Reflection

Reflection Task: Reflection The reflections from the lessons learnt during the lectures help me analyze my SWOT. My strengthsare commercial awareness, student enterprising through volunteerism and flexibility through career changes. My weaknesses arise from poor levels of reflections. My opportunities include online job applications and recruitment whilst my threats are the ever-changing business environment, the stiff business deadlines and fixed closing dates in the business world (Kumar 2008). I, therefore, need to develop key skills, competencies and abilities in order to be in a strategic position in the job market. These skills include professionalism, networking through social media and brand development. Having a good brand will enable me to sell my personal traits, skills and expertise to potential employers.
I will use these skills to develop myself through learning how to sell my personality to the employers, thus enhancing my employability. I will also learn how to conduct myself during interviews and to develop some transferable skills, which include emotional intelligence at level one, self-responsibility at level two and leadership skills at level three (Cottrell 2010). Moreover, I also need to develop my professional skills in my area of training or specialization and do proper goal setting to create a focused target of my career growth and development. Finally, I need to perfect my role-playing skills. These skills enable me to know, understand and master my position in the business dynamics. For me to get a good job, learning presentation skills is important especially during interviews, and learning how to articulate complex information relating to my profession.
Objective/Goal
Key Actions/ Milestones
Timescale
Support Required
Progress Made
1.
Career
Specialize in a given profession
Undertake student volunteerism to gain experience
Commercial awareness
Degree course for 4 years
During vacations
School fees
Library
School alumni
Role model
Excellent (70-100%)
2.
Employability
Professionalism
Expertise
Specialization
Speed and efficiency
6 months after graduation
Work groups
Responsibility
Motivation
Satisfactory (40-49%)
3.
Networking
Computer literate
At pace with current trends
4 years of undergraduate
Social media
Business cocktails
Very good (60-69%)
4.
Recruitment & Placement
Attend interviews
Selling yourself
1 year after school
Confidence
Online applications
Graduate recruitment
Transferable skills
Good in most respects (50-59%)
References
Ashley, R 2006, improving your employability, Teach Yourself, London.
Cottrell, S 2010, Skills for success: the personal development planning handbook, PalgraveMacmillan, University of Leeds, UK.
Gutek, BA & Larwood, L 1987, Women’s career development, Sage Publications, NewsburyPark, California.
Kumar, A 2008, Personal, academic and career development in higher education: soaring tosuccess, Taylor & Francis, University of Bedfordshire, UK.
Tiedeman, DV & O’Hara, RP 1963, Career development: choice and adjustment: differentiationand integration in career development. College Entrance Examinations Board, NewYork.