EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS: MAKING THE MOVE TO WORK

ABE LEVEL 2 AWARD IN EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS: MAKING THE MOVE TO WORK

Start

Your road to success

Introduction

This qualification is designed to prepare you to be work ready, giving you awareness of what employers require and look for. The qualification will develop skills essential for jobseekers in the modern working world and will help improve the chances of employment. Assessment by assignment. On completing of this programme, you will be able to:

• Describe what is meant by employability skills and why employers want people with these skills in addition to qualifications and/or experience.
• Assess your own skillset in terms of employability and provide examples to support your strengths, preferences and areas for development.
• Complete a job application and prepare for an interview based on your skillset.

Element 1

Element 2

Element 3

Index

Element 1 – What employers are looking for in prospective employees

1.1 Outline the employability skills that are most frequently desired by employers

1.2 Describe why employability skills are important to employers

Learning Outcome 1 – Describe what is meant by employability skills and why employers want people with these skills in addition to qualifications and/or experience

Class discussion

ACTIVITY 1

What are the types of skills and behaviours that employers are seeking?

1.1 Most frequently desired employability skills

Employability skills are:

• Skills that can be transferred from one job to another and from other life experiences, such as home, hobbies, school and college

• Generic skills that help to differentiate between candidates

• Likely to help you in a new role, especially as a new starter or if you are returning to work after a break

Qualifications and training may go out of date but employability skills are transferable interpersonal and behavioural skills that make you more attractive to potential employers.

Specific technical skills, qualifications and previous work experience are important, but employers are also looking for ‘employability skills’.

Activity 4

Activity 3

1.1 Most frequently desired employability skills

Activity 2

Group activity

ACTIVITY 2

In small groups, answer these questions:- What are interpersonal skills? List as many examples as you can think of. - What are behavioural skills? List as many examples as you can think of. Share your lists with the rest of the class and add to your list with ideas from the other groups.

Skills you develop outside of the workplace can also be useful at work. For example, planning a holiday would require the following skills:

• planning and coordinating
• organising
• budgeting
• time management
• prioritising
• attention to detail, etc.

All of these are useful transferable skills to the workplace.

Employability skills are not exclusive to work

Activity Sheet 3

Group activity

ACTIVITY 3

In small groups, with reference to Activity Sheet 3, make a list of the skills under each heading. Once you have identified the skills, consider the value that they offer to an employer.

Check your responses to the last activity against the table on pages 6 and 7, in the Study Guide. Key areas of employability skills:

• Self-management
• Problem-solving
• Working together
• Communication
• Business skills
• Functional skills

Employability skills and their value

Activity Sheet 4

Click here

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 4

• Watch the following YouTube clip:

• Consider the points on the Activity Sheet
• Come ready to share your ideas in the next session

• Share your thoughts and ideas with the rest of the class
• Make notes on other people’s contributions as they might be useful to you

FEEDBACK ON ACTIVITY 4:

1.2 Importance of employability skills to employers

• Information and communication technologies (ICT)
• Competition and globalisation
• Demographic changes

Trends that affect employment

1.2 Importance of employability skills to employers

Check your ideas with the table on page 10 of the Study Guide. Consider:

• What sort of communication skills are people likely to need now that they didn’t in the past?
• What changes are taking place globally that are changing the nature of competition? What skills do you need to deal with this?
• What are the implications of an ageing workforce on the skills that young people need to get a job?

Trends that affect employment - continued

1.2 Importance of employability skills to employers

Activity 6

Activity 5

Group activity

ACTIVITY 5

In small groups, discuss and make notes on how you think that workplace trends are affecting employability. Share your ideas with the rest of the class.

Qualifications are important when searching for a job (hard skills).Employability skills help employers to distinguish between people with similar qualifications and/or experience during the recruitment process (soft skills). Employability skills provide you with flexibility and adaptability, and they are transferable in the future.

When applying for work, you need to convey your soft skills as well as your hard skills in your:

• CV
• Application form
• At interview (and through any pre-screening activities)

Doing so, can effectively ‘tip the balance’ in your favour with prospective employers

It’s not just what you know, but what you can DO

Being able to demonstrate employability skills will help you close the gap between qualifications and experience and the skills you need to succeed in the workplace Communication skills are essential at all times and critical when you are applying for work:

• Written (full sentences)
• Telephone skills (formal rather than informal)
• Face to face (professional not casual)

Every day life gives you lots of opportunities to practise these skills

'Closing the gap'

In order to appreciate that soft skills are transferrable, think about how your skills have developed over time and how ‘better equipped’ you are now compared to how you were in the past, eg,

• Managing your time
• Planning for something
• Presenting yourself and your ideas
• Relating to others

If you are not sure, talk to friends, colleagues and family about how you have developed as this may help

Skill development over time

Activity Sheet 6

Click here

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 6

• Watch the following YouTube clip and complete the tasks on the activity sheet:

• Complete Activity 6 on page 15 of the Study Guide
• Come ready to share the three of the skills you have at the next session

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New Malden Business Centre 46-50 Coombe Road New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4QF, UK

End of part 1

Element 2– What I have to offer

Learning Outcome 2 – Assess your own skillset in terms of employability and provide examples to support your strengths, preferences and areas for development

Activity 7

Class discussion

ACTIVITY 7

• Identify examples of employability skills that you think will help you find employment
• Share them with the rest of the class
• Make a note of other people’s ideas that are not already on your list

Whilst you might have identified some of your employability skills, this session should help you to identify others, and more importantly, to recognise your skillset in relation to specific job roles, which will help when you apply and at interview. By making an objective analysis of your skillset, you may also recognise gaps and then take steps to develop yourself to make sure you can offer what potential employers are looking for.

Element 2– What I have to offer

2.1 Identify your own skillset in terms of employability and provide examples to support your strengths and personal preferences.

2.2 Carry out a ‘gap analysis’ between your current set of employability skills and what is required for specific employment positions.

Learning Outcome 2 – Assess your own skillset in terms of employability and provide examples to support your strengths, preferences and areas for development.

2.1 Your own skillset

• All of us have acquired knowledge and developed skills as we have journeyed through life, regardless of the formal education and training we have had.

• It is important to have self-awareness of this knowledge and skillset.

• Conducting an audit of your current skills and how well you do them will give you a baseline for your move into work.

• It will also give you confidence about your strengths and what you have to offer.

Analysing your own skillset

Activity 10

Activity 9

2.1 Your own skillset

Activity 8

Activity Sheet 8

The next slide

Individual activity

ACTIVITY 8

With reference to for each of the categories, list as many activities as possible where you are effective or that you find enjoyable, interesting or fulfilling.

Consider the following:

• Effectiveness: What are you doing when you feel like you are at your best?
• Enjoyable: What activities do you actively look forward to and want to do?
• Interest: What activities make you feel like you want to know more, and you can focus on what you are learning?
• Fulfilling: What activities make you feel satisfied and like the real you?

Identifying strengths and preferences

• Some people find it hard to say what their strengths are, but can identify what their preferences are.
• Often people find it easier to say what they are not good at; they find it harder to focus on their strengths.
• It is important to know what your strengths and preferences are and be able to convey these positively in job application documents and at interview.

Identifying personal preferences

Individual activity

ACTIVITY 9

If you haven't already done so, complete Activities 8 and 9 in chapter 2 of the Study Guide.

• Recognise your strengths and don’t devalue them due to lack of confidence.
• It is often the soft, transferable skills – your employability skills – that people undersell.
• Ask friends, relatives and colleagues to review your analysis to see if they think it is a fair reflection of your skillset.
• It would be good to compare the ‘experienced’ responses you have made in Activity 9 to the activities you said you liked in Activity 8 (Study Guide activities), as this will link your skill strength with your preferences.

Being objective in your analysis

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 10

Use the Internet to research the skills that are required for different job roles.

• You can do this by searching for jobs that are of interest to you.
• Next go to the company website and download the job description and/or personal specification for the job roles. These documents will usually identify the specific skills and competences that are required.

Looking at the skillset you have, what could you offer if you applied for any of these roles? Bring examples to the next session of job roles where:

• you have a close match of skills
• you have some skills but not others

• Share the job roles you found where you had:

- a close match of skills- some skills and some gaps

FEEDBACK ON ACTIVITY 10:

Activity 14

Activity 13

Activity 12

2.2 Conducting a 'gap analysis'

Activity 11

Class discussion

ACTIVITY 11

• How might you leverage the skills you have where you have a close match to a role profile?

• What might you do to address the skill gaps where your match is not so good?

• The skills audit can help you to identify skills that you don’t currently have but that you want to have.
• If you can develop these areas, that may help you realise your career aspirations.

Addressing skill gaps – areas for development

Activity Sheet 12

Individual activity

ACTIVITY 12

With reference to Activity Sheet 12, identify skills you would like to develop.

Now that you are more aware of your skillset – your abilities, strengths and preferences, you may have started to think how these can be applied to various job options

Addressing skill gaps – areas for development

Group activity

ACTIVITY 13

In small groups, discuss and make notes on how you think your skills will need to be updated to keep up with work place trends so that you remain employable? Share your ideas with class.

PDP

Gap analysis provides you with information you need to put together a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

‘Gap analysis’ and ‘closing the gap’

Refer to the process of gap analysis on pages 24-39 of the Study Guide.Discuss each stage and the practicalities involved.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Addressing skill gaps – areas for development

Activity Sheet 14

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 14

Carry out the ‘Gap Analysis’ Process for yourself:

• Personal SWOT
• Identify your goal
• Identify gaps and create a PDP
• Review your goals and plan

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New Malden Business Centre 46-50 Coombe Road New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4QF, UK

End of part 2

Discuss how you found applying the Gap Analysis Process to yourself and share:

• what you found straight forward
• what you found challenging

Ask any questions you might have as others might have them too

FEEDBACK ON ACTIVITY 14:

Element 3 – Presenting what I have to offer

3.1 Use your skillset to complete job applications

3.2 Use your skillset effectively for pre-interview screening and to prepare for interviews

Learning Outcome 3 – Complete a job application and prepare for an interview based on your skillset

Developinga Personal Profile

Completing Job Applications

Developinga Curriculum Vitae

Activity 19

Activity 18

Activity 17

Activity 16

3.1 Use your skillset to completejob applications

Activity 15

Activity Sheet 15

Individual/Paired activity

ACTIVITY 15

• Personal Profile – with reference to Activity Sheet 15, try writing a Personal Profile.

• Share it with a colleague and see if they think it is a good reflection of you and what you have to offer a prospective employer.

Video 1

Video 2

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 16

• Watch the following YouTube clips about writing a CV:

• These are just two suggestions about how to approach writing your CV, but a good starting point.

• Refer to class notes, the Study Guide and do other internet research if you wish, and compile a ‘generic’ CV of no more than two pages of A4.

Check that it provides all the information an employer might need by comparing it to the information in the Study Guide.

Pair/Class activity

ACTIVITY 17

• Share the CV you have prepared with a colleague and, thinking from an employer’s perspective, give constructive suggestions to each other about how they might be improved.

• Ask your tutors questions about anything you are unsure about.

• There are lots of different places you can look for jobs:

- Online including websites - Newspapers - Journals - Agencies - Job centres - Noticeboards

• Develop an Action Plan to search and apply for relevant vacancies

Searching for jobs

• Following your research for suitable jobs, you need to match your skillset to potential vacancies, and if there’s a good match, prepare your documents to apply.

• You can use the table on pages 40-41 of the Study Guide to help you screen jobs against your skillset.

Screening jobs using your skillset

• The skills audit can help you to identify skills that you don’t currently have but want to have in order to be more eligible for jobs you are interested in.
• If you can develop these areas, you will be better equipped to realise your career aspirations.

Addressing skill gaps – areas for development

• Some jobs will ask you to submit a CV, with a covering letter or email, others will ask you to complete an Application Form.
• An Application Form is an opportunity to demonstrate to employers that you are the right candidate for the job.
• An Application Letter or Email is as important as your CV or application form. Write it carefully making sure you pick up on points in the job advert, highlighting skills and experience you have that meet these points otherwise, they may not even look at your CV or application form.

Applying for jobs

Key points:

• Tailor the letter/email to the job you are applying for
• Demonstrate that you understand the post you are applying for
• Needs to be well written using good English (or in the appropriate language), free of spelling mistakes and typos
• Presented neatly and professionally
• Written using appropriate tone

Supporting Letters/Emails

Individual/Paired activity

ACTIVITY 18

• For one of the job roles you have previously identified, and referring to the table on page 43 of the Study Guide, draft a covering letter that might accompany your CV if you were to apply for this role.

• Once you have finished, share it with a colleague who should check it using the criteria in the table.

Now you are more aware of your skillset – your abilities, strengths and preferences – you may have started to think how these can be applied to various job options

Skills for specific job roles

Homework activity

ACTIVITY 19

• For two other job roles you are interested in, consider how you would adapt your CV and covering letter to make them more relevant to these two other roles.

• Using a tracking tool, show how you would adapt your CV and letter of application.
• Points to consider:

Put yourself in the place of the employer - what different information might he/she be looking for to how you have presented yourself before?

• What skills and competences are required and how do they differ from your last application?

• What experience do you have that might illustrate these skills and competencies more effectively than the examples you used previously?

• Is the nature of the organisation different, so different examples of your skills/qualities/experience might be more appropriate?

• Share how you would have adapted your CV and letter of application to a colleague and provide constructive feedback to each other.

• Ask any questions you have to your tutor in class discussion.

FEEDBACK ON ACTIVITY 19:

3.2 Pre-interview screeningand preparation for interview

• Well done! But there is more work to do: you need to prepare for the interview.

• Remember that interviews should be a two-way process – they are as much YOUR opportunity to assess whether you want to work for this organisation, as it is theirs to see if they would like you to be part of their organisation.

You have been invited for an interview!

• Personality tests – assess your traits to predict the likelihood of you performing your job in a certain way.
• Aptitude tests – assess your ability to do specific job tasks in different situations eg, numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, general ability, mechanical reasoning and spatial awareness.
• It is a good idea to practise these tests so that you become aware of the sorts of questions that might be asked and the format. There are lots of examples online.

Pre-interview screening

Activity 21

3.2 Pre-interview screeningand preparation for interview

Activity 20

Test 3

Test 2

Test 4

Test 1

Pair activity

ACTIVITY 20

• Find some aptitude and personality tests online and try them out.

You can start looking at:

• Search for some others and make a note of them for future reference.

• Feedback to the group how you found the tests and ask questions as necessary.

• Assessment Centres are sometimes used as part of the screening process.
• You might be asked to complete an aptitude and/or personality test at an assessment centre or as part of an Assessment Day.
• Assessment Centres are also used by recruiters to observe how candidates perform in different situations; depending on the job, they may include group work, presentation and interviews. See page 45 of the Study Guide for other examples.
• Activities and interviews may be competency-based to see if you can demonstrate what is required in the person specification or job description of the position applied for.

Assessment centres and competency tests

Individual activity

ACTIVITY 21

• Review the Person Specification or Job Description for one of the job roles you are interested in and identify the competencies that are required for the role.

• Next think of examples of transferable skills from your experience that will demonstrate your competency in these areas.

• The organisation – you should have some knowledge about it:

- Products / services- Current developments

• Places to look:

- Organisation website and other information about them online- Company information- Information pack / applications documents- Friends, family and other professional contacts

Preparing for an interview I

• The job – you should have some knowledge about the following:

- The position from the person specification and the job description- The organisation – go ready to ask some questions too - Standard interview questions – your current job and why you want this one are favourites - Competency-based questions

• Interview day plan:

- How to get there- How long it is likely to take- What you are going to wear- What to take with youSee page 47 of the Study Guide for more

Preparing for an interview II

GOOD LUCK!

• It takes a few seconds to make a first impression, and just a few minutes to make a lasting one, so make sure they’re good ones:

- As you enter the room, make eye contact with the interviewer(s) and smile- Be positive and assertive in your body language and in whatever you say at the start of the interview

• That’s it – after just a few minutes, they have already made their first impression of you. If you start badly, you will have to spend the rest of the interview trying to convince them that their first impressions were incorrect, so make sure you know how to answer the standard interview questions too as they usually start with these!

Interview Tips

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End of part 3

Course completed!

Share your lists and ideas with the rest of the class and add to your list with ideas from the other groups.

Value to employer

Value to employer

Value to employer

Skill

Skill

Skill

• Communication skills

• Business skills

• Functional skills

Value to employer

Value to employer

Value to employer

Skill

Skill

Skill

• Working together

• Problem-solving skills

• Self-management skills

List the skills under each heading. Once you have identified the skills, consider the value that they offer to an employer.

Grouping interpersonal and behavioural skills; their value to employers

ACTIVITY SHEET 3

While watching the YouTube clip, consider the following questions and come ready to share your ideas in the next session.

• What the four key skills that Michael Lai thinks people need to ‘future proof’ themselves for employment?
• Do you agree with him?
• If so, why do you think they are so important?
• If you disagree, what other skills do you think are important and why?

• According to Michael Lai, why does college education fail to equip people with these skills?
• Suggest how you could acquire these skills?

• What was his final piece of advice?
• Do you think it is helpful?

Transferable skills that are useful today and in the future

ACTIVITY SHEET 4

After watching the YouTube clip, aswer the following questions:

• What is the difference between ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ skills?
• What are the other names for soft skills?
• In your own words, summarise why soft skills are valued in the workplace.

Finally, review your notes of both teaching sessions for LO1 and think about the employability skills you have and any that you are aware of but that you don’t think you have currently. If you need a reminder about what these skills might be, look at the table on pages 6-7 of the Study Guide.

Soft skills

ACTIVITY SHEET 6

For each of the categories below, list as many activities as possible where you are effective or that you find enjoyable, interesting or fulfilling.

• Activities when you are EFFECTIVE – are those when you feel like you are at your best.
• Activities that you find ENJOYABLE – are those that you actively look forward to and want to do.
• Activities that you find INTERESTING – are those that make you feel like you want to know more and you can focus on what you are learning.
• Activities that you find FULFILLING – are those that make you feel satisfied and like the real you.

Identifying personal strengths and preferences

ACTIVITY SHEET 8

• When you were looking for jobs, did you come across job roles that you would like to have done but felt your skillset did not match well?

• If so, go back to those jobs and identify the skills/experience that you need so that you could match what was required more closely.

• Are there any other skills/experience you would like to develop?

If you are not sure, go back to the list on pages 20-22 of the Study Guide and pick up the boxes where you ticked ‘inexperienced’ or ‘beginner’ where you would like to be more competent.

Developing your skillset

ACTIVITY SHEET 12

Having identified that there are ‘gaps’ between what you can do now and what ideally you need to be able to do to get some of the jobs you are most interested in, you need to take action to ‘close the gap’.With reference to the Gap Analysis Process on pages 24-29 of the Study Guide and the notes you have made in class, carry out the process for yourself. By way of output, you should have:

• Analysis of your current skillset, including a personal ‘SWOT’
• A goal of where you want to be
• Identified ‘gaps’
• A Personal Development Plan of how to ‘close the gaps’ – practical ways of learning and experience (see the Study Guide for ideas)
• Practical ways to review your progress towards your goal and with your PDP.

There is quite a lot to do here, but all these documents will be useful for you in trying to get work so it is worth doing them well.

Gap analysis and developing a Personal Development Plan

ACTIVITY SHEET 14

With reference to your notes and the table on page 33 of the Study Guide, try writing a Personal profile.Remember the purpose is to say who YOU are and what makes you different to other candidates. It must be authentic, concise and interesting – no more than a few sentences! It should describe your key characteristics/qualities and highlight the best experience you have to offer. If you haven’t got any work experience yet, think about transferable skills from the roles you have had at home, socially, school or college, and some of the projects you have been involved in as these may demonstrate some useful skills. Once you have written it, share it with a colleague and see if they think it is a good reflection of you and what you have to offer a prospective employer.

Personal profile

ACTIVITY SHEET 15

• Personal profile: format, content

• Curriculum vitae: format, contents, buzz words, soft skills, technical skills, qualifications and experience

• Develop a personal action plan to search and apply for relevant vacancies

• Looking for jobs and understanding job descriptions/person specifications: online, newspapers, journals, agencies, job centres, noticeboards, organisations’ websites

• Desk research about specific organisations: – library, online, contacts

• Matching your skillset to specific job opportunities in order to screen for and apply for jobs

• Job applications

• Application letters and/or covering emails

3.1 Use your skillset to complete job applications

• Skills analysis to identify personal baseline of employability skills:

- transferrable skills - strengths - areas for development - personal preferences

• Specific qualities and skills required for specific employment positions

2.1 Identify your own skillset in terms of employability and provide examples to support your strengths and personal preferences.

• Gap analysis’ between personal strengths and preferences and those required for specific job roles

• Areas for development, prioritising personal development needs

• Opportunities to develop skills and enhance your experience, such as:

- volunteering - shadowing - work placements - work experience - part or full-time work

• Personal development plans, on-going development and life-long learning

2.2 Carry out a ‘gap analysis’ between your current set of employability skills and what is required for specific employment positions

Writing a CV – key principles

Structuring your CV

No right and wrong way; there are lots of examples online, so look for a style that you are comfortable with and then make sure you include:

• Full Name
• Contact information
• Personal profile
• Education
• Experience
• Interests
• Referees (if asked for)

• Present the information clearly, logically and in an uncluttered way
• Be factual; do not lie
• If you have experience, paid or not, as well as saying what the key tasks were that you did, say what you achieved. The employer is interested in what you CAN do rather than what you were supposed to do.
• Make it clear how long you were in each role that you did, including start and finish dates.
• If there are gaps in your experience, say what you did in the gap time.
• Most CVs include a Personal Profile.
• You should tailor your CV to the role you are applying for, but start with a ‘generic’ version that you can adapt as necessary.

It can be difficult to know where to start with this, but in reality it is a concise summary of your personal details; education, qualifications and training; work experience including voluntary work; interests and other salient information eg, referees. CVs can be rather ‘dry’ documents, so you need to think about how you want to come across through this document – you want the reader to find the information they are looking for easily, so it must be factual and accurate, but it must also be engaging and memorable. There is no set way to do a CV so this is an opportunity for you to be creative about how you present yourself, remembering that this is a formal document, and no longer than two pages. Sometimes a CV is referred to as a ‘Résumé’ but this is generally a shorter, one page, document.

Identify your goal

• Self-management skills: punctuality, time management, planning and organising, self-confidence, honesty, integrity, reliability, ‘can do’ approach, enthusiasm, commitment, good personal presentation

• Problem-solving skills: attention to detail, decision-making, initiative, achievement, drive

• Working together: collaboration, cooperation, flexibility, responsiveness, involving others, equality and inclusion, taking responsibility and being accountable, trustworthiness

• Communication skills: verbal communication, active listening, giving and receiving feedback, presentation skills

• Business skills: customer focus, service orientation, on-time delivery

• Functional skills: numeracy, language, communication and ICT

1.1 Outline the employability skills that are most frequently desired by employer

Analyse your skillset

• Screening tests: – aptitude and personality testing

• Assessment centres and competency tests

• Preparing for job interviews: – desk research, information provided, application documents, job interview plan including set tasks and questions to ask

3.2 Use your skillset effectively for pre-interview screening and to prepare for interviews

• Distinguishes between people with similar qualifications and/or experience during the recruitment process

• Behavioural and interpersonal skills contribute to business success

• Skills transfer between jobs and sectors and therefore provide workforce flexibility

1.2 Describe why employability skills are important to employers

Review your goalsand plan

Personal Profile

• This is short statement, just a few sentences, which summarises the sort of person you are professionally and the key strengths you have to offer, based on the experience you have.

• This is your chance to ‘sell’ yourself and the professional skills you have to a prospective employer in a nutshell, so spend time crafting a powerful, original statement that is an accurate reflection of you.

• Avoid clichés; use words that you can back up with examples from your experience.

Identify gaps and create a PDP