Essay on self-assessment, communication and employability skills analysis and description

Personal Assessment

Learning Style

I am a visual learner, and the most effective way to remember things in the classroom for me is by using visual materials such as graphs and charts, written in handouts or textbooks. While seeing I visualize detailed pictures in my mind. The first thing I notice in the book is a picture or a diagram, only after analyzing it I may read the text below. Group work assignments during lectures, when we make a presentation or a speech, first of all I prepare visual aid for it. When one of my fellow classmates tries to explain his point using examples or drawings, I find it much easier to understand.

While reading I prefer descriptive examples that force my mind to imagine scenes with all the details. However, it is rather difficult for me to listen for a long time, and each movement in the classroom distracts me from learning process.

Skills Assessment

I am a good team player, capable of getting along well with other people. Various study cases in the classroom which involved group interaction showed that in a short time I find my unique place in the team: depending on my ideas I right away offer the topic to make a speech on. I possess strong time management skills and I am good at convincing people. Whether it is an exam or a team assignment I effectively plan my time to complete the task on time.

When I try to prove my point I make other team players listen to me carefully, and usually they accept my opinion. In addition I am a good dealer – if I plan to purchase something I thoroughly research all the proposals and find the best one, bargain and buy it for a suitable price.

SWOT Assessment

Strengths: I am a very ambitious and active person, already knowing the exact area where I would like to work in the future – it is a job related to capital markets and stock exchange, such as securities firm or an investment bank. Moreover, I have many interests (stock market, sports activities), and I like to learn and research new things for personal development. I am a good self-learner, and it does not take a long time until I become proficient in new things I have learned.

Weaknesses: Sometimes I can be compulsive, unkind to other people, and stressed because every task given to me I take very seriously, and do my best to complete it in the best possible way. I tend to postpone second-rate tasks until the last moment. Besides, I can be impatient to those who fulfill their tasks slower than I do.

Opportunities: A possibility to learn from others; improve my leadership skills with the help of a coaching service; learn how to complete given assignments and challenges quickly.
Threats: Students are nowadays bombarded with information and multiple tasks which they need to finish on time. Thus, self-reflection is lost in this multitude. Furthermore, constant time pressure makes me fulfill many tasks and often I know I could do a more thorough study or analysis. Therefore it becomes hard to improve my skills among daily challenges.

SMART Goals

Short term: Join stress management training and improve my stress management skills. Review latest news and events of the New York stock exchange, biggest investment banks and securities companies on the daily basis. Read 2 books about the stock market and equity groups in the following 2 months.

Mid term: Learn, accumulate knowledge on business and academic skills, and get an A for the course. Improve my oral communication and presentation skills by giving 3 speeches and receiving B or A grade for each assignment. Improve my CV and covering letter, making it ready for job application.

Long term: I will graduate from the University with a degree in business management. In 3 years I will find an assistant job at the stock market securities company relating to market and sales. After a few years of work on an entry-level position of a securities firm, I will be promoted to a specialist.

Development Planning

Surf the web and find the best website that tells about stock exchange and investment banking news, make notes and keep track of significant events and key people;

Find and buy the books on stock market and equity groups, having previously read online reviews;

Make an everyday schedule and set the time for developing and improving my CV and covering letter, complete assignments on business and academic skills course, prepare and conduct speeches for friends and relatives and ask them for evaluation;

Shorten the time for hobbies and relaxation, and instead devote myself to studies in order to receive good grades. On the weekly basis check entry-level stock market job openings, analyze their requirements, and try to achieve them day by day. When I get a job I will strive to learn and adapt fast, will continuously improve my skills and use every opportunity to gain knowledge from my colleagues and supervisor.

Communication Skills

Curriculum Vitae

Cell:

Home:

E-mail:

Objective:

To acquire an entry-level position in a large international securities company that can offer the possibility of professional development and growth.

My advantages:

Business Management student;

Fluent English;

Confident PC user: MS Office, Internet;

Strong interpersonal and communication skills;

Desire to learn, work and achieve.

Education:

2009 – Present

Southampton Solent University – Faculty of Business Management.

2008 – 2009

Southampton Lewis School – English academic skills.

Other Skills:

Fluent in English and Arabic languages;

Strong time management skills;

Good communication skills;

Creatively approach given tasks;

Ability to work in a team environment;

A good dealer;

The talent of convincing people;

Confident PC user (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet).

Activities & Interests:

Stock exchange and Investment banking;

Reading;

Tourism;

Covering Letter

Dear Human Resources Manager,

I am strongly convinced that your sales assistant opening is my chance to contribute to your company with my interest in stock market and investment banking, as well as interpersonal and communication skills, that I developed during my studies at the University while group interaction assignments. I believe your company is seeking to hire a talented person, who can convince others, a good self-learner and a highly motivated individual who can prioritize and plan tasks. I have a thoroughly executed plan for self-development and growth, and on daily basis I learn new things regarding capital markets apart from necessary assignments at the University. I am good at planning and organizing my day, setting goals and managing time to meet deadlines.

I am a creative person. Inventing innovative ideas and new challenges engage me and I strive for success in any area of my life. Customer orientation is one of my advantages, since I am a social and active person, realizing the importance of excellent customer service for your company’s success.
Most recently I have been attending time management course, provided by one of the best training companies in England. I am sure acquired knowledge will help me to fulfill all the tasks assigned to me in case you decide to hire me for this position.

Please review my resume and I thank you in advance for considering me as a candidate for sales assistant position. If you have any further questions regarding my curriculum vitae please call me or email me at any convenient time. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity of face-to-face interview to demonstrate and prove all the skills described in the covering letter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Employability Skills

Application of Numeracy

Usually I get good grades at mathematics and statistics, possess overall financial awareness due to my personal interest in stock market and stock exchange. I am attentive to detail and regularly check orders I receive against written delivery notes; I have my own budget and I calculate and write down all my expenses to analyze at the end of every month. Multiple University assignments developed my statistical skills to calculate and statistically present data in research papers.

Team Working

Numerous team work assignments and group discussions have greatly improved my team working skills. I always contribute to group discussions, and have my own unique opinion regarding every study case or agenda discussed in the classroom. I respect others’ opinion and realize my interdependence with each team player. My studies helped me to cooperate, and persuade others of my ideas and opinions.

Self-Management

I have developed my own everyday schedule highlighting everything I need to complete, read or write during the day. Thus, all my activities are noted and I keep track of all the new things I learned and done. Self-management plan helps me to meet the deadlines for my essays and to plan and prepare my speeches beforehand. Moreover, I carefully read all the feedback teachers give regarding my papers and assignments, ask them for advice and evaluation. It helps me to improve my performance, concentrate and work on my weaknesses.

Business and Customer Awareness

Every position suitable for me, including current sales assistant position in Asian securities company, undergoes thorough analysis: I visit their website to learn about company’s business strategy, performance, mission and values, the list of their customers, as well as latest available financial statements, and any kind of news connected to activities of the company. Additionally I analyze how important customer orientation is to a given company.

Application of IT

During my studies I have improved my PC skills: prepared a lot of PowerPoint presentations, created databases in Excel, conducted internet-based research for my essays. I am experienced in working with such internet search engines like Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

Problem Solving

Every assignment, essay, presentation or speech I need to complete is a challenge that needs my own special approach. During the lectures and while doing my own reading on business disciplines or capital market study cases, firstly I analyze all the situation with its facts and problems, interpret diagrams or charts, brainstorm ideas, find the most creative one to solve the problem. Afterwards, I find out how the company has solved this problem, and compare it to my own solution.

Communication and Literacy

I am experienced in drafting and proofreading essays and letters, developing reports for my University courses. My good grades are the evidence of my ability to write clearly and structurally. In addition, various oral speech presentations during speech and business communication lectures developed my oral literacy, as well as questioning and listening abilities.

Reflective Statement

During the past year I have made a leap forward in self-development and growth. I understood what area of business I want to devote myself to in the future. I have clear career preferences and goals I plan to achieve with the help of my self-development plan. As of now I am knowledgeable on how to develop effective curriculum vitae and write a good covering letter stating all my strength and employability skills I can contribute to the company.

I’ve been working hard to improve my self-management and time management skills to complete all assignments within given deadlines, and at the same time have an opportunity to follow my every-day schedule of necessary reading. Besides I believe I learned to more efficiently deal with stress, never letting time pressure negatively influence my performance.

This personal portfolio is a career planning and career promotion at its first stage. Overtime I will update and enrich it with my new achievements, victories, and new self-development plans and objectives. My career portfolio will be based on this personal assessment, and will show all my competitive advantages comparing to other candidates, will inform employers of my strengths, weaknesses and experience much better than a standard resume. Besides, career portfolio shows the process of professional career management, being a technology of personal and professional development.

For this reason it is important to start writing personal portfolio during student years as I am doing now in order to accumulate every event or situation that can help me achieve my goals and get a desired job in the future.