University of Suffolk BABS: Reflective Journal on Employability Skills

This reflective journal presents an analysis of personal and professional development, focusing on employability skills and leadership styles. The assignment utilizes Gibbs' reflective cycle to evaluate a presentation on Mark Zuckerberg's leadership. The journal details the process of gathering information, team management, and skill development, including communication and research. It examines the author's feelings, evaluations of the experience, and analyses of strengths and weaknesses. The conclusion highlights the author's improved skills and identifies areas for future improvement. An action plan is developed, focusing on increased confidence and enhanced research skills. The journal references various books and journals to support the analysis.

Reflective journal

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Gibbs reflective cycle.............................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
Books & Journals...................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Employability skills refers to those transferable skills which is required by an individual
person in order to get a job or employment. Employability mainly depends on the knowledge,
attitude and skills as how a person use those skills and assets for gaining job opportunities at the
marketplace (Moore and Morton 2017). Skills includes communication, problem solving, team
management and so on which assist in performing all the work in an effective manner. In this
reflective journal, Personal and Professional development plan is going to be evaluated with the
help of using Gibbs reflective cycle. This reflection is based on preparing a presentation on the
leadership style of Mark Zuckerberg.
MAIN BODY
Leadership style refers to the approach used by various leaders in an organisation in order
to provide direction, guidance, developing plan and motivating individuals so that they can attain
organisational goals and objectives. In the present competitive environment, every leader adopt
some leadership style so that they can provide guidance to the people working in the
organisation. The first section of this report includes a power point presentation where analysis
of leadership style of Mark Zuckerberg has been included. While developing the whole
presentation on the topic, various skills and capabilities has been improved which help me in
gaining ample number of opportunities in near future (Suleman 2018). In order to examine the
whole personal reflection procedure, Gibbs reflective cycle has been used where different stages
help in identifying what did well and what could be done by an individual person in order to
perform it in a better manner in a near future.
Gibbs reflective cycle
It define as a model coined by Graham Gibbs in 1988 so that they can develop a structure
in order to includes all the learning which is gained by them with the help of some experiences.
It has been said that reflective practice is one of the most essential tool where individuals learn
new things with the help of there own professional experiences. With the help of using this
model, it will assist or motivate an individual in order to think in a organized manner. In this
project, a power presentation is developed by me on the leadership style of Mark Zuckerberg
where some of my skills help me in concluding the whole project (Guilbert and et. al., 2016).
Apart from this, various skills and capabilities are improved with the aid of performing this

project which as a result assist me in gaining both personal as well as professional opportunities.
Gibbs model of reflection includes six stages with the help of which individuals will be able to
express their experience in an effective manner. These stages are discussed as follows where
different types of skills and capabilities has been improved while creating PPT on the topic of
analysis of leadership style of Mark Zuckerberg:
Description: It is one of the most essential and foremost step in this model which
includes the whole description about the event. In order to prepare the whole presentation in an
effective manner, I have to gather lot of information and data about the leadership style of Mark
Zuckerberg. The whole presentation is conducted by my mentor where they develop a team in
order to gain positive results (Kinash and et. al., 2016). In this, lot of research work is done by us
so that an authentic and attractive presentation will be developed by us. I was the team leader
where I have to manage the whole team and bring out the best possible outcome from the. While
doing this project, I got know that my team management skills is quite impressive as I resolve
every issue and problems faced by them in an effective way. Along with this, it will help me in
improving my research skill which assist me in gathering information and data for conducting
the whole project in an effective manner.
Feelings: In the second stage, feeling of an individual person is included which help in
different methods. When I was creating this presentation I was very excited & nervous at first
but after some time there were some issues at the time of collecting data and sharing my views
and thoughts with my team mates (Quendler and Lamb 2016). Reason behind this is that I am
very introvert & shy person and need some time to open up with my team mates. This as a result
affect the end result in a negative way. But if talk about my team mates, they are very
cooperative and helpful in nature which assist in completing the whole result in a positive and
successful way. At last, it has been observed by me that I have improved my communication
skill which assist me in near future at both personal and professional level. This is one of the best
feeling as it improves my learning skills.
Evaluation: In the third stage of Gibbs reflective cycle, whole experience whether it is
bad or good will be evaluated in an effective manner. It has been observed by me that I have face
both good as well as bad experience which increases my learning in a positive manner. While
doing this presentation, it has been evaluated by me that I have improve my communication,
research and time management skill which assist me in gaining ample number of opportunities at

both personal and professional life. Some of the most essential things which went well while
preparing this presentation is that my team mates coordinate well with me and get good marks
which help them in motivating and encouraging so that they perform all the work in a positive
manner. Apart from the good things there are some bad phase which is faced by me that I was
not enough capable to manage all the activities at same time which affects my team management
skills in a negative manner (Small, Shacklock and Marchant 2018). It has also been evaluated
by me that my communication skill is quite good which help in giving presentation in front of
large number of people in a confident way. This help me in gaining goods marks so that my
academic as well as employability skills will be improved in a positive way.
Analysis: It has been analysed by me that I have learn about ICT which is a technology
based skill help me in near future so that I will be capable enough to present good presentation in
front of large number of people. Along with this, it has been said that I have solved various
issues and problems faced by my team members which as a result help them in giving best and
good presentation which increases there marks and grades. It has also been analysed that one of
the skill which is not went well in the whole presentation process is time I assigned the
responsibilities to all my team members in a proper manner. Moreover, it is determined by me
that I need to learn more about time management so that in future I implement work on time and
in proper manner.
Conclusion: With the help of examining the whole experience in an effective manner, it
has been concluded that I have learn various new things which help me in near future in both
personal an professional level. It has been identified that at first I do not have enough knowledge
about how to prepare an attractive presentation so that I will be able to gain good marks and
grades. Also, it has been concluded that in every adverse situation it is essential for me to stay
calm so that every team member feel motivated and encouraged which leads towards the
successful completion of goals and objectives (Tsitskari and et. al., 2017). It has also been
identified by me that my problem solving skill has been improved which aid me solving all the
issues in an effective manner.
Action Plan: At the end of this reflective cycle, it has been said that action plan is
developed by individuals so that they improve themselves in an effective manner. In this context,
it has been said that while giving the presentation in front of my teachers and other class mates it
has been observed by me that my confidence level has been increased which assist me in near

future. Along with this, if such kind of class room activity is conducted in future, I will be
enough capable to do in a better manner and reduce the number of problems. Furthermore, it has
been analysed by me that with the help of my improved research skill I can collect data in an
effective way and within given time.
CONCLUSION
With the assistance of above mentioned reflective journal, it can easily be examined that
there are some skills and capabilities which is improved by me with the help of developing a
Power Point Presentation (PPT) which is based on the analysis of Mark Zuckerberg leadership
style. Along with this, by using Gibbs reflective cycle individual will be able to know their inner
strength and weakness along with this, it has also been analysed that what went well and what
requires to be improved. With the assistance of this model, a person will be capable enough to
get growth and development opportunities at the competitive marketplace.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Moore, T. and Morton, J., 2017. The myth of job readiness? Written communication,
employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher Education.
42(3). pp.591-609.
Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into
conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education. 76(2). pp.263-
278.
Guilbert, L., and et. al., 2016. Employability: review and research prospects. International
Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 16(1). pp.69-89.
Kinash, S., and et. al., 2016. Discrepant stakeholder perspectives on graduate employability
strategies. Higher education research & development. 35(5). pp.951-967.
Quendler, E. and Lamb, M., 2016. Learning as a lifelong process-meeting the challenges of the
changing employability landscape: competences, skills and knowledge for sustainable
development. International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life Long
Learning. 26(3). pp.273-293.
Small, L., Shacklock, K. and Marchant, T., 2018. Employability: a contemporary review for
higher education stakeholders. Journal of Vocational Education & Training. 70(1).
pp.148-166.
Tsitskari, E., and et. al., 2017. Employers’ expectations of the employability skills needed in the
sport and recreation environment. Journal of hospitality, leisure, sport & tourism
education. 20. pp.1-9.
Bridgstock, R., 2017. The university and the knowledge network: A new educational model for
twenty-first century learning and employability. In Graduate employability in context
(pp. 339-358). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Dejaeghere, J., Wiger, N.P. and Willemsen, L.W., 2016. Broadening educational outcomes:
social relations, skills development, and employability for youth. Comparative
Education Review. 60(3). pp.457-479.
O’Connor, H. and Bodicoat, M., 2017. Exploitation or opportunity? Student perceptions of
internships in enhancing employability skills. British Journal of Sociology of Education,
38(4). pp.435-449.