Written reflection
Reflecting on my learnings from BEX3500, and my commerce and engineering degrees, I believe I did well in forming a network. I believe the brief period I spent on the executive committer for the association of civil engineering students allowed me to develop relationships with like-minded individuals, who I can leverage to progress in my career. Furthermore, I believe having been able to complete an internship before graduating has significantly put me ahead of my peers. I believe this as the internship has provided me with a clear understanding of what is expected after graduating.
Looking back at my time at university, I believe I would change my major in commerce. I selected finance as my major as I wanted to keep as many doors open as possible, however after understanding the culture of financial companies didn't suit what I was looking for I no longer wanted to work in that industry. I feel if I had the chance to change my major I would have decided to major in management. I believe this as I feel it would have equipped me with the skills necessary to manage teams on design projects effectively, skills I would need as I progress in my career.
I found all areas of the course highly relevant to professional development. The career pulse test provided me with information on what employability areas I needed to focus on and which areas I did not need to work on. I believe it allowed me to address my shortcomings when I apply for graduate positions, which I hope will lead me to be more successful in finding a graduate position. Furthermore, the case studies, specifically the Elon Musk case study, really taught me the importance of cultural capital (Tomlinson, 2017). I was able to understand the importance of working at a company that reflects the same values as I do, as that can impact how well you perform at your job. Also, the case study introduced me to the importance of psychological capital (Tomlinson,2017). It made me realise the importance of being able to “adapt and respond to career challenges” (Tomlinson, 2017), as I will most likely face a similar situation as shown in the case study, for example being made redundant. I learnt being resilient is highly important in the workforce, especially during periods of hardship. Lastly, completing the simulation reinforced my understanding of what I would like to do as a career. I have a passion for problem-solving and coming up with innovative solution solutions to issues, as I was completing the simulation, I understood which career I would like to pursue, which is a consulting role.
The development of an E-portfolio will be highly beneficial to my prospects of finding a graduate position. I believe the E-portfolio will allow me to discern myself from my peers, as the likelihood of them also having one is low. The E-portfolio is very easy to update, and it allows me to present my accomplishments in a way that will capture the recruit's attention, allowing them to identify if I meet the criteria for the job. I also believe the E-portfolio can retain the recruiter's attention for longer than simple resumes as they will be impressed by the effort that has gone into developing the E-portfolio. The E-portfolio can also provide me with various ways to present myself to the reader than a traditional resume. For example, I can use pictures and videos to present my experience and knowledge, allowing the reader more engaged when reviewing my application while also being able to get a greater understanding of who I am. However, I believe the E-portfolio will not play a big role in my career progression. I believe that progress in a career social capital (Tomlinson,2017) will be the deciding factor. I understand that even though I am excelling in my current role, it will be difficult to make the case for a promotion if the business doesn't deem it necessary, which is why I believe it is important I establish a vast network, as it will “facilitate awareness of labour market opportunities” (Tomlinson,2017). As individuals in my network would already have an understanding of my capabilities, they will most likely not review my E-portfolio.
The graduate capital I have best developed is my psychological capital (Tomlinson,2017). While working as a site engineer I have been able to work through the long work hours and the pressure faced in the construction industry, as I believe I have built up my resilience. I believe psychological capital (Tomlinson,2017) is important as it is what “enables graduates to adapt and respond” (Tomlinson,2017) to career challenges. I believe it is something all graduates must possess if they are to bounce back from being made redundant, or even if they are feeling overwhelmed with stress from work. Furthermore, highly resilient graduates will be better prepared mentally during periods of economic downturns and better able to deal with authoritarian leadership cultures which are present in many companies.
After developing an understanding of cultural capital (Tomlinson,2017), I believe I can positively influence sustainability in the workplace. I believe the case studies as well as my own work experience have highlighted the need for work-life balance and the importance of maintaining employees' mental and physical wellbeing. From my learnings in the classroom as well as through my industry experience, I have been able to learn the skills required to implement change in the workplace culture, which I will implement when I achieve a managerial role in a company.
References:
Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education & Training (London), 59(4), 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090
A. Agnihotri and S. Bhattacharya, Elon Musk: In need of responsible human resource practices at Twitter. Ivey Business School Foundation, 2023, pp. 1–16.