Aspiring Futures – Portfolio of Written Work

Task – Critically review of the author’s interpersonal skill set within a specific area of study and potential careers plan. Critical review of the skills, attributes and attitudes required in today’s and tomorrow’s changing environment, also

developing a personal development plan which is achievable and relevant to the author’s skills.

Work Count

Banner - B00230937

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Contents

1.1 Introduction Page 4

2.1 Today’s working environment Page 5

3.1 Skills gained through variety of areas – Education, Social and Employment Page 6

4.1 Skill retention and growth Page 7

4.1.1 Skills that could be improved and how Page 7

5.1 Skills gap and methods of closing them Page 8

6.1 Future Career prospects Page 9

6.1.1 Job profile Page 9,10&11

7.1 Skills that may be important within the future Page 12

8.1 Conclusion Page 13

Development Record Page 14,15&16

Development Plan Page 18&19

Appendix 1- Factors contributing to cuts in graduate employment Page 20&21

Appendix 2 – Work Experience Page22

Appendix 3 – Additional Skills Page 23

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Appendix 4 – Skills that could be improved and how Page 24

References Page 26&27

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1.1Introduction

“Almost half of recent graduates in the UK are in non-graduate jobs, according to official data that has underscored the challenges facing young people entering the labour market” (Allen, 2013)

The above definition provides a statistical representation of today’s current employment situation and the true obstacles that graduates face when leaving university. Therefore it has become vital that graduates stay ahead of the tough competition and in order to do so must recognise their key skills as a graduate. (Allen, 2013) There are now many different tools and tips graduates can follow to identify their skill set and also set themselves apart from the crowd. There are never any guarantees in life however it has been strongly believed that graduate employers look favourable upon graduates who have a wide variety of skills. With the economy slowly returning to more prosperous times, employment opportunities are increasing slowly over time as it is expected that employers in nine out of thirteen industries are taking on more graduates than in 2014. Therefore representing there are opportunities for graduates if they work towards the goal. (Allen, 2013) Overall there are opportunities for graduates, however additional skills and work is required to gain a position as a good degree result will no longer guarantee a dream job.

The following report shall investigate further into a variety of topics that are directly related to the world of graduate employment such as an extended analysis of today’s working environment. In addition the report will examine the author’s current working experiences and skill set while also comparing these to the skills graduate employers believe to be necessary for their organisation. There will be then an assessment of the skills gaps the author currently has and investigation of possible paths to rectify the gaps. The report will conclude with the possible skills that may become relevant within the next few years as the employment market is constantly changing, as stated above, and stating some basic recommendations for graduate employment.

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2.1 Today’s working environment

The working environment of Britain today has improved slowly over time however still remains an area of trouble. The number of unemployed has fallen over the past three months by 58,600 which is a positive sign that job creation and hiring is occurring, however not by great amounts. (Stewart, 2015) There are still many problems facing Britain in relation to unemployment with long term unemployment figures hitting the highest they have in 16 years and more than one in five young people without jobs. The competition for a single job application has therefore risen dramatically. (Stewart, 2015) When investigating further into the statistics of unemployment it is evident that the rate of unemployment is higher within non-graduates. Academics believe that this is due simply to the fact that almost half of recent graduates are entering jobs which they are over qualified for and this is putting strain on those less qualified applying for jobs. (Stewart, 2015) Therefore in order to solve the above problem a rise in graduate employment opportunities would be necessary which has been clearly described by David Cameron

“Despite signs of wider jobs recovery, the pick-up in the graduate jobs market has been less pronounced” (Allen, 2013)

Graduates are now not only competing for graduate employment but also entry level jobs with the average 50 graduates applying for one job. However having a higher education increases the individual’s chances as the rate of unemployment for non-graduates aged 21-30 is much higher than that of recent graduates. (Allen, 2013) The employment situation of today has improved but competition is still tough and graduates especially have to continually improve to enter a job related to their education.

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3.1 Skills gained through a variety of areas – Education, Social and Employment

Thoughout this trimester and in particular Aspiring Futures, it is felt by the author that many different personal skills were obtained that will of benefit in the future in terms of education and future career. A detailed example of the author’s previous work experience and main skills for said employment is available below. (Appendix 2)

Teamwork

Another skill that has been improved on throughout university and the workplace experience is teamwork. University has posed many challenges throughout the past four years however one of the main challenges for the author would be teamwork. At the start of the university path teamwork did not come naturally and therefore this was a challenge. However over the continual group assignments improvement has been made and now the author feels this is a very strong skill within the skill set. An example specific to the author’s teamwork would be during first trimester of 3 rd year for the module entitled Get Into Enterprise. Upon starting the assignment there were a few disagreements about how the work should be carried out. The group members had different strategies for carrying out the work however instead of simply staying quiet the author felt it best to sit down with the rest of the team, air out everyone’s concerns and ensure everyone was on the same page for the assignment. This strategy of getting together and discussing the problems worked much better and after the disagreements were discussed the group ended up working well together and produced a piece of work that everyone was happy with. University experiences have really helped develop this skill for the author. Overall the author feels this experience will be highly beneficial within the future when attempting to work in a group setting and also when resolving conflict. It is vital within many organisations that an employee works well within a team and this has become evident through the author’s own experience within the workplace of Primark. (Succeedatlife, 2010) Previous research into the latest vacancies related to the degree subject has proven that teamwork is mentioned in one form or another and therefore is seen as vital for success within the workplace. An example of such a job that requires teamwork would be a managerial role. It is necessary to be a team player when applying or working within management as they are the motivator of the team. Vodaphone’s current graduate scheme lists teamwork as a main skill for their organisation. (Vodaphone, 2015)

A further three skills are discussed in appendix 3 of the report. Overall the development of many new personal skills has resulted from education and employment due to a number of different reasons, as discussed above. All of the skills gained through the two avenues have been useful so far and will continue to be of useful within future employment and study.

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4.1 Skill Retention and growth

With the ever changing environment of today’s workplace it is necessary that the author continually improves and tries to grow the existing skills, which is often referred to as the need for personal development. Individuals will have a need to personally develop in all areas of their life however in relation to the current paper the focus will be upon skills within the workplace.

4.1.1 Skills that could be improved and how

Time Management = Delegation - The first skill discussed above is time management. Although the author feels their time management skills have improved through education there is still room for further improvement within the workplace. The overall goal of the author is to eventually work within management therefore has been research carried out into the possible improvements that could be made in workplace time management. An example of such improvement would be to delegate tasks. This is highly important when working with management as they need to be able to divide tasks amongst their team according to their skills and abilities. (Kukreja, 2013) Delegation would allow for the tasks to be evenly distributed and prevent burnout or unfinished tasks occurring. It is an important part of learning how to manage and is not running away from responsibilities if carried out correctly. (Kakreja, 2013) In order to delegate the author shall attempt to take on more leadership roles within their employment to ensure they practise their delegation skills before attempting management opportunities.

Above is one main skill the author feels they need to work at retaining and improving in order to stay up to date within the current working environment. A further example is displayed in (appendix 4).

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5.1 Skill gaps and methods of closing them

A skill gap is an area where an employee or student does not possess the skills required for the job or assignment therefore an individual must work upon the skills to improve and fill the necessary areas. The following areas are where the author currently feels they are missing skills and is looking for methods of gaining the skills necessary for the future career they desired.

Commercial awareness has in the past few years proven to have moved higher and higher up on employers’ list of skills for future and present employees. In order to retain commercial awareness individuals need to continually research what makes their current or future organisation successful and who are their main customers i.e. all about the organisation and what industry they are based within. Currently the author does not feel they possess commercial awareness about the industry they want to work within so as a result it has become a skill gap that needs fulfilled. (Skillsyouneed, 2015)Therefore the following two steps are vital in improving commercial awareness for the author. The first step is to read the business pages within newspapers as this will give the individual a general insight into the finance and economic situations currently happening while also looking more specifically at the area of interest, which in this case would be the retail industry. (Skillsyouneed, 2015)The next step proposed would be to think about what previous working experience and what was learned by thinking about the organisation you work in, its customers and the broad environment for the company. (Skillsyouneed, 2015)This allows the individual to reflect on what might be company specific and what they can learn generally about the environment therefore improving general commercial awareness and company specific. Overall commercial awareness is extremely important to employers and therefore the above two steps are necessary to work within today’s current climate.

Another area where the author feels a have a skill gap is present is within problem solving. Although the author feels problem solving is a skill of theirs it is not felt that it is the strongest of skills and it could be improved. Problem solving is key when the ambition is to be a leader in life as that essentially is their job. The goal is therefore to learn to minimize the occurrence of problems and tackle issues head on. (Llopis, 2013) There a number of different ways that an individual can improve their problem solving skills and one of such is transparent communication where everyone’s concerns and points of view are openly expressed. The leader must be able to facilitate an open conversation between the people who trust their leader and creating an environment where staff feel comfortable to discuss issues. (Llopis, 2013)The author will attempt to create such an environment wherever they are working to ensure problem solving is no longer an issue for the author and also to improve the leadership qualities.

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6.1 Future Career prospects

As mentioned briefly above, the author is hoping to find employment within retail management, which is often described as a fast-moving and challenging career; however the author thrives from such kind of environment and feels it would be the perfect fit for herself. (NationalCareersService, 2012)There are many different responsibilities of a retail manager from running the store on a day-to-day basis, motivating staff to achieve the best possible sales and monitoring industry trends, these are only some of the responsibilities a store manager faces on a daily basis. (NationalCareerService, 2012)There are two main ways to enter retail management, either through working up from the bottom or entering through a retail graduate trainee scheme. In relation to the author’s choice it shall be the first of the two options that will be attempted. The author already works for a large retail organisation and has started to make a path within the company and has been applying for supervisory roles which will hopefully lead to department management training courses which are available within the organisation. Below is a profile of a general retail manager and what will be required of the author when following this path.

6.1.1 Job Profile

Hours

37 to 40 per week, the hours are likely to include weekends and evenings to fit with the business needs.

Starting Salary

£20,000 and £30,000 per year, with salaries rising for large stores and experience, to possibly £40,000 a year.

Entry requirements

Mentioned above the author will attempt to move up within the company via entry route. This is the most common route for an individual as building up your experience through starting as a sales assistant and by training and development is the optimal approach.

Skills Interests and qualities

1. Ability to lead and motivate a team 2. Excellent communication skills and ‘people’ skills3. Strong commitment to customer service 4. Ability to work under pressure and handle challenging situations

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5. Confidence, drive and enthusiasm 6. Decision-making ability, and sense of reasonability 7. Ability to understand and analysis sales figures8. Business sense9. Understanding of retail laws, security and health and safety

The above nine skills are very important when attempting to work within retail management as they were mentioned within many different management websites and job advertisements. The author feels they possess many of the above skills, as mentioned within the skill area of this paper, for example the communication skills, business sense and ability to lead and motivate a team.

Recruitment Process

Recruitment can come in many different formats however in general internal or external are the main formats. External recruitment is described as

“The assessment of an available pool of candidates, other than the existing staff, to see if there are any sufficiently skilled or qualified to fill and preform existing job vacancies” (Education Portal, 2003)

External recruitment is as described above however can have a negative effect on the organisation as it often costs a lot of time and money and also disrupts the usual flow of the organisation by entering a new member into the team. Generally it is positive as with the time and money well spent then the new individual could bring a whole host of new skills and ideas into the organisation and this is always beneficial to any organisation. (Richardson, 2015)

Internal recruitment, as you would assume, is the opposite of external and put simply is recruitment which takes place within the organisation i.e. selecting candidates from within the labour pool of the organisation. There are 3 main sub-sections of internal recruitment – transfers, promotions and re-employment of ex-employees. (MSG, 2013) Transfers and promotions are generally how retail sectors will recruit their management if there is the talent within the organisation. (MSG, 2013) Internal recruitment has a lot of positives for the organisation as it increases productivity as their motivation increases. It also saves time, money and effort by carrying out internal recruitment for management positions allows an individual with knowledge of the business to fall into the position, which is also a positive for the organisation. (MSG, 2013) Therefore the author, as mentioned previously, has chosen to follow the internal recruitment process for their career.

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Professional Body – Chartered Management Institute

“The Chartered Management Institute is an accredited professional institution for management based in the U.K.”

The above definition provides the formal definition of what the CMI is, however they also describe themselves as an organisation which helps to develop and train managers in the areas they need most. (CMI, 2014) This is a vital aspect within today’s world. The world today is putting huge emphasis on performance and demands more and more skills than before, therefore the CMI want to help managers gain these skills to ensure they are no longer just getting by and become the leaders of today. (CMI, 2014) The services provided by the organisation have been proven to be highly beneficial to management with over 100,000 using the service on a daily basis. CMI offer a broad amount of services in order to fur fill the above, ranging from qualification training, bespoke training, online development and many more, all of which are aimed at improving the managers of today. (CMI, 2014) Overall by being part of a professional body will offer credibility to the individual’s skills and also add to the skill set which are the aims of today’s workforce.

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7.1 Skills that may be important within the future

The future is uncertain within any area of life, especially within the job market. The constant change requires individuals to remain up to date with their skill set and also look to the future to plan what they may need to work upon to remain relevant within the job market. Therefore the organisation Future Work Skills has predicted ten skills that will need to be acquired to remain successful within the job market, below are the six mean areas the author feels are relevant in relation the world of business.

1. Sense-making: Computers are slowing taking over a lot of areas within day to day life however they cannot perform reasoned analysis which is where humans are invaluable.

2. Social Intelligence: There is far more emphasis on team working than ever before therefore working with large groups of people involves the ability to adapt to language and behaviour.

3. Adaptive thinking: Finding solutions to unexpected situations occurring in all situations.4. Cross-cultural competency: Being adaptive to different linguistic or cultural settings or even different generations.5. Computational thinking: With the increased amount of data comes the need to understand it and make decisions therefore employees need to

increase analytical skills.6. New media literacy: Produce content with non-text communication such as video or audio, as organisations are now for the majority global then

video technology is becoming a must for the new communication skills.

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8.1 Conclusion

In conclusion the report has summarised some of the key trends within the graduate employment market currently and what the expectations and prospects are for the future graduates. The employment market has experienced some troubled times in the previous three years however the economy is slowly improving and job prospects are enhancing overall. Some areas have been highlighted in general and also in direct relation to the author themselves. Throughout the report a number of different areas have been assessed in relation to the author such as the skills currently being used, the skill gaps and also how to improve and gain new skills. The assessment of such has proven valuable for the author as it has given new insight into the author’s abilities and what needs to be enhanced. Overall the author feels they are well equipped with the skills they currently possess to enter the world of work however further development would always be of use. In addition further investigation into the area of retail management has been carried out and to provide the author with some background knowledge before entering the world of employment. The report has established some key traits and has proven to be very useful.

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Development record

NAME: Samantha Rae Banner: B00230937

COVERING THE PERIOD FROM:

September 2014 TO: April 2015

Key dates What did you do? Why? What did you learn from this?

How have/will you use this?

Any further action?

September 25th Week 1 of the new class gave us an insight into the graduate market and what kind of employers are hiring within the business world and also asking yourself some key questions about what you would like and not like and also some

This introduction into the course was really useful as it set the scene for the current employment market and also allowed us as students to realise what skills we actually did possess and how they fell in line with what employers currently are looking for.

Throughout this session the activities really helped me to realise my skills and how they fit with the graduate employers looking to hire. In addition I learnt about resilience within the job market and how everyone faces some sort of rejection throughout the application

After the class I followed the advice and used an ACTION plan to set myself some short and long term goals for applying for jobs and how to go about improving my application skills.

Through this lecture the author realised that some

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dream job questions.

In addition we did some exercises on reviewing your skills as a graduate and which of these key skills were most important to highlight on your C.V.

process which helped to reassure myself.

improvement within the area of networking was necessary for the future as it is not felt that I know much about the job market.

September 2nd Week 2 of Aspiring Futures was extremely interesting as it was based around C.V. tips and tricks which as a graduate was very beneficial. The week before I had already made an appointment with a careers advisor to work on my C.V. however the class just added to the information.

At the start of trimester 1 graduating felt very far away however I knew that getting sorted early was key so the early session of C.V writing and tips was great help. In addition the information gained was useful as I was not aware of facts such as tag line to describe yourself and how important an interesting cover letter was.

I learned numerous pieces of information however the main 3 were:

Tag lines, interesting covering letters and highlighting your skills in accordance with the job spec.

After the lecture on C.V tips I evaluated my C.V to see where I could take on board the changes and improve. After I did so I emailed it to the careers service to get a check on what improvements I had made and if there were any more suggestions I could receive before applying for jobs. I received a very helpful response from the careers service and my C.V turned out excellently thanks to the Aspiring Futures class.

October 23rd This week of Aspiring The guest talk from a graduate During this class I obviously Stated previously I have

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Futures included a guest speaker from the company Graduate Genie. The two owners of the company came in to discuss what their graduate site was all about and how to register. Overall this week entailed listening to a talk about the site and how to register.

site was very relevant at this point in time as I had never been on graduate recruitment sites and this talk from the Genies was very useful to start off the application process and learning how to carry out applications for graduate jobs.

learnt a lot about the company Graduate Genie and what kind of area they specialize within for example the paid internships and graduate level jobs. Through this talk I registered with the company and searched the site for the types of employers that were hiring through the company. In addition I learnt a lot about the graduate application process from the genies and overall found the guest speakers helpful and interesting as a starting point.

registered with the genie website and have been checking regularly what jobs are being posted. Unfortunately there have been no jobs available that have been of interest however I do continue to search on a regular basis just in case something does appear that is of interest.

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Development plan

What do I want/need to learn? What will I do to achieve this? What resources or support will I need?

What will my success criteria be? Target dates for review and completion

By the end of this year I wish to further my knowledge on marketing

In order to achieve both of these aims I will need to carry out a number of

The support of my supervisor will be fundamental in achieving both of these aims

Success criteria will be based upon the grade received for the dissertation

TIME BOUND

December 10th – In-depth

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and business, specifically I would like to have an in-depth understand of E-SERVQUAL model and online retailing which is the area the author’s dissertation is based upon. In addition I would like to carry out their own research based on online retailing which will gain an even further understanding of the topic and also allow myself to gain the experience of carrying out research interviews and focus groups.

Both of the above aims are very SPECIFIC and related to a general aim of the author which is to complete the dissertation aspect of the course.

The aims will be

different steps, the first of which is primary research for the literature review part of the dissertation into E-SERVIQAUL. This is ACHIEVEABLE as the university provides a library with numerous texts based on E-SERVQUAL and also I have a large amount of access to online journals which will provide valuable knowledge to improve my understanding therefore REALISTIC.

The second aim is dependent upon carrying out the first aim as we have established it is possible. Therefore in order to carry out the research I must develop a set of questions directly related to the previous knowledge from aim one which is ACHIEVABLE. In addition I must source a

as the supervisor already has established knowledge within this area which will give me a base for the research in both senses. In addition the supervisor will be able help with any areas that I am finding it difficult and due to that knowledge, the supervisor, who is based on the area of the individual’s dissertation, will be able to help with any areas in which I am struggling. Due to this knowledge this is REALISTIC. Also I will need as mentioned previously the resources of textbooks, journals and respondents for research, all of which are available through university and personal connections. It is therefore felt that the two aims are very realistic as the resources needed are easily accessible and there will be support from the supervisor.

overall and also based upon whether the literature review is finished and whether the research has been carried out in the same way that it was planned.

If I receive above the 60% mark overall for the dissertation then it will be classed as successful.

If the research is carried out in the manner originally planned and by the date set then this will be classed as successful and the same criteria will be held against the further investigation into the E-SERVQUAL.

research into E-SERVQUAL will be finished and therefore so will be the literature review. (This has been achieved therefore I have carryout all of my SMART goals for aim one)

March 10TH – Research will be fully carried out and the writing up of the findings will be started. (This is on track as the interviews have been carried out and the next step is focus groups and writing of findings therefore it is felt that the TIME will be enough)

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MEASURED throughout the dissertation and also the grade received for the dissertation, therefore the author will know if they have achieved their goal and the standard to which it has been done.

group of respondents who are willing to be the interviewees, this shall be done through family and friends who have already agreed to be respondents therefore it is also REALISTIC to carry out aim two.

Appendix 1 – Factors contributing to cuts in graduate employment

The four main areas below will be discussed and evaluated to assess how such factors can play a role.

1. Uncertainty and the election

The general election will be held in May, with the uncertainty that will develop in turn breeds labour market caution. If organisations do not feel the new government’s economic policies provide a stable platform for the nation’s finances then they will be reluctant to invest in the country and so create few job opportunities. Therefore organisations looking to recruit new roles will more than likely delay until after May, which is when movement within the graduate world may occur.

2. Oil

When the price is low for oil, companies are generally happy as the running costs of the business are lower and therefore they might be a lot more likely to recruit. However it can affect the job situation for the worse as well. In relation to the associated fields such industries become less viable for graduates as

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the prices lower. Current expectation for 2015 oil prices is for them to continue to fall steeply. Therefore the dependence on oil prices can be described as a double-edge sword.

3. The regional agenda

Graduate opportunities are now evenly dispersed across the country, with highly populated cities like London receiving the vast majority of graduate employment opportunities this results in less graduates staying within the town they studied. This has caused considerable problems for regions hoping to hold on to their graduate talent. There has been evidence of improvement within the graduate market not all parts of the country will experience the same wealth of the job market.

4. Skill Shortages and wages

Certain areas of the market are experiencing serious skill gaps for example within the financial services. The suggestion is that higher starting salaries and more pay increases would entice individuals into training within the lacking fields.

The above section highlights the current picture of the graduate employment situation within Britain at the early start of 2015. Overall it is improving slowly however there is no drop in the amount of competition for graduates and therefore the following sections are highly relevant for graduates looking to improve their skill set and look towards the future.

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Appendix 2 – Work experience

Primark April 2014 to present RBS May 2014 - August 2014West Station Café September 2011 – February 2014

Although I really enjoyed my time at the West Station Café I decide to leave as before my time was finished at university I really wanted to experience working for a large organisation and this is why I decided to join Primark.

So far I have had many new experiences within Primark while also working on improving my existing skills. Primark has helped me to gain better customer service skills as I meet and help a large amount of different types of people and am in charge of my own department. Being given the responsibility to look after a department has helped me use my practical knowledge I have learned at university and put it into practice.

During the summer I spent time working within RBS Mortgage Centre, working within an office environment which I had not done so before. I really enjoyed the few months there as it helped to add to my current work skill set. Through this role I gained more interaction with customers as dealing with client’s mortgages is a large responsibility; I very much enjoyed the responsibility and am always keen to take on more responsibility and new tasks that come along with it.

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3.1.1 Skills required for my current job

Currently the author works within Primark Greenock as a customer service advisor, there are many different skills required for the job as it very diverse. Some of the main skills required are as follows:

Customer service Stock handling Communication Teamwork Leadership (certain times) Time management

The above are important aspects of the work life within Primark; the author has developed each of these skills though different experiences and they have all proven beneficial for future employment.

Appendix 3 – Additional Skills Leadership

In addition to the above two skills it is also felt that the author possesses the skill of leadership. Throughout the author’s degree in Business and throughout the workplace, leadership has been an essential quality to develop. Leadership within management is vital as it provides the organisation with strategy, ambition and the ability to respond to economic challenges. (BIS, 2012) Therefore the majority of organisations are now looking for employees or future employees to have the key skill of leadership which the author has demonstrated through a number of different tasks. (BIS, 2012) An example of such would be within the workplace, the author currently works weekends within Primark. During a weekend shift the supervisor of the floor was off sick and therefore someone was needed to organise the employees on the floor and the tasks. It was at this point the author offered to step into the supervisor role and lead the team; it was hugely successful as the work was all completed and the staff was comfortable with the leadership the author demonstrated. Overall it is felt that leadership is a large part of the author’s skillset as if it were for the author’s own initiative to take on the task without being informed to do so the opportunity may not have been possible.

Organisation

Organisation may not be seen by all as a key contributing factor when working with management or the business world and is hugely transferable throughout all tasks within the workplace; it is felt to be a main skill of the author. (Suttle, 2015) Organisations now need workers who can stay organised and focused on projects, for example planning, scheduling and coordinating resources for themselves and fellow colleagues within a management position.

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(Suttle, 2015) The previous three years of university has resulted in the author developing the organisation skill due to the amount of assignments and tasks that were due at the same time. A result of organising the workload and determining when the tasks should be carried out the tasks proved development of the organisation skill. Education has not only helped the author develop organisation skills but also helped to improve self-motivation as throughout the author’s university career motivation to start the tasks early and work extra was required to gain the results wanted. Therefore overall the development of organisation has also helped to develop self-motivation, both of which will be beneficial within the workplace.

Time Management

The Aspiring Future module involved many different skills that were beneficial to the author. The first example would be time management. Although continuous improvement in this area has occurred, it is felt that Aspiring Futures has helped because of the many different aspects that were involved. Due to the fact that the coursework had various elements and was spread over two trimesters managing when to start the tasks to allow adequate time was a challenge however it has greatly helped with the author’s time management. In addition this skill is crucial within the workforce as no job is without its time restraints and is also a key skill that many employers list on their advertisements. (Kukreja,2013) An example of such would be on Indeed jobs, in order to become an area manager it is listed as a key skill to have within your skill set. (Indeed, 2015) One of the author’s goals within the next 10 years is to progress to an area manager position within retail therefore it is of great benefit that the author has already crafted that skill and can continually improve upon time management skills. Overall this skill was developed though university as discussed above.

Appendix 4 – Skills that could be improved and how

Teamwork = Productivity – Teamwork can be very influential with education and particularly within an organisation therefore it is key that the author is at the top of the game when working within a team which will be a large part of management and working in general. If a team does not function effectively then the work can become unproductive and eventually prevent the work being produced from achieving a certain standard. (Succeedatlife, 2010) Therefore the author will attempt to follow a few new steps when working within a team, one such way would be making everyone feel of equal importance. By doing so all members of the team will feel valued and will in turn want to produce their best work for the team resulting in productivity. Another step to ensure good team working practice will be to never oppose someone’s idea, often being told no to an idea can result in members becoming disheartened and unwilling to propose new ideas, therefore positive responses will be attempted at all times to ensure that the team member are aware that the idea may not be the best but is not hurt or discouraged at the same time. (Succeedatlife, 2010) By following the new proposed steps should allow the author to improve their team working skills even further and ensure they are fully prepared for a possible future management role.

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References

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