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Being an Assessor
On a more personal level, shortly after becoming a CSyP, I was invited to become an Assessor. It is a pre-
requisite for all Assessors that they are themselves CSyPs and have experienced first-hand passing through
the application process, as well as being held to account by a Code of Professional Conduct. Being based
in Abu Dhabi at the time, this enabled interviews to be held regionally for Middle East and Asian candidates,
rather than longer and more expensive journeys to the UK. Following specialist assessor training, I fulfilled
the role of Observer, then Second Interviewer and eventually Lead Interviewer; as with all elements of the
Register, this was part of a defined, rigorous process to ensure I was fit for role. Through being an Assessor,
my initial impression back in 2013 of the process being fair and robust has been significantly reinforced.
Each application pack is reviewed by two independent Document Assessors, which is then followed by a
briefing and discussion with two Interview Assessors. While the Assessors may meet before to discuss key
points of focus and to ensure a smooth interview, each Assessor reports independently to preserve the
integrity of the system. I have had the pleasure of working with many of the Register’s Assessors from across
the wide spectrum of security disciplines – all have been calm, good listeners, with a strong emphasis on
helping each candidate to demonstrate the necessary evidence to be appointed to the Register. It is most
definitely not a case of ‘pulling up the ladder’, in fact my experience has shown the opposite. As it was once
explained to me, ‘the decision has been made that there is enough evidence within the application to warrant
an interview, our job is to help tease that out from the candidate’. I have found the role as an Assessor
immensely rewarding, meeting such a diverse group of security practitioners from around the world. While
the process attempts to closely match at least one of the Assessors with an applicant’s area of expertise,
the diversity within our industry is vast and it is always a pleasure to talk to colleagues, often internationally
based, to understand their interesting roles, experience and achievements. It is also not possible for an
Assessor to predetermine the outcome of the interview or the final result of the application process.
On occasions I have recommended that candidates should not be admitted as I assessed they had not met
the satisfactory level of evidence, to later see that they had successfully been admitted to the Register (and
vice versa). While the interview is an important part of the process, it is only part of a more comprehensive
assessment process, and the Assessors do not see the final score, only the ratings that they complete in the
assessment form. That level of robustness, transparency and fairness is taken further by the appeal process,
which allows candidates to challenge the result to the Registrar and ultimately also to the Chairman of the
Register. Not only does the Registrar have direct access to the full documentation pack, but they will also
speak directly to the candidate to understand the rationale behind their appeal.

Your Industry Needs You!
As a result of the growth of the Register and the increase in applications and training workshops, there is an
ever-growing need for current CSyPs to step up as Document and Interview Assessors. I can only say please
come forward, you will not regret being part of the process; it is only right to give something back to our
industry and to help the next tranche of applicants reach our gold standard of recognition.
This growth has also required additional support to David Gill CSyP FSyI as the Registrar, and I was
delighted at the start of the year to be appointed to the Registrar Panel along with Garry Evanson CSyP
FSyI. Unfortunately, to maintain the integrity of the application process, I now must step away from my
Assessor role, which I have very much enjoyed for the last 8 years. However, I will now assist in the training of
Assessors, the review of applications and the conduct of appeals, so I will remain at the heart of the Register’s
decision-making process. In my new role I will also be able to encourage and develop our ever-progressing
path to professionalism and to ensure that the Register remains as the ‘gold standard’ of competence in the
security industry.

If you would like to find out about the standards and process of becoming a CSyP, please visit www.
charteredsecurityprofessional.org or why not sign up for one of the free CSyP Workshop webinars that will
talk you the competencies and experience that candidates require.
Originally published in Professional Security Magazine, May 2021.

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