4BU006 Essay: Reflecting on Employability Skills for Business Success

This essay, submitted by a student, delves into the crucial topic of employability skills within the context of business success. It begins with an introduction to reflective writing as a tool for self-assessment, highlighting the importance of recognizing and developing skills to meet the demands of the modern job market. The essay then defines employability skills, emphasizing the shift in focus from degrees to practical abilities such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and self-management. A personal SWOT analysis is presented, identifying the student's strengths (teamwork, time management, technology skills), weaknesses (lack of professional experience, problem-solving skills), opportunities (part-time jobs, internships), and threats (economic downturn, job market competition). Based on the SWOT analysis, a detailed action plan is outlined, employing SMART objectives to improve communication, problem-solving, initiative, teamwork, self-management, and technology skills. The student describes specific steps, such as participating in university activities, volunteering, taking relevant courses, and seeking internships, to enhance these skills. The essay concludes by reiterating the importance of employability skills and the value of continuous self-improvement. The appendices include self-audit activities, a SWOT table, a personal development portfolio detailing goals and deadlines, and the student's Bronze WEEA score.

STUDENT ID:
STUDENT NAME:
MODULE CODE: 4BU006
MODULE TITLE: LEARNING FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
ASSESSMENT TYPE: ESSAY WITH APPENDICES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Employability skills...............................................................................................................3
Personal SWOT analyses...........................................................................................................3
Personal Action Plan..................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................7
APPENDICES............................................................................................................................8
SELF-AUDIT ACTIVITIES..................................................................................................8
SWOT TABLE.......................................................................................................................8
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO......................................................................9
BRONZE WEEA SCORE.....................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Reflective writing is evidence of reflective writing that is beneficial as a learning tool for it
permits me to analyze and reflect upon my personal employability skills critically (Dumay
2016). Self-reflection writing allows me to reflect and recognize my current set of skills and
also perform an internal analysis of myself. Through the internal analyses, I can understudy
my strengths, recognize my weaknesses, progress, and highlight my achievements.
With rapid development in society, competition has been on the rise between companies and
employers look for employability skills than degrees in graduates. Hence, the reflection pays
attention to the employability skills, which are vital to take up different roles in the
professional world.
To make myself competent in the future market for a job, it is necessary to have
employability skills. I have also conducted the SWOT analyses and an action plan to improve
ourselves (Issayev., Masalimova and Magzumova 2018).
This report vividly explores how reflection helps one in employability and developing these
transferable skills. It is a great way to clarify my own thoughts and perspectives and allows
me to think critically about myself in a career perspective and take action that is best for me.
Employability skills
Employability skills are defined by skills that are needed to gain employment and progress
within an enterprise (Ornellas., Falkner and Stålbrandt 2019). Despite the degree, the companies
are paying more attention to employability skills. There is no uniformity in employability
skills, but it depends on the company's actual opening conditions. The employability skills
consist of communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-management, Organisations
skills, planning, and technical skills. It also includes enterprise and initiative skills.
The company needs communication skills in the workplace to create a conducive
environment for a team to work more cohesively. Communication skills is also essential for
maintaining a good relationship with all stakeholders.
Teamwork skills are essential for a workplace and form a vital employability skill because a
workplace needs to have teamwork cohesively together to create better productivity for the
company.
Problem-solving skills is another important employability skill that needs to be fulfilled and
resolve issues. Self-management is another vital employability skill, and companies need to
have graduates who have these skills to complete tasks well with complete efficiency.
Planning and Organisations skills are other essential employability skills along with technical
skills. It is a fast-growing technological world, and employees with proficiency in
telecommunications is important.
Enterprise skills is another vital employability skill that is essential to adjust easily to
different working conditions.
Personal SWOT analyses
After identifying the employability skills, I needed to make personal SWOT analyses based
on actual experiences and self-assessment test through the internet.
(S) Strengths
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I have a good team working skills and Organisations skills as well. I can build upon ideas as
a leader and allocate tasks to the group members. I can also manage time well and get things
done efficiently within the deadline.
In addition to this, I have technology skills where I possess basic computer skills with
advanced computing skills as well, and I have also mastered business decision modelling.
(W)weaknesses
I have no employment experiences and not even experiences in part-time work. I only
possess experience as an intern in a firm for three months as a part of the course practical
module needs. This is a weakness as I didn’t possess the practical skills needed in the
professional world. Apart from this, I am also weak at problem-solving skills. I cannot see all
sides of a problem and derive at the best solution. My communication skills also need
improvement as I feel hesitant at times to be in a completely new group of strangers.
(O)opportunities
I can find myself a part-time job through the job portals, which will add to my resume. It will
add to my professional employability skills as well. The more experience one gets, the better
employability skills they develop. Moreover, multinational companies always tend to hire
people with previous experience, and I have a strong ambition to be a graduate with
experience to get into a multinational company.
(T)threats
In recent years, the pandemic has thrown many companies into turmoil with the economic
downturn. Hence, the explosive job growth market is slowly declining. Only those with high
employability skills which can immediately bring benefits to the company are preferred.
Moreover, there is intensive competition in the job market and only those with high
experience and employability skills are often preferred. It really puts the beginners in the job
domain at a very difficult state.
These are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats that io have been able tyo
draw up after my own critical analyses in relation to my employability skills.
Personal Action Plan
After completing the personal SWOT analyses, I have drawn myself an action plan based
upon SMART objectives (Bjerke and Renger 2017). The employability skills I need to
improve are mentioned with the specific action plan I need to implement the first
employability skill I need to work upon is communication skills. To develop and enhance my
communication skills, I would participate in various university community activities. It will
enable me to be in large groups and make new acquaintances and friends. In addition to this,
it will also enable me to take the initiative in making acquaintances. I feel strange and
nervous in a large strangers’ group, but participating in significant activities in groups will
enable me to make friends and be comfortable in large groups. It will enable better
communication skills also. I will also be more active in group projects and take the initiative
to begin the presentations to open up myself and improve my skills. The IELTS examination
is also a great preparation to improve my English writing, reading and speaking skills. I plan
to take this exam and prepare for it in my coming semester.
The next action is to improve my problem-solving skills. I will apply for volunteering
opportunities by the university in Organisations and NGOs in different positions to get
practical experience to better my problem-solving skills. By being involved in the workplace,
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many new situations arise and being an active part and resolving them enables one to develop
their problem-solving skills.
The next set of employability skills I want to improve is initiative and enterprise skills. It is
apt to find jobs part-time or volunteer in NGO Organisations to develop these skills. By
working in any Organisations as a trainee, the wide exposure to practical training helps one to
develop the required employability skills.
The next employability skills, which is essential, is teamwork skills. Every organisation has
large teams which need to work cohesively together to meet the organisational goals.
Working on group assignments in the university has helped develop cohesive teamwork
skills, but in college, we often pair up with friends and acquaintances. It gives us the
opportunity to meet people from diverse cultures in a workplace organisation, and working in
close association to them is essential to succeed.
Self-management skills are another important employability skill that I plan to work upon to
improve myself. By summing up the gaps in my knowledge and skills through self-audit
activities and performing self-reflection, I can identify my loopholes and work upon them.
Technology skills is another important skill that I need to upgrade in employability skills. It is
essential to participate in relevant courses in technological courses to upgrade my
technological skills. In the fast-paced world, there are immense technology changes and to be
up to date with technological advancements to have the asset of employability.
I must work in these domains to improve my employability skills. Employees in any
Organisations have a key role to play in the success of the business. They have a vital role in
influencing the attitude of consumers and the clients. The employees come in direct contact
to the consumers. Hence efficient employability skill will increase more sales and foster
organisational growth. Enhancement in employability skills will make wot easier for
individuals to get a promotion also. In any Organisationsorganisation, the management needs
to train employees to solve problems, set goals, and improve their skills.
As a plan of action, I have applied for various internships in Organisations. I have also been
offered a golden opportunity to work in a car dealership company as the sales executive. This
opportunity will help me apply my knowledge and skills in practicality and enhance
employability skills.
As a part of my action plan, I have set measurable objectives that I can achieve in a short
span of time. In due course, I plan to take up a higher position in a popular company. My
educational background and skills will enhance me to obtain a high management position and
play a crucial role in the effective performance of tasks. I also plan to prioritise my tasks and
set them in a schedule as a Gannt chart to meet them slowly within a time-frame. It will
surely assist me in career development and the development of performance targets
efficiently.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it is evident that employees who have a good degree in education and enhanced
professional skills are much needed in the market today. In the professional job market,
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employers are on the lookout for the graduate but with excellent employability skills and the
degree. Only an education degree is never enough to land up at the dream job positions.
Through extensive research, I also listed out the skills of employability that is essential. The
self-assessment test helped me discover myself on the professional standing. I explored by
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in my professional domain through the
SWOT analyses to make myself more aware of myself. An action plan based on SMART
objectives also has been laid down to help me develop my employability skills to be
competitive in the highly intensive and competitive job market.
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REFERENCES
Bjerke, M.B. and Renger, R., 2017. Being smart about writing SMART
objectives. Evaluation and program planning, 61, pp.125-127.
Dumay, J., 2016. A critical reflection on the future of intellectual capital: from reporting to
disclosure. Journal of Intellectual capital.
Ornellas, A., Falkner, K. and Stålbrandt, E.E., 2019. Enhancing graduates’ employability
skills through authentic learning approaches. Higher education, skills and work-based
learning.
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APPENDICES
SELF-AUDIT ACTIVITIES
6 completed self-audit activities
SWOT TABLE
STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
Team skills No real experience
in professional
world
Find a job at part-
time or full time
The declining job
market due to
pandemic
Time management
skills
Problem solving
skills
Join as a volunteer
in NGO to upgrade
employability skills
Intensive
competition in job
market
Technological
advanced knowledge
Communication
skills
Enroll in university
job training or soft
skill trainings
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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO
GOAL DEADLINE ACTION PROGRESS
To improve my
problem-
solving skills
Within 3
months
I will gain experience by
joining a job and getting
experience so that I can
resolve problems better.
I have accepted the current
offer and completing 1
month as a sales office
executive in car dealership
company.
Get real-time
experience to
improve
initiative and
enterprise skills
After starting a
new job within
2 months
To take more consumers
and deal with them
myself after observing
my seniors.
I am gaining new
enterprise skills like
strategic thinking, creative
skills, and communication
skills while dealing
directly with consumers.
Enhance team-
work skills in a
diverse work
culture
Within a
month
I am working in a large
team with many sales
executives from varied
cultural backgrounds
helping me to gain
exposure to work with a
team.
BRONZE WEEA SCORE
Evidence of your Bronze WEEA score
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