Employability Skills and Professional Development: A Comprehensive Analysis

This assessment delves into the crucial aspects of employability skills and professional development, using a case study of Sana Company, a firm facing challenges in its complex sales environment. The analysis explores essential job search techniques, including CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and interview strategies. It also examines the role of recruitment agencies and job portals in connecting talent with organizations. Furthermore, the assessment includes a personal skills audit, identifying strengths and areas for development, and outlining a plan for enhancing employability skills in the context of a specific job role.

Employability Skills and Professional Development
Assessment 1

Table of Contents
Executive summary......................................................................................................................3
Introduction....................................................................................................................................4
Task 1- Evaluate essential elements required for Job Search techniques and identify
recruitment point including Recruitment Agencies, Job Portals........................................6
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................12
References...................................................................................................................................14
Appendix........................................................................................................................................16
Task 2: Analyse personal responsibilities and identify the performance objectives on
the basis of the job description of the given role................................................................16
a) Use the Skills Audit (Given in Assignment Guidelines Folder) to consider
necessary skills you possess as experience/ knowledge in and those you will
develop.....................................................................................................................................16
b) In your skills audit, rate your skills against the specifications of the given role and
set a theme for your own learning and development for work.........................................22
2

Executive summary
Choosing the right pathway is the important decision on which the whole life
depends. It does not only involve applying for a job at the point of time but it also
about undertaking the job role. A career can be defined as the lifelong process
which involves managing the professional and personal development through in
all the way through life activities. The individual comes across with the
advertisement on outlining the recruiting website in order to assist sales
position. That’s why it planning to apply for the advertised profession as the
sales assistant. But sooner than applying career the individual required
evaluating and demonstrating itself as according to job duties and requirements
according to the advertisement (Rienties, et. al., 2013). In a business
environment, the professional development and employability skills play an
essential role to accomplish organizational aims and targets. It is used in the
references to a wide variety of formal learning, advanced professional learning
and specialised training. Training is the essential parts that enhance the
knowledge and skills of the individual and contribute to effectively accomplish
the organizational goals and targets. The professional learning can be improved
through educators and administrators that help in enhancing the skills,
effectiveness and competencies.
3

Introduction
In today’s world, there are the majority of people who focus on career platform
which is base of lifelong. Most of the people hold their jobs with the variety of
skilled human resources and to move towards employment sectors throughout
the working environment. The individual becomes more flexible and prepares to
grab more opportunities by extending its knowledge and skills not only in
particular platform bit also in generic across all the employment sectors. There
are certain attitudes and skills which is required in professional employment and
that enables the employees to get along their career path and to make critical
decisions, developing respect, solving problems and become a strong image for
the organization (Wilton, 2012).
According to Andrews & Russell, (2012), Employability skills and professional
development is the foundation of career building blocks and help in already
engaging in employment. Business spends their lot of time and money in
providing training to their employees, not only regarding specific areas but also
in basic skills.
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Figure: 1
(Source: Pinterest, 2018)
The module focuses on evaluating the necessary elements and aspects that are
required for job search techniques such as LinkedIn profile and CV. It analyses
the recruitment parts that are included in recruiting the individual such s job
portals and different recruitment agencies. It also demonstrates the personal
responsibilities and evaluates the performance aims and objectives with context
to the description of the job that involves skills audit in order to consider the
necessary skills to pose the experience and knowledge. With relation to learning
and development, the skill which is required for the specific role is also
demonstrated.
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Task 1- Evaluate essential elements required for Job Search
techniques and identify recruitment point including Recruitment
Agencies, Job Portals.
The employability skills are known as the core skills and traits that are inherited
through a training session and professional development programs as it is
needed in the business environment. These are referred as the general skills
and make some employable. The hiring managers and HR manager look for the
person who has skills and knowledge about running the business. The
employability skills are also known as foundational skills and job readiness
skills. It is soft skills that enable the individual to work in the business
environment, fit into the market and apply knowledge and skills to solve the
business issues. It also includes professional skills that enable in accomplish the
target in the workplace. It is seen as the transferable skills because it is applied
to job role in the industry (Jobs, 2017).
The Sana Company is having complex sales environment. The company is
selling its product through both direct and indirect channels via different partners
to worldwide and within the multiple business compartments. This makes the
complex platform for Sana Company to access its operation. It leads to decline
in productivity and makes challenging for sales traineeship. The company need
to hire skilled and knowledgeable employees in the company so that this issue
can be resolved. Sana Company needs to have strong job search and interview
skills to recruit the best-suited employees for the suitable job.
For this the company evaluate different search techniques that are as follows:
CV (curriculum vitae): A curriculum vitae is an alternative way to search the
human resources for the best-suited job role. It contains the information about
the individual academic background that will help the Sana Company to judge
the person. According to Doyle (2018), the format of CV may be depending on
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particular field and experience. CV helps the individual in tailoring its skills,
achievements, knowledge in particular field and job experience.
The advantages derived by recruiting the person through CV are that it live
document of persons academic background and listed down all the education
and experience. It emphasizes all the accomplishments and units in a single
format that make easy to analyse individual according to the suited job role.
Recruiting the person through CV is also having a negative effect as it can
create issues and lead to concerned about transferable skills and details of
experience in the unrelated sector (Business case studies, 2018).
Figure: 2
(Source: Scalar, 2018)
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LinkedIn Profile: It will help in connecting the company with the person who is
best suited for the job role. More than 450 million people in worldwide are
engaged in the largest professional network. It is highly effective the
professionals in connecting with the organization (Larseen, 2018).
Figure: 3
(Source: Krishnaraj, J2018)
The essential key elements that are required for Job Search techniques
are as follows:
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Figure:4
(Source: Upper spring field, 2018)
Interview techniques: The Sana Company needs to adopt various interview
techniques for effectively hiring the individual for the best-suited job role. The
interview techniques are the first step of hiring. It involves presentation skills,
mock test and interview behaviour and clothes. On this basis, the individual is
selected for further processing.
Workplace behaviours: Another step that is adopted by Sana Company is
workplace behaviour. The company should hire the individual on the basis of its
behaviour towards the organization. It may involve work shadowing,
communication skills, assertiveness, confidence and teamwork (Pavlou, 2018).
Job matching: Job matching is the final step of job search technique. In this
technique, the individual is analysed and judged on the basis of its working
behaviour. The factors that are involved in job matching are job specifications,
CV and application, job adverts and pre-employment programs.
The Sana Company can sue these key elements of job search techniques
through connecting with different recruiting points. The recruiting points can be
explained by the recruiting agencies that offer complete talent solutions. It helps
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in connecting with the talent-person with the organization. The organization
uses these job points to advertise their job openings and encourage the
applicants to submit their CV (Douglas, 2017).
The different recruiting points are as follows:
Recruitment Agency: Recruiting agencies are the organizations that focus on
recruiting the person individually for another organization. It acts as the
middleman in between the applicant and organization. These types of agencies
look for the candidate through social media sites, job portals and so on and
conduct interviews in order to understand the mindset of the applicant,
Qualification, aspiration and goals in life and choosing of the stream. Once the
candidate has selected the company to add them to their database and at the
time of requirement, they suggest the name of candidates. These agencies are
the main source of job hunting for Sana Company. The company leaves the job
searching in the hands of experts who examine the individual properly and then
presents it in front of organization (Omoth, 2018).
Job portals: Job portals are not different from social media as they are the
database that includes recruiters, jobs and resumes of the candidates who are
interested in jobs. The Sana Company can recruit the candidate through
different job portals. Job seeker uploads their resumes on different job portals
that are further chosen by the company.
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Figure:5
(Source: Innoruption Systems Pvt Ltd, 2015)
The different portals may include:
 Indeed: There are thousands of people who search indeed resumes to apply
their applications on the platform. The Sana Company can search people with
exact skills and experience that are suited for The Company (Indeed, 2015).
 Monster: Monster is another platform to find the candidate. It benefited from the
greater opportunities to the organization. The Sana Company can find out the
candidate with the specific skills and knowledge.
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Conclusion
From the above, it has been concluded that Training is the crucial part that boosts the
knowledge and skills of the individual in a business environment. Employability skills
and professional development is important in business activity that helps employees to
accomplish desired organizational goals and targets. Not only it provides solutions to
problems but also provides various opportunities which sometimes become expensive
for the organizations. The individual can enhance its skills and knowledge by conducting
proper training session and changed according to remuneration that adds the cost and
value to the asset. The module has been mainly discussing the different aspects of
employability skills and professional development which is based on case study of Sana
which deliver its products through both directly or indirectly through different channels of
partners. It delivers its product in worldwide with multiple business units.
The sale environment of Sana is complex and not good at it before. The reason that has
been analysed it that it is having lack of development and training programs that
develop the skills and knowledge of employees. To reduce this problem the company
starts a training program and development facilities for individual employees. On the
basis of an expert specialist on training programs the company enhance the knowledge
if individual and recruit them according to their job rile. This help in improving the
condition and operation of organization and help in increasing the productivity of the
organization.
Professional development is considered as the primary mechanism which is required to
enhance the knowledge and skills to accomplish the desired goals and objectives of the
organization. For understanding the concept and importance of employability skills and
professional development Sana enterprises is selected that sell it product to worldwide
through both direct and indirectly platform. The company is suffering from complex
sales environment and makes for challenging sales partnership. In order to solve the
issue, the company has been suggested to provide effective training session that helps
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in enhancing knowledge and skills of individual employees and directly improves the
productivity of the organization.
The professional development is the primary mechanism that helps employees to
continuously learn and improve skills over the period of time. The topic has been
researched so many times and it has been analysed that it is developed for improving
the quality and effectiveness of professional development of employees. The theories
of professional development state that the degree of agreement has linked with major
features and provide effective professional development to new hiring’s.
The module reflected on the individual own skills and employability aspects, the
importance of teamwork and skills and knowledge that is required to manage and lead
the team. It also demonstrates the learning abilities which are required for providing
training programs and professional development. This help in understanding the
benefits that have been derived by developing the professional and digital identity. On
the successful completion of the module, it has been concluded that there are various
important aspects which are required for job search techniques such as the internet,
LinkedIn, CV, social media and so on. There are various recruitment aspects that recruit
the individual on the basis of knowledge and skills. It includes different recruitment
agencies, job portals that include indeed, reed and monster. The module analyses the
personal responsibilities and analyses the performance objectives with the suitable job
description.
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References
 Andrews, G. and Russell, M., 2012. Employability skills development: strategy,
evaluation and impact. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 2(1), pp.33-
44.
 Business case studies, 2018. Techniques for an effective job search [Online] Business
case studies, Available at http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/career-info/techniques-for-
an-effective-job-search/, [Accessed on: 23, March 2018].
 Douglas, M.J., 2017. Working with a Recruitment Agency. Monster.
 Doyle, A., 2018. Curriculum Vitae Format. The balance.
 Indeed, 2015., Advanced Job Search Techniques to Help You Plan Your Next Career
Move [Online] Indeed, Available at: http://blog.indeed.com/2015/04/14/advanced-job-
search-techniques/, [Accessed on: 23, March 2018].
 Innoruption Systems Pvt Ltd, 2015. Post once Distribute Everywhere [Online]
Innoruption Systems Pvt Ltd, Available at: http://www.talentpegs.com/features,
[Accessed on: 23, March 2018].
 Jobs, S., 2017. Developing Employability Skills. Kent.
 Krishnaraj, J., 2018. How do I download my LinkedIn profile as PDF document?. Quora.
 Larseen, A.G., 2018. 4 Job Search Techniques You Think Work, But Don't. themuse.
 Omoth, T., 2018. 10 ways to create a winning linkedin profile. Topresume.
 Pavlou, C., 2018. How to source on job boards and resume databases. Workable.
 Pinterest, 2018. Professional Development [Online] Business case studies, Available at:
https://www.pinterest.ca/teachhub/professional-development/?lp=true, [Accessed on:
23, March 2018].
 Rienties, B., Brouwer, N. and Lygo-Baker, S., 2013. The effects of online professional
development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning
facilitation and technology. Teaching and teacher education, 29, pp.122-131.
 Scalar, 2018. CV Format [Online] Scalar, Available at: http://scalar.usc.edu/works/the-
best-man/cv-format, [Accessed on: 23, March 2018].
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 Upperspring field, 2018. Job Assist Centre [Online] Business case studies, Available at:
http://www.upperspringfield.com/job-assist-centre/, [Accessed on: 23, March 2018].
 Wilton, N., 2012. The impact of work placements on skills development and career
outcomes for business and management graduates. Studies in Higher Education, 37(5),
pp.603-620.
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Appendix
Task 2: Analyse personal responsibilities and identify the
performance objectives on the basis of the job description of the
given role.
a) Use the Skills Audit (Given in Assignment Guidelines Folder)
to consider necessary skills you possess as experience/
knowledge in and those you will develop.
Employability Skills Audit
Skill Description
Ratin
g Evidence
Planning and
organizing
I have appropriate skills
that help in accomplish the
module target and
managing the activities of
the project in given time
period. 1 2 3 4 5
Dividing the activities
according to given time
period
Writing skills
I have good writing skills
that help in accomplishing
the organizational projects. 1 2 3 4 5
Writing reports and
articles in newspaper
and magazines
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Cooperating skills
I try to make a balance
with my staff and
employees who work with
me. 1 2 3 4 5
Participate in team
activities
Analysing skills
Analysing skill help in
evaluating the present
market and environment 1 2 3 4 5
Conducting market
research
Initiative
I always take an initial step
in my work that provides
me effectiveness in my
work 1 2 3 4 5
Participate in seminars
and meetings
Leadership skills
Leadership skills help in
leading the projects,
guiding the team and take
the necessary steps 1 2 3 4 5
Participate in team
activities
17

SELF RELIANCE
I always try to participate
in every activity that
organized in the
organization 1 2 3 4 5
Always shows my own
presence
Persuading skills
I always put my views in
meetings and seminars
that help in enhancing my
knowledge. 1 2 3 4 5
Involving in meetings
and seminars
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Action Plan
A skill I need to
How I plan to do
this The date I intend to
develop achieve this by
Planning and organizing
Organizing various events
that include course project
event and charity events
and so on. 1 Month
Adaptability / flexibility
Working path time while
studying, changing the
courses, shifting the work for
the short notice 18 Days
Presentation Skills
I will try to present power
point presentation in
meetings and try to express
my views in front of
everyone. 3 Month
Technical Ability Technical ability can be
corrected through working
with the technical team and
by experiencing the current
48 Days
19

technology
Lifelong Learning and
Development
Learning’ skills can be
generated through learning
new skills of management
and language, improving the
computing skills 1 Month
Commercial Awareness
Commercial awareness can
be enhanced through taking
interest in current affairs,
organizing events and
fantasy share portfolio. 15 Days
Personal development
It can be enhanced through
participates in training and
personal development
programs. 21 Days
Creativity/Initiative
By getting relevant work,
suggesting the changes to
the representative will help
me in improving my
creativity. 2 Month
Analysis/research skills Researching for a different
project in the business
magazines, reading
newspaper and market
15 Days
20

research.
SWOT analysis
Strength
Effective analysis and research skills
Practical and professional expertise and
conduct
Teamwork
Planning and organizing
Weakness
Presentation skills
Career development skills
Opportunities
Planning and organizing
Commercial Awareness
Personal development
Threats
Weak Technical Ability
Adaptability
Self-relevance
Persuading skills
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b) In your skills audit, rate your skills against the specifications of the
given role and set a theme for your own learning and development for
work.
In the skills audit, I rate my skills against the specification from five out of four in the set
of the theme of own learning and development of work. I have appropriate skills that
help in accomplish the module target in the given time period and effectively. As per the
analysis and ranking own skills and development, it has been analysed that I have good
research skills that help in making the relevancy and accuracy of the project. It is
necessary to carry out the information in the context of the topic. Problem-solving skills
also play a very significant role in conducting research project effectively. I have good
problem-solving skills that make me informed decision and enable in identifying the
appropriate and suitable solution to overcome the problem. I rate planning and
organization skills from 4 out of 5 as I feel difficult while implementing the courses of
actions in order to accomplish the desired goals.
I build and develop an appropriate good relationship with other employees who are
working in the organization this will help me in performing a better role in teamwork and
having good outcomes of it. I have good communication skills too that will help in writing
the good easy and reports in front of a wide audience that enable to grab more
opportunities to enhance my skills and knowledge. With good writing skills, I have
superb presentation skills that help me in presenting my ideas and views in front of
large audience. With my presentation skills, I would able to convince and influence
individual through using the appropriate technology.
I like to anticipate and handle the changes and maintain the effectiveness of the change
in the environment through with my flexibility and ability skills. The weak point that is
analysed in employability skills audit is that I have poor creativity skills and technical
ability that can become a bigger threat to me. But besides that is have good personal
and career management skills that help me in marinating up to date professional and
career management plans and help in understanding the importance of reviewing the
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activities and maintaining close to accomplish the desired goals and objectives. I have
good learning skills that help me updating with the news of surrounding. I continue to
develop my lifelong learning and development skills so I rate these 2 out of 5. I am
learning and able to understand the economics of business from both the perspective of
organization and customers that relate me to the wider business world. I have lack of
practical and professional expertise and conduct so I try to keep me update with
development areas of professional specialization and strong and professional image of
staff.
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