At this lesson we had to talked about ourselves for few minutes, which was videotaped. I have prepared a little speech but still when I sat in front of camera I made many mistakes. Camera makes me nervous. But at the end of the day it was a good exercise as I had to overcome my fear and focus on my task. We had to talk about our plans and how to achieve them. I know that I will have to talk in front of the people in the future so I have to start now and this was my first step. Every little task prepares us to do something in the future. I may not realize that at the time but it will help, I know.
Later on we were asked to answer questions that may be asked at the interview. I found it a bit difficult and tricky at some stages but it was something that I have to think over going for interview. In my opinion, the best results will be achieved if the preparation before is good and properly done.
And one more little task- to list things that I have to consider preparing for the interview. Things like proper outfit, knowing the way and being on time, company research or properly prepared and presenting documents(CV, covering letter) are very important. If you are prepared, nothing can surprise you and the interview will go great. I have to believe in myself and do my best to achieve what I want(before and during the interview).
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Session 6 CV
Mr Andy Gilman from Ministry of Defence had visited us at the lesson, making a presentation how to behave at the interview. He gave us handouts and showed some practical examples what to do and how not to behave.
This visit was very good and useful. He presented to us a real good and bad covering letter as well as the interview itself. Although I knew most of the tips that he gave us, this session was very helpful.
I know now how to behave , that body language speaks for me and my answers have to be related to the subject. Very useful tip for me was to behave naturally and without stress as it can ruin everything. very important is preparation for the interview(which I didn't know) and quick research about the company. I was surprised when he told us that even while we wait we can learn something about the company simply by looking around.
I really enjoyed his visit and I think this should be more common because the best way to learn is to do it yourself or to see and hear the real example from the life.
The next step was to prepare our own CV. This is very important to have a good CV and covering letter ready as this is the first contact with the employer. We have been putting bits and pieces together to prepare this task. I know now that CV has to be simple but give the best impression and present me in the best possible way as the interviewer will just skim it, they don't read this through at the very beginning. I have to sell myself in few words.
I am satisfied from that exercise as I have learnt many useful skills and got some good tips.
This visit was very good and useful. He presented to us a real good and bad covering letter as well as the interview itself. Although I knew most of the tips that he gave us, this session was very helpful.
I know now how to behave , that body language speaks for me and my answers have to be related to the subject. Very useful tip for me was to behave naturally and without stress as it can ruin everything. very important is preparation for the interview(which I didn't know) and quick research about the company. I was surprised when he told us that even while we wait we can learn something about the company simply by looking around.
I really enjoyed his visit and I think this should be more common because the best way to learn is to do it yourself or to see and hear the real example from the life.
The next step was to prepare our own CV. This is very important to have a good CV and covering letter ready as this is the first contact with the employer. We have been putting bits and pieces together to prepare this task. I know now that CV has to be simple but give the best impression and present me in the best possible way as the interviewer will just skim it, they don't read this through at the very beginning. I have to sell myself in few words.
I am satisfied from that exercise as I have learnt many useful skills and got some good tips.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Session 5- tasksheet 11
At this lesson we were asked to fill just one tasksheet- 11. This was one of the most difficult tasks for me because we were asked to put few steps how will we achieve out targets stated in previous lessons.
I was asked to break our goals down into achievable steps. We had to consider our long, medium and short term goals and put little steps with the description and time that we want to achieve them, to reach to the main goal.
We had to do the same with career, personal and academic goals. As I said this task was very difficult for me but it helped me in a great deal to think more about my dreams, as I was putting them aside previously. After that session I was really considering my plan and thinking about the way I want to do my motel, what do I wan to achieve at school and what should and could I do with my personal goals.
I was asked to break our goals down into achievable steps. We had to consider our long, medium and short term goals and put little steps with the description and time that we want to achieve them, to reach to the main goal.
We had to do the same with career, personal and academic goals. As I said this task was very difficult for me but it helped me in a great deal to think more about my dreams, as I was putting them aside previously. After that session I was really considering my plan and thinking about the way I want to do my motel, what do I wan to achieve at school and what should and could I do with my personal goals.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Session 4- SMART targets
On today's session we were asked to work in group of two to set and put down our academic, personal and general targets. My partner that I worked with was Mark Hatton. We had to find out each others targets and fill a questionnaire then send it to our tutor to assess.
This exercise was quite difficult for me to do but it helped me to think about my future. I think the targets and plans could be changed according to the situation I will be in life but overall idea will be the same.
I know it is important to have a SMART targets because without the idea what we want to do in life we will not achieve anything ' if you don't know to which harbour you want to get, don't count on helpful winds'.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfc945x_1gt9qr6fj
The next part of the session was to finish tasks 9 and 10 that were related to the exercise that we did previously. I had to explain in details which kind of job would be my dream job in 5 years time. I was asked to imagine myself in that position. To talk about my responsibilities and my role, would I be in managerial position or do for below somebody. I had to think about people I will work with, who are they and what's their role.
I put myself as a manager of my own motel in Poland, working together with my brother as a partnership. We employ very few people but all of them know their role and they are very happy and friendly people because this is the most important, I think. Open mind and heart are the key.
This type of exercise is important and useful as it forces me to think about myself and my plans. Of course I was thinking about that in the past but I have never written it down and this is the key to success. To be honest when I have done this work I started thinking about my motel more seriously. I have thought about the way I want to do it and when. I needed this booster to do something.
I am very happy from this subject(MOD). It helps me in personal improvement and gives me an idea about myself.
This exercise was quite difficult for me to do but it helped me to think about my future. I think the targets and plans could be changed according to the situation I will be in life but overall idea will be the same.
I know it is important to have a SMART targets because without the idea what we want to do in life we will not achieve anything ' if you don't know to which harbour you want to get, don't count on helpful winds'.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfc945x_1gt9qr6fj
The next part of the session was to finish tasks 9 and 10 that were related to the exercise that we did previously. I had to explain in details which kind of job would be my dream job in 5 years time. I was asked to imagine myself in that position. To talk about my responsibilities and my role, would I be in managerial position or do for below somebody. I had to think about people I will work with, who are they and what's their role.
I put myself as a manager of my own motel in Poland, working together with my brother as a partnership. We employ very few people but all of them know their role and they are very happy and friendly people because this is the most important, I think. Open mind and heart are the key.
This type of exercise is important and useful as it forces me to think about myself and my plans. Of course I was thinking about that in the past but I have never written it down and this is the key to success. To be honest when I have done this work I started thinking about my motel more seriously. I have thought about the way I want to do it and when. I needed this booster to do something.
I am very happy from this subject(MOD). It helps me in personal improvement and gives me an idea about myself.
Friday, October 31, 2008
My learning style
http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=multimodal
I did the VARK questionaire on the lesson. The results showed that I have a multimodal style. I enclosed a link to show what this type means. I agree with those results as I am a kind of person that like to learn in many various ways. I like when somebody explains me what and how should I do my tasks, but at the same time I like to try by myself and get to the point. I also learn by reading and asking questions. I like drawing and ofter make graphs or mind maps because I find it easy to practice and remember thinghs. When I have to make a speach or learn a great amount of material it's the best way to make a diagram and put just bullet points and then practice them. When somebody ask me for help I would rather explain using pictures, body language or do it myself.
I can also say that I am quite much of the physical(bodily kinesthetic) learning style because as the description shows I like to use my body language when explaining and also if I learn something new I want to use it as soon as I can.
I can also find some logical(mathematical) attempts. I am good at numbers and I try to explain everything in a logical way, even if there's no proper explanation:)
A social(interpersonal) way of tackling the problem isn't new for me . I like talk about the tasks after lessons or having one-to-one meetings with the teaachers who can explain all my questions and help tyo solve the problems. But at the same time I like to stay sometimes at home and think over what and how I want to do things.
My personality is very complex , which reflects in my learning style. I am creative with many different ideas. Always looking forrward to do new things.:)
I did the VARK questionaire on the lesson. The results showed that I have a multimodal style. I enclosed a link to show what this type means. I agree with those results as I am a kind of person that like to learn in many various ways. I like when somebody explains me what and how should I do my tasks, but at the same time I like to try by myself and get to the point. I also learn by reading and asking questions. I like drawing and ofter make graphs or mind maps because I find it easy to practice and remember thinghs. When I have to make a speach or learn a great amount of material it's the best way to make a diagram and put just bullet points and then practice them. When somebody ask me for help I would rather explain using pictures, body language or do it myself.
I can also say that I am quite much of the physical(bodily kinesthetic) learning style because as the description shows I like to use my body language when explaining and also if I learn something new I want to use it as soon as I can.
I can also find some logical(mathematical) attempts. I am good at numbers and I try to explain everything in a logical way, even if there's no proper explanation:)
A social(interpersonal) way of tackling the problem isn't new for me . I like talk about the tasks after lessons or having one-to-one meetings with the teaachers who can explain all my questions and help tyo solve the problems. But at the same time I like to stay sometimes at home and think over what and how I want to do things.
My personality is very complex , which reflects in my learning style. I am creative with many different ideas. Always looking forrward to do new things.:)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Strengths and weaknesses
And one more nice exercise about our strengths and weaknesses... this is always very difficult for me to point at my strong and weak sides and I think this task has opened me a little bit. I could think of the areas that I am good at and how can I use it in my life. But also has pointed at my weaknesses that I have to deal with to develop and improve. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses is important because I can show to my potential employer what I am good at and what I have to learn more. They can imagine me in the position and say if I will be suitable or not.
At this session we also had to talk about our outside activities, which was a nice piece of work because I could say what really like doing, what I am interested in and what makes me happy. I am very social person and being with people makes world to me . That's why I am involved in my church group where we can be for each other helping others. Lately we have organised a charity concert for a little girl to raise the money for her treatment. Talking about this make me proud and feel better that I am here not for myself but also for others.
My other hobbies like reading or listening to music improve my imagination and creative skills.
In my opinion it is very important to talk and be aware of ours hobbies because everything could be useful in the life. All of those activities say something about the person, e.g. church meeting- team working, being for others.
At this session we also had to talk about our outside activities, which was a nice piece of work because I could say what really like doing, what I am interested in and what makes me happy. I am very social person and being with people makes world to me . That's why I am involved in my church group where we can be for each other helping others. Lately we have organised a charity concert for a little girl to raise the money for her treatment. Talking about this make me proud and feel better that I am here not for myself but also for others.
My other hobbies like reading or listening to music improve my imagination and creative skills.
In my opinion it is very important to talk and be aware of ours hobbies because everything could be useful in the life. All of those activities say something about the person, e.g. church meeting- team working, being for others.
Job experience
The next task was to acknowledge our background job experience. We were asked to list our positions and main skills that we have learnt doing that.
Those exercisers are very helpful because at the end of each task we the question 'how could it help us in the future life ' is asked, what makes us to thing about that what we want to do and what can help us to achieve our aim.
At the moment I don't have much experience in the strictly business field but I know what I have to try to achieve now and where to put my next step towards my future career. It may be just listing the jobs that I have done in the past but every experience counts and after each position , more or less demanding I have learnt more and my knowledge grows. I this this is very good to think about our job experience from time to time because I can do something more, try a new things or improve my old skills.
Those exercisers are very helpful because at the end of each task we the question 'how could it help us in the future life ' is asked, what makes us to thing about that what we want to do and what can help us to achieve our aim.
At the moment I don't have much experience in the strictly business field but I know what I have to try to achieve now and where to put my next step towards my future career. It may be just listing the jobs that I have done in the past but every experience counts and after each position , more or less demanding I have learnt more and my knowledge grows. I this this is very good to think about our job experience from time to time because I can do something more, try a new things or improve my old skills.
My qualifications
The next session prepared us to talk about our qualifications and courses that we have done in the past. What could help us in our future life and work and also what could be helpful to develop ourselves.
It was a simple list of our qualifications but it showed in what areas we have something to say and what more should we do. The list of qualification will be useful in creating my CV. Without a list I will not pay an attention to things that I have already done and achieved. It's easier for me to understand who I am and what I have already done when I write everything down.
It was a simple list of our qualifications but it showed in what areas we have something to say and what more should we do. The list of qualification will be useful in creating my CV. Without a list I will not pay an attention to things that I have already done and achieved. It's easier for me to understand who I am and what I have already done when I write everything down.
E-portfolio
At the very first lesson we also downloaded our e-portfolio where all our work will be stored.
At every session I will do my tasks and attached it to my portfolio so all my work can be in one place. Whenever I need this I can just use my own work stored together without looking for it in many different places. It is very handy.
At every session I will do my tasks and attached it to my portfolio so all my work can be in one place. Whenever I need this I can just use my own work stored together without looking for it in many different places. It is very handy.
The first tasksheet
I would like to give my reflective statement about what we have done so far.
At the very first lessons we have done some tasksheets regarding our future life and school. The first exercise was talking about our skills whether we feel good or bad at certain tasks and problems. The exercise asked us to point at the sections that we think should be improved as a very first. According to me one of my weakest points is ability to search the internet fast and to transfer information forming and answering questions and choosing the most appropriate material to do so.
I think my ability to deal with tasks is quite good and I don't have many problems to work under the pressure or as a team member however I don't feel a great confidence when I have to appear in front of the group.
I also think that my negotiation skills need to be improved.
This task was helpful as it shows me which areas I have to focus on and what to improve to be a better student and person.
At the very first lessons we have done some tasksheets regarding our future life and school. The first exercise was talking about our skills whether we feel good or bad at certain tasks and problems. The exercise asked us to point at the sections that we think should be improved as a very first. According to me one of my weakest points is ability to search the internet fast and to transfer information forming and answering questions and choosing the most appropriate material to do so.
I think my ability to deal with tasks is quite good and I don't have many problems to work under the pressure or as a team member however I don't feel a great confidence when I have to appear in front of the group.
I also think that my negotiation skills need to be improved.
This task was helpful as it shows me which areas I have to focus on and what to improve to be a better student and person.
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