Hi Steph

First and foremost, very sorry to hear that news about your job.

Is it going to be absolutely necessary that you move to a new employer or might it be worth exploring with existing employer all possibilities for remaining attached in some way to them? This has probably already been considered I know but hypothetically saving 25% of the costs of employing you isn’t going to affect them all that much in the big financial scheme of things and indeed the change may well cost them a lot more in buying in services or recruitment and training or even lack of sufficient hr input.

Like you, I’m from an earlier era and my detailed national qualifications knowledge stops largely with the old NVQ system but it’s I’m very sure nonetheless very clear that your MCIPD is the equivalent of a Level 7 qualification and I don’t think you need to worry too much if at all about that aspect. NVQs were supposed to be accrediting proper workplace competence and all the ‘underpinning knowledge’ of the current Level 7 etc courses isn’t of any real value to employers unless and until it can be competently put into real and actual workplace practice. Realise I’m being a bit simplistic/stating the obvious here, but do feel it has to be emphasised.

Thinking a bit wider, some prospective new employers might consider that you’ve been so long with your present employers that you might not be able readily to adapt to a new employer and working environment. That’s probably not applicable in your case but in my experience it can and does happen and impressions are all and very fleeting too, so it may pay you to work on all possible countermeasures to that particular aspect.

Anyhow, whatever may happen do hope it goes as well as it possibly can - and you never know, all this might turn into a productive career change for you!

every job I look at that is suitable is asking for a Level 5 or Level 7 CIPD qualification.

It's interesting to hear you say that, because I've been hearing the opposite - that fewer HR roles are asking for CIPD qualifications, especially in the commercial field. I've had a lot of members and people considering membership asking whether it's actually worth it if businesses aren't looking for CIPD.

So, my first piece of advice is to look harder and longer, because it's unlikely that *every* suitable role has a CIPD qualification as a mandatory criterion. In fact, I know for a fact that my organisation is trying to fill three senior (sub-Director) HR roles at the moment, and they all list MCIPD as mandatory, but an actual paper qualification as desirable, so you'd be perfectly well qualified.

Strictly, a Level 7 qualification and Chartered MCIPD are not equivalents. You can get one without the other, after all. Being professionally chartered and academically qualified are not the same thing. In most business contexts, the former is more important. However, if the role requires the postholder to mentor subordinates through their own academic pathways, it would be difficult to do if that's a path you've never personally walked.

The old CPP was equivalent to a Level 3 qualification, so I'm guessing you grandfathered in when individual chartership was introduced.

In short, no, you cannot claim to hold the equivalent qualification. But you can either (1) apply anyway and let them decide for themselves whether they really meant that a Level 7 qualification was essential, or (2) call them and ask if they make themselves available for such queries.

In reply to Robey:

Yes, strictly speaking, sure Robey is correct and I therefore stand corrected!

However, it’s always real workplace competence that should be key to it all

In reply to David:

Hi David.
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful reply. I feel a bit happier about my lack of a formal Level 5 / 7 qualification (even with Robey's comment below) as at least I feel my MCIPD should hopefully be of equivalent value at least.

You are right that the Company would have to buy in HR and finance support if I left (it's a stand-alone combined role) but I guess they hope I'll just accept the cut and carry on working less hours. The trouble with trying to unilaterally change the terms of your only HR Manager's contract, is that you haven't got an HR Manager to ask for advice on how to do it and what the implications might be! I'm not ruling out being able to work something out that is mutually acceptable but I'm looking for alternatives as well.

I am a little concerned about the length of time I've been with the same employer and how that looks externally, so I appreciate your comment there and I'll try to see how I can show my adaptability etc.

In reply to Robey:

Thanks you Robey

Your explanation of the difference between membership status and academic qualification makes perfect sense. I think I must have grandfathered in because my MCIPD was based on a formal assessment of my portfolio of work and skills etc. rather than an academic qualification.

Your advice regarding how to approach employers requesting a Level 7 qualification is good. Looking back at my original post I didn't quite explain properly - what I should have said is that *most* of the adverts I've seen so far do all ask for Level 5 / 7, but some of them say "or equivalent". So I wasn't sure if MCIPD was equivalent or not. To be fair I've not been looking at the job market for long, and I live in a rural area without a huge number of opportunities, so perhaps I do just need to be patient for the right opportunity.

In reply to Steph:

On this, I think David and I would agree. If the job advert says "or equivalent" and doesn't expand on what it means by that, then I would feel confident that someone being Chartered MCIPD ought to be considered that they have experience at least equivalent to the academic qualification.