Self-assessment is a powerful tool that empowers employees to take control of their own professional growth. By reflecting on your skills and evaluating your proficiency, you gain insight into your strengths, areas for improvement, and where to focus your development efforts. When done effectively, self-assessment helps you set meaningful goals, track progress, and ensure that your career is moving in the direction you envision.
In this article, we’ll walk through the self-assessment process in our platform, explain how to evaluate your skills using our rating system, and offer tips for making the most out of the process. The process should be more or less the same on any platform that supports self-assessment.
Self-assessment is the process of reflecting on your skills and competencies relative to your job role and rating your proficiency based on structured criteria. It’s not just about identifying where you stand today but also about taking ownership of your development and setting goals for future growth. It offers a unique opportunity to pause, reflect, and map out your professional journey.
Why It’s Important:
Our platform provides a structured self-assessment process using two types of rating scales to match the complexity of different skills.
In our tool, skills are typically rated on a 1 to 3 or 1 to 7 scale, depending on the level of detail required for the evaluation (or built into the framework being used). A few frameworks use 4 or 5 levels, and we allow up to 9. Each number corresponds to a specific level of proficiency, with clearly defined criteria for each. The tool will show you (in a tooltip) what each level means for a particular skill. Here’s how to interpret each scale, accepting that the specific skills under a given framework are more nuanced.
This scale is commonly used for straightforward skills, where a broad classification is sufficient:
Inherited from SFIA, this more granular scale is ideal for highly specialised or nuanced skills, allowing for finer distinctions in proficiency:
Note that under SFIA, levels 6 and 7 are considered leadership level skills while 1-5 are the ‘doing’ roles from a level 1 beginner to practice lead roles at level 5.
The self-assessment process is straightforward but impactful. Here’s how to navigate it in our skills-based talent management software, TalentJam. Note that many tools offer similar functions.
Start by logging into your profile on the talent management platform. Go to the My Profile > My Skills to access your skill list.
For each skill, there will be a detailed description of what constitutes proficiency at each level. This is critical for an accurate self-assessment, so take time to carefully read through these descriptions to ensure you understand the criteria.
Before selecting your rating, think deeply about your experience with each skill:
How often do you use this skill in your role?
Do you feel confident using it independently?
Have you handled complex challenges or taught others how to apply it?
Consider recent projects or tasks where you applied this skill and use those experiences to guide your evaluation.
Based on your experience and the descriptions provided, choose the level that best reflects your current proficiency. Avoid the temptation to aim for the highest number. Self-assessment is about honest reflection and identifying opportunities for growth.
Add context to your ratings by providing comments. Explain why you chose a particular rating, highlight any recent experiences that influenced your decision, and identify specific areas where you want to grow. You can also provide evidence to support your assessment (this is used to inform self-certification).
In TalentJam, you can review and update one, some, or all of these scores at any time, and they automatically update (and keep a history). Some tools require you to submit your self-assessment responses once completed. Ideally (and in TalentJam this is the case) this information will be used to inform your personal development plan, tailored to your growth and development needs.
The value of a self-assessment comes from being truthful about where you currently stand. Overrating yourself can lead to missed learning opportunities, while underrating yourself can prevent you from leveraging your strengths.
While self-assessment is a personal reflection, consider asking colleagues or managers for input if you are unsure about your proficiency level. A second perspective can give you a more rounded understanding of your skills.
The goal is not just to rate yourself, it provides an opportunity to identify where you can improve. Use this as a chance to think about your long-term career goals and the skills you need to achieve them.
Skills grow and evolve over time. Make it a habit to revisit your self-assessments periodically, such as every quarter or after completing major projects, to ensure your development plan stays aligned with your current abilities.
Once you have completed your self-assessment, your ratings and comments will be reviewed by your manager or a moderator. During your next feedback session, you will discuss the results, identify areas where additional training, mentorship, or resources can help, and create a personalised development plan.
This discussion will focus on: