1. Understand how to access and use careers information.

• 1.1 Identify sources of careers information for personal use.
• 1.2 Describe pathways relevant to chosen career.
• 1.3 Choose a career, target job and target sector/industry.
• 1.4 Describe relevant tools used for job searching and networking
• 1.5 Describe emerging trends in ways of working that may impact on own career.

2. Understand skill requirements relating to career choice.

• 2.1 Undertake a skills audit to determine skills necessary for chosen career.
• 2.2 Review own current skills to identify areas for development for chosen career.
• 2.3 Describe skills relevant to chosen career.

3. Be able to plan own career development.

• 3.1 Identify options for work experience and training.
• 3.2 Produce a career development plan to prepare for a specified career.

4. Understand the job application process. .

• 4.1 Identify sources to find appropriate job vacancies
• 4.2 Describe the purpose of a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and covering letter when applying for a job.
• 4.3 Produce a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and covering letter appropriate for a job application.
• 4.4 Describe how to fill in a job application form.

5. Understand the interview process and how to reflect on own
performance.

• 5.1 Identify ways to prepare for a job interview.
• 5.2 Explain how to participate in an interview.
• 5.3 Develop responses to basic interview questions.
• 5.4 Review and reflect on interview performance.

• Information sources: libraries, directories, professional bodies, private careers organisations/ consultants, education, schools, colleges and universities, people currently working in the chosen career/sector.
• Career pathways: routes of training and working specified by professional bodies, trends, national developments, recession, international developments, environmental/carbon footprint considerations.
• Exploring Careers and Job Opportunities;
• Understanding the process of choosing a career, a target job and a target industry /sector post understanding of job/profession/industry and sectoral trends for the future.
• Job Boards, CV templates, professional social media platforms-LinkedIn etc
• Emerging trends: flexible working patterns, portfolio working, part-time jobs, global working, home based.
• Skills audit: diagnostic testing, assessment, skills, values
• Current skills: occupational interests, analysis findings, relevance, conclusions, validity and merit, relevant work/other experience, training, qualifications, transferable skills,
• Transferable skills: skills for life (communication skills, ICT skills, numeracy skills); wider transferable skills (functional skills); vocational skills; technical skills; work-related skills, research; time management
• Time management, prioritising workload, able to work within a team, having good written/ oral communication skills; achievements, meeting targets, increasing turnover, special interests, hobbies that require skills useful for work, qualities which support work role, being creative, taking the initiative, motivation.
• Developing Self, Induction to Work, Education and Training. Using ICT Systems
• Work experience: temporary unpaid work placements, paid temporary work, agency work, shadowing, internal staff transfer, covering for absent staff, staff rotation
• Training: apprenticeships, employer and government funded work based training to develop new skills.
• Career development plan:
• Decide personal career objectives: short term,
  medium term
• Decide personal development needs: skills audit; skills gap; personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis; qualifications map; qualifications gap; timescales; training requirements
• Personal development plan (set up, maintain, review, update); curriculum vitae; SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timebound) targets; mapping progress against targets; recording achievement; evaluating progress; adjusting targets; re-assessing
  objectives; responding to feedback; lifelong
  learning
• Employment websites relevant to own country, search engines ie Google etc, employment agencies, HR departments, trade and professional magazines, newspapers, public notices, recruitment fairs, Jobcentre Plus, Careers Office, employment organisations/agencies in own country, social networks, personal contacts, Social Media.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): tailored to the position applied for, suitable format e.g., chronological, skills based or combination, easy to read, correct formatting and font, text is clear and concise, highlight skills, education and
  experience, ‘’sell yourself’’
• Covering Letter / Letter of application /: to indicate interest in the position applied for formal layout, tone, persuasive, holds attention, refers to relevant skills experiences and achievements, key competencies matched to job,
• Application Form: paper or online, different variations of format depending on employer and the sector, competency questions, personal statement, your personal details, your
  employment history, your educational history, reasons why you’re a suitable candidate for the role, references. Ensure accurate, honest and legible.
• Usefulness of preparation, ability to show how skills and experience are ideal for the job, utilising opportunities to show relevant achievements, anticipation of questions, quality and effectiveness of answers, use of appropriate
  body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, use of relevant questions, ability to give a
  presentation and/ or pass assessments
• Developing Interview Skills: general interview questions, job related competency interviews, preparing and facing interviews . Practical preparations: arrangements eg confirm attendance, find out what type of interview eg informal, formal, one to one, panel, group; research and understand information about the employer and job vacancy, anticipate questions, prepare and rehearse appropriate answers, questions to ask; travel, timing, collect documents/paperwork to take eg notes, questions, certificates; avoid anxiety eg talk to friends and family, recall achievements, use perspective, deep breathing; personal preparation eg suitable clothing, shoes hair, make-up, personal hygiene. Research: the company, its values, the job role.
• Participation: employers expectations knowledge of organisation, have questions ready, know application information, read job and person specification, punctuality, appropriate dress, politeness
• Questioning direct eg why do you want to work here? have you done this kind of work before? indirect eg tell us something about yourself? discursive eg where do you see yourself in two years time? reflective eg what do you consider to be your weakness? information giving eg how did you travel here? what experience do you have with IT?; range of examples eg why should we employ you? why did you leave your previous job? what are your career goals and aspirations?
• Answers: presenting information eg verbal, handouts; relevant information, clear and concise; check understanding, insight; skills, levels of competence, presentations; methods eg assessment days, tests, paper, online, oral, discussion groups, meetings, assessment centres Presentation: types eg oral, using ICT eg PowerPoint; focused, being original, keeping to brief and time
• Review and Reflection: aspects of the interview that went well. aspects of the interview that did not go well. Self reflection on outcomes eg rehearse answers to anticipated questions, maintain more focus, exercise more self discipline, pause and think before answering, request clarification, review useful information before the interview for better recall, gain a greater appreciation of own abilities, make more effort with presentations, be more aware of own body language, make more effort to dress appropriately, improve timing