This made me smile! Today I received an invitation from a (very large) professional body of which I am a Member (the capital 'M' matters in this context) to apply for transfer to the class of Fellow. Needless to say I won't be applying - I don't qualify, and probably, if I told them, they'd take away the letters I do have but still charge me the same fee to receive their magazine.
In a mischievous moment, I ran down the list of requirements to see which I do have, albeit not in an appropriate employment. I've missed out or altered a few words, and end up with something we could almost use in churches....
Essential characteristics are:
- hold a position of senior responsibility and/or significant autonomy
- promotion of the profession to young practitioners and potential practitioners
- leadership qualities
- involvement in policy and strategy making decisions (technical and/or business)
- structured approach to CPD (evidence of presentations, published papers etc,)
Desirable
- highly specialist knowledge in a specific area
- strong evidence of resource management and/or personnel management and development
- applies a significant range of fundamental principles and complex techniques across a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts
Optional
- active development and application of new technologies at a senior level
- budgetary and financial control
what d'you think?!