Career Planning and Employability Report: Fashion Design Sector

This report delves into the process of career planning and employability within the fashion design industry, analyzing the initial activities that prepare an individual for work in the field. It explores the use of social media, particularly personal websites and LinkedIn, for self-promotion and networking, highlighting the benefits of these platforms in establishing professional connections and seeking job opportunities. The report also examines the impact of skills audit questionnaires in identifying knowledge and skill gaps, as well as how employer interviews and industry research enable the creation of tailored documentation to meet current industry requirements. Furthermore, it evaluates the author's strengths and weaknesses, assessing their alignment with the person specifications for desired positions after graduation, with appendices providing a CV and application form examples.

Planning Careers and
Employability

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
Analyse how the initial activities have prepared you for work..............................................3
The use of social media in the form of a personal website and benefit of ‘Linked In’ contacts
to promote yourself and network............................................................................................3
Analyse how the skills audit questionnaire completion has enabled you to evaluate gaps in
your knowledge and skills......................................................................................................4
How the interview with an employer and additional research into the company enabled you to
prepare tailored documentation based on the current requirements of your chosen industry 4
Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, identifying how well you currently meet person
specifications for the sort of positions you hope to gain after your first degree....................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References .......................................................................................................................................6
Appendices.......................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
Planning career refers to an ongoing process where an individual put efforts to explore
their own interest and capabilities. It will helps to plan career in strategic manner and goals of
career which person desires to complete in future time (Cottrell, 2015). However, employability
can be described as an ability of a person to gain initial employment and maintain the same in
proper manner. This In context of given assignment, it will focus on initial activities prepared an
person for work. The chosen sector in which wants to made career is Fashion designing. It will
also include use of social media and benefit of Linked In to promote oneself and network. The
impact of skills audit questionnaire completion to evaluate gaps of knowledge & skills is given
below.
Main Body
Analyse how the initial activities have prepared you for work
The work will be related to fashion design as placement within a dynamic fashion studio
for which required to gather desired knowledge and gain basic idea before joining. It includes
conduct various activities which are helpful to prepare me for work so that the tasks in the
organisation can be conduct in proper manner. However, it consist to gather information
information about certain aspects which are essential to survive at work place which are
mentioned here. Initially, it includes to start dressing like a leader and develop professional skills
to make formal relations with staff by avoiding friendships (Lewin, 2015). Basically, it is
necessary to clarify my expectations regarding salary, incentives and other aspects at work place
and stay visible in organisation. Moreover, it consist the criterion of setting expectations and
establish groups norms with my team and focus on work with dedication.
On the hand, I feel that it is necessary to establish separate schedule time that should be
away from work for giving time to my family as well as friends. It is necessary to maintain
personal and professional relationships in separate manner which helps to spend life it ease
(O’Leary, 2013). Moreover, it is essential to put efforts for learning new aspects at work and try
to create fresh ideas for improving my performance day by day.

The use of social media in the form of a personal website and benefit of ‘Linked In’ contacts to
promote yourself and network
Social media can be described as a social platform that established via internet
connection to remain connected with other people. It is also helpful to evaluate various new
concepts and gather information about the same as per my own need. However, it has various
social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Hike etc. which helps to make profile with all
educational and experience detail in order to seek job opportunity in management. It is helpful to
make own websites for establishing online business and promote offline business. Social media
provides various innovative ideas to me through which I can easily flourish my career in fashion
designing field..
On the other hand, Linked In is known as a kind of social media platform which is
suitable for me use for gaining job opportunities with better salary package. Recruiters and
human resources professionals are active on Linked In and it has extensive job listings which is
helpful to achieve an appropriate working opportunity in fashion deigning filed (Messum,
Wilkes and Jackson, 2015). Basically, Linked In receive & give endorsement and testimonials
which provide support to enhance my own skills. Meanwhile, it is favourable to establish
important business connections and join professional groups that consist like-minded individuals
of fashion design.
Analyse how the skills audit questionnaire completion has enabled you to evaluate gaps in your
knowledge and skills
Skills Audit questionnaires can be described as as effective technique which is used to
identify the knowledge gaps in order to improve them. It includes the method to make questions
regarding performance and knowledge level of a person which helps to evaluate the knowledge
gaps of an employees. However, this questionnaire consist of few of those questions which are
related to their tasks and relevant academic area and their answers reflect about knowledge of an
individual (Messum and et. al., 2016). Moreover, it will also provide support to identify
knowledge gaps which are require to be eliminate in regards to enhance capability of own to
increase strength of working in the area of working towards area fashion designing.

How the interview with an employer and additional research into the company enabled you to
prepare tailored documentation based on the current requirements of your chosen industry
The interview of employer and extra investigation is necessary to determine the actual
problems and issues that are barriers in gaining better outcomes. It includes to identity the actual
requirements of industry and issues behind reduced productivity of an organisation. Considering
my industry, it is necessary to adopt innovative strategies and advanced technology for increase
entire capability of company involved in the activities of fashion designing. It will facilitate to
improve quality of product or services prepared in an organisation in regards to increase
customers experiences. Moreover, it is favourable to enhance goodwill of a company and
increase profitability of entire industry.
Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, identifying how well you currently meet person
specifications for the sort of positions you hope to gain after your first degree
The evaluation process of own strengths and weaknesses is required to be done for
eliminating inabilities and improve skills. Effective communication and proper time management
is my strengths through which proper cooperation can be established with colleagues and
complete ask in time with better outcomes. On the other hand, I have few of weaknesses like
poor decision making and face difficulty to solver problems at work place. These are responsible
for creating issues while performing. I am much capable to work in fashion designing but I need
senior guidance for improving my weak decision making skills.
Conclusion
From the above report, it has been summarised that for an individual it is required to
analyse their skills and capabilities in order to attain professional standards easily. All these
practices assist in attaining future goals and objectives easily. For this it is required to analyse
own capabilities and level for which individual can enhance them by their own efforts. In order
to enhancing their personal capabilities individual requires to work on its in effective and
efficient manner.

References
Books and Journals
Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Lewin, K., 2015. Educational Access, Equity, and Development: Planning to make rights
realities (Vol. 98). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
Messum, D., Wilkes, L. and Jackson, D., 2015. What employability skills are required of new
health managers?. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management. 10(1). p.28.
Messum, D.G., and et.al., 2016. Employability Skills in Health Services Management:
perceptions of recent graduates. Asia-Pacific Journal of Health Management. 11(1).
pp.25-34.
O’Leary, S., 2013. Collaborations in higher education with employers and their influence on
graduate employability: An institutional project. Enhancing Learning in the Social
Sciences. 5(1). pp.37-50.

Appendices
CV
Career Objective: To enhance my skills and knowledge level by working in a dynamic fashion
studio that prides itself in giving sustainable responsibility to new talent.
Personal Information:
Name Mitroi Marius Alin
Address BCI CIVIL Road, Watford, United States–
HA1 1PT1
Contact no. (233)-44-224
Email id [e-mail]
Educational Background
Year of pursuing University/College
2003 - 2007 Transport Technician
High School Industrial School Group (4 years)
1995 - 2003 General School Romania (8 years)
Work Experience
Designation Work & Organisation
Picker/Packer Sigma Pharmaceuticals (10 months and still
working there).
Picker/Supervisor Ceva printing mirror Watford (6 months)
Press Operator Cooper Standard (3 years): “delegate in two
countries to offer out support”.
Achievements
BTEC
A levels
Diploma in Transport Technician

GCSEs
Other
10 GCSEs, 1 A*, 5 As, 4Bs
Interests
 Interested in all areas of the art world.
 Love of travel and philosophy.
 Hobbies are football, swimming, gym, music and movies.
Computer proficiency
 Confident with software such as Adobe Illustrator C S3.
Skills and abilities
 Hard-working
 Ability to lean new things and easily form new professional skills
 Capable to adapt easily to working conditions.
 Possibility to work on weekends and over the program.
 Dynamic, sociable, easily adaptable, patient, good worker.
 Hand-rendered technical drawings
 experience with industrial sewing machines
 pattern cutting and design
Declaration
I declare that all data and information which is mandatory true to my knowledge also, the
certificate produced by university will be done by me when required.
Employer interview
Employer interview help to know about the skills and requirements focused in the
selection candidate. The selected area is fashion designing. Requirements and skills must to have
are mentioned below on the basis of information attained from the interview:
 High on creativity skills

 high in artistic skills
 fine eye for detail
 sharp business sense
 know about combination of drawings
 designing skills
Skills audit
Professional skills More specific Rating Where and how I
developed this skill
Decision making skill In situation of conflict 2 Attendance of
simulation activities. It
is developed more
through the previous
experience of working
Communication skill Listening to other 3 Developed with the aid
of regular attendance
of lectures. Further,
proper guidance was
took of peers and use
the tools and
frameworks to
improve capacity
Application form

Personal details
Name: Caroline Giselle Taylor
Personal statement:
Hard-working and Confident with software such as Adobe Illustrator C S3, hand-
rendered technical drawings and experience with industrial sewing machines, pattern cutting
and design
Education and qualifications
Year School/University
2013 -
present
University for the Creative Arts, BA Hons Fashion Design
2011 - 2013 Reigate Sixth Form College
2005 - 2011 Croham Hurst School for Girls

Work experience
Time Roles and responsibilities along with
company
July - September 2015 Design/General Assistant at Neurotica.
Designing swing tags and labels, toiling
garments for the Toyshop collection.
Producing CAD spec drawings for mainline
Topshop collection. Creating gift packs for
AW09 Collection Launch.
March - April 2014 Design Assistant at Dorothy Perkins,
Arcadia. Updating colour palettes and
trendboards. Design ideas and research for
various design departments
July 2011 Work experience with Eyefix Skills
International and Arabella Clothing, London.
01/07/10 Work experience at French Connection and
Farhi as assistant to the head designer of
Women’s accessories.
achievements
BTEC Diploma in Foundation Art and Design (Merit)
A Levels Philosophy (A), Psychology (B), Spanish (B) Fine Art (C)
GCSEs 10 GCSEs, 1 A*, 5 As, 4Bs
Other Jubilee Scholarship at Croham Girls School for Royal Institute of Mathematics
Masterclasses