Managing People and Careers: A Case Study of Airbus DS

This document explores the critical aspects of managing people and careers within an organization, using Airbus DS as a case study. It delves into the company's recruitment and selection process, highlighting the importance of targeted cover letters, competency-based job application answers, and effective CVs. The document also includes reflections on in-seminar interview and assessment center exercise practices, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the selection process and its impact on organizational culture. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the practical application of human resource management principles in a real-world setting.

Managing people and careers
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
1. An appropriately targeted cover letter.........................................................................................3
2. Appropriately targeted competency-based job application answers to supplied questions.........5
3. An appropriately targeted CV......................................................................................................8
4. Reflection notes from your in-seminar interview practice........................................................12
5. Reflection notes from your in-seminar assessment centre exercise practice.............................13
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
Reference.......................................................................................................................................14
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Introduction
The HR department helps a manager in an organization to understand various actions of a
manager in the HR department (Taylor et al., 2015.). In this competitive market it is important to
manage people in an organization to run the department strategically. Taking interview and
selecting candidates is one of the vital activities of the HR department in an organization. Here,
to explain the subject, the name of the company ‘Airbus DS’ has been assumed and shown how
the company has processed its HR activities for taking interview and making selection of the
candidates in the company (Airbus, 2018). The student will have a detailed idea of the interview
process and his reflection on this process.
1. An appropriately targeted cover letter
Targeted Cover letter
April 2, 2018
Mr. John Smith
Recruiting Manager
Airbus DS
Ottobrunn
Germany
Respected Sir,
I have come to know the opening of the vacancy in your company for the post of Sales and
Marketing Graduate from the telegraph dated on 31st March, 2017. Apart from this, one of my
relatives has also referred me your company. For the past few years, I have known enough about
your company and hence, I have a personal passion to be an employee in your company.
I am a commerce graduate and have a passion to join your company for the past few years. I
know the retail products of your company. The most attractive things that attract me are the retail
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products and quality of products of your company. I have a passion on the products and service
of your company. The products and services are excellent in price and quality. All the above
products and services have created a passion in the perception of mine. Furthermore, the delivery
service of your company is one more thing that has led me to the choice of your company. Some
of my relatives have referred your company because of being your company an employee based
company. I have heard that there are various types of facilities in your company that have also
made me passionate to your company. For the past few years I have worked in four other
companies in the field of sales and marketing. I am a B.Com graduate and have confidence
enough that if I get a chance, I can prove myself a fit candidate for your organization. I think that
the experiences in four previous companies will help me to interact with the customers and make
a good relation with them. I have done the Management of Business Administration in marketing
from a renowned Institute in London. I have the knowledge of basic computer and know the
internet operation. I have got four awards in my previous companies for the performance in my
marketing and customer relationship skills. Hence, I think all the above qualities of mine will
help me to afford the best possible in your organization.
Hence, I fervently request you to allow me to go for an interview and give me a chance in your
organization. I shall be available as you would like to call me for an interview. In London, where
I live your company has a branch at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London. If you call me at that
office, I can be present at any time for interview. You can call me for interview at any of your
offices at a certain date and I shall be present there for interview. Therefore, I request you to
please give me a chance to appear in your company for interview.
Thanking you for giving me your valuable time and considering my credentials.
Sincerely yours,
Suzana Mates.
27 Old Gloucester Street
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London, United Kingdom
Encl: The Curriculum Vitae is attached with the latter
2. Appropriately targeted competency-based job application answers to supplied questions
1. Why do you want to work for us?
There are several reasons for my selecting the Airbus DS. Firstly, I have a passion for the service
of the company ‘Airbus DS.’ Superior quality of the products and the excellent services have
created a brand image of the company for what I have been interested to take a job in Airbus DS
Secondly, the vacancy is for the post of Sales and Marketing Graduate. Since childhood, I have a
passion for in the job of sales and marketing also customer handling. I think handling a large
number of customers will not only make an internal development of my company but it will
develop my external relationship with customers also. This relationship will develop my
personality that will be beneficial for the scope of my future job and progress. Thirdly, as this is
the job of my passion, this job, I think, on the one hand will satisfy me and on the other hand, I
can serve a large number of people for the well-being of our society. Fourthly, the art of
customer handling will help me making a customer relation in my personal business if I shall
start a business in future. Hence, considering the above points, I have been interested in joining
Airbus DS.
2. Tell us about a time you worked in a group to achieve an objective (what did you do and
what was the outcome?)
Two of my working experiences can be cited in this regard. The first one was that when I worked
in Marks & Spencer as an Assistant Sales Manager. A particular target was given each year to
sell. There, I had to handle my sales team with 15 members. As I had to fulfill a target, I divided
my total target figure among my team members and allocated their sales figure individually. As
an Assistant Sales Manager I always cooperated with my team members and helped them to
accomplish their tasks. Thus, I achieved my target keeping good relatio0nship with my team-
members.
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The second excellent experience is my working as Assistant Sales and Marketing Graduate in
Sainsbury PLC store. I am the Assistant Sales and Marketing Graduate here. Here my role is to
contact 25 customers everyday through my subordinates and to inquire whether there is any
problem with them regarding the delivery service of the products of the customers. Here, as a
leader, I have to follow my team up for the service to the customers. The experience here I gather
that every day I contact and sometimes meet with new type of customer who gives me new
experience to develop my skills and abilities.
3. Tell us about a time when you identified a new approach to solve a problem. (what did
you do and what was the outcome?)
Recently in Sainsbury’s PLC, there was a complaint from the customers that they were getting
proper service from the company. As an assistant Sales and Marketing Graduate, I found out two
major points to solve the issue. The issues and solutions have been discussed below:
I advised the pioneers of my company to make a segmentation of customers. I made a group of
potential customers from all and selected a special type of online delivery service free of cost. As
a few customers buy lion’s share of the company’s products, this delivery service has satisfied
them and the brand image of my company has enhanced. The CRM system of the company has
been developed for better supply-chain and customer delivery service.
One more business strategy has been initiated by me in the customer relationship management. I
have made all the potential customers of the company connected through social media. Through
this connection, on the one hand, I can keep numerous data of customers for future record and on
the other hand through this media, I can keep a good relationship with them for business
promotion. Thus, I have resolved the problem. An analysis regarding is also made to determine
the customers’ potentiality.
4. Tell us about a time when you had to manage a number of different priorities and
complete a number of tasks in a short amount of time (what did you do and what was the
outcome?)
My experience as an Assistance Sales Manager would be an ideal example here. Last year in the
month of March, I had been given a target of selling $25,000 million soaps. With this
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responsibility, I had to maintain the customer relationship with a large number of customers. The
time for sale was only one month and hence, this was a very tough situation to me to handle both
the problems simultaneously. In this situation I resorted to the two business tools of marketing.
Firstly, I fixed the target individually to all my team-members declaring a reward on their
performance. Through the reward system, they were motivated and they fulfilled their target.
For the customer relationship maintaining, I divided 20 customers daily and contacted them
through social media to get their feedback. For customer service, I stressed the online delivery
service. Thus, the customers were also satisfied by my company’s service. I applied the supply-
chain method of my company for which the product cost was also reduced and the customer
delivery service became better than before. I followed the behavioral theory of leadership for
keeping good relationship with the customers and for marketing; I applied the Great Man Theory
of leadership. For following all the above methods, the positive outcomes of my company came
and I was rewarded by the management of my company.
5. Tell us about a project you worked on that required you to persuade others to your point
of view (what did you do and what was the outcome?)
My present company ‘Sainsbury’s PLC’ one month ago launched a new retail food product in
the market and for this the management decided a marketing campaign in the city of London. I
had to work both a Sales and Marketing Graduate and also I had to help in the promotion of sales
of my company. In that case, I had to maintain the following transferable skills and
communication skills for the direction of the marketing campaign:
Teamwork: In the marketing campaign, I cooperated with my team members in keeping
connection with my customers. In every case, I resolved the matter and took valuable decision
for the organization’s promotion (Katzenbach and Smith, 2015).
Leadership: As a leader, I came up to my subordinates whenever they faced any problems in
their workplace. I applied various leadership theories depending on the situation. Thus, I
motivated my subordinates.
Time management: I divided the entire activities of the campaign through a time management
program and accomplished the tasks within that time management.
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Communication: I followed two types of communications in the marketing campaign. One is
the written communication through which the employees and the customers were connected
through emails, newsletters, and others and through verbal communications (Musa, 2015). I and
my subordinates met with the customers and talked with them in the campaign for taking
feedback of the products and services of my company.
3. An appropriately targeted CV
Curriculum Vitae for the interested candidates are the following:
CV-1
Curriculum Vitae
Anthony Howeiss
Ken Burns
233 River Road
New London CT 06320.
[e-mail]
Job profile
I am a 25 year old of English Origin. I am an individual with good skills of organization and am
flexible at any situation.
I am a quick learner and can cooperate with anyone at my workplace.
Work Experience
Post Company name Period of service
Greenergy (Fuel) 198 High Holborn, London Oct, 2016 to present
IPMG (media) Edgecliff, Australia Feb, 2016 to Sept, 2016
Stemcor (commodities) London, England Oct, 2015 to Feb, 2016
Brakes Group () Ashford, Kent, United
Kingdom
Sept, 2014 to Oct, 2015
Sony Europe Ltd.(Electronic) The Heights, Booklands,
Weybridge, Surrey, KT13
oXW, United Kingdom.
Jan, 2014 to Sept, 2014.
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Arcadia Group (Clothing) London, W1, United
Kingdom
Autust, 2013 to Jan, 2014.
Education
IQ IAM Level 3 Diploma in Business Management - – Imperial College, London - January 2013
to June,2014
HND level 4-5 in business – City University of London – London – March, 2014 to April 2015.
Diploma in Computer – The University of Greenwith, London in the year 2012.
Diploma in Accounts – Kingston University of London in the year, 2011
Skills
Communication skill, Graphic design, IT skills, Language known: English, French and Arabic.
Certification
Skills in the post of Marketing Manager, Customer Care Manager since January, 2016 to present.
Hobbies
Reading
Cycling
Drawing
References available on request
CV-2
Curriculum Vitae
John Adams
27 Old Gloucester Street,
London.
[e-mail]
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Profile
With dedication to my work and friendly and cooperative nature, I ensure that I perform all my
responsibilities efficiently and with dedication. I can adjust myself in any place in any situation. I
have communication and organizational skills to perform my duties. I am looking forward to
work in a corporative environment present in a sector like yours.
Work experience
Assistant Sales and Marketing Graduate in Sainsbury PLC: From September, 2015 to till date
Assistance Sales Manager in Marks & Spencer: From September, 2015 to September, 2016.
Customer Care Manager in Brewin Dolphin PLC: From November, 2014 to September, 2015.
Customer Care Executive in Allied Carpets & Flooring: January, 2013 to November, 2014.
Education
Masters in Business Administration from City University of London in the year 2013-2014.
Diploma in computer from Imperial College of London in the year 2014-2015.
Stafford High School , Stafford Road, 1985-1997
Skills
Excellent communication skills and written English
Fluent in speaking in English and French.
English (Mother Tongue)
Advanced level Microsoft office package (MS word, MS Excel, Power Point, Access and
Internet)
Good skills for handling customers
Hobbies
Reading
Watching cinema and drama
Playing cricket
Cycling and swimming
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References are available upon request.
CV-3
Curriculum Vitae
Smith Adwell
Calle Aduana, 29
28070 Madrid
Spain
[e-mail]
Profile
I am looking for a job in an employment where the work atmosphere is smooth and where I can
develop and establish myself as a professional.
Work experience
Assistant Sales manager in Iceland Limited, London: From January, 2013 to December, 2014
Assistant Customer Care Relationship in Bestway Group, London: From January, 2012 to
January, 2013.
Customer Care Manager in River Island in London: From June, 2011 to January, 2012.
Customer Care Assistant in LIDL, London: From January, 2011 to June, 2011.
Education
Masters in Marketing Management from London Metropolitan University in the year 2010-11.
Diploma in Accounts from London Metropolitan University in October, 2011.
Mount Brookbridge School (equivalent of B-levels), Brookbridge Road, 2008-2009.
Skills and competencies
Computer knowledge in MS word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Internet.
C+ Language
Java Language
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Good communication skill to handle customers
Good speaking and writing skills in English.
Has a command in French language.
Hobbies
Playing football
Music
Drawing
References are available upon request
4. Reflection notes from your in-seminar interview practice
The selection process of the company was carried to select the skillful and competent employees
and in order to identify the strengths and weakness of the process of the interview. The interview
has been taken without any partiality or inequality with the candidates. The skills and qualities
have been highlighted and the competent candidate has been selected here. The name of the
selected candidate here is ‘John Adams for the post of ‘Sales and Marketing Graduate’ 'On the
basis of the interview process, the following reflective notes have been prepared by me:
 Strengths: The strength of this interview process is that there has been a direct
communication with many candidates and several questions have been asked the
candidates through verbal communication and proper body language. From this interview
process, the HR department of the company can organize better interview process in
future.
 Weaknesses: The room for taking personal interview was very little. More space is
necessary in future to carry out such interview.
 Rationale: Conducting an interview process is necessary for a big organization like
Airbus DS Through such interview process, the organization has been able to keep a
good database of its customers. Thus, through managing a good workforce, the company
has enhanced its culture within the organization.
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5. Reflection notes from your in-seminar assessment centre exercise practice
The following are the reflection notes in regard to the centre exercise practice of Airbus DS:
 Selection of the candidate: Through the appropriate HRM practices, Airbus DS has
applied the selection and recruitment procedures for the selection of the candidate. The
candidate ‘John Adams’ has been selected as the most suitable candidate in this case for
the post of Sales and Marketing Graduate as required by the company. The candidate has
been selected by haunting the talents and without any partiality.
 Induction: Through the appropriate procedure, the selected candidate can be inducted to
the proper department. For instance, the selected candidates many be employed to the
Head office or branch office of the company.
 Culture of the organization: The candidate in the interview process has been selected
without any partiality, inequality from the aspect of colour, cast, religion, age and
disability. Thus, through this process, the culture of the company has been enhanced and
both the productivity and brand imaged have enhanced.
 Personal experience: From my point of view, it can be said that all the employees have
been benefitted through various types of leadership theories and the company has been
benefitted through various new policies and cultures of the organization through this
interview process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that managing the people in an organization is one of the major tasks
for the organizational development. This chapter deals with managing the people in an
organization. The example of ‘Airbus DS’ has been taken in this section to discuss this subject.
Various interview and selection process has been shown here. At the end, some reflective
outcomes of the recruitment and selection process have been highlighted.
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Reference
Airbus. (2018). Airbus Home. [online] Available at: http://www.airbus.com/ [Accessed 3 Apr.
2018].
Katzenbach, J.R. and Smith, D.K., 2015. The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance
organization. Harvard Business Review Press.
Musa, S.A., 2015. The factors of effective communication in organization: a study case in
Imtiyaz Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd. Kuala Terengganu (Doctoral dissertation, Universiti Teknikal
Malaysia Melaka).
Taylor, T., Doherty, A. and McGraw, P., 2015. Managing people in sport organizations: A
strategic human resource management perspective. Routledge.
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