Careers action plan PSP2

1. Career Action Plan i.e. what I will do, when and how…
Use the information from your Skills audit to identify skills that are important to you, and skills where you lack confidence.
Use the information from the Employability Skills section of ‘Focus Your Skills’ to identify skills that you currently lack evidence for.
Base your career action plan on the skills you have identified from these two exercises.
My aim to develop and evidence my skills during this academic year is:
(50 words max)
I am planning to get more involved as a Course Representative in order to improve confidence in my communication, interpersonal/
social skills, English, creative thinking, judgement and decision making, leadership, persuading and influencing and critical reflection
skills. Pursuing a placement role for developing my communication, interpersonal, organisational, problem analysis and solving,
technical/practical activity, research, use of IT, numeracy, team working, adaptability and intellect skills. Attending lectures,
laboratory classes, seminars and help sessions.
What you've done to work toward this goal to date e.g. any relevant work experience, volunteering you've undertaken:
I have registered for the role of Course Representative and begun gathering feedback from my fellow colleagues and taking action
or redirecting them to the appropriate place depending on their struggle. I have also booked a career guidance session with my
Employability Advisor in order to gain more insight into placement opportunities and application process. I have also updated and
improved my CV and have started working on general interview skills, for example using the STAR method.
List of Actions you need to take Timescales for each action
(i.e. by when?)
Resources needed/available
e.g. useful contact names, who I will
approach
1. Apply for placement roles By then end of the year/ until
securing a place
- Employability Advisor
- Academic Advisor
- MyHallam website for CV,
Cover Letter, Interview and

2. general placement information,
suggestions and tips
- Contacting the placement
representatives for further
information and informal
questions in needed
2. Allocate time for interview preparation and booking,
preparing and undertaking at least one practice
interview
Before the first interview offer - Employability Advisor
- Academic Advisor for general
interview and placement
information
- MyHallam website
- PSP2 lectures and tutorials
3. Review practical skills, methods and techniques
studied last year
During second year - PSP2 module leader
- Lab demonstrators
- Help sessions
- Pre- and post-lab activities
4. Get in contact with Hallam Help, if needed During second year - Hallam Help
5. Create a Handshake profile and update my LinkedIn
profile
By the end of the first
semester
- Employability Advisor
6. Register for the Academic Advisor Mentoring
scheme
By the end of the year - Scheme organisation staff

3. Some Resources you may want to use to help you with this task:
 SHU Careers & Employment Service - Careers Adviser: Ruth Holland Email: sheffield-hallam-careers@shu.ac.uk
 Careers Central
 Prospects.ac.uk what jobs suit me exercise
 Job Shopping
 Graduates Yorkshire sector information plus job vacancies
 sign up to receive the Guardian's careers articles/graduate hub emails
 STAR process, create a STARs (Skills) Profile - see below summary:
Situation: One of your experiences or an activity you have been involved in.
Tasks: What you needed to achieve in the situation, what were your responsibilities?
Actions: How did you achieve the tasks you needed to complete, what did you actually do, how did you contribute?
Results: The outcome of your actions. These may be negative or positive; the key is what you learned from the experience.
Skills: The skills you demonstrated and/or developed as a result of your experience.
Document created by R.Holland SHU Careers Adviser March 2012