PERSONAL REFLECTIVE

This is a career planning module whereby you are required to research and analyse relevant career opportunities. Also, you need to evaluate potential strengths and weaknesses in relation to jobs and career paths and articulate a personal development plan to strengthen and evidence your capabilities. Furthermore, you need to articulate what you have to offer employers through different phases of the application and selection process. 

This Please refer to the lecture slides under ‘practice week 2 folder’ in guided learning for accessing links for the questionnaires. Dropbox link here 

You are required to undertake both Profiling for Success questionnaires and read the personal reports that are generated from the exercises before completing the reflection outlined below. Note: 1. You are required to take each test after which the report will be sent to your email as it will be useful in completing the assignment. 2. You will also need to think about the Enterprise-Rent-A-Car presentation and refer to what you have learnt from them (check the practice week 2 folder). 3. Ensure you answer each question fully and refer to the marking criteria. 

 

The Reflective Portfolio:

SECTION 1

Your profile and its appeal to a potential employer

•  Describe your profile from ‘Type Dynamics Indicator’ report in your own words.
•  What aspects of your profile would be attractive to an employer? (Think about what you heard at the Enterprise-Rent-A-Car presentation from one of the biggest graduate/UG employers in the country to guide you with regards to what employers want)

SECTION 2

Identifying and developing your employability skills

• After undertaking the ‘Skills Audit’ in practice week 1, (you will be provided with this) what skills do you have difficulty in evidencing?
• Why do you think this is?
• What activities can you engage in to further your skills portfolio?
• What areas of development does your ‘Type Dynamics Indicator’ report identify?
• What can you do to improve within the areas identified?
•  From the Enterprise-Rent-A-Car presentation what skills were highlighted as essential?
•  Did any of the skills mentioned surprise you? If so why?
• What skills do you think you need to develop to meet Enterprise-Rent-A-Car’s requirements?

SECTION 3

Specific roles

·         From the results of the ‘Careers Interest Inventory’ report, choose 3 jobs that really appeal to you. (Choose 3 jobs from any of the career themes generated or the combined list within the report)

• What are the main skills and attributes required for each role?
•  How do your skills and attributes match the roles?
•  What skills/attributes can you evidence using S.T.A.R. that will really impress an employer? 
•    In general which skills do you still need to develop in particular to shine in these roles?
• How would you develop these specific skills and attributes? (think about activities/work experience/volunteering you can partake in)

SECTION 4

Finding real jobs, matching your skills and researching a company you want to work for

• Find live vacancies for the 3 jobs you have identified in SECTION 3.  Give full details of the roles and the job requirements and where you have found them. (You will fill the information in the table provided. See “Practice Week 2 Reflective Portfolio”)
• Which elements of the criteria do you meet?
•  Which elements of the criteria do you not meet?
•   Between now and graduation what changes can you make/action can you take in order to meet the criteria for the above roles?  
•    Complete a Company Research Checklist for one of the job roles that appealed to you most