CORP 1518- Business Communications, Academic Skills and Employability

Assignment 2 Portfolio=

1) Report 2) Essay 3) Reflective Essay

Date- 27 th March 2012

Name- Sattar Hanif, P11265347

Tutors Name- Bev Dinsey

Word Count=

Report- 860 words

Essay- 790 words

Reflective Essay- 1407 words

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Part 1 Report, word count- 860 words

Executive Summary

Report formed to analyse a vacancy from Microsoft for the job of an Operations

Specialist. Furthermore it shows the main skill requirements of the post such as

managing business relations with different stakeholders and in depth contrast with

the skills one possesses and lacks in. In addition how they can be met and an action

plan covering areas for development. (60 words)

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Contents Page

Part 1- Report

Executive Summary..........................................................Page 2

Introduction........................................................................Page 4

Report ................................................................................Page 5-7

Identifying key Business skills required by an Organisation- Page 5 Business Skills required by the Organisation with one’s experience-

Page 6 Analysing the Business Skills and Areas of development (Action Plan)-

Page 7

Conclusion.........................................................................Page 8

Reference list.....................................................................Page 9

Appendices........................................................................Page 10-17

Part 2- Essay..........................................................Page 18-21

Part 3- Reflective Essay........................................Page 22-27

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Introduction

The motive of this report is based on three main points. Firstly, to identify a business

that would be suitable to work for and also consider the key business skill

requirements by the business. Secondly, in depth contrast of the key business skills

required with one’s personal business skills that they possess which will show how

the requirements of the business have been met. Lastly, areas of development will

be identified after the contrast which will lead to the formation of an action plan

showing the way forward in improving employability and covering any major gaps in

lacking skills (Horn: 2009).

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The Report

Identifying key Business skills required by an Organisation

The business that has been chosen to work for is Microsoft; and the position being

applied for is Operations Specialist. (www.careers.microsoft.com :12/03/2012). Key

business skills required for this job vary; the chief requirement for the post is to

manage the business relationship with multiple stakeholders within each country,

providing business insight and support to ensure that customer engagement thus

optimising the customer experience. This requirement means a broad understanding

of customer and stakeholders relations with good communication skills to understand

the customer’s needs is required. The second and more multipartite requirement for

this post is management. Beginning with business management, reporting and

reviews to higher level managers regarding customer experiences, feedback and

complains. Followed by contract management for forming and negotiating contracts

with all stakeholders but mainly customers. In addition, financial management is

required to handle funds effectively from sales and funds going to customers for

refunds ensuring no funds are gone to the wrong person. Lastly, analytical problem

solving is required for this post. This requirement is to ensure that a problem is

looked at from all angles in deep depth and a right conclusion is achieved which

benefits the business and doesn’t cause any harm to it financially or publically

(www.careers.microsoft.com :12/03/2012).

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Business Skills required by the Organisation with one’s experience

The business skills required by the organisation in contrast with ones business skills

possessed do not match entirely. Firstly, managing the business relationship with

multiple stakeholders within each country, providing business insight and support to

ensure that customer engagement thus optimising the customer experience. This

requirement is partially met as Appendix 1 shows a degree in business management

enlightens the fact that understanding of management is there and speaking multiple

languages will help when communicating with stakeholders in other countries. Also

experience shows that one is familiar with dealings of customers and sales. However

knowledge of managing relations with varied stakeholders is not presently achieved.

Secondly, business management which involves reporting and reviews to higher

level managers regarding customer experiences, feedback and complains. Appendix

3 shows that one has high writing, communication and information gathering skills

which propose that reports and reviews should be comfortably manageable; also

Appendix 5 shows strongest point is to read and write therefore reports will be of

high quality. Followed by contract management for forming and negotiating

contracts, Appendix 1 shows that one has studied Law which means understanding

on the formation of contracts is present. But negotiation skill seems to be lacking. In

addition, financial management is required to handle funds effectively. This

requirement is also met as Appendix 1 shows experience of a teller and treasurer

which enlightens the fact the one has money handling experience and the study of

business management partially covers financial management but not in depth.

Lastly, analytical problem solving is required for the post. This requirement is

covered by one as Appendix 3 shows high level of skill with problem solving is

possessed and Appendix 4 also which shows that one is a pragmatist therefore good

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at problem solving. Furthermore Appendix 6 shows that one is a implementer

therefore problem solving with hard work is achievable efficiently.

Analysing the Business Skills and Areas of development (Action Plan)

Looking at the contrast of business skills. There is reasonable room for development

in ones business skills. For a start, specific knowledge and experience in the area of

Relations Management is required to cover the gap in managing business relations

with most stakeholders internationally. Furthermore, to gain negotiation skills one will

have to experience more in contract dealings, an ideal way would be to participate in

real life every day negotiations such as sales bargaining. Also a more in depth

knowledge on financial management is required which is achievable by extra module

takes in finance alongside business management to increase knowledge and

understanding on financial management. Appendix 7 shows a clearly outlined and

effective way of improving in most areas of development, which shall help

significantly in achieving such jobs in the near future.

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Conclusion

Considering all the business skills requirements of Microsoft with ones business

skills, there is a minor chance of getting the job, this is due to the gap in some

business skills that need to be improved and achieved. Many methods are applicable

to do this, an Action Plan (Appendix 7) shows a manner in which this gap can be

made narrower and closed. Forming this report has enlightened the knowledge of

ways to meet employer’s requirements and gain a higher chance in future

employment prospects.

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Reference List

Horn Roy, the Business skills handbook. CIPD 2009

Honey and Mumford learning style questionnaire- Appendix 4

Transferable Skills Chart, SHL Group Limited 1998.- Appendix 3

https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?ss=&pg=1&so=&rw=13&jid=73146&jlang=EN

job vacancy was found on this website, date job was posted 05/03/2012, date

accessed 12/03/2012.

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire VARK learning style

questionnaire accessed on 07/03/2012- Appendix 5

Belbin Learning Style- Appendix 6

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Appendices

Appendix 1- CV

Mr Sattar Hanif39 Dashwood Road, Leicester LE2 1PHCell- 07541719819 Email- abdul.sayani@live.com

I am a passionate and determine undergraduate from De Montfort University. Currently working for Dell as Operations Manager, I have a very good sense in understanding the business environment motivates me towards expanding my knowledge and experience in this field to help me acquire a career of the highest level in Business Operations and Services.

Summary of work experience to date-

Operations Manager at Dell I have experience in a number of business processes such as sales and

management for a factory based in the industrial site of Blantyre called Masterfoam LTD. Original job role was assistant to manager of the company however job enrichment achieved.

Part time assistance to the manager at a local Cash and Carry giving experience on managing

Call centre job for Utility Company dealing with customer complaints Teller at McDonalds Organiser and treasurer for a local fundraiser

Education and Qualifications-

BA Hons (2:1) in Business Management and Law from De Montfort Universty 2004-2011- St. Andrews International High School, Blantyre, Malawi 2007-2009-GCSE in nine subjects- Business studies (B), Mathematics (C),

English Literature (C), English Language (C), Biology (C), Geography (B), History (A), Business Communication Systems (B) and French (C).

2009-2011- A-levels in 3 subjects- Information Communication technology (C), Geography (C) and Business studies (B).

Passed in a Microsoft Digital Literacy Test, expanding my understanding in the ICT sector.

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Achievements and Interests-

Playing all sorts of different sports such as football, golf, hockey and tennis, at the same time experiencing new things

Travelling around the world and socialising with different cultures and people Amnesty international- Became a member of this human rights organisation in

2010 and helped in many carried out campaigns. Serving the Community in Malawi- This was around 80-90 hours and included

serving the local community with distributing of basic necessities, and also participated and helped during parades with serving the community and needy.

Helping the younger- helping younger students during ICT lessons with coursework and theory.

Additional Skills-

Driving license for the UK and Malawi Speak- English, French and Arabic Good knowledge with computers and all essential software’s Very well organised in all aspects, always up to date and punctual

References-

Mr. S. Gaffar; Manager at Masterfoam LTD. Tel: 002651846588, Email- shezad_majid@hotmail.com

Mr Bev Dinsey, Lecturer at DMU. Hugh Aston room 1.41 Email- bdinsey@dmu.ac.uk

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Appendix 2- Covering letter

Dear Sir/Madam

I am an undergraduate from De Montfort University and have a degree in Business Management and Law and currently looking to work for your company.

Your Company is of a particular interest to me because the position you are offering best suits my requirement. I have great interest in Business Service and Operations. I also have excessive experience in customer services, operations, finance and business management as you can see on my CV and I am very passionate with operations, customer based situations and providing great customer service.

I feel that I have the relevant skills that I can bring to your company. My communications skills have greatly developed both throughout my part time jobs. During my course I have done various assignments individually and in groups. As working in a group we had to co-research and co-present a relevant topic chosen. This has taught me a lot about working in a team as well as further practicing my presentation skills. I feel I have presented to a high standard and have learnt many of the principle behind effective presentations.

By working in many different environments I have very quickly learnt the importance of time management and have always handed my assignments on time never missed a dead line.

In addition to my growing knowledge I can also offer many skills that I have gained from my previous experience work and throughout my studies: Example

Work enthusiastically and productively under pressure. Able to deal and work in a professional manner with a wide range of people

around me. Able to work alone and as a team member. Can multitask and able to handle variable work load. Come up with new ideas to expand the business and gain a large profitability

within the organisationI am a reliable person with extensive experience in computing. I am friendly and sociable maintaining good relationship with customers and colleges at all times. I take pride in my reputation for accuracy and ability to learn quickly. I am very confident and eager individual who is willing and able to acquire new skills and undertake training to enhance my career. I believe this combined with the above qualities make me a valuable asset to the company.

Yours sincerely

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Sattar Hanif

Appendix 3- Transferable Skills graph

Team

Wokri

ng

Oral co

mmunication

Influencin

g

Networki

ng

Resolvi

ng

Empath

ising

Communication th

rough

Tech

nology

Writi

ng

Presen

ting

Flexib

le

Resilia

nt

Reliab

le

Acheiv

ing

Planning

Self S

ufficient

Informati

on Gatheri

ng

Concept F

ormati

on

Applying J

udgemen

t

Problem

Solvi

ng

Innovationg

Quick Le

arning

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

OwnOtherTypical

The Transferable skills graph compares ones skill levels with the average, and rating

of a colleague, this helps showing the average one has in every skill category in

contrast with the typical average. In this situation communication through technology

and Reliability are the highest skill levels possessed.

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Appendix 4- Honey and Mumford kite diagram

Activist

Reflector

Theorist

Pragmatist 0

2

4

Series1

This is a Honey and Mumford Kite diagram showing that one is a pragmatist and

theorist learner. This means practical problem solving and innovative new ideas are

strong techniques possessed and also discussing problems and finding solutions

through theorises is a strong point (pragmatist and theorist).

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Appendix 5- VARK

Visual Aural Read/Write Kinesthetic0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Series1

This graph how the results from a VARK questionnaire. The result is that my

strongest point is reading and writing, followed by listening therefore it shows I am a

highly active individual.

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Appendix 6- Belbin Technique

Primary Score (highest score)= Implementor

Secondary Score = Team Worker

Tertiary Score= Shaper0

5

10

15

20

25

Series1

This graph shows the results from the Belbin learning technique, showing that i am

an implementer therefore well organised, able to tackle problems, hard working and

self disciplined.

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Appendix 7- SMART Objectives

S To do voluntary work for a charity organisation such as Oxfam, increase experience in international communication and managing relations.

M Take part in as many different activities as possible in order to gain some light in different areas

A Increase experience and knowledge of working with different people in different countries and managing of funds and contracts with donors which will help with future employability in the field.

R Work at least a few hours every day and weekends to gain as much understanding as possible

T To be completed within 8 weeks.

The SMART objectives outline the action plan which is to work in a similar

environment not the same industry as a potential employer and do the same work

that should be done in the future; this will increase experience, knowledge and skill

which will enhance future employment.

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Part 2- Analytical Essay, Word Count- 790 words

There are a number of different skills that employers require, as whole different

companies in different industries prioritise different skills. For instance in a service

based industry communication skills will be most required as the business deals

mainly with providing a service therefore has to communicate clearly with potential

customers. Whereas in a high tech industry where competition is fierce time

management is essential on the market front to remain competitive. The company

that has been chosen with the vacancy of a job to analyse its skill requirements and

needs is Microsoft and the job is an Advertising Account Manager

(www.careers.microsoft.com : 15/03/2012).

Microsoft has listed a varied range of skill requirements for this job. Firstly, to be

commercially aware and able to respond to a fast-changing market. This requirement

is essential as it will ensure that the company can remain competitive at all time and

ahead of the game as advertising has a direct link to sales and is vital in keeping the

company competitive, therefore being commercially aware and able to respond fast

to the market is very necessary. Secondly, to be able to confidently work across

internal teams. This is a significant skill requirement as team working in such large

organisations is essential to get ideas around and come up with the most beneficial

outcome for the business; on the other hand it is also vital when the company is

experiencing difficulty. Working in a team ensures the most economical solution is

taken.

Furthermore, Microsoft requires the individual to be highly organised and able to

multi-task. This is important being a manager involves high level of work load and

responsibilities which need to be in order at all time to prevent any mishaps. Also

being able to multi-task is significantly important due to the work load different things

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have to be done at the same time such as finalising the best adverts and looking at

who from the subordinate is worthy of delegation. In addition to this, sufficient

experience in problem solving is required for any unexpected circumstances. This is

a much more difficult skill to possess as it requires an individual to be able to analyse

in depth all options and the best outcome in order to achieve a solution to a problem.

Moreover high level of proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and other MS

Office applications. This is also crucial in a company such as Microsoft where 90% of

communication internally is done via email therefore it is necessary for an individual t

be computer literate. High level proficiency is required due to being a manager Excel

for Accounts, PowerPoint to present potential adverts and others to write Reports

etc. These are the requirements of skill by Microsoft however how much of these

skills do graduates actually possess and how significant is the gap for skills.

Microsoft has recently launched a scheme called the Microsoft Academy for College

Hires (MACH), this scheme has been implemented to form the perfect bridge

between academic and professional life which will ultimately lead to successful

employees for the business. More on this the potential employees will start with a

week of induction followed with the cushion of structured on the job training, in

addition they will join the Global MACH Scheme attending three international training

events and career development events which focus on core personal development

and business skills.  Alongside this you will receive mentoring, support and

assessment. Microsoft aims to enhance skills in strategic thinking, communication

and presentation skills and help the employees identify and play to their unique

strengths (www.careers.microsoft.com : 15/03/2012). This scheme has been

launched by Microsoft to close the gap within graduates lack of skill as the top ten

skill shortages survey has shown there is a high lack of skills among graduates in

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areas such as commercial awareness and communication skills both over 60%

(www.arg.org.uk : 16/03/2012). Such skills for businesses like Microsoft are essential

to keep the business running as a success.

Looking at the market with Apple dominating and technology improving immensely,

Microsoft needs sufficient employees that are commercially aware of these factors,

can work in teams and get good results and also communicate efficiently both

internally and externally to keep the business a success. In such situations it is often

said that employees are the most important stakeholders as they work is what keeps

the business running, an unproductive workforce will result in poor performance of

the firm whereas a productive and efficient workforce will result in a high growing firm

remaining successful. These are the main reasons why businesses such as

Microsoft value employees with abundant skill and launch schemes such as MACH

to receive potentially employees who will play vital parts in taking the business to

new heights.

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Reference List

https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?ss=&pg=2&so=&rw=30&jid=70184&jlang=EN

this is the website where the job vacancy at Microsoft was found, date

accessed 15/03/2012.

http://careers.microsoft.com/careers/en/gb/ourroles.aspx this is the website where

the graduate recruitment scheme was found, date accessed 15/03/2012.

University of Kent Careers service www.kent.ac.uk/careers

www.apr.org.uk website accessed to view Top ten skill shortages among

graduates- date accessed 16/03/2012.

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Part 3 Reflective Essay, Word Count- 1407

During this first year at De Montfort University I have taken part in a number of

different activities which has increased my experience, taught me new techniques

and widened my understanding for the Business world. Some of the activities I have

taken part in include Presentations on behalf of a company, Crisis Meeting when a

sudden crisis arises for the business and a Negotiation exercise involving the

takeover of a small competitor. Taking part in real activities gives a better

understanding of the situation rather than just to read about its concepts as this is

practical experience rather than just theory. In all of the 3 activities mentioned I

worked in a group amongst 4 other students and us as a group represented

Microsoft, all 3 activities were recorded therefore it was essential to be dynamic in all

senses.

Firstly we had the Presentation in which we had to present the different products

Microsoft sells and where they lie on the Boston Matrix and Product Life Cycle. This

was in order to see where Microsoft earns most of its revenue and where

improvement is required for future income prospects. At the beginning of the

presentation I felt very nervous as this was our first group activity and early days at

university. At first I wasn’t even very happy with the group as I felt it was difficult to

communicate and some of us where more serious than others also at the same time

equal amount of effort was not invested into putting the presentation together.

However the presentation went pretty smooth throughout as we all presented our

parts as planned, there were a few minor issues in between but as a whole it went

well. Due to lack of practise the presentation was not as steady flowing as wanted,

but thanks to individual creative skills it was all covered up and not many errors

remained transparent to the audience. This experience taught me that good

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preparation leads to a good outcome and therefore sufficient time must be put into

making it a success, on the other hand working with different people can be difficult

and compatibility is sometimes hard to achieve. Had they been a better

understanding amongst the group members the presentation would have been even

better in all aspects from research to planning and presenting. In the future if such a

presentation is to be planned again I would ensure that there is a group leader whom

everyone listens to and makes conclusive decisions which all members have to

follow no matter what, the leader should also be autocratic in the sense of making

sure everyone does they bit and no let downs lead to the failure of an activity (Horn:

2009). Also before any upcoming activities plenty of practises should be done which

increases self confidence and reduces nerves from rattling at the time, in addition

advise from experienced tutors should be taken in order to gain a better mark and

give the presentation your maximum potential.

The second activity which we executed was the crisis meeting, which involved trying

to solve an unexpected crisis on the business at a very short time of notice.

Therefore everything had to be done quickly and as efficiently as possible due to the

fact that it is a very fragile situation which can harm the company’s image. The crisis

was a Trojan which could potentially jam the entire worlds email inbox’s, the task

was to find a mode of communication to customers and offer some sort of

compensation also furthermore also to update them that the crisis was being worked

on. The task at hand was very difficult as we didn’t have much time to analyse the

options in great detail, on top of that one of the group members was absent which

increased the pressure on the rest of us as less ideas were available to make

decisions. This increased the pressure and made me nervous as to the fact if we

would be able to pull it off successfully. Despite that we worked much better together

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as a team from our last activity. Some quality ideas where passed around and an

outcome was decided for every requirement, this was a good experience in all due to

the fact in enhanced my problem solving skills and helped me understand more of

the business environment as working under pressure is what a real business crisis is

all about, the crisis that was put in front of us was very severe as it concerned a

global market and not much could be done but what we pitched as our press

conference was fairly respectable at such a short notice. From the crisis meeting it

was clear that the more people you have in such a situation the better as more ideas

are passed around and it reduces the pressure on individuals, also it increases

confidence which alternatively can lead the find the right solution. Therefore it is

essential to make sure all group members are present at such times. And again it is

highly beneficial in such circumstances to have a leader to make the final decision

for the group; this saves a lot of time and increases team spirit. For the future all that

could be done is increase individual awareness about the company such as its

market size and performance that way as a team you can brainstorm potential

crisis’s which can arise and think of solutions, it is very helpful when you don’t have

much time during the actual activity. Also specific roles should be given to group

members to decide on their part this saves time and helps make good decisions

(www.humanresources.about.com :19/03/2012).

The last activity which we took part in was the Negotiation exercise, this involved a

large business buying a smaller business’s productive which was doing well in the

market. We were advised to try and come out with a win-win situation; our group was

the major firm trying to buy out the small companies product at the lowest price

possible. It was a very challenging task as intense negotiation took place between

the two groups. Our group started off well as we offered a very low price however the

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opposition was very strong and didn’t give in therefore it was challenging to try and

get a very low price. We made several offers including a long term relation and some

shares but it didn’t go through, in the end we payed a 60% price from the possible

budget which was not extremely bad and the opposition team got what they planned

so it was a win-win situation. However we could have done better by at least 20%

due to an absence of member again we had less manpower to pull it off.

Furthermore one member of the group did not participate much and it was down to

half of the group to complete the negotiation, this was very de-motivating. In addition

to this there was no sufficient planning in advance despite knowing most of the

scenario so we did not know a real walk off position and the opposition were better

prepared. In the future advance planning is essential for negotiations as this plays a

vital role in understanding the situation in depth, and again members presence and

participation is vital as it increase team morale and spirit to win the debate

(www.learningandteaching.info : 19/03/2012 ). Furthermore if the figures and budget

are known an advanced plan of action should be constructed to keep the negotiation

on the right lines for the business as this will lead to a win situation for the firm. All in

all it was a bad experience only due to the lack of presence and planning for the

future sufficient preparation is the way forward in a successful negotiation.

Considering all the activities that took place, the team spirit was never at a high and

neither was the confidence in the air. Had they been sufficient participation and

involvement all around the tasks it would have been more successful then it was.

However it was a good experience in terms of viewing the business world and more

experiential learning is a good way forward to increase experience and enhance

employability, for instance playing a part in the crisis meeting has taught me that

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preparation for situations like interviews is essential due to the fact it is

unforeseeable what will come your way therefore planning is vital.

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Reference List

Horn Roy, the Business skills handbook. CIPD 2009

http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/team_questions.htm this

website accessed to see the main advantages and disadvantages of working

in a team- accessed on 19/03/2012.

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm this website showed me

the cycle and outcomes of experiential learning- accessed on the 19/03/2012.

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