Negotiation
and Persuasion
|
Assertiveness
|
Communication
|
Networking
|
Commercial
Awareness
|
Professional
Development
|
Problem
Solving
|
Pro-activity
|
Self-Awareness
|
Team
Working
|
Leadership
|
Organisation
Skills
|
Independence
Skills
|
Confidence
Building
|
Specific
Occupational
Skills
|
Technical
Skills
|
(University of Derby, 2016)
Assertiveness
Networking
This
is a skill that before starting university I had not really developed,
Networking is a huge part of the spa industry due to the nature of the job and
networking is a fantastic way of getting yourself known within the industry.
Not only is it good to get yourself known but networking allows me to meet
inspirational professional people within the industry that can help me to
develop my skills and progress within the industry. Pisa, (2002) believes that
networking is about communicating with people within your industry to acquire
information.
Commercial
awareness
Commercial
awareness is described as a person being aware of the market and business that
they are currently in, it also means that the person is aware of how that business
is or can be successful (Key Employability skill: Commercial awareness, 2014). Since
starting me degree at the University of Derby my commercial awareness has
improved by further training, working in a new environment, learning about
international spas and attending industry day and conferences, completing the business
modules such as marketing, finance and business has allowed me to understand
the key requirements for the running of a successful business.
Confidence
Building
Since
starting at University I feel that my confidence in all aspects has improved
dramatically. I feel more confident within writing, speaking and in myself.
Confidence is important for all aspects of work including interviews, dealing
with guests and speaking in front of an audience this may be used when you are
being interviewed or when you are interviewing others, it can also be used in
open evening or promotion events. Confidence shows in your behaviour and body
language and also how you speak and what you may say (Perry, 2011).
Negotiation
and Persuasion
I
started developing this skill while working for and attending events created
and hosted by the university. During my first year I worked on the University
of Derby stand at professional beauty Manchester, future students would ask for
advice about university work and life. I feel this helped me develop this skill
as I was able to talk about the course and persuade future students to join the
course. Negotiation is used when neither people are able to come to a mutual
agreement so they negotiate what they want in order to
come to an agreed decision (Hames, 2011). Persuasion is a skill used
to be able to convince people to take appropriate actions or decisions (O’Keefe,
2002).
Professional
Development
Since
starting my course I feel this has been the biggest ongoing developing skill I
have encountered, the university organises networking days and conferences which
I feel I have gained invaluable experience from as I just would not have been
able to gain this experience in industry alone. Professional development
advances people into developing greater skills in their chosen industry usual
through continued study, and careers usual practical or skill based
(Wilkes-Hull and Crosswait, 1995).
Independent
skills
Independent
skills is a skill I have been developing since coming to university, this is
personal and academic. I feel my personal independent skills have developed
since living on my own here in Buxton and dealing with being apart from my
partner and our home. My academic independent skills have grown massively since
starting at University as academically it is a lot different to college, mainly
I have developed studying independently and being able to work on my own through
situations that before I may have felt I could not do.
Organisational
skills
Organisation
is a skill that I feel that I lacked before attending University, however
learning to be able to complete and study multiple pieces of work at the same
time as enabled me to develop this skill, however I feel that I am not just
organised with my work but have become a lot more organised within my home life
and I think that I am now a lot more organised than I was before starting my
life at university, this will help me within managerial roles when I graduate.
During
my time first year at the University of Derby Buxton I became a programme
representative, this helped me to become assertive. As I have had to
communicate with classmates and lecturers and attend meetings and transfer
information to lecturers that I have received from my fellow peers regrading
positive or negative situations that the other students felt affected their
course. During my time as a rep I had to attend meetings and event at the Derby
campus where I was asked to participate in group discussions about life at
University.