Personal Effectiveness

Behavioural indicators include:-

• Establish and communicate a sense of direction.
• Maintain and enhance own self-esteem.
• Adapt approach or style to a range of individuals and circumstances.
• Continue to work effectively when under pressure.
• Show perseverance in dealing with difficulties.
• Have an insight into own strengths and weaknesses.
• Seek feedback on performance and take positive steps to improve.
• Take responsibility for own learning/development needs.
• Clarify process of working as well as content.
• Willing to make decisions and accept responsibility.
• Cope with set-backs/disappointments.
• Set and achieve high standards consistently.
• Show initiative.

Do I Have This Skill?

You'll need to be able to prove to employers that you actually have the skills they want for the job. In applications and interviews they will ask 'competency questions' that begin with phrases such as 'tell me a time when ............. ' or 'give me an example of .............. ' Your answers are the evidence that you have what it takes.

To find out how well developed your skills are already you could try this simple exercise:

Rate yourself on each of the behaviours:

• 1 = I do this very well. I am consistent and successful in it
• 2 = I am good at this. With some practice I can make it perfect!
• 3 = I am getting better, but still need to work on this a bit more.
• 4 = I am not particularly good at this - yet!

Revisit this exercise several times through your years of study - you'll want to have as many skills as possible at 1 and 2 before you apply for graduate jobs.

And, think about all the life situations you've been in - university, work, leisure, travel, social - and identify incidents and examples from them that show that you have already used the skill.