University Application: Business and Finance Study Skills Assignment

This assignment showcases a student's reflection on their personal qualities, skills, and experience in the context of a university application and future career in finance. The student identifies their commercial awareness, communication, and time management skills as key strengths, while acknowledging areas for development such as decision-making and theoretical knowledge. The assignment also includes detailed preparation for a university interview, featuring a mock interview with pre-defined questions and model answers. The student analyzes their performance in the mock interview, highlighting strengths in quick responses and practical knowledge, and weaknesses in communication and organization. The assignment concludes with a discussion of the student's short-term and long-term career goals and the importance of teamwork.

Running head: BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
Question 3.
The first and foremost important skill that I possess is the commercial awareness
which is highly important for the persons working in the accountancy firms or in the
accounting department of any company. In most of the cases the problem arises due to the
inability of meeting the demands of the clients within the tight deadlines. However in my
case, it is not the matter because I have in depth knowledge about the constantly changing
business trends in the accounting part of business. In addition to this, I have the capability of
understanding the different facets of business as I have the interest of business management
from very tender age. This is the reason why I have studies concepts and theories related to
business from the very beginning and taken different trainings for meeting the expectations of
the business organostions where I have worked for more than six years.
I have gained knowledge about cost expenditure analysis of the companies and
tracking transactions of the firms from long. However, the tenure of working with these firms
are very short but I have gained knowledge about the financial management. This aspect of
the businesses attracted me highly for which I have enlisted in this course. Here I have gained
communication skills, negotiation and time management skills. All of these are transferrable
skills and will help me in perusing my career in finance business.
However, I think there are some potential areas for development which include my ability to
make decisions and set goals that are achievable for me as well as my team members also. I
have six years of working experience but these are all practical experiences hence I do not
possess theoretical knowledge about the facets of business. Therefore, through this course I
shall be able to bridge the gap of my knowledge.
Question 6.

2BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
In order to prepare myself for the university course, I need to prepare myself for the
interview because it is essential that I must have the communication ability for detailing my
capabilities before the university authority. In order to prepare myself for the real interview I
took the help from one of my friends and arranged a mock interview in my home on
23.5.2019. The mock interview question were prepared by my friend because he works as HR
in a reputed company therefore, the questions had unique value for me.
A) Question 1. Can you tell us something about you?
Question 2. Why do you want to enrol in our university course?
Question 3. Do you have experience of working in any company?
Question 4. Do you think your experience will help you in pursuing this university
course?
Question 5. What are your strengths?
Question 6. What are your weaknesses?
Question 7. Which business person you admire the most and why?
Question 8. What are your short term and long term goals?
Question 9. What makes an effective team?
Question 10. Do you have any question for us?
B) Answer 1.
I am very interested in knowing changing concepts of business each and every year and
how the firms are changing their operations to meet the needs of the markets in different parts
of the world. I have worked in different forms in last six years, I have gained in depth
knowledge about the accounting responsibilities of these corporations.
Answer 2.

3BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
I have six years of working experience these are all practical experiences hence I do
not possess theoretical knowledge about the facets of business. Hence I want to enrol in your
university course.
Answer 3.
I have worked in four companies like Boots Property team as the finance assistant and
accounts assistant in British Gypsum. I have also worked as an accounts clerk in Nottingham
probation office for few months where I have learnt about effective relations across the
finance teams and supporting ad hoc accounting duties. Now I have been working as finance
and construction site assistant since 2014 till now that has made me capable of building
effective working relations with the clients, building controllers, architects and surveyors and
the structural engineers.
Answer 4.
As I have worked in the accounting departments of so many companies, I have gained
knowledge about the operations of the firms in different industries. These I think will help me
to understand the practical parts of the course.
Answer 5.
My strength is my educational background that has always help me in working in any
challenging situation. My strength also include my ability to remain calm in the problematic
situation. In addition to this, I am able to work effectively in the teams and cultural
diversified situation.
Answer 6.
I tend to be disorganised in the past therefore had to work more in one task but now I
am trying to be more organised while working in the business corporations.

4BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
Answer 7.
The leadership style of bill Gates has attracted me for long and how he managed to
balance the satisfaction level of the customers as well as his employees is a matter of
learning.
Answer 8.
My short term goal is to enrol in this university course and get placed in the firm I
desire within four years.
My long term goal is to start my own financial firm within next ten to twelve years.
Answer 9.
I think, team work is all about trust among the members and dependability where the
leaders are capable to motivate the members. They do so by allowing relevant and necessary
resources to the team members so that the goals can be achieved.
Answer 10.
I have learnt that the course gives the opportunity to study abroad and internship in
the reputed companies of the world. I have not find details about this in the university website
therefore wish to know from you.
TAQ 7.
Through this particular mock interview I have found out that I possess some strengths
and weaknesses. Among the strengths, I pointed out that I was not taking much time to
answer the questions. As I have the practical knowledge about the work, I could easily
referred them. Therefore, I think, I was quite confident about answering those questions.
Among the weaknesses, I have pointed out that my communication with the interviewer were

5BUSINESS AND FINANCE STUDY SKILLS
not so effective because there were always a scope for second query about the same question.
My interviewer have also pointed out that I needed to work more on the communication
process so that the personal and professional experiences of mine get proper exposure. I have
worked in different companies but I could not place those properly in my interview. My
interviewer had pointed out that I needed to take time to think about the answers before
answering. This will enable me to organise the points I could have highlighted in the
interview but due to lack of patience I have not mentioned all the pointes in my interview.
These all may have enhanced the capabilities and proficiency which can be helping me in my
mock or real interview.
My mock interview went well as expected and I have exceptionally found out some of
the very important factors about my capabilities. My interviewers as have knowledge about
the mentality and psychology of the interviewees, he could effectively judge me on that
context. He heard every strengths and weaknesses in me and pointed out each and every
factors. He has asked me to take care of sharing my points of view before the interviewers.
This is effective because, through my knowledge about myself, I will be able to improve
myself in the future. In addition to this, I have forgot to tell about the voluntary tasks I have
performed in past which can strengthen my ability to share my knowledge with the team
members and experience of working in different industries. I have not mentioned about my
short and long goals in detail so that the interviewers from university can understand how
much I have the interest of business management from very tender age. Finally, my mock
interview has given me the idea that I need to work more on the communication process
along with the accounting tasks so that I can be an effective leader in the future.