Module Title: / Employability and Career Planning
Distributed on: / 1st week of teaching attached to the elp site /
Hand in Date:
/ Wednesday 6 December 2017 by 12 noonFurther information about general assessment criteria, ARNA regulations, referencing and plagiarism can be found on the module’s site on the e-Learning Portal. Students are advised to read and follow this information.
Instructions on Assessment:
Submit an assessment file comprising:
1. A 3,000 word reflective commentary, which focuses on your planned journey from education into employment. You should position your work from one of the following perspectives:
· You will continue to progress from this year to the final year of study and then search for a graduate level position or graduate training programme. You should detail how this position / programme fits into your overall career plan. If you are actively seeking study abroad, this should be reflected in your discussion. If you are going to work in your family business, you should also choose this option and focus on your first position after graduation.
· You are actively seeking a placement. With this option you should focus on a particular placement application, detailing how this fits into your overall career plan.
· You have a compulsory year abroad as part of your programme. With this option, you should focus on your chosen activities (study and/or work placement) and consider how they will contribute to your development. You should also detail how your chosen activities fit into your overall career plan.
Your reflective commentary will have two distinct parts:-
Part A: Will discuss the current marketplace for graduate employment opportunities (including graduate training programmes). In this section, you can provide a general overview or focus on a particular industry or even your particular discipline, for example, finance. All students may use the UK or their home country as the context for this section. Your discussion MUST review relevant academic literature. [35%]
Part B: Will describe and discuss your intended career plan [see the options above]. Your commentary should include reference to academic literature where relevant, and MUST include the following:
· Your intended graduate position/placement, with a rationale for your choice within the context of a longer-term career plan.
· An assessment of suitability for your graduate position/placement using a variety of feedback gained during the seminar activities and directed study, e.g. psychometric test results and feedback on internal or external interview and assessment centre activities. Please include other sources of evidence if relevant.
· Identification of strengths and weaknesses related to your chosen graduate position/placement.
· A conclusion, which should identify your next steps to build on strengths and address weaknesses. For example, if you have identified a need for work experience or to improve an essential skill area, you need to explain why, how and when you plan to it. [40%]
2. A set of Appendices [25%]:
· Details of your identified target position. This can be a placement or graduate role and MUST be consistent with that described in the reflective commentary.
· A CV and covering letter, written for the target position.
· The completed competence-based job application form from the module site [or comparable application form for a graduate-level position on the basis that this form covers all the sections of the application form on the module site].
· Reports from: verbal, numerical, logical and workstyle personality questionnaire
· Five selected interview questions with your proposed responses.
· Observers’ feedback from both interview (week 9) and assessment centre activities (week 11).
Information regarding the layout and structure of your portfolio will be given by your seminar tutor and posted on the module site. You MUST adhere to these instructions.
Word limits and penalties for assignments
If the assignment is within +10% of the stated word limit no penalty will apply.
The word count is to be declared on the front page of your assignment. The word count does not include:
· Title and Contents page / · Reference list / · Appendices / · Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations· Glossary / · Bibliography / · Quotes from interviews and focus groups.
Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith, 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count.
If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARNA page 30 Section 3.4 this will be regarded as academic misconduct.
If the word limit of the full assignment exceeds the +10% limit, 10% of the mark provisionally awarded to the assignment will be deducted. For example: if the assignment is worth 70 marks but is above the word limit by more than 10%, a penalty of 7 marks will be imposed, giving a final mark of 63.
Students may submit their portfolios up to 24 hours after the deadline and receive a 10-mark reduction.
Portfolios submitted after 12 noon on Thursday 7 December are classed as late unapproved scripts and will receive a zero mark.
Students must retain an electronic copy of this assignment (including ALL appendices) and it must be made available within 24hours of them requesting it be submitted.
Submission of Assessment:
All assignments must be submitted Electronically using the appropriate link on the E-learning Portal for this site. It is advisable to retain a copy of your assignment for you own records. Your mark will be returned via the TurnItin portal.
Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives:
This assessment will contribute directly to the following Undergraduate programme goals and objectives. (Insert an ‘X’ in boxes where applicable, referring to Undergraduate Programme Specification Appendix X for mapping details)
1. Knowledgeable about the theory and practice of international business and management
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. / Acquire knowledge of functional areas of business and management.2. / Acquire knowledge of specialist areas of business.
3. / Apply their knowledge to business and management contexts.
4. / Conduct contemporary research into business and management.
2. Skilful in the use of professional and managerial techniques and processes
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
x / 1. / Provide evidence of self-reflection as a means of informing personal development planning.x / 2. / Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work in a team.
3. / Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
x / 4. / Demonstrate problem solving skills.
3. Aware of ethical issues impacting on business and professional practice
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. / Identify an ethical dilemma in a business situation2. / Suggest ethical solutions to this dilemma
4. Employable as graduates
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
X / 1. / In the context of securing graduate employment demonstrate the skills of self presentation.Page 2 of 5
Module Specific Assessment Criteria
0-19%Fail / 20 – 39%
Fail / 40 – 49%
Pass / 50 – 59%
Pass / 60 – 69%
Pass / 70 – 100%
Pass / Areas for further development
Part 1 – A / No real discussion of the graduate labour market.
No suitable references have been cited
No structure / Poorly cited evidence of research into the graduate labour market.
Poor structure / Limited evidence of research into the graduate labour market.
Inadequate structure / Discussion into the graduate labour market is targeted and supported with appropriate albeit limited references.
Adequate structure / Commendable use of appropriate references to aid discussion.
Good structure with clear links between sections / Excellent and critical use of appropriate references to aid discussion.
Excellent structure with clear links between sections / An appropriate introduction
Use of sub-headings to aid structure
Answering the question more directly
Broader use of academic references i.e. textbooks and journal articles.
A more critical approach to the literature
Greater appreciation of the context
Supporting references to enhance arguments
Use of APA referencing
Stronger Career Plan details
A comprehensive graduate post, which includes entry requirements and skills.
Use of tests and results
More detailed discussion analysis findings
A more critical approach to analysis
Supporting references to enhance arguments
A more critical approach to findings.
Stronger discussion on future implications.
OTHER:
0-6 marks / 7-13 marks / 14-17 marks / 17.5-20 marks / 21-24 marks / 24.5-35 marks
Part 1 – B / No career path or plan referred to.
No graduate position attached.
No discussion of test results or classroom activities.
No conclusion or discussion of future implications / Career path or plan is incomplete or does not detail sufficient information.
Position detailed not at graduate level
Failure to discuss/
inappropriate or irrelevant discussion of test/activity results
Strengths and weaknesses inconsistent with position.
Limited discussion of findings and/or future career implications / The career path or plan is unclear, for example insufficient focus.
Limited details of position i.e. no skills identified.
Discussion of test results is not detailed enough
Strengths and weaknesses not discussed sufficiently or not linked to position.
Discussion of findings is weak.
Strengths and weaknesses not identified or discussed sufficiently
Inadequate discussion of future career implications / An adequate career path/plan has been outlined
Graduate level position identified.
Discussion of the results from test and/or activities is adequate
Identification of appropriate strengths and weaknesses linked to position.
Identification of appropriate strengths and weaknesses
Adequate reference to future career implications / A strong and detailed career path/plan has been outlined
Graduate level position details provide information on entry level and skills.
Detailed discussion of tests and activities findings
Relevant strengths and weaknesses are highlighted based on position.
Detailed discussion of findings
Clear reference to future career implications / A very strong career path/plan has been outlined
Graduate level position details provide information on entry level and skills.
Critical discussion of tests and activities findings with supporting references
Excellent analysis of strengths and weaknesses based on position.
Excellent analysis of strengths and weaknesses
Detailed future implications are outlined.
0-7 marks / 8-15 marks / 16-19 marks / 20-23 marks / 24-27 marks / 28-40 marks
Part 2 – Appendices / DESCRIPTION / CRITERIA / MARKS AVAILABLE / MARKS AWARDED
Career Planning Document or full details of graduate role / Career planning template must be completed fully and provide clear indication of future employer or role or full details of appropriate graduate role. / 0 or 2
CV / Poor layout, spelling, grammar, missing information. / 1
Reasonable presentation, accurate spelling, grammar, information consistent with role, evidences relevant job requirements. / 2
Well presented, accurate spelling and grammar, clearly targeted at identified role, uses a range of evidence to demonstrate skills. / 3-4
Excellent presentation free from any errors, information provides excellent and wide ranging evidence of ability to meet the job requirements. / 5
Cover Letter / Poor layout, spelling, grammar, not targeted to role. / 1
Reasonable presentation, accurate spelling, grammar, related to role, but not necessarily highlighted to organisation. / 2
Well presented, accurate spelling and grammar, clearly targeted at identified role and highlights this to organisation. / 3
Excellent presentation free from any errors provides organisation with excellent and wide-ranging evidence of ability to meet the job requirements. / 5
Application Form / Poor layout, spelling, grammar, missing information. / 1
Reasonable presentation, accurate spelling, grammar, well drafted example, evidences relevant job requirements. / 2
Well presented, accurate spelling and grammar, clearly targeted at identified role, uses a range of evidence to demonstrate skills. / 3
Excellent presentation free from any errors, information provides excellent and wide-ranging evidence of ability to meet the job requirements. / 4
Verbal Reasoning Test VRT4 / Marks only awarded if attached. / 0 or 1
Numerical Reasoning Test NRT4 / Marks only awarded if attached. / 0 or 1
Logical Reasoning Test LRT4 / Marks only awarded if attached. / 0 or 1
The Workstyle Personality Questionnaire WPQ / Marks only awarded if attached. / 0 or 1
Five interview questions and responses / Marks only awarded if attached. / 0 or 1
Observers feedback – interview / Marks only awarded if attached and countersigned by tutor. / AOL only: 4.1a The student should be able to demonstrate self-presentation in relation to graduate employment through successfully completing a face-to-face interview. / Exceeded / Met / Not Met / 0 or 2
Observers feedback – assessment centre / Marks only awarded if attached and countersigned by tutor. / AOL only: 4.1b The student should be able to demonstrate self-presentation in relation to graduate employment through successfully completing a group assessment centre activity. / Exceeded / Met / Not Met / 0 or 2
AOL: Goal 4.1 Overall / Exceeded / Met / Not Met / N/A
ADDITIONAL TUTOR COMMENTS: / TOTAL / 25
Page 2 of 5