CAR20001 Future Work Skills Reflection: Employability and Career

This assignment is a reflection on future work skills, career development, and employability, focusing on the student's aspirations as an accountant. The reflection begins by applying the happenstance learning theory to the student's career interests, highlighting the importance of practical experience and continuous learning. The core of the assignment examines the relevance of 'computational skills' as a future work skill, emphasizing its significance in handling data and technology in the accounting profession. The student utilizes the STAR model to assess their competency in audit scenarios. Additionally, the reflection discusses self-assessment methods such as MBTI and Keirsey Temperament Sorter to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to understand their personality traits in the context of their career goals. The assignment demonstrates the student's understanding of career development, self-assessment, and future work skills, providing a comprehensive overview of their career aspirations and the skills needed to succeed in the accounting field. The assignment is a part of the CAR20001 course at Swinburne University.

Running head: SKILLS FOR FUTURE: A REFLECTION
SKILLS FOR FUTURE: A REFLECTION
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

1SKILLS FOR FUTURE: A REFLECTION
The twenty first century has witnessed a massive upheaval in terms of skills,
employability and professionalism. In the age of growing competition, technology and
information, the demand for skills needed for various professions have completely changed and
became multi-dimensional (De Fruyt, Wille & John, 2015). Soft skills such as creativity, critical
thinking, communication skills and leadership are some of the basic components that are needed
in the job market in today’s world.
Career development theory can be defined as the study of career paths, success and
behavior. The happenstance learning theory of career development believes in an age old
wisdom, which is, “human behavior is the product of learning experiences which is available in
both planned and unplanned manner” (Patton & McMahon, 2014). Being a commerce student
and also an aspiring accountant, I believe that I am reasonably good at calculations, record
keeping, book keeping and mathematics. By applying the respective career development theory
(Happenstance learning theory), I have come to a conclusion that with constant practice of book
keeping at home and taking up of part- time accountant internship jobs, I have gained quite a bit
experience and learnt about effective accountancy through them. As an aspiring accountant in
corporate sector I keep realistic goals according to the curriculum, I am investigative and
calculating, disciplined, productive, enterprising and also traditional in certain areas. Such traits
have been developed by me with the course of time apart from my in born talent and passion of
book keeping. With the perfect amalgamation of inherent talent and acquired skills, my endeavor
in career is expected to be successful.
Globalization, smart devices and technologies and the emerging media has immensely
influenced the mind of the present generation about what work is, what does it constitute of and
skills that are needed to increase productivity of work (Future of Skills, 2020). As far as future

2SKILLS FOR FUTURE: A REFLECTION
work skills are concerned, I believe that as an aspiring accountant, I have exceptional
computational skills. “Computational skills” of future work skills is relevant to my profession
because, I believe that as an accountant of 21st century, I would be required to handle multiple
data, technologies and statistics. To cope with such pressure, I would require excellent capability
of data mining. Therefore, in such situation, the latest hard skill of “computation” would ensure
me a better position in my career.
Taking into account the STAR model of competency, which is Situation, Task, Action
and Result, I can well assess my competency. STAR model stands for setting the Scene,
describing what I want to achieve (task), communicating what I actually did (action) and the
result of the situation. As an accountant, I believe that if the situation of audit is given to me in a
corporate situation, I would, with the help of my exceptional computational thinking, be able to
provide the company with the best audit it can ever have. I would accept, record, manipulate and
calculate the data of the company so that the audit happens in a fair, just and efficient way.
However, to track and measure certain drawbacks that I possess, I must go through
certain self assessments before taking any final decision for my career. Self assessments such as
MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicators) are psychoanalytical self assessment tools that would help
me understand my personality, preferences, ability to adapt myself in any kind of situation,
social and emotional intelligence (Fretwell, Lewis & Hannay, 2013). Such self assessment tests
would ensure me about what I see, perceive, interpret and deduce. Tests such as Keirsey
Temperament Sorter, which is a personality assessment questionnaire made to help individuals
understand their personality and capabilities, can also be utilized by me for understanding my
knacks and temperaments in my career before I take any final leap (Yilmaz & O'Connor, 2015).

3SKILLS FOR FUTURE: A REFLECTION
References:
De Fruyt, F., Wille, B., & John, O. P. (2015). Employability in the 21st century: Complex
(interactive) problem solving and other essential skills. Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, 8(2), 276-281.
Fretwell, C. E., Lewis, C. C., & Hannay, M. (2013). Myers-Briggs type indicator, A/B
personality types, and locus of control: where do they intersect?. American Journal of
Management, 13(3), 57-66.
Future of Skills. (2020). Retrieved 14 January 2020, from http://www.iftf.org/uploads/media/SR-
1382A_UPRI_future_work_skills_sm.pdf
Patton, W., & McMahon, M. (2014). Career development and systems theory: Connecting theory
and practice (Vol. 2). Springer.
Yilmaz, M., & O'Connor, R. V. (2015). Understanding personality differences in software
organisations using Keirsey temperament sorter. IET Software, 9(5), 129-134.