Self Assessment
Writing a Self Assessment?
When describing how you meet the criteria for the role, it is important to present your examples clearly and logically.
Many applicants use the STAR(R) approach, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result (and Reflection). This can be a helpful way of organising your evidence, but it is not a requirement and applicants will not be disadvantaged if they choose to use a different approach.
The purpose of any structure is simply to help you explain your experience in a clear and concise way. Whatever approach you use, your examples should demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role, including the relevant legal skills and competencies and the personal and judicial qualities being assessed.
In particular, the panel will be interested in:
- the situation or challenge you faced
- the actions you took
- the reasons for those actions
- the impact or outcome achieved
- any learning or reflection arising from the experience
Examples must provide specific evidence of your contribution and the difference it made. They explain not only what happened, but also your role in the outcome.
Some applicants prefer a more narrative or storytelling approach. This can be effective, but care should be taken to ensure that the key points remain clear and relevant to the criterion being assessed.
Bullet points may also be used where appropriate. Whichever approach you choose, avoid making unsupported statements such as "I am a good communicator" or "I have strong leadership skills". Instead, provide examples that demonstrate those qualities in practice and explain the impact of your actions.
Written Work and Supporting Documents
Where a competition requires written work or supporting documents, applicants should:
- provide recent examples that demonstrate relevant skills, such as analysis, reasoning or written communication
- ensure that the material is relevant to the requirements of the role
- remove or anonymise any confidential, sensitive or identifying information
- check documents carefully before submission
- convert files to PDF format where requested