I WANT A JOB WITH PROSPECTS
Student Name:
PROSPECTS OF WHAT?
You need to clarify what you mean by ‘prospects’ or a ‘job with a future’. You may define it in a
number of ways
Increasing
salary
Prestige
Promotion
Security
Challenge
Interest
Status
Perks
Autonomy / freedom to make
own decisions
Training
Responsibility - for staff,
budgets, projects
Check boxes which are important to you and add any other definitions below:
In addition to these work values you have identified, there may be other important
criteria which will make work purposeful and satisfying. Unfortunately a job rarely
matches all requirements in terms of interests, skills, lifestyle, and rewards!
For example, if promotion and responsibility are key criteria, it may be necessary to
compromise in terms of preferred location or convenient hours.
Security and regular pay rises might mean giving lower priority to creativity or autonomy,
while running your own business will undoubtedly involve risking your security!
Challenge and interest often come with responsibility, but this often also means working
under pressure, and being accountable when things go wrong!
You may need to think carefully about the size, style and structure of the organisations you
apply to, as well as the actual job opportunities. Larger companies may offer greater security,
or more structured training, while smaller organisations earlier responsibility and challenge.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO - YEAR 1
I WANT A JOB WITH PROSPECTS
THE CHANGING EMPLOYMENT SCENE
Recent changes in the structure of organisations mean that traditional ‘graduate’ jobs are
changing and progress ‘up the career ladder’ is not so clear cut. This has affected recruitment,
promotion, and staff development practices.
Think about the implications for your career of the following and note anything,
which strikes you:
* De-layering - loss of management hierarchy - effect on promotion, job tasks and skills,
responsibilities?
* Flexibility to respond to change - short contracts, less security, working freelance, ‘portfolio’
workers
* More jobs with small enterprises - need for multi-skilled employees, pros/cons of smaller
organisations?
* Traditionally ‘non-graduate’ job roles - what graduates can contribute, idea of ‘growing’ or
developing the job - could you create a new job role by starting lower down?
A job ‘with prospects’ is likely to mean something very much broader than it did in the past, and
is very much about generating your own opportunities.
CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Progressing forward in your chosen career means identifying your next goal and then
being constantly on the look out for new opportunities - it is a process:
•
Review your situation - skills acquired
•
Identify new goals
•
Research and gather information
•
Explore the opportunities - skills requirements
•
Fill training or experience gaps
•
Make contacts and applications
The ‘career’ of the future is likely to be a portfolio of different jobs, involving multiskilling, self-reliance and lots of flexibility in order to survive and thrive.
THE PROSPECTS ARE UP TO YOU!
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO - YEAR 1