This query about Hay Grading has been referred to many times by regular visitors to Your Career Change so is useful to expand upon. The principles are about a job evaluation process which charts the universal requirements of a job and defines the multiple dimensions of that job. If you have a question of your own please go to Career Change Question.

The original query was:

I am a head of service with a local authority and am about to be Hay Graded .. while I understand the principle of the evaluation process, what I would like to know is how points are arrived at against the various tasks outlined in the CV which I am about to prepare.

Are there key words that are picked up and scored higher than others.

Many thanks
John

Reply by Peter Fisher

Hay Grading is a system which is based on the idea that jobs can be assessed in terms of the knowledge required to do the job, the thinking needed to solve the problems commonly faced in doing the job, the responsibilities assigned, and the working conditions normally associated with the job.

In the Hay Guide Charts, the requirements of a job are regarded as universal, and are termed factors, these being sub-divided into "dimensions".

The three universal factors are said to be:

• Know How

• Problem Solving

• Accountability

The dimensions within each factor vary. Typically the dimensions break down as follows:

Know How:

• Technical Knowledge

• Management Breadth

• Human Relations Skills

Problem Solving:

• Thinking Environment

• Thinking Challenge

Accountability:

• Freedom to Act

• Magnitude

• Impact

The power of the Guide Chart lies in the scoring system and relations of the factors (or the Profile.) This helps to give an understanding of the 'shape' of jobs - an understanding of the nature of the work performed and the type of job involved e.g., results oriented versus back office support.

A criticism leveled against the Hay Guide Chart is that the choice of factors is skewed towards traditional management values.

Another concern is that it has recently been realized that often a better way of describing a company is to follow the flow of work through the company. With this approach, it is quickly realized that the staff who are "customer facing" are a strategic asset who must be properly trained, motivated and remunerated. Using the existing model, the "shop floor" staff may often be more important to a company's success that middle and/or higher level management.

Job evaluation schemes must evolve with the technology, developments in understanding how organizations work, social and commercial changes. The Hay job evaluation scheme, without significant modifications, totally fails to account for this.

However, since the scheme was developed in the 1950s, the understanding of how complex corporations work has advanced significantly. Hay has made some attempts to keep up with these advancements by allowing for the inclusion of "un-common" factors, although they are often ignored.

Therefore to answer your question, the words in your CV must be specific and include the use of 'management' terms which relate to and demonstrate your 'grasp' and capacity for the dimensions within each factor of the Hay Grading system. Try to use words which correspond with each of the dimensions within each job evaluation factor as above.

Unfortunately the Hay Guide chart uses generic descriptors which it is said enables the comparison of 'like with like', but being generic, these are vague and without being too critical, can be biased. The bottom line is that quite often management get what they want out of this system and the best you can do is accept the inadequacies, but be very clear and precise when you prepare your CV.

You might want to refer to some recent CV examples I have produced for clients, to compare against your own when you are ready.

This information page about a Performance Appraisal or annual review may also be of interest.

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