How to get the most from serviceexcellencenetwork.com, from your first profile to paid work.
1. Getting started
Three steps make you visible and useful to other members. Together they take about ten minutes.
- Join. Choose "Join the network" in the menu. Membership is free.
- Complete your expertise profile (Members, then Your expertise profile). Set a level only for the skills you know well: Practitioner (you do it in your job), Experienced (you have led or improved it) or Expert (you could teach it). Add one or two sentences on what you can help with, a photo and a short bio. A complete profile earns 10 credits.
- Set your request preferences on the same page. Choose how many advice requests you will accept each week (3 unless you change it, or pause them), and whether matched-group requests arrive one at a time or as a Monday digest.
Tick "Show my profile in the member directory" so others can find you. Your email address is never shown.
2. Finding a member and asking one person
Use Find a member (Members, then Find a member) when you know the kind of person you need.
- Filter by skill, sector, location, what people are open to (a 30-minute call, peer review, mentoring, a site visit, speaking) and paid work, or search by name.
- Open a profile and use "Ask for help". Choose the topic, say briefly what you need, and whether you would prefer an email reply or a short call.
- Your request reaches them by email with your name and profile. They reply to you directly, and you get a copy.
- Asking one member costs 5 credits. If a member has already had as many requests this week as they accept, the site will tell you; try again next week or ask a matched group.
- When they have helped, confirm it on My network credits, with a sentence on how. They earn up to 50 credits and you earn 5.
3. Advice requests: asking a matched group
Use Advice requests (Members, then Advice requests) when you are not sure who to ask. Your question goes to a small group of members whose skills match, never to the whole network.
How a request runs:
- Write your question and a few lines of context, tick the expertise you need (or describe it under "Something else"), and add a sector, location or deadline if they matter.
- The site sends it to up to 8 members with matching skills who are taking requests, spreading requests so the same experts are not always asked. It also appears in the list of open requests.
- A member who can help chooses "I can help". You are both introduced by email and can talk directly.
- Up to 5 members can offer help. Close the request when you have what you need.
- Confirm the help on My network credits so the helper earns credits.
A matched request costs 10 credits. If no one offers help within 14 days, the request closes and your credits are refunded.
To help others, look for requests marked "Matched to you" in your email or the list, and choose "I can help". If a request looks inappropriate, choose "Report" and the council will review it. For open discussion rather than a specific request, use the Forum.
4. Paid briefs
Paid briefs (Members, then Paid briefs) connect organisations with members who offer fractional, project, interim or advisory work.
If you have work to offer:
- Choose "Post a paid brief". Describe the work, tick the expertise needed (or add "Something else"), and give the kind of work, time needed, start date, location, budget band and closing date. You can keep your organisation's name confidential until the shortlist.
- A first brief from a new account gets a quick council check, usually within two working days. After that, briefs go live straight away.
- Members whose skills match are emailed. You see each expression of interest with the member's note and profile.
- Shortlist the people you want to talk to; you are introduced by email. Mark the brief Filled or Closed when you are done. A brief filled through the network earns you 50 credits.
If you offer paid work:
- In your profile, tick "I'm available for paid work" and add your availability, the kinds of engagement you take, your day-rate band (seen only by the council) and whether you hold professional insurance.
- Open briefs appear on Paid briefs, and matching briefs are emailed to you. Express interest with a short note on why you fit.
Peer-verified practitioners carry a badge on their profile and on shortlists. You become peer-verified when two peer-verified practitioners who know your work vouch for you; the council verified the first members to start this off.
5. Forum, insights, events and chapters
| Where | Use it to | How |
|---|---|---|
| Forum | Discuss a topic openly, compare approaches, ask the community | Start a discussion; a reply marked as the best answer earns 20 credits |
| Insights | Read articles and lessons from members, and share your own | Submit an insight; the council publishes it after review |
| Events | Find network events in Ireland, New England and online | See the calendar; propose an event in any time zone for council approval |
| Chapters | Meet members near you | Join your local chapter, or use "Start a local chapter" to register interest |
Hosting a site visit or speaking at a network event earns 100 credits; sharing a resource for the library earns 30.
6. Network credits
Credits work like a bank account: helping others pays in, asking for help pays out.
| Activity | Credits |
|---|---|
| Confirmed help to another member | +50 (then 25, then 10 for the same member within a year) |
| Confirming that a member helped you | +5 |
| Forum reply marked as best answer | +20 |
| Sharing a resource for the library | +30 |
| Hosting a site visit or speaking at an event | +100 |
| Completing your expertise profile | +10 |
| Paid brief filled through the network | +50 to the poster |
| Asking one member | −5 |
| Asking a matched group | −10, refunded if no one offers help |
New credits can pay for requests straight away; they are pending for 7 days before you can spend them on rewards, so the council can check for gaming. You start earning once your account is 14 days old and your profile is complete. Spend credits on priority event places, a member spotlight, a featured case study or a session with a council member (Spend your credits).
Your statement (My network credits, then My credit statement) lists every entry with date, details, debit, credit and running balance, for any period, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet. The Network dashboard shows who is most asked for advice, most helpful, most sought for paid work and bringing in paid work. Only members who show their profile in the directory appear.
Request limits: up to 2 requests a day, 5 a week and 12 in 30 days, counting one-member and matched requests together.
7. Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is membership free? | Yes, for individuals. Organisations join by arrangement with the council. |
| Will people see my email address? | No. Requests reach you by email and you decide whether to reply. |
| I'm getting too many requests. | Lower your weekly limit, switch to the Monday digest, or pause requests in your profile. |
| Where do I post a general question? | In the Forum. Advice requests are for specific help. |
| I've run out of credits. | Help a member or answer in the Forum; new credits can pay for requests straight away. |
| How do I become peer-verified? | Ask two peer-verified practitioners who know your work to vouch for you on your profile. |
| Something looks wrong. | Use "Report" on the request or post, or contact the council through Contact. |
For anything else, use Contact in the menu, or email support@serviceexcellencenetwork.com.
Also see the Network charter.