half years in senior/specialist positions.)

Does anybody else have any thoughts?