Employability Skills Report

This report examines the importance of employability skills for career success. It analyzes the author's strengths, examines Tesco as a potential employer, and outlines the steps taken to enhance their employability, including professional certifications and CV development. The report also discusses the STAR model for interview preparation.

Employability Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Brief overview of the education and career aspirations..............................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
Study on a current job profile in Tesco.......................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Employability skills can be defined as such type of professional skills that are required by
an individuals to be employable and get the desired job profiles. Positive attitude, teamwork,
willingness to cater knowledge, problem solving, decision making, good communication etc. are
some examples of such abilities that are the main requirements of employers while they hire new
staff members for their organisations (Bryant and Goswami, 2016). It is essential for all the
individuals to have some unique skills so that they may get, keep and be successful on their
dream job. Most of the works get necessary employability skills from their past job experience.
This assignment consist various information in which individuals can know their
strengths and apply few elements from Gallup strengths and Johari's window theories,
information of the interested sector, benefits of individual's networking to become commercially
aware, analysis of job specification and description, professional qualification to achieve desired
job are also discussed under this report.
TASK 1
Brief overview of the education and career aspirations
Identification of key strengths: As I am studying Business Management study and my
career aspirations are to take more responsible, more creative and establish a business in future.
To achieve these aspirations I have to get experience by working in an organisation at a
management profile (Dunne, 2014). I can use tow different models to identify my strengths. Both
are as follows:
Clifton Gallup Strengths theory: It is a model which is used by individuals to identify
their strength in order to achieve all the desired goals. I am also going to use this model to
identify my strength that will help me to reach to my career aspirations. There are various
elements that are related to this theory that are strategic, communication, positivity, significance,
belief, responsibility, learner, futuristic, focused, empathy. When I have studied all these
elements than I have found out that I am having may of such skills that may help me to achieve
all my career aspirations (Galgóczi and Leschke, 2016). For example I am good at
communication, have a willingness to learn, focused with my goals and have positive attitude
that may help me to be more successful in life. All these skills are identified by me with the help
of Clifton Gallup Strengths theory.
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Johari’s Window theories: This model help individuals to better understand their
relation with others and themselves. This theory directed me to way in which I can enhance my
knowledge about myself (Gray and et. al., 2014). I have understood that I have to be more aware
of social issues, improve my communication, enhance my skills to work in a team and establish
good relations with the team members so that I can achieve all my goals. There are four elements
of this model that are open, blind, hidden and unknown in which I have analysed that all of them
may help me to identify my effective skills. For example, many skills like good attitude toward
work, good problem solving and strategic decision making abilities of mine have been identified
by me.
Both the theories have helped me to identify may skills that may help me to reach my
career aspiration and also guide me on the way of attaining all the goals (Griffin and Care, 2014).
Analysis of companies in the sector: I am willing to work in private sector where I can
grab appropriate opportunities that mat help me to fulfil all my career aspirations. I have chosen
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Illustration 1: Johari's Window theory, 2018

two different companies in private sector who are running business in retail industry. The
companies are Tesco and QD stores, both are established in UK and running the business
effectively. History, values and ethics of both the companies er as follows:
Tesco QD stores
History Tesco was established in year 1919 by
Jack Cohen in London. The brand Tesco
has taken place in year 1924. It is a British
multinational groceries and retailer which
is mainly based in UK and running
business all around the world. It is world's
third largest retailer measured by its
revenues (Grover and Piggott, 2015).
It was established in year 1984 at
Norwich UK. Earlier the organisation has
started business with only one shop but
now number of shops has been increased
with time. Current number of shops is 25
that are located across East Anglia.
Ethics The organisation is operating business
ethically and supporting human rights in
its supply chain. Tesco has scored a
middle rating in animal testing a sit does
not test its products on animals but selling
products of other companies who are
producing such products.
The organisation is having good ethical
environment at its work place so that the
employees may perform all their tasks
effectively. As it is selling mixture of
products like home and garden and
clothing and groceries this helps to grab
attention of customers and deal with them
ethically.
Values The values of Tesco can be defined with
the help of its missions which is to be
champion for its customers.
Value for QD stores is related to its
mission which is to expand their business
by acquiring higher market share so that
higher success can be attained
(Lombardi, 2018).
Alignment of organisation's ethics, and value with mine:
Tesco is implementing deontological or duty based ethical and value theory in which it
has been defined that every individuals is having own values and rights that needs to be fulfilled
in order attain all the predetermined goals. I am willing to work in such company who is
supporting employees by providing them right wage for their work. Tesco is supporting human
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rights within the organisation and this will provide me an effective opportunity to fulfil my
ethics. Mission and value of the company is to be champion among its customer and I am good
at communications this will help me to communicate with higher number of visitors of the
company and work in an effective company (Sellar and Lingard, 2014).
QD stores is using Community based theory which is concerned with social health of the
community where the company is running the business. Working environment of the company is
ethically strong and according to me this will best meet with my ethics because good working
environment can help me to grab growth opportunities. Mission of the organization is to acquire
higher market share to expand business. This will help me to work in a futuristic company which
is a great opportunity for me.
The way in which networking help to become more commercially aware:
Networking can help every individual including me to become more commercially aware
as my network will help me to be more aware of social issues and trends that have taken place in
the market. It is very important for me to build good relations with individuals so that my
network get broader and I will get more knowledge about social as well as technological trends
of market. Social networking theory is a technique that may help me to study the way in which
people, organisations and groups of market interact under a specific network (Silver, 2017) In
Tesco this theory is adopted by its employees who are willing to expand their social network so
that they may be more about commercial issues and trends. AS my social network is also very
good and it can help me to gather information of contemporary issues, trends and challenges.
This theory will also help me to enhance my social skills that will guide me while performing
duties that are related to my job.
TASK 2
Study on a current job profile in Tesco
I am willing to work in Tesco as it may help me to build my career. The organisation is
now running its business all around the world and it is one of the largest retail and supermarket
in the world which is based in UK. As I am studying business management and willing to
achieve all my career aspirations it is possible with the help of a specific job profile in my dream
company. The desired job profile of mine is Customer Assistant at Tesco (Stijepic, 2017). In
which is required to communicate with them effectively and engage with them face to face. In
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this job profile the employees of Tesco have to put customer first and try to resolve all the issues
that are taking place.
It is a good opportunity for me to check all my abilities and skills that I am able to
perform critical tasks or not. It is a challenging profile that may help me to enhance all my skills
and knowledge and it is very beneficial for me as it will provide me various growth opportunities
(Taylor, 2015).
Job description: A customer assistant is responsible to attend and directly contact the
customers of the company. They have to resolve issues on phone or by interacting face to face
with customers. Respond effectively to the complaints of the visitors of the organisation.
Job Specification: Customer assistants are mainly concerned to contact customers and
provide them effective informations that are asked by them.
Professional certification alongside degree of business management:
As I am willing to be a customer assistant in Tesco and to be more competitive to acquire
this job I may pursue a professional certification of CRM in which all the information and
training is provided by experienced trainers. It is very important for every candidate to have
professional certificate so that they may have more chances as compare to other who are not
having such type of certificate to acquire the job profile. For me it is very important for me as
well to pursue a specific professional course so that my skills and knowledge get enhanced and I
may get the desired job in my dream company (Webster, 2014).
Employers of every organisation always wants to hire such individuals who are having
effective skills, knowledge and professional certificates because they are having professional
experience to deal with issues at workplace because they have been provided training. If the
company is hiring such individuals who are not able to handle all the issues of customers and
whole organisation. Professional certification course for CRM can be chosen by me to grab the
opportunity and work in the organisation on my desired job profile so that I may get success in
my life. This will result positively for my career as this may help me to enhance my personal
skills that are required to be selected by the employers of Tesco for the desired job profile.
Demonstration of CV and Linked in Profile: The profile of Customer assistant require
high school diploma, college degree from a well recognised institution and I am having both the
diploma and degree which has been mentioned in my CV and On my Linked in profile. As this
profile require 2 years minimum experience working in customer service my profile and CV
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shows 1 year part time experience in the same field but I was very effective at the time when I
have provided the such services which is a plus point for me and this may also impress the
employers and interviewers. Various skills are also required for this job profile that includes
good communication, patience, creativity, problem solving, effective phone call skills and
strategic decision making skills all the skills are mentioned in my CV as I am good in finding
solutions for difficult situations according to my skills. It is very important for all the persons
who are willing to achieve all their career aspirations to have good skills so that organisations
can give them opportunity.
Interview process and STAR model:
Star model can be defined as situation, Task, Action and Result (STAR model, 2018).
This model is very beneficial for me as this will guide me to face my interview effectively and
face all the competencies appropriately. In an interview the interviewer ask questions from the
individuals who there in the organisation for the job. It is a multi stage process which is followed
by various organisations for hiring new employees. This process includes various steps like
writing the job description, posting the jobs on different web portals, scheduling interview for the
eligible persons, conducting personal interview for them, following up with the candidates and
hire them according to their eligibility. According to me the process of interview is good for the
candidates as well as the organisation because this will help to analyse that hired candidates are
able to perform all the duties that are related to their job profile.
Reflection on the learnings:
From this model I have learnt various things that are related to my personal career
aspirations. It has helped me to enhance my problem solving and decision making skills. It is
very important for me to develop my other skills like futuristic, straight forward because these
skills are also required by the employers while hiring new candidates for their company. My
desired job profile is customers assistant and the dream company is Tesco in which I am willing
to work and to work there it is very important for me to be have more effective skills that may
help to impress the interviewer and the employers of the company.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report it has been concluded that employability skills are very
important fro every individual to grab the opportunity for the desired job profile in the dream
company. If candidates are not having such effective skills than they may not be chosen by
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interviewer or the employer for their organisation as they are willing to hire such persons who
have good and effective skills. The main skills that are required by the employers are problem
solving, decision making, good communication and willingness to learn. All these skills in
individuals can help them to acquire their desired job profile.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal:
Bryant, P. and Goswami, U., 2016. Phonological skills and learning to read. Routledge.
Dunne, E., 2014. The learning society: International perspectives on core skills in higher
education. Routledge.
Galgóczi, B. and Leschke, J., 2016. EU labour migration in troubled times: skills mismatch,
return and policy responses. Routledge.
Gray, K. M. and et. al., 2014. Adult outcomes in autism: Community inclusion and living skills.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 44(12). pp.3006-3015.
Griffin, P. and Care, E. eds., 2014. Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills: Methods and
approach. Springer.
Grover, C. and Piggott, L. eds., 2015. Disabled people, work and welfare: Is employment really
the answer?. Policy Press.
Lombardi, M., 2018. The cognitive approach to the study of local production systems. In
Evolutionary Patterns of Local Industrial Systems (pp. 71-87). Routledge.
Sellar, S. and Lingard, B., 2014. The OECD and the expansion of PISA: New global modes of
governance in education. British Educational Research Journal. 40(6). pp.917-936.
Silver, A., 2017. The demand for order in civil society: A review of some themes in the history
of urban crime, police, and riot. In Theories and Origins of the Modern Police (pp. 23-
46). Routledge.
Stijepic, D., 2017. Employment Effects of Skills Around the World: Evidence from PIAAC.
Taylor, R., 2015. Employment, Skills and Human Capital. Journal of Economics and
Econometrics. 58(3). pp.99-116.
Webster, J., 2014. Shaping women's work: Gender, employment and information technology.
Routledge.
Online
STAR model. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-the-star-interview-response-technique-
2061629>
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