1. A 3,000 word reflective commentary which focuses on your planned journey from education into employment, you should position your work from one of the following perspectives:
• You will continue to progress from this year to the final year of study and then search for a graduate level position or graduate training programme. If you are going to work for your family you should also choose this option and focus on your first position after graduation. If you are actively seeking study abroad, you should reflect this in your discussion.
• You are actively seeking a placement. With this option you should focus on a particular placement application, detailing how this fits into your overall career plan.
Your reflective commentary will have two distinct parts:-
Part A: Discuss the current marketplace for graduate employment opportunities (including graduate training programmes). In this section you can provide a general overview or focus on a particular industry or even your particular discipline, for example, finance. All students may use the UK or their home country as the context for this section. Your discussion MUST review relevant academic literature.
Part B: Describe and discuss your intended career plan [see the options above]. Your commentary should include reference to academic literature where relevant, and MUST include the following:
• Your intended graduate position/placement, with a rationale for your choice within the context of a longer-term career plan.
• An assessment of suitability for your graduate position/placement using a variety of feedback gained during the seminar activities and directed study, e.g. psychometric test results and feedback on internal or external interview and assessment centre activities. Please include other sources of evidence if relevant.
• Identification of strengths and weaknesses related to your chosen graduate position/placement.
• A conclusion, which should identify your next steps to build on strengths and address weaknesses. For example, if you have identified a need for work experience or to improve an essential skill area, you need to explain why, how and when you plan to it.