Developing Business Practice – 302LON

Preparing for a Successful Work Experience

Unit: 9 Knowledgecast: 1

In this Knowledgecast, we will:

• Evaluate current academic, self-marketing and personal skills and present a plan for developing skills

• Evaluate own skills, competencies and attitudes required for a successful work experience

• Develop an effective employment and career development strategy

Module Learning Outcomes

Module OverviewUnit1 Developing as a learner

2 Working independently and with others

3 Academic writing

4 Critical thinking, reading and taking notes

5 Using data in your studies

6 Business and management research

7 Career development strategies

8 Effective self marketing tools

9 Successful work experience10 Personal Development Planning

’Employers are likely to be looking for graduates who can demonstrate softer skills such as team working, cultural awareness, leadership

and communication skills, as well as academic achievement (Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the AGR)

• Increases your employability • Enhances your CV • Develops your skills and eases your transition into the business

world • Demonstrates you are interested in a certain type of work • Increases your networking opportunities

Source:CU Careers and Employability Service

Benefits of Work Experience

Based on: Cameron (2009)

A 6th Strategy for Career Success

Know your

skills and strengths

Contact potential employe

rs

Present yourself professionally

Present yourself success

fully

Demonstrating your skills,

knowledge and qualities

in the workplace

Positive Thinking

Work Experience Preparation

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said

the Cat. “I don't much care where,” said Alice.“Then it doesn't matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

Lewis Carroll – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Work Experience Preparation

Your Preparation

Work Experience Goals

Personal Objective

s

Learning Goals

Evidence Sought

Work Experience Preparation SWOT

STRENGTHS

• What are you most confident about?

• What are you looking forward to most?

WEAKNESS

• What don’t you feel confident about?

• What skills or knowledge do you need to develop before you begin?

OPPORTUNITIES

• What’s coming up where you can try new things out?

• How will your work experience help you develop your CV and profile?

THREATS

• What may prevent you from achieving your goals?

• What may affect your confidence and motivation?

Agree Objectives & Measures of Success•SpecificS•MeasurableM•AchievableA•RelevantR•Time DefinedT

Objective Measure of Success1. Develop my confidence in

building rapport with new colleagues over the duration of the work experience

• Positive feedback received from a sample of colleagues

• Observations from line manager about how I fit into the team

• Use your SMART objectives to clarify what you need to achieve

• Use your Measures of Success to clarify how you will know that you have achieved your objectives

Getting a Realistic Job Preview

Arrange an informational

interview

Use your network of

contacts and alumni

Shadow a colleague for a day

Come in to meet your colleagues

Connect with

colleagues

What will it be like?

Web research on the

company

Web research

on the role

Some of the details to find out before Day One:

1. Start and Finish times2. Dress code3. Breaks and meal options4. Transport links 5. Contact details for your office 6. Working relationships with your line manager

How Things Work Around Here…

In our next Knowledgecast, we will look at:

• Evaluate current academic, self-marketing and personal skills and present a plan for developing skills

• Evaluate own skills, competencies and attitudes required for a successful work experience

• Develop an effective employment and career development strategy

What are we going to cover next?

In this Knowledgecast, we have looked at:

• Evaluate current academic, self-marketing and personal skills and present a plan for developing skills

– Review and revise your profile to formulate your preparation for your work experience

• Evaluate own skills, competencies and attitudes required for a successful work experience

– Identify the needs of the organisation and visualise the working environment to help you fit in and get on

• Develop an effective employment and career development strategy– Benefits of using well prepared work experience to gain career building

evidence for your professional profile and self marketing tools

Knowledgecast Summary

• Share reflections and feedback on Regular Assignment 2

• Details of the End of Module Assessment:

Reflect on what you have personally learned during this module. How will this affect the way you will study in the future?

Prepare your Personal Development Plan and account for the actions you have identified.

• Plenary and Q&A

Seminar: End of Module Assessment

‘Unfortunately, most of us have little sense of our talents and strengths, much less the ability to build our lives around them. Instead, guided by our teachers, parents and managers we become

experts in our weaknesses and spend our lives trying to repair these flaws, whilst our strengths lie dormant and neglected.’

Buckingham (2005)

Revisit the range of self awareness tools used in this module and review how you have developed your strengths.• What has been most helpful? • Have you identified evidence of how you have developed skills?• What are the areas of strengths and areas to further develop?

Group Activity: Self Awareness Audit