The degree that I am currently studying in Business Management in economics from the University of Westminster. One of the reasons for which I have opted for this degree is because of its immense potential in providing me with job and career opportunities. As such, in the opinion of Vodă and Florea (2019), the job roles of audit manager and finance manager are gaining wider popularity in the UK owing to which the job opportunities available to me include audit manager and finance manager. Since I am undertaking my management degree in the field of economics, it would be hugely favorable for me to undertake my career opportunities in the field of audit manager and finance manager. Knowledge related to economics would help me to conduct financial analysis and data calculations efficiently. Other than that, as per Scholar (2021), there are also other job opportunities for economics students in the UK such as business development managers, data scientists, data analysts, management consultants, quantity surveyors,s and data managers. In the current era, some of the big companies in the IT sector of the UK such as Waracle, Hyperlink InfoSystem, and DataArt are paying increased focus on data analytics as part of which, they collect customers’ data on databases and use that data in the right time to make informed and customer-oriented decisions. Thus, I am looking forward to engaging myself with one of the IT companies which would open career opportunities for me.
The graduate trainee roles that I would apply for include trainee analyst in Agility, UK. As stated by Irwin Helvey, Thuman, and Cariveau (2021), one of the roles of a graduate trainee is supporting senior business analysts in an organization and identifying the areas in which change is needed. Thus, I would associate myself with Preston, UK in order to help and assist the senior data analysts of the organization in order to identify the areas in which change is needed and how change could be incorporated in order to constitute effective data analytics and data management. I would also be responsible for assessing the changing demands and needs of clients and communicating the information with the senior analysts of the organization so that they store the relevant data on the company’s database and retrieve those at the right time for effective decision-making.
The Forage task that I have undertaken was a virtual internship program which helped me to understand the various career pathways which are potential opportunities for me. As mentioned by Kuttal, Sedhain, and Riethmeier (2022), forage tasks often provide graduates with the opportunity to understand the skills and knowledge needed by them to work in specific areas. Thus, the field in which I have completed my forage task includes graduate trainee which has helped me identify some of the key skills needed in my professional field such as analytical skills, communication skills, people management skills, and decision-making skills. I have significantly worked towards the improvement of these skills in me.
The organization that I have selected for my Graduate Scheme Avert is Agility Logistics which is a logistics company in the UK. Since it is a logistics company, it is widely important to constitute effective data management and analysis in order to ensure effective collection, storage, and retrieval of data. An analysis of the employer branding factors has showcased that the company’s workspace is well-lit and spacious which would allow the employees to work freely and comfortably in the office. Moreover, there are also a number of opportunities for the employees informs of Perks and benefits such as rewards on completion of 3 months with the company. Employees are also provided with rewards and incentives when they come up with good performance outputs. Apart from that, the company also provides flexible work timing and there are a mandatory weeks off for the employees as well on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to that, the company also provides twelve sick leaves to each of its employees on an annual basis and the employees who do not utilize their sick leaves effectively shall also be able to reimburse the leaves at the end of the year. The company also provides medical insurance to the employees, by covering more than 50% of their health and medical-related expenses. There are also educational programs for the children of the employees. As commented by Rizki, Parashakti, and Saragih (2019), the organizational culture of a company is also an important factor that influences the working procedure and state of mind of the workers. I have analyzed the working culture and ambiance and witnessed that the company is both customer-oriented and employee-oriented. There are potential opportunities for the growth of the employees through training and development. The employees shall also be able to escalate their grievances and complaints through the portal and by maintaining their anonymity.
In order to make use of my personal brand research efficiently and to inform my own personal brand, one of the primary areas that I have looked into is analyzing my strengths and behavior. In the opinion of Vițelar (2019), in the employment field, some of the important skills needed to be possessed by all employees include analytical skills, communication skills, time management, and decision-making. The skills presented me include analytical and time management skills as part of which I shall be able to extract relevant data in a shorter span and analyze it for effective decision-making. I also like to work in teams and I have usually worked efficiently with people from diverse backgrounds. This is a strength in me showcasing teamwork and diversity management. Additionally, I always aspired to be known for my hard work, effort, and performance in the workplace. Thus, I would always look for opportunities and development programs so that I am able to gain betterment in my skills and behavior and perform efficiently. As a data analyst, my primary responsibilities include communicating with the customers, extracting data about their needs and specifications, and storing the relevant data on the company’s database in order to make use of those during decision-making. Therefore, the target audience who I would primarily work for is the customers of the company and strategic leaders who would be bestowed with the responsibility of making effective decisions. As influenced by Rosen et al. (2018), the presence of teamwork and collaboration skills in me would allow me to work collaboratively with others and maintain strong coordination between the leaders and customers of the organization.
The factor that is identified from the interview of Dave Stuart from Metropolitan Police is that he has heightened the importance of providing support and assistance to people during the pandemic situation. As observed by Spoorthy, Pratapa, and Mahant (2020), people have faced extreme difficulties during the pandemic such as the death of a near one. However, as a police, Dave Stuart has highlighted the importance of providing support to people in terms of emotional well-being and mental health. The benefit that this leader has brought to his company is by adhering to a strict code of conduct and ethics as police officers are public servants and are entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the well-being of people. This ethical responsibility and activity of Dave Stuart have culminated in adding to the positive recognition, reputation, and image of the Metropolitan police. On contrary to this, another leadership interview that has been considered is the view of the Linkedin CEO on the ‘hire and fire’ concept that most contemporary organizations rely on (The Good Grief Trust, 2022). The CEO has criticized the concept and has shed light on how this activity adds to the negative image and reputation of firms. Employees are least confident of the organization and are also least willing to contribute to organizational growth and development efficiently.
The way in which this CEO has contributed to his organization positively is by giving employees opportunities to learn and grow. It is also important for the leaders to be empathetic and have emotional intelligence as part of which, they would be able to understand the reasons for which employees are performing in a poor way. Leaders should also be empathetic towards employees and work towards curbing the issues faced by their employees. Similarly, the CEO of LinkedIn has also strived hard to solve the issues faced by the employees by understanding their issues and providing them with career growth opportunities (CNBC, 2018). In addition to that, the interview of Paul Polman has also been taken into consideration, who is the leader of Unilever. In his interview, Polman has shed light on the importance of sustainability goals for organizations and why it is important for organizations to not just focus on profitability, but also on directing the vision so that the organization works united towards the vision. The importance of this on Unilever rests on making the company one of the leading sustainable, social, and ethical companies in the world. As reported by Mckinsey & Company (2014), Unilever has paid attention to each of its operations and supply chain processes to constitute safeguard the environment, and empower societies, and develop economies. Thus, the leadership of Paul Polman has culminated in adding to the sustainability and ethical practices of Unilever and has contributed to the empowerment of the related stakeholders as well.
One of the models that have been taught during the module is the transformational theory of leadership. According to Akbari, Santoso, and Prasetya (2020), transformational leadership theory is a motivational theory where the needs of the members are identified and there is the implementation of strategies in order to keep the members motivated. The way in which Dave Stuart fits into the transformational theory of leadership is by addressing the needs of society and the issues faced by them during the pandemic. As such, people have encountered financial issues, mental and emotional trauma, and other factors during the pandemic. This has made it mandatory for the Metropolitan police to visit them and provide them with support. Thus, Dave Stuart has assumed the role of a transformational leader as he has paid focus to the issues of society and curbed those to provide them with motivation and positive feelings.
However, despite the immense leadership traits and efficiencies Dave Stuart has, certain issues can be found in his leadership style of him. In the interview, he stated that it is not possible for him to visit each of the houses when death occurs due to certain constraints. However, this shows a lack of emotional empathy in him as he is unable to manage his emotions during uncertain situations and is also unable to understand the pain points of others. As opined by Sosik et al. (2019), leaders should always be empathetic and show strong emotional intelligence toward others. Thus, it is recommended for Dave Stuart work on his emotional intelligence and empathy which would allow him to manage his emotions as well as understand the emotions of others.
On the basis of the findings and analysis made in the current research, it is to be summarized that I have opted for the role of trainee analyst as part of which I have to assist the senior analysts in the organization. I am willing to work with Agility, UK which is a logistics company that provides a range of perks and benefits for the employees such as medical insurance and educational assistance. This research has also shed light on the importance of leadership in organizations. As such, the vision that leaders have also driven and influence the visions of the entire organization. Leaders should always be empathetic towards others and should work for people and their team members first. The concept of hire and fire should be abolished by organizations as it culminates in a negative reputation and recognition of organizations. It is always expected for leaders to identify and analyze the issues faced by employees and work towards curbing those.
Asbari, M., Santoso, P.B. and Prasetya, A.B., 2020. Political And Antidemocratic Transformational Leadership Critics: Is It Still Relevant? (A Literature Study). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL, POLICY AND LAW, 1(1), pp.12-16.
CNBC. 2018. LinkedIn CEO Shares Advice on Leadership, Hiring And Firing. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8RmWPqBiBo [Accessed on: 05.07.22]
Irwin Helvey, C., Thuman, E. and Cariveau, T., 2021. Recommended Practices for Individual Supervision: Considerations for the Behavior-Analytic Trainee. Behavior Analysis in Practice, pp.1-12.
Kuttal, S.K., Sedhain, A. and Riethmeier, B., 2022. How do Web-Active End-User Programmers Forage? Coding Theory: Recent Advances, New Perspectives and Applications, p.53.
Mckinsey & Company., 2014. Committing to sustainability with Unilever CEO Paul Polman. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nShlnBJko5s [Accessed on: 05.07.22]
Rizki, M., Parashakti, R.D. and Saragih, L., 2019. The effect of transformational leadership and organizational culture towards employees’ innovative behaviour and performance.
Rosen, M.A., DiazGranados, D., Dietz, A.S., Benishek, L.E., Thompson, D., Pronovost, P.J. and Weaver, S.J., 2018. Teamwork in healthcare: Key discoveries enabling safer, high-quality care. American Psychologist, 73(4), p.433.
Scholar, A., 2021. Business Education Skills: Imperative for Job Opportunities and Sustainability of Graduates in Nigeria Mrs. IG Abraham-Ibe.
Sosik, J.J., Chun, J.U., Ete, Z., Arenas, F.J. and Scherer, J.A., 2019. Self-control puts the character into action: Examining how leader character strengths and ethical leadership relate to leader outcomes. Journal of Business Ethics, 160(3), pp.765-781.
Spoorthy, M.S., Pratapa, S.K. and Mahant, S., 2020. Mental health problems faced by healthcare workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic–A review. Asian journal of psychiatry, 51, p.102119.
The Good Grief Trust. 2020. DAC Stuart Cundy (Metropolitan Police) Interview. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8imsvwTEArU [Accessed on: 05.07.22]
Vițelar, A., 2019. Like me: Generation Z and the use of social media for personal branding. Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, 7(2), pp.257-268.
Vodă, A.I. and Florea, N., 2019. Impact of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions of business and engineering students. Sustainability, 11(4), p.1192.
Specific |
Measurable |
Attainable |
Relevant |
Timebound |
Short term goal My short-term goal that I have is to work with one of the organizations as a trainee analyst. |
This is beneficial for providing me with an idea of working with professional organizations so that I could understand the context and work efficiently in my future employability area. |
I would attain this goal by searching different job portals in the UK and applying for the posts at my convenience. I would also prepare myself for the interviews. |
The importance of this goal lies in providing me with an initial idea of working with professional bodies and organizations. |
The estimated time frame for this goal is 3-5 days. |
Mid-term goal The mid-term goal that I have is to work on my non-verbal communication skills. |
The measurement of this goal accomplishment would be done through analysis of the impact of my non-verbal communication cues such as hand movement, facial expression, and related factors on the other person. |
I would practice speaking in front of my family members and friends. I would also take feedback from them in order to understand the improvements in my non-verbal communicational skills. |
The importance of this lies in incurring a more positive impact on the interviewers during my job interview process. |
The time required for the fulfillment of this career objective is 1-3 weeks. |
Long term goal The long-term goal I have is to improve my emotional intelligence and social intelligence. |
The measurement of this goal would be done by analyzing the extent to which I am able to understand the issues of others. |
I would primarily focus on self-awareness. I would also take the help of books, journals, and articles to understand the important aspects of emotional intelligence and social intelligence. |
This would allow me to work with an increased number of people on a daily basis and constitute effective teamwork. |
The time required for this is approximately 2 months. |
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