Written Report

Topic: Discuss some of the things that you could do to enhance your employability when you
graduate from University.

Employability skills include the following abilities: the retrieval and handling of information;
communication and presentation; planning and problem solving; and social development and
interaction. Steven Fallows & Christine Stevens, 2000.
An employable person must be adaptable, a keen learner and obtain transferable skills to be able
to be useful in any way that may be seen fit. It is important to note that while we might learn a
lot from our studies, it is an enormous challenge to effectively develop employability skills just
within a classroom. For this reason, we must find ways outside of our current study schedules
that will successfully help us find work in the future.

Ways I could become more employable would be to acquire a range of work experience that
would help towards showing that I have a keen mind for learning skills that are needed for my
chosen career. This relates to the retrieval and handling of information stated by Fallows and
Stevens as important employability skills. Networking or social capital is also a pivotal part in
gaining employability prowess, as a lot of the time it isnt what you know, its who you know.
Partaking in social development and interaction another employability skill mentioned by
Fallows and Stevens, and one in which relates best to networking opens expansive
opportunities due to the professional relationships that will hopefully be made by doing this.

Employability involves far more than possession of the generic skills listed by graduate
employers as attractive. Rather, for optimal economic and social outcomes, graduates must be
able to proactively navigate the world of work and selfmanage the career building process.
Ruth Bridgstock, 2007. This outlines the need to have a plan for the future, and to know what to
do if that plan isnt going perfectly, (planning and problem solving) as opposed to expecting
your career to fall into place for you.

Another key aspect of employability is being able to get a particular job, once identified It
centres around the ability to demonstrate employability assets and present them to the market
in an accessible way. This includes: the presentation of CVs etc., (including Records of
Achievement), the qualifications individuals possess (both academic and vocational), perhaps
accredited through prior learning, references and testimonies, interview technique, and, of
particular importance; work experience/track record. J Hillage & E Pollard, 1998.
Communication and presentation are also key features of an employable person, outlined in this
quote.

Through the information gathered, there are several things I can do, to help me become more
employable for after I graduate. These are; work experience preferably relevant to my field of
study, networking, have a career plan, improve my appearance and resume and finally, gain
many more testimonials and recommendations from my superiors.

References
Ruth Bridgstock (2007) The Graduate Attributes weve overlooked: enhancing graduate
employability through career management skills,p.31-44
Stephen Fallows, Christine Steven, (2000) "Building employability skills into the higher
education curriculum: a universitywide initiative", Education + Training, Vol. 42 Issue:
2, pp.75-83
J Hillage & E Pollard (1998) Research Brief. Employability: Developing a Framework
for Policy Analyse Institute for Employment Studies.

1
2