Developing Employability Skills for Career Success

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Employability Skills

Contents
Employability Skills........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Write a brief overview of what you are studying and what your career aspirations are (use
your elevator pitch to pitch to an employer or for business).......................................................3
1.2 Critically appraise the Clifton Gallup Strengths and Johari’s Window theories in relation to
career development......................................................................................................................3
1.3 Identify your key strengths for your desired career choice based on these two theories......4
1.4 How you can apply elements of these theories to achieve your career aspirations?.............5
2.1 Compare and contrast two companies in your sector – what are their history, values and
ethics? (Choose two varied-sized companies. These could be companies you would want to
work for or would be competitors)..............................................................................................6
2.2 To what extent do elements of each company’s values and ethics align with yours?...........7
2.3 Current job title of the interest in you sector.........................................................................7
2.4 To what extent CV and the LinkedIn profile demonstrate the skills for the role that I have
researched....................................................................................................................................8
2.5 Identify and analyse a professional qualification you could acquire alongside your degree
to increase your chances of being a credible professional in your sector....................................8
3.1 How can networking help you become more commercially aware of your sector?..............9
3.2 Advice that would i give someone attending the same event to maximise their networking
potential?......................................................................................................................................9
3.3 Reflect on your performance in the mock interview, including your application of the
STAR method; give an example for why your chosen company should employ you based on
your current experience...............................................................................................................9
3.4 Reflect on what you have learnt about yourself throughout the whole module and which
skills you need to further develop to be successful as an employer or an entrepreneur............10
Appendices....................................................................................................................................11
a) Screenshot of your Gallup Strengths certificate with your top 5 strengths...........................11
b) Screenshot of evidence from attending two events...............................................................11
c) Screenshot a current job description and specification.........................................................12
d) Word document of a current professional CV.......................................................................13

e) Screenshot of current LinkedIn online profile in full............................................................14
f) Current Professional Development Plan................................................................................15
References..................................................................................................................................17

1.1 Write a brief overview of what you are studying and what your career aspirations are (use
your elevator pitch to pitch to an employer or for business)
Every student in the university needs to choose the course that he/she is supposed to study.
Hence for the purpose of enhancing my career aspirations I have decided to study the business
management as my career aspirations. This is seen that the course that is undergoing is
considered to be one of the best course in the todays world as this required by the market and the
demand for these professionals are considered to be higher (Collet, Hine and Du Plessis 2015).
This is seen that getting the degree of the professional is considered to be in demand and every
company demands for professionals who has the employability skills which can help the
organisation to prosper the market growth. The course that I am undergoing is employability
skills which is considered to be the 10 week programme and this would help in achieving the
objective of enhancing my performance. As this is seen that the module is considered to be
giving us the highly practical and relevant skills that will pour into us the employability skills
with the relevant and meaningful opportunities so that I am able to reflect upon the career during
my journey. This course is considered to be one of the most important course as this helped in
the giving me the confidence and the skills so that I am able to effectively navigate during my
working tenure. Hence the motive of choosing this as my career aspiration includes that I want to
achieve the objective of becoming one of the most inspiring entrepreneur and want to take the
company in which I would be working to the new heights. My aim is to enhance my skills of
employability so that I am able perform these in my real life.
1.2 Critically appraise the Clifton Gallup Strengths and Johari’s Window theories in relation to
career development.
For the development of the career in the specified field it is important to analyse the strengths
and the weakness so as to make it broader and achieve the objective of enhancing them. Hence
for this the Clifton Gallup strengths are considered to be one of the most impactful resource that
helps in identifying the strengths within me (Suleman, 2016). Hence for this I have used the tool
and identifies the strengths which includes the five themes that are stated below:
 Input: This specifies that in my career I would be inquisitive and want to collect things.
This would help in my career building as I would be able to collect the most prominent
source for the organisation which would help in achieving the maximum profit for the
organisation in which I would be working.

 Learner: As this is the main strength which includes learning in every stage. Hence this is
important for the organisation to achieve the objective where the employee’s ae being
given training for the new changes that are made. Hence I would be able to learn at the
quicker speed.
 Includer: This describes the way in which I would be able to stretch the circle wider. This
says that the people in the organisation are included in every prospect of decision that is
taken by them and hence this helps in achieving the objective of motivating the
employees.
 Intellection: this is the strength that I have which includes to think more. Hence this
would help me in a way that the problems could be solved by me for the organisation
more prominently and this would help the organisation to achieve the determined profits.
 Strategic: This is considered as the strength where sorting can be done in the clutter and
the best route can be determined so as to achieve the objective of the organisation. Hence
this would enhance the career opportunity as the company’s demands for the people with
the strategic strengths.
The strengths according to the Johari’s Window that helps in identifying the self-owned
strengths includes the disclosure and the non-disclosure areas. Here this theory helps in making
themselves known to the other person (Messum, et. al., 2017). Here the open or the free area are
considered for the purpose of the achieving the career growth opportunities. Also the shared
discovery area is taken into consideration for the purpose of the issue.
1.3 Identify your key strengths for your desired career choice based on these two theories
This is seen that in today’s world the companies seeking the employees requires various
strengths to be in the employees of the company. They desire that the employee is self-sufficient
and hence this would help them to reduce the amount of expense that they have to pay. Hence for
this purpose it is seen that there are various strengths that the employer desires. Some of them
includes the following:
 Communication skills: the employee must have the best communication skills which
means that he must be clear about what he is desiring to achieve. The employee must also
have the listening skills so that they are able to understand what is demanded from them.
The written and the presentation skills in the employees must be at the top prospectus as
this would help in achieving the objective making best communication with the

customers of the company. As this is the skill that I am confident that I have hence it is
considered that it would help me to enhance my career.
 Problem solving: This is the skills that is required by every employer. This is the skill
that is demanded by the employer so as to perform the obligation in one of the best
manner. This helps the employer to achieve the objective of hiring the employee that
could solve the problem that exist in the company. As this is the skills that I am confident
of performing during my career and hence it would help me in achieving the objective of
getting the best suitable job.
1.4 How you can apply elements of these theories to achieve your career aspirations?
The elements that are described in theory specified above would help in achieving the objective
of career aspiration. If these elements are applied in the regular time frame in the practical life
then this would help in focusing on the career enhancement. It is seen that according to the
Clifton Gallup Strengths and Johari’s Window theories there are various ways through which it
is possible to maximise the career aspiration (Tsitskari, et. al., 2017). The themes that are
provided by the Clifton Gallup strengths includes learner, include, intellectual skills that are most
appropriate and if achieved then would help in enhancing the career opportunities. Also the
theory of the Johari’s Window would help in achieving the objective of classifying the area
which is required to be shared and the area where the observation of the manager of the company
is considered to be the highest. Also the area where the shared discovery would be considered for
the purpose of specifying the strength and hence this would help the company to get the best in
class performers so that the profitability of the company would be increased.

2.1 Compare and contrast two companies in your sector – what are their history, values and
ethics? (Choose two varied-sized companies. These could be companies you would want to
work for or would be competitors)
There are two companies that are focusing on the employability skills and requires the
management associated people so that they are able to achieving the objective of getting the best
employee for the operations of the company. One of the company that is considered for this
purpose is McKinsey and company which is considered to be the one of the best company having
the operations in management and consulting (Asonitou, 2015). The other company that is
considered to be taken for the purpose of comparison is Bain and company it is also the
management and the consulting company. The description about the two companies are given
below:
 McKinsey and company: It is one of the best company that was incorporated in the year
1926 by the founder James McKinsey. This is considered to be the management
consulting firm which gives the report on the management topic worldwide and the report
that is provided by them are considered to be the standards. The company is having 127
offices worldwide and around 27000 employees around the globe. The company is
having around $10 BN revenue as depicted by the company in their annual report. The
company is also known for their best in class employee sustainability and ethical
prospects that helps the employees to be motivated to work for them. They provide the
best working condition to the employees that they hire so that they work hassle free. The
values of the company includes the highest professional standards that are required to be
followed for this purpose. They put client’s interest ahead of the company’s interest so
that they are satisfied at the peak. The company has made the high ethical standards that
are required to be followed by the employees working with them. The ethics includes
reporting the best data that can be given to the client and to help the client to enhance the
performance. The value of the company also includes the non-hierarchical and inclusive
working condition within the organisation. Developing the employees while working
with each other through the process of being apprentice and mentor. One of the most
important value includes governing the employees as “one firm”
 Bain and company: It is considered as the one of the emerging company in UK which is
having the business of Management and consulting. The company was founded in the

year 1973 around 46 years ago by William W. Bain Jr. and Patrick F. Graham. The
company is having around 59 working office around the globe and the around 8000
people working with them. This is seen that the company the company believes in
endeavouring the truth about the company’s performance to the clients. The company has
the objective of focusing on the results not the reports. The company has made the
diversity and inclusion as the value which helps the company to achieve the objective of
having the diversified workers and employees. The company also focuses on the
employees working condition and provides them the best working condition so that they
get motivated.
2.2 To what extent do elements of each company’s values and ethics align with yours?
This is seen that it is important for working in the company to match the values and the ethics of
the company with my own ethics and the values. It is seen that the ethics of company are in the
streamline with my own ethics as in McKinsey and Bain and company. Some of the ethics that
are related to both the company which align with the given standard are specified in the
questions. This is seen that the company performs the task in truthful manner and hence this is
considered to be the same as of mine ethics and value (Suleman, 2018). The company values the
work that has been done with the teamwork as this gives the best result. This is also seen that it is
possible there to work in a team and to share the values with each other so that the work of the
company is done in a manner that they are able to achieve the objective of maximising the
performance. Firm includes being non-hierarchical and inclusive and hence this is important for
the company as this would help me in achieving the objective of working with the inclusiveness.
The company also focuses on sustaining the caring meritocracy that helps them maximising the
performance of the company with the employees.
2.3 Current job title of the interest in you sector.
This is seen that there has been an opening for the customer service assistant in the Sainsbury
which is one of the best supermarket in the country that helps in achieving the objective of
assisting the customers.
The current job is based on assisting the customers with their enquiries and complaints so as to
take great deal of empathy and being professionalism, initiative and collaborative while being
integral to customer service teams. The job description provides suits the positive people who
feels pride in their work. This is required to make the customer right shopping experience. The

job required communication skills and have ability to do be multitask. The job required to be
knowledgeable with the wide range of the Sainsbury products and the services so as to get the
passion for the company increase in performance. The opening of the job is in the office at
Mildenhall store.
2.4 To what extent CV and the LinkedIn profile demonstrate the skills for the role that I have
researched
This is seen that the LinkedIn profile has one of the most influencing profile that helps in getting
the job that is related to the current researched title. My profile provides the information of the
certificate that I have gained which includes Greenwich School of management GSM London.
Also my profile provides the information about being the employee at Tesco and shares the
experience with it (Wolff and Booth, 2017). Which replicates a good experience in the retail
brand for a period of 20 year and 9 months. This is seen that as my current working profile is
relatively same as new researched and hence this helps in achieving the objective of seeking jobs
more rapidly.
2.5 Identify and analyse a professional qualification you could acquire alongside your degree to
increase your chances of being a credible professional in your sector
The professional qualification that I can generate alongside the degree that I am pursuing is
studying for the CIM qualification. This is the qualification that is helpful for increasing my
marketing knowledge and achieving the objective of getting the best in class degree that would
help me in increasing the professional level of degree. This is considered as the qualification for
which I have to go through different level. This degree would open the chances of getting the
best in class job and to get promoted at the higher level in the current job openings.

3.1 How can networking help you become more commercially aware of your sector?
The networking is considered to be one of the most important and the relevant tool that helps the
individual to be aware of the sector that they desire to enter into. The networking also helps to
get the information of the new job openings that are there in the industry (Jackling and Natoli,
2015). There are various forms of networking that includes most prominent the LinkedIn which
helps in finding the jobs more efficiently and being aware of the changes that occurs in the
industry. Also the other jobs site helps in getting the information on the industry which helps in
getting the peer review and the changes that are adopted in the sector.
3.2 Advice that would i give someone attending the same event to maximise their networking
potential?
This is considered that I have attended the event of Brand me at LinkedIn which is considered to
be the event that helped in increasing the networking and also helped in making my skills
branded to the recruiters. This is seen that every person should attend the event that occurs as this
would help in getting the skills and the knowledge that you possess in front of the recruiters of
your choice. This is seen that it is considered to be the event through which the networking can
be built among the people of the same sector that you desire to enter.
3.3 Reflect on your performance in the mock interview, including your application of the STAR
method; give an example for why your chosen company should employ you based on your
current experience
The interview that I have given is one of the best interview that helped me to gain the confidence
for entering any interview and to crack it. The performance at the interview was very good as I
was able to answer each question that was asked more prominently. This was seen that I was able
to showcase the skills and the knowledge that I have while giving e interview. This is seen that I
have used the Star method that helped in making the application more appealing. This is seen
that this helped in star means situation, task, action and result that is taken for the purpose of
making the issue. This was also used while tracking the situation of interview. As I applied star
method in questioning and handling the practical situation that was given to me.

3.4 Reflect on what you have learnt about yourself throughout the whole module and which
skills you need to further develop to be successful as an employer or an entrepreneur.
The module that I was in helped me to achieve the knowledge of the management and HR
related information. This helped me to build the knowledge about the management terms and the
theories that I undertook so as to work in the practical world. This module helped me understand
the problem that one faces in the company while working. Also various tools that helps in
analysing my current recruitment practice (Sharif, 2017). This also helped in analysing the
Clifton Gallup strengths and Johari window. As for example I was able to use the management
tool in the current job which helped me in creating specific job related requirements. Also I was
able to recognise how networking helped in achieving the objective of gaining the information
about sector.

Appendices
a) Screenshot of your Gallup Strengths certificate with your top 5 strengths
b) Screenshot of evidence from attending two events