Preparing for a Successful
Work Experience
Developing Business Practice
– 302LON
Unit: 9 Knowledgecast: 1
Module Learning Outcomes
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 Overview
Unit
1
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 experience
10
Personal Development Planning
Benefits of Work Experience
’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
A 6th Strategy for Career Success
Know your
skills and
strengths
Contact
potential
employers
Present
yourself
professionally
Present
yourself
successfully
Demonstrating
your skills,
knowledge and
qualities in the
workplace
Positive Thinking
Based on:
Cameron (2009)
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
Personal
Experience
Objectives
Goals
Learning
Goals
Evidence
Sought
Work Experience Preparation SWOT
STRENGTHS
• What are you most confident
about?
• What are you looking forward to
most?
OPPORTUNITIES
• What’s coming up where you can
try new things out?
• How will your work experience help
you develop your CV and profile?
WEAKNESS
• What don’t you feel confident
about?
• What skills or knowledge do you
need to develop before you begin?
THREATS
• What may prevent you from
achieving your goals?
• What may affect your confidence
and motivation?
Agree Objectives & Measures of Success
• 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
Objective
S
• Specific
M
• Measurable
A
• Achievable
R
• Relevant
T
• Time Defined
Measure of Success
• Positive feedback received from a
1. Develop my confidence in
sample of colleagues
building rapport with new
colleagues over the duration of • Observations from line manager
about how I fit into the team
the work experience
Getting a Realistic Job Preview
Use your
network of
contacts and
alumni
Web
research
on the
company
Arrange an
informational
interview
Web
research
on the role
What will
it be like?
Come in to
meet your
colleagues
Connect
with
colleagues
Shadow a
colleague
for a day
How Things Work Around Here…
Some of the details to find out before Day One:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Start and Finish times
Dress code
Breaks and meal options
Transport links
Contact details for your office
Working relationships with your line manager
What are we going to cover next?
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
Knowledgecast Summary
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
Seminar: End of Module Assessment
• 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
Group Activity: Self Awareness Audit
‘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?