A Guide to Career Planning

Transcription

1 A Guide to Career Planning This article has been developed by the Careers and Employment team of the University of Western Sydney. Last reviewed 14 March This article and other articles in the series may be accessed from CareerHub by registered students and staff of UWS.

2 2005. A Guide to Career Planning has been written by Barbara Mackie, Careers Consultant at the University of Western Sydney. Please contact the Careers and Employment service at UWS on (02) if you wish to use or copy any portion of this document. Permission to use this material may be granted provided the original authors are acknowledged in any subsequent publication or handouts. Barbara wishes to acknowledge the Careers and Employment team for their contributions and assistance in collecting ideas, editing and updating the Guide. The Careers and Employment team at UWS include Jan Thomas, Jackie Simpson, Liz Ross, Gillian Tan and Leigh Mabin.

3 Contents An Introduction to Career Planning Career Myths 4-5 A Career Planning Model 6-7 The Career Planning Process 8-9 The Mysteries of Career Planning. 10 The Career Planning Elements in Action Igniting Your Passion.. 11 Knowing Your Interests Identifying Your Values Articulating Your Skills. 16 Skills Through Stories 17 Using a Skills Audit Skills Audit Understanding Your Personal Style. 32 Developing Your Networks Maximising Your Education Describing Your Experience Gaining Industry Knowledge.. 38 Listing Career Opportunities.. 39 Developing Your Action Plan A Career Planning Inventory Ideas For Getting Started 42 Sample Action Plan. 43 Your Action Plan.. 44

4 Career Myths We ve all heard the myths; sometimes we are even caught saying them. Here are the common graduate career myths and how to debunk them. All the good jobs are with the big international firms This is clearly not the case. A majority of graduates are employed by small to medium enterprises, some become self employed and others enjoy the freedom associated with contract work. Whatever decision I make will sentence me to life Career exploration and planning are lifelong activities. Just as you will continue to learn and upgrade your skills throughout your life, you will develop and manage your career along the way. Recent research suggests people have up to 5 significant career changes in their working life. Regard each position as a stepping stone on a fabulous journey to an unknown destination. My first graduate role will be my dream job Perhaps you re thinking that you ll also be earning $150,000 pa and the organisation will give you a swish car, a state-of-the-art mobile phone, a laptop and international travel to lure you away from the rival companies which are also desperate to employ you. Perhaps you don t believe this, but your family have unrealistically high expectations of you. Either way, do a reality check. Investigate the current recruitment situation for your field such as the conditions, salaries, expectations and likely career progression. You may need to start at the assistant or entry level and work your way up to your dream role, perhaps even gaining a few year s experience first in a related field. Never let this stop you dreaming, planning or applying for those golden jobs, as you never know when the big break will occur. I ve wasted my time at uni doing the wrong degree No learning is wasted learning. Switching mid-course may add another year or two to your formal education. You invest considerable cost and energy in changing course: make the most of it. You may be surprised how often some of your initial study comes in handy. If you completed the first course and are now doing another, you will find the duality of your skills give you a unique edge and this will open up opportunities not available to your peers. Sometimes the best career decisions you will make will be to not complete something. A job for life The good old days of a secure job are becoming a distant memory. There has been a dramatic shift to part-time, contract and casual work. Many people have responded to this shift by developing portfolio careers a marketable blend of experience and skills that enable the professional to take consultancy, transitory and contract work. This is the modern career more movement, greater flexibility and intensive periods of work activity. Many people enjoy the positive aspects of this type of work and are very successful in managing their job changes and income to suit. The best way to get work is to send out hundreds of resumés This is not the most effective method for getting work. Sending off 100 unsolicited resumés may yield one or two responses if you re lucky. You are likely to get a more promising response if you send out 10 or 20 resumés to carefully selected organisations. Always call the organisation first and speak with someone who performs or supervises the sort of work you want to do. Make sure you put the effort in and tailor each resumé and covering letter to the organisation and their requirements. Keep track of all the resumés you submit so you can follow up the progress of the application. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 4 of 44

5 Career Myths (cont.) The labour market has flattened out what s the point in looking for jobs in my field? It s true that the market in some areas makes it difficult to get graduate work easily. If you talk yourself out of getting work, then you are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Become more inventive about your job-finding skills. Use both the traditional (newspapers, recruitment agencies, on-line job boards) and non-traditional methods (networking, professional associations, information gathering, direct approach) to give yourself a greater chance. Review your resumé, application and interview technique to eliminate the possibility that this is the reason you are missing out. Get advice, keep actively looking and stay positive your motivation and attitude play a large role in your presentation and appeal to employers. Loyalty pays off Loyalty certainly featured more prominently in the careers of past generations. Unfortunately, economic rationalism has encouraged organisations to make some harsh and expedient decisions about staff. Many professionals have experienced a redundancy or retrenchment; it is no longer unusual to hear of such stories. This forced a cultural shift in attitude to a dog eat dog mentality with an emphasis on competition. However, there is still a backbone of employers who value hard work, high levels of competence and a loyalty to the company. We can no longer expect loyalty to pay off across the board. I failed a couple of subjects I ll never get a graduate position You d be surprised how many successful people in executive roles failed a couple of subjects at uni. Eventually, in the big scheme of things, this becomes a minor aspect of your education. What is more important is how well you bounced back revised your study techniques and performed better the second time round. Turn your record into a good news story and focus on the positives. It is important to be realistic too. You may have significantly reduced your chances of being recruited to a graduate program of a national organisation. There are alternative pathways to graduate positions you may need to start small and be prepared to work your way up. A careers test will sort our my career decisions Wouldn t that be terrific! No responsibility, no hard decisions to make and no effort involved. Then how come it didn t happen for us all at school? There are a range of career inventories, tests and instruments around some measure ( indicate is a better word) skills, interests, aptitudes, values and personality styles. They can be very useful if you want to do some selfdiscovery and understand yourself better. The results of these indicators are best explained in a consultation with a trained career professional. The results can help you work out for yourself some career opportunities that would be appropriate to explore further; sometimes the results confirm that you re on the right path (or not) and sometimes the results don t tell you anything you didn t already know about yourself. These days a degree is worthless Twenty five years ago, less than 3% of the Australian adult population had a degree. A degree would earn you some level of respect in society. Today, more that 25% of the Australian adult population has a degree. This has created a different attitude to the degree it s sometimes seen as a baseline qualification. There s some expectation that throughout your career you will complement your undergraduate degree with professional accreditation, professional development, short courses, and possibly postgraduate study. Your degree is not worthless: people with no post-secondary qualifications have higher levels of unemployment that those with a degree and earn significantly less, on average, over the course of a lifetime. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 5 of 44

6 The Career Planning Model Career Planning can be reduced to ten essential elements (or influences) which form part of a set of interrelated processes which, when put together as a whole, is a career planning model. The model we use in Careers and Employment at the University of Western Sydney appears below and provides the framework for careers education and service provision at the university. Career Opportunities Passion Interests Industry Knowledge Experience Setting goals Gathering information Career Planning Making decision Making contacts Values Skills Education Networks Personal Style This model had been adapted from The Wheel, a Career Planning model developed by Norman Amundson and Gray Poehnell in their book Career Pathways. (2004). 3rd edition. Ergon Communications: Canada. The career planning process in the middle has been adapted from Allen L. Hammer. (1993). Introduction to Type and Careers. Australian Council for Educational Research: Melbourne. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 6 of 44

7 The Career Planning Model (cont.) The ten elements of career planning cover: Passion Interests Values Skills Personal Style Networks Education Experience Industry Knowledge Career Opportunities Natural curiosity, intense emotion, enthusiasm that drives action, often not a rationale choice Preferences, things you like and enjoy doing Personal beliefs, principles by which you conduct your life Abilities (things you have learnt to do well) and aptitudes (things you think you could do or are willing to do with training and experience) How you typically go about doing things, thinking and feeling in different situations, how you interact with others Making connections and building channels of communication Your educational qualifications, patterns of study, formal and informal learning and considerations for further education Paid and unpaid work, social and community groups, travel Key employers, employment conditions, qualifications required, trends, research, professional development opportunities Knowing which occupations are available to you and being open to a range of options There are many other possible influences on career planning which are not addressed specifically in this model. These include factors such as age, gender, self-concept, health, location, mobility, disability, ethnicity, race, culture, sexual orientation and socio-economics. The advantages of this career planning model are: It is a simple and easy to follow guide It offers a practical and balanced perspective It allows for the influence of time and development (the elements may vary in significance over time) It supports a variety of career strategies and techniques It is grounded in the best aspects of career theories available It encourages the view that career planning is an ongoing process and lifelong skill In general, if you put sufficient energy into exploring each element of the model, the inner circle process of career information gathering, making contacts, decision-making and goal setting will become much easier to manage. You re not expected to make all your decisions now your career management is a lifelong process that will continue to unfold as you gather more experience and information. Some people feel more comfortable beginning with their goals and working outwards. If your goals are fairly clear, the process of working your way through the essential elements is still valuable. Look for opportunities you may not have considered, open up to new ideas and alternative pathways and develop a range of contacts and networks. Think of your long term options if you have your short term options already decided. In this guide each element of the model is described and offers ways to explore each one further. Your journey through the model can be done as a self-reflective activity, with the help of a careers practitioner or in a group setting with an experienced facilitator. Complete the Career Planning Inventory as a first step in understanding your journey. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 7 of 44

8 The Career Planning Process Gathering information Where I am Setting goals Career Planning Making contacts Where I want to be Making decision There are 4 steps to unravelling your career plans: Gathering information Making contacts Making decisions Setting goals This process is not linear, i.e. generally you will go through each step in the process several times and begin over again as your goals change or are redefined by experience and additional knowledge. This is quite normal. It s healthy to approach major decision-making and goal-setting with an open mind and to be flexible to new ideas. Gathering Information Develop a list of career options that appeal to you Collect information on each of the career options Determine information such as courses of study, accreditation requirements, relevant professional associations, possible career progression, likely salary and work conditions, duties and responsibilities, current trends Arrange to visit and observe people in similar roles, find out from them what the job is really like, and see if you can imagine yourself doing this work Making Contacts First work through your known networks for relevant contacts eg academics, family, friends, colleagues Then develop new contacts through professional associations, industry journals, networking functions, career expos and events, work experience programs, industrial and professional placements, vacation work Don t be shy about developing your networking and cold-calling skills as you will find these skills are invaluable in making contacts, gaining work and in every professional position you hold throughout your life Use your resumé as a business card and leave it with as many relevant contacts as you can Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 8 of 44

9 The Career Planning Process (cont.) Making Decisions Assess your general decision-making style how you normally approach major decisions and how you know when you have made the right decision? Explore how you could improve on making decisions eg how much research you do, how current is the information and advice, which sources are appropriate for which decisions, and the conditions under which the decision needs to be made Learn how to weigh up your alternatives and clarify the criteria upon which you make your decisions Making decisions about career choices can be particularly overwhelming but not a life sentence learn how to stepping-stone your decisions to fit with current deadlines Setting Goals Develop life goals that include not only work, but also cover your plans for travel, family, friends, location, relaxation, health and fun If you don t feel comfortable setting specific career goals at present, begin working on goals that clarify the type of work you want to do and the type of work you don t want to do Think about how confident you are about your current career choices and your capacity to achieve those goals Imagine yourself in these career roles and assess your levels of confidence in how good you will be at this work Determine your current short-term and longer-term goals List the action steps to achieving your goals Prepare your goals and action plans at the start of career investigations Apply timelines for completing the action steps and make a date with yourself to review your goals Review and update your plans on a regular basis and you will develop excellent career management skills to see you through your life Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 9 of 44

10 The Mysteries of Career Planning Career planning in its simplest form is about making occupation choices. In its more complex form it is about life planning. I don t know where to start This is a common response from most people when they face the mysteries of career planning. While effective career planning will take some effort and exploration, once you have some clear steps to work through, the whole process is reasonably clear. We hope that developing your career plans will be an enjoyable experience for you. Is it as simple as ticking the boxes? Wouldn t it be terrific if you just had to tick the boxes on an inventory and magically your future would be revealed? Naturally, it would be a satisfying and successful career! On the other hand, maybe you ve already begun the process of career planning and didn t realise it. The Career Planning Model and the Career Management Inventory in this guide outline ideas for you to consider for each of the elements of career planning. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much you have already done. The inventory will also highlight clear steps you can take to prepare yourself for planning and managing your career. I know my career destination If you have clear career goals, and you re confident your study is leading you in the right direction to fulfil these goals, then consider yourself very fortunate. Many people do not have this level of clarity. Taking yourself through a career planning process can still be a valuable activity as it may highlight for you a number of career opportunities in your field you haven t previously considered eg in accountancy there are some fascinating emerging careers such as forensic accounting or maybe you hadn t considered auditing as an option. New career fields develop in response to the demand for new skills to meet changing business needs and the introduction of new technology. If your short-term goals are clear, you may also want to look at your longer term career goals, consider postgraduate study that will complement your undergraduate degree and explore the career pathways this might open up for you in the future. I have no idea what I want to do Don t stress too much you re not alone! This lack of career direction is more common that most people realise. Perhaps you ve chosen a degree that is very broad or you have specialised in a number of majors. Don t undervalue your education, it will all lead somewhere. Sometimes, the career planning process will highlight for you a range of possibilities, but not clarify which particular path appeals to you most. Learn to be comfortable sitting in your indecision while you put some energy into assessing your skills, values, interests and personal style. At the same time you can make some serious contacts with a range of people who do the sort of work you find interesting spend time with them, learn more about what they do, and try and imagine yourself doing similar work. Your career path may be a series of stepping stones until you stumble across the field you really love. Give yourself time and relish every experience and opportunity along the way. For you, career exploration is the key to unlocking the doors that will lead to valid choices. Don t put pressure on yourself to make career decisions until you have more information. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 10 of 44

11 Igniting Your Passion Passion is an unusual topic to write about in relation to careers. Yet, time after time, when people are interviewed about their careers, the word passion keeps popping up. Passion is an intense emotion, a deep feeling or enthusiasm. Some people refer to their passion as a natural curiosity. When people talk about their passion in life, they have not made a rational choice it is part of who they are. We often associate passion with a particular talent, such as music, performance or art. However, people can also have passion for a cause (the environment, animal rights, refugees) or for a deeply held interest (fostering learning or personal growth in others, gardening, a business venture). There is no rhyme or reason to our passions. Passion may be innate or may relate to a childhood influence or trauma (but not always). Finding your passion (and don t feel bad if you don t find yours at this stage in your life) may provide you with career direction or it may be a hobby you enjoy in your spare time. However, passion is a critical first element in career planning as it is at the heart of your identity and your motivation. Passion is the element that keeps people going, makes us put in that extra effort, do additional work or reading or study in our own time. Passion explains the way some people will delight in work that can seem very mundane or obscure to other people. Ask three people who are established in their careers about their passion what they enjoy about their work and what keeps them going. Ask them about the people they admire in their field and what or who influenced them to take up their occupation. Listen to their stories and see if you can elicit their passion. What is your passion? Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 11 of 44

12 Knowing Your Interests Interests are your preferences, the things you like or the things you think you would enjoy. Think of all the activities you enjoy and draw up a mind map. These items can be anything including things you enjoy doing at work, organised sporting activities, a hobby, a social event, community activities or activities from your home life. Include anything you enjoy, even things like relaxing with a favourite book or taking a bath. The idea of the mind map is to free you up from structured thinking and to encourage you to jot down as many ideas as you can. Aim for 20 interests. My interests Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 12 of 44

13 Knowing Your Interests (cont.) Now, do a bit of an analysis of your interests by listing your interests from your mind map in the left hand column and then complete the other columns. Which interests have you actively pursued in the last 6 months? Which ones are free or involve minimal cost? Is there a balance between solo activities and socialising with others? Which personal needs are your interests meeting for you? Are there any interests, hobbies or activities you would like to get involved with in the next 6 months? What patterns begin to emerge about your style, likely skills and preferred types of job activities? Which interests are most relevant for your resumé? Do any of your interests indicate an affinity for any particular occupations? Interests Last time Cost A = Alone O = with others P = Physical M = Mental E = Emotional S = Spiritual List the interests you intend to put into your resumé: This activity has been adapted from the work of Norman Amundson from an Australian Association of Career Counsellors conference presentation, Melbourne Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 13 of 44

14 Identifying Your Values Values are your personal beliefs. Your beliefs determine what is important to you and are the principles by which you conduct your life. Values are often associated with beliefs about personal behaviour, beliefs about how people should interact with one another, economic beliefs, religious beliefs, and moral issues concerned with justice. How are values connected to career decisions? Whether you realise it or not, major decisions, including choosing careers, are usually based on your values. Therefore, it is important to identify your values when planning your career. For some people, their work values are clearly defined. Decisions about career pathways, employers to work for or the type of work undertaken may be based on these values. For example, some people choose not to work for banks, insurance companies or organisations that sell tobacco or alcohol because of their personal beliefs and preferences. Some people have firm opinions about ethics, politics, the environment or policies regarding equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups, and make career decisions according to their value system. For other people, their particular value system is not yet clear. They may be happy to consider working for any number of organisations. These people may be more concerned with immediate rewards such as their salary, work conditions and opportunities for promotion or travel than with aligning their personal values with those of a company. Generally, as people move through life and gain experience in a number of roles and organisations, their value system develops and becomes clearer to them. Their values may even change as a result of their experiences. Those happy souls who express satisfaction with their position and company would generally agree that there s a match between their job and their personal values. Those who express a sense of discontent with their job are often able to identify a conflict between their values and those of the job, organisation or industry in which they work. A frequently expressed area of tension is between career progression and family responsibilities. Another common example is the tension between commercial and creative considerations. Determine the values of the organisation where you intend to work Some organisations will express their values explicitly; others will indicate their values through the goals and mission of the company. A browse through the company website and promotional literature will normally provide some hints. Remember that espoused values and real values are sometimes at odds actions speak louder than words. Look at the track record of the organisation. Talk to people already working in the company or in the industry for more specific information. Determine Your Values Talking through your study and work experiences with someone else is one way to help you identify your work values. Think about three significant events that have occurred that had an impact on you: Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 14 of 44

15 Identifying Your Values (cont.) Talk about your experiences to someone else by explaining: What happened? How did it have an impact on you? Why it was significant? How did it affect your behaviour or opinions? Does the event guide how you would make decisions in the future? A story will emerge from the answers to these questions. Look beyond the detail of the event to explore the themes. Identify the underlying belief systems that contribute to the behaviour and the decisions arising from the event. Think about what is still important to you. In my professional work, I value the opportunity for Not important Important Very important A balance with work/family/health/interests A clean work environment A sense of achievement A sense of belonging A sense of fulfilment Adventure Autonomy in my decisions Being ambitious Choice in my location Clear roles and regulations Contributing to the organisation and others Creative expression Demonstrating my competence Displaying integrity and ethics Earning a lot of money Enjoying my work activities and colleagues Extending my knowledge Having power over others Having recognised authority with my peers Helping others Holding a position with status and prestige Independence in my work practices Influencing others Job security Many challenges Meeting my spiritual needs Precision in my work Public contact Recognition for my skills Taking on a leadership role Variety in work tasks and projects Working alone Working at a fast pace or with deadlines Working to a routine Working with current technology Working with others Working without pressure and deadlines Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 15 of 44

16 Articulating Your Skills Skills are abilities (things you can do) and aptitudes (things you think you could do, or are willing to do, with training and experience). A skill is a learned ability to do something well. Most graduates underestimate the number of skills they actually have; this limits their career exploration and job search. Your goal is to gain an accurate picture of all the skills you have. Transferable skills Transferable skills are the strengths and abilities which develop over time and which can be used in a variety of work, social or other situations. Knowledge of your transferable skills will help you find career options which use those particular skills. The process for identifying skills There are several ways to identify your transferable skills. There are a number of tests and inventories available commercially to assist you with this process. In this resource, we suggest two methods to identify your skills. Firstly, you can explore past successes or accomplishments ( stories ) as a means to discovering not only your skills, but also your interests and career values. Secondly, we have included a Skills Audit which provides a comprehensive list of graduate skills for you to consider. Start by reflecting on your personal, university, work, social, community and school experiences to identify a comprehensive list of skills unique to you. It is best to think about achievements and positive experiences. However, it is also reasonable to think about things that didn t go well if you focus on what you learnt from the situation and how you would do things differently in the future. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about your skills, interests and values in general terms: Things you loved to do as a child eg childhood game Things you achieved during senior high school eg production of a play, debating team Things you felt very strongly about eg an observation of a situation or interaction between others Things you have done, made or produced eg an artwork, a presentation Things that would not have been achieved without your contribution eg an event or a celebration Things you have learnt that will stay with you forever eg a mistake or an idea that had significant consequences Things about a place you have lived eg a location or a house Things you are really proud of eg something you would like others to know about you Things you enjoy doing eg a leisure activity, a social event, a part of your work Things about a job you have done eg where you felt appreciated and productive Things about another person who influenced you eg a mentor, family member, friend Things about university eg a realisation, a subject, and event Things about a job you would love to do eg your dream job Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 16 of 44

17 Articulating Your Skills (cont.) Skills Through Stories Describe your greatest achievement or something you take great pride in. What lead up to the event? Why is this significant for you? What happened after? Describe a time when you displayed a leadership quality or made a positive impact in a team situation. What happened? Who was involved? What did you do? What was the outcome? Who do you admire? Name a hero, a family member, a friend or someone you admire. What personal qualities do you admire? How are you similar to them? Identify the skills that emerge from your story and jot the skills in the margins. Tell your story to two other people and ask them for the skills they see in your stories. Jot these down as well. Next, you might like to complete the Skills Audit on the following pages. Remember that your stories are a more powerful way to understand yourself better and also identify your key skills. Simply ticking boxes on a Skills Audit makes us run the risk of being lazy, less credible and present as less unique in a selection situation. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 17 of 44

18 Using a Skills Audit In this document there is a Skills Audit which lists sets of transferable skills common to university students and graduates. These skills are grouped under key skill areas. There is also a reference to identifying your professional skills and other skills. Benefits of Identifying Your Skills You can use the Skills Audit as a basis for: Preparing a professional and polished resumé Addressing selection criteria as a part of job applications Responding confidently to interview questions Assumed Basic Skills As university students and graduates, there is an assumption by employers and the community that you possess above average levels of literacy and numeracy. Also assumed is that you have a broad general knowledge and that you are developing a sound theoretical knowledge in your professional field. Evidence for Your Skills It is important that you are honest when providing a list of your skills. Most students are too modest and omit many of their skills, disadvantaging themselves during a recruitment process. If you can t clearly identify your skills for a potential employer, then they will be unlikely to spend much time trying to draw it out of you at interview. On the other hand, some students make vague and overstated claims about their skills and are unable to support their claims when asked to provide further details. You must be able to provide evidence for your claim to your skills in order to be credible and convincing. You can do this in a number of ways. Here are some examples: Ask for Input Be able to talk about your skills concisely, clearly and confidently Provide examples of achievements, particularly where you can quantify the outcome with statistics such as profit increases, staff retention, savings for the company, reduced turnaround times, improved customer feedback, improved grades, better team performance Produce certificates, references or qualifications Demonstrate by simulation, presentation or test Show a portfolio which includes a sample of your work such as reports, articles, models, photos, summaries, videos After you have identified your skills, it s important to receive input from others. We are often blind to our own strengths, either taking them for granted or being too modest to shout our skills from the rooftops. Show a trusted friend, family member, mentor or work colleague your completed skills audit and ask for feedback. Input from others can identify as well as validate skills and experiences that may otherwise be overlooked or undervalued. This step is can be vital in improving your attitude about your marketable skills and your chances of succeeding at interview. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 18 of 44

19 Using a Skills Audit (cont.) Work on the Gaps Also, use this skills audit to think about your skill deficiencies. Think about: Which areas you need to improve, or to find ways to gain further experience? What specific skills are expected of the jobs you like? Which skill areas could you set as a priority for developing over the next six months? Validate Your Claims Remember that no one is an expert in everything. In your resumé, avoid nominating a broad area such good communication skills. Instead list the specific skills within that broad area eg chairing a meeting, mediating a dispute, writing a formal proposal. Give some examples to support your claim. Be clear about your key strengths. What are your top three skills? Think about which skills or groups of skills you most enjoy using. How well do these fit with your field of study and career goals? What other career options do your skills and interests open for you? For each skill you tick in the Skills Audit, consider the following questions: What did you do when demonstrating this skill? (be specific about the task) To what extent did you use the skill? (entry level, basic, mid-level or high-level competence) In what situation did you use the skill? (where were you and who was involved?) What was the outcome of your contribution? How can you demonstrate or prove this skill? Are you able to describe this skill confidently and convincingly to others? How can you further develop this skill? Examples of Effectively Describing a Skill I UsummarisedU the issues raised in a difficult project meeting with five final year students in my Building Management course at UWS. I focussed on what rather than who when giving the summary. This enabled the project team to re-focus on the team goals and objectively assess the issues. We ended up making some clear decisions and the project progressed to the next stage. The summary is recorded in the team meeting minutes. I UdesignedU a new procedural system for inter-office communication and file transfer while on industrial placement with a community-based service. This organisation has over 45 locations in NSW. The new system was implemented after my placement finished, and management reported a streamlining of processes. Improvements included a reduction in lost files (down 85%), elimination of double handling (saving an average of I.5 hours per officer per week) and resulted in an estimated savings of $150,000 per year for the organisation. Continual Review Your Skills Audit will not be completed in one attempt. Just like polishing a resumé, it will take time and perseverance. Keep reviewing it and remember to add in any newly acquired skills and experiences. Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 19 of 44

20 Skills Audit Professional Skills Your professional skills describe your experience in your specific professional area. Look back over your texts, lecture notes, essays and assignments for clues. List the professional tasks you are capable of performing as a result of your studies and any professional experience you have gained. Examples (depending on your area of study) may include: Designing a marketing brochure Preparing an engineering site plan Writing lesson plans Preparing a legal brief Writing a business strategy Evaluating a software design Preparing a business proposal It is critical you list your relevant professional skills on your resumé. Many students undervalue the skills they ve gained at university, and assume that without 3-5 years experience in the field, their skill levels at graduation are not worth mentioning. Your resumé will clarify the extent of your experience and so listing your professional skills in the context of your studies and experience will sound credible and realistic. Recruiters do not expect new graduates to have 20 years experience with world-class expertise in their field. Yet not mentioning your professional skills at all gives an unbalanced view of your capabilities. Don t expect that simply listing your degree on your resumé will indicate your professional skills your degree is unique in terms of your subject major, electives, major projects, and the focus of extra research or work experience and placements. Ensure you do the analysis of what you have to offer the potential employer and list this clearly on your resumé. List your professional skills: Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 20 of 44

21 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Most of your other skills are generic or soft skills, i.e. skills that have been developed at university, work and through community activities. Generic skills can be grouped under the following headings: Communication Skills Teamwork Problem Solving Planning and Organising Initiative and Enterprise Critical Thinking Technology Self Management and Learning Cultural Awareness These headings are too broad to be meaningful to recruiters. On the following pages, each skill heading has been broken down into a subset of skills. Select just 3-5 key skills you possess under each heading and make your own assessment as to the extent of your skill. Note in the right-hand column the example you could talk about at an interview to convince recruiters you have this skill. Add additional skills if this list does not include all your identified skills. Use the following definitions to describe your skill level: 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 21 of 44

22 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Communication Skills Example Advocating on behalf of others Brainstorming ideas Chairing a meeting Checking understanding Clarifying discussion Coaching others Concluding an interaction Contributing to a discussion Debating ideas and opinions Demonstrating appropriate behaviour Demonstrating confidence Editing a paper or article Evaluating information Formulating communication strategies Influencing to gain acceptance of an idea or plan Listening effectively Lobbying stakeholders Maintaining a sense of humour Mediating a dispute Negotiating to gain agreement Networking with contacts Presenting ideas and opinions Proposing ideas Publishing a newsletter Questioning appropriately Recording discussions and meetings Responding to requests Summarising information Using communication tools effectively Using diplomacy and tact Writing grammatically Writing well structured papers 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 22 of 44

23 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Teamwork Example Attending meetings punctually Celebrating team accomplishments Chairing a group discussion Clarifying team roles and tasks Collaborating on projects Contributing appropriately to a task Directing a group project Encouraging others and their work Fostering cooperation Giving appropriate feedback Initiating ideas and strategies Leading and taking responsibility Managing conflict Managing the limitations of others Motivating others to achieve goal Motivating self to achieve goal Performing an agreed task Producing a result Promoting services or products Receiving feedback constructively Recognising own strengths and limitations Recognising the skills of others Representing the views of others Resolving differences of opinion Showing consideration for others Supporting effective team functioning Understanding different perspectives Utilising the knowledge of others Working ethically Working with a diverse range of people 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 23 of 44

24 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Problem Solving Example Analysing facts and assumptions Anticipating problems Applying a systematic approach Applying knowledge to new situations Defining the problem Designing contingencies Developing a range of options for solution Developing creative solutions Evaluating options for solution Evaluating results Facilitating team involvement in solving problems Following up outstanding tasks Identifying factors contributing to the problem Implementing solutions Learning from experiences Making realistic decisions Preparing an action plan Reviewing plans Selecting the best option using subject knowledge 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 24 of 44

25 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Planning and Organising Example Calculating the risk to achieve a goal Defining specifications and standards Delegating responsibility Demonstrating a professional approach Designing appropriate strategies Establishing an action plan Evaluating progress of tasks Identifying material resources Identifying people as resources Managing a budget Managing risk factors Meeting deadlines Motivating self and others Seeking opportunities to facilitate resolution Setting attainable goals Setting priorities for tasks Working under pressure 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 25 of 44

26 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Initiative and Enterprise Example Assessing competitive advantage Commencing a business enterprise Demonstrating creativity in introducing an idea Demonstrating tenacity in following through with a plan Demonstrating political sensitivities Determining the commercial viability of a product or service Developing business goals Discussing business practices Identifying customer requirements Liaising with stakeholders and sponsors Marketing a product or service Preparing a situational analysis Selling a product or service Supervising staff and projects Taking the lead in developing an idea Writing using a range of business communication methods and protocols 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 26 of 44

27 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Critical Thinking Example Absorbing a quantity of information Applying appropriate criteria Challenging assumptions appropriately Critically assessing information to establish relevance and bias Defining parameters of a problem Determining appropriate criteria Developing a budget accurately estimating expenses and income Evaluating information Evaluating sources of information Exploiting new ideas and technologies to access information Formulating well-reasoned arguments Formulating well-reasoned conclusions Identifying assumptions Integrating facts, concepts and principles Keeping accurate and complete records Locating information Observing behaviour and interaction Presenting non-verbal data to support an argument Ranking information Recording information objectively Researching effectively using a variety of sources Selecting information Sorting data and objects Summarising key information Understanding complex theoretical ideas Using qualitative methods Using quantitative methods Utilising methods of information gathering Working at the macro level Working with details Working with statistical data 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 27 of 44

28 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Technology Example Competence in database design Competence in database use Competence in presentations Competence in spreadsheets Competence in word processing Effective use of Effective use of Internet Using appropriate commercial and technical applications Using appropriate IT tools for communication and research 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 28 of 44

29 Skills Audit (cont.) Generic Skills Self-management and Learning Example Accepting responsibility for outcomes Applying knowledge to new situations Asking for help Assessing own learning needs Behaving appropriately in both formal and informal situations Demonstrating professional behaviour Developing a value system Developing and implementing life goals Developing ethics and integrity Expressing ideas and concerns Formulating opinions Giving appropriate feedback Identifying communication barriers Learning from experiences Learning using different styles and methods Maintaining a life-work balance Making decisions wisely Managing change and uncertainty Managing personal finances Managing personal health Managing stress Managing time effectively Perceiving different perspectives Receiving feedback constructively Recognising your strengths and limitations Reflecting on events and experiences Resolving conflict Tracking learning and development Using diplomacy and tact 1 = Basic introductory, have had little exposure, consider this a developing skill 2 = Intermediate have had 6 12 months experience, could perform this function in a job with some supervision and guidance 3 = Advanced have had 1-2 years experience, could perform this function in a job with high level of confidence Careers and Employment, University of Western Sydney. page 29 of 44