Reflective Report: Skills and Competencies in Graduate Challenge

This report provides a reflective analysis of skills developed through three challenges: a t-shirt challenge, a presentation challenge, and an interview challenge. It explores the development of skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and business acumen. The report compares pre-existing skills with those required for the challenges, detailing how previous knowledge was applied and new skills were acquired. Lessons learned and areas for improvement are identified, culminating in an action plan to enhance future performance. The challenges covered business-related situations including branding, marketing and financing, with the reflective analysis detailing improvements in presentation skills, emotional intelligence, and overall business competencies. The report concludes with actionable steps for continuous professional development.

The Graduate
Challenge

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
Analysis of Challenges....................................................................................................................1
T-shirt Challenge....................................................................................................................1
Presentation Challenge...........................................................................................................1
Interview Challenge................................................................................................................2
Discussion of Skills/Reflection........................................................................................................2
Communication Skills............................................................................................................2
Teamwork...............................................................................................................................3
Time Management..................................................................................................................3
Business Skill and Competencies Development....................................................................4
Action Plan.......................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
This report focuses on the reflection of three challenges i.e. t-shirt challenge, presentation
challenge and apprenticeship challenge that angles towards their business related situations
branding and financing. In every challenge, the reflective analysis of skills that I had achieved
and developed such as presentation skills, emotional intelligence, better communication, time
management, teamwork and other business skills are explored. There is a comparison to the
previous knowledge and skills I acquired and the required skills of these challenges. There is a
explanation of my previous skills and knowledges that are used in these challenges. Moreover
the lessons and skills acquired during these challenges will also be mentioned in this report and
what improvements are required will be suggested. There will be an action plan that will help me
to achieve better results in future.
Analysis of Challenges
T-shirt Challenge
In every business, the company should have creative insights to market and promote their
products. When a company looks towards starting a market by bringing up a new product, the
company needs to market their brand in such a way that it effortlessly catches the potent
customers (Anderson and Tomlinson, 2021). In this challenge I had been through a group
activity to decide the type of t-shirt according to the type of demographics of the people and their
needs. The process of acquiring, printing and selling the t-shirts has costed financial amounts on
our group members. I have calculated how the t-shirts had to be sold, so that maximum profits
can be generated and recover the used money. The advertisement was also important to advertise
our product, and this was done by me with the help t-shirt with our logo and a good speech to
present the product practically in front of public.
Presentation Challenge
Presentation is the part of making the image of the product in the market and how the
consumers would perceive the brand (Arsenault, Heffernan and Murphy, 2021). It means that I
had to present the products in front of the customers with the help of a better brand ambassador.
For this purpose a company such as TESCO can produce quality products by investing money in
1

an outside specialised company to produce quality products instead of producing in-house low
grade products. Moreover, during this challenge, I managed our activities as a team and prepared
a Power Point presentation to show the ideas of our brand to educate and persuade the audience
to buy it. I presented our Power Point by our individual views to cover maximum aspects by
distributing our work, and this helped to cover all the views of public regarding a product.
Interview Challenge
The third challenge focuses on bringing people who enhances the performance of the
organisation (Beasley and et. al., 2021). For improving organisational performance, choosing
best possible candidate that adds-to the performance and working of the organisation is
necessary. I learned that organisations could hire anyone, but the fact is that hiring of effective
and suitable candidates is necessary for which the interviews are conducted. This can be done
with the help of strategic interviewing and structured fair selection process (Deeb and Winegar,
2020). I have known the importance of selecting the candidate according to the man-poIr
requirements of the company and what questions are being asked to select them. With the help of
the role play I have experienced the in-room environment during the interview process and how I
should take part in the interview to crack it. Moreover, I understood that company needs to go
through interview procedure of the section and for this purpose of interviews concisely formed
groups of managers are entitled.
Discussion of Skills/Reflection
Communication Skills
Communication is the ability of individual to express themselves and understand other
people with the help of verbal and non verbal ways to exchange information (Findley, Isralowitz
and Reznik, 2021). In the above challenges and tasks I understood that communication is very
important to impress the recruiters during the interview process. For better communication I
need to be a good listener too that helps to interpret the question and answer them in the best
logical ways. As the graduate job explorers I need to show our excellent communication to get
through the interview and selection process. In the t-shirt challenge I needed to communicate by
non-verbal means to demonstrate the product to the people so I have to perfectly use noon-verbal
2

techniques to promote our product. I designed our product logo which was eye-catching for the
customers and with the help of description and presentation challenge I also showed excellent
communication techniques. I learned that communication should be effective to demonstrate the
product during the PoIrPoint so more customer values can be satisfied and the communication
reaches their core of heart and cerebrum.
Teamwork
The Team work during the t-shirt challenge was seen when all our group members Ire
working together to achieve success. The team members Ire working in collaboration to achieve
the success in conducting financial operations, t-shirt production, designing and marketing
strategies that Ire needed to make the product success. All the team members worked together in
collaboration according to their tasks assigned to make the best effects in the challenge (Garcia,
2021). During the presentation challenge I experienced a better team work among all the group
members. In a team the tasks were divided among the team members to prepare the power point
in a well-structure way by covering all the aspects of consumer attraction for making their
brand/product more powerful for the customers. During the Interview round I utilised all my
abilities and as a team I contributed to conduct a better interview rounds that helped us to learn
how the interviews occur and how I should get through it.
Time Management
Time management and better presentation skills Ire obtained when I went through the t-
shirt challenge. Where I had to instantly demonstrate the product, spread message and bring the
brand's values to customers in a very short duration. Time management was required to present
the Power Point in such a manner that is not very much complicated and does not take much time
to be demonstrated. This helped us to prepare a more effective PowerPoint that seemed more
interesting and draw customer's attention (Goldberg, Matsuno and Beemyn, 2021). Power Point
was developed by me that was very powerful and it could propel the attention of most of the
people towards it and at last help to increase the demand of a product. During the interview
challenge the time management was required, when I had to prepare the interview round as the
manager. For this purpose I needed to strategically utilise the time to prepare the interview and
conduct interview rounds on time so, the process could be competed in determined time duration.
3

Business Skill and Competencies Development
During the t-shirt challenge the business skills Ire required, mainly at the time when I I
have to develop a financial plan that is a crucial part of every business Secondly, during this
challenge I developed marketing strategies which could help to be a better marketer for the
company and develop career in that field. The business skill related to product designing and
promotion Ire also developed that is a part in every business.
During the presentation challenge the business skills such as the management and
leadership Ire also required to develop a image that would help to garner maximum potents
(Jones, 2020). During this challenge meeting skills Ire also developed when I had to make
communications with the audience to manage their needs and address their problems and
feedbacks.
The Interview challenge helped to develop business skills like recruitment and selection
that is a crucial part in a business and is performed in all the organisations. The interview
challenge helped to develop this business skill which is also helpful to manage people during the
recruitment process and helped to learn the process of recruitment and selection.
Action Plan
I have learned the areas that are required to be a better product designer, finance manager
and marketing personnel. I learned that team management is a vital part that is required to
complete any of the tasks in a business environment and I need to achieve it. I need
communication skills to handle people and address the products and services to the people.
Moreover, I noticed that time management is important for me to complete tasks before the
deadlines and create best results on time.
For this Purpose my future action plan will be
4

Learning
target
Development
opportunities
Steps to develop
the skill
Criteria for
judging
attainment
Time period
Communica
tion skills
The internal and
external tests for
training and
development
programs would
ensure that I
achieve success in
attaining these
skills.
I would ensure
certification for the
courses with the
markings and
performance
analysis report after
completion of these
skill development
programmes.
The certification
would validate my
skills in various
fields.
3 months
Team work
Skills
This skill will help
me in performing
team tasks in an
efficient manner. It
will help in
attaining future
growth and
development
To enhance my
team work via
various skill
development
programmes and
seminars.
I can assess my
own performance
and will tale
feedback from my
colleagues and
peers to ensure
development of
such skills.
6 Months
Presentation
skill
This skill will allow
me to take
challenging roles at
work place where I
will be able to
deliver effective
presentation in front
of my peers as well
as seniors.
I will join online
sessions as well as
certification
courses in order to
develop such skills.
Here, I will
evaluate my
performance in
timely manner and
will take feedbacks
of my peers to
make further
improvements
9 months
5

CONCLUSION
In conclusion to this reflective report it had been identified that there are various skills
that are required by an individual to be a professional person. These skills are team-management,
communication, teamwork, business skills, leadership and may more that are required for various
purposes in an organisation. During the various challenges it had been learnt that there are
various requirements to carry out any product such as product design, promotion, financial
planning and marketing. The report helped to understand and analyse the business skills that are
required by an individual and for that purpose an action plan is also proposed.
6

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Anderson, V. and Tomlinson, M., 2021. Signaling standout graduate employability: The
employer perspective. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(3). pp.675-693.
Arsenault, A. C., Heffernan, A. and Murphy, M. P., 2021. What Is the Role of Graduate Student
Journals in the Publish-or-Perish Academy? Three Lessons from Three Editors-in-
Chief. International Studies, 58(1). pp.98-115.\
Beasley, E. and et. al., 2021. Standardized applications for genetic counseling graduate
programs: Opinions of program directors. Journal of Genetic Counseling.
Deeb, L. and Winegar, J., 2020. 2. Making It through Graduate School. In Anthropology's
Politics (pp. 53-80). Stanford University Press.
Findley, P. A., Isralowitz, R. and Reznik, A., 2021. Graduate Social Work Students’ Knowledge,
Attitudes, and Beliefs About Medical Marijuana. Journal of Social Work Education. pp.1-
9.
Garcia, R. D. C., 2021. The role of the academic relations of former graduate students in
university-firm collaboration. The Journal of Technology Transfer. pp.1-25.
Goldberg, A. E., Matsuno, E. and Beemyn, G., 2021. “I Want to Be Safe… And I Also Want a
Job”: Career Considerations and Decision-Making Among Transgender Graduate
Students. The Counseling Psychologist. p.00110000211037671.
Jones, C., 2020. The post-graduate years. In How to Become an Entrepreneurship Educator.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
7

Appendices
Task 1-T-shirt challenge
Task 2-Presenation Challenge
8

Task 3
Interview challenge
9

10