Writing Strong EQM Competency Examples
How to approach the Broad Overview and give specific, outcome-focused detail in your SRA Equivalent Means assessment table.
Introduction
When completing the Equivalent Means assessment table, it is important not only to provide examples of your experience, but to clearly show how those examples demonstrate the particular Practice Skills Standard (PSS) outcome being assessed.
This guide explains how to approach the Broad Overview and individual competency examples, using PSS 2.1 – “the ability to obtain relevant facts” – as a worked example.
What is the Broad Overview?
Use the Broad Overview to give the assessor the bigger picture of your experience across that skill area.
It should briefly explain:
- how you developed the relevant skills;
- the types of work or experience through which you developed them;
- the different environments or roles in which you have applied them;
- how the individual examples that follow fit within that wider experience;
The Broad Overview should provide context, while the individual PSS examples should provide the specific evidence demonstrating each outcome.
Make the detail specific to the competency
When writing an individual example, focus the scenario and supporting detail on the exact PSS outcome being assessed.
“What does the assessor need to know about this scenario to see me demonstrating this particular PSS outcome?”
Avoid adding background information simply to make an answer longer. The additional detail should help demonstrate the relevant skill.
- Why was this particular skill needed?
- What did I personally do?
- What documents, information or issues did I work with?
- What did I identify, assess or decide?
- What was the result?
- How does this demonstrate the PSS outcome?
Worked Example: PSS 2.1 – Ability to obtain relevant facts
Situation
“As part of BPP University’s Litigation module, I drafted a solicitor’s witness statement in support of a pre-action disclosure application under CPR 31.16, where accurate fact-gathering was essential to justify the request.”
Why does this work?
The situation does more than describe the task. It immediately connects the scenario to the skill being assessed under PSS 2.1.
The remainder of the example then provides the specific detail demonstrating that skill, including reviewing case materials, identifying the factual basis for the application, distinguishing substantiated facts from assumptions, identifying evidential gaps and determining what further clarification was required.
A simple structure for your examples
Broad Overview
What is my overall experience in this skill area?
Situation
What was the matter or task, and why was this particular skill required?
Involvement
What did I personally do to demonstrate the skill?
Skills & Application
What skill did I exercise and how did I apply it?
Outcome
What was the result and how does it demonstrate the PSS outcome?
Before you move on to your next example…
- Have I tied my example to the exact PSS outcome?
- Does my Situation explain why that particular skill was needed?
- Have I explained what I personally did?
- Have I included specific rather than generic detail?
- Have I identified relevant documents, facts, issues or actions where appropriate?
- Is it clear how the example demonstrates the PSS outcome?
- Could an assessor understand this without having to infer the connection?
Ready to draft your own?
Use our editable EQM Competency Example Template to work through your Broad Overview and individual PSS examples.