aboutteagan

[aboutteagan]

Entry 7: Reflection on the subject with respect to your starting point, new learnings and experiences, and how this will assist you from a career development perspective.

438 words

Before starting this subject, I was so unaware on how unprofessional my resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile were and how unprepared I was to go into a professional job or further internship. This subject assisted with my confidence and ability to perform interviews to my best ability and editing and expressing my experiences when publishing them on resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles.

When it comes to my resume, I have been able to add all work experiences, volunteering and education to the two pages, which has helped me expand the information on each experience and include all required elements into the resume. I have taken the photo off it, as we learnt that some employers can be bias when it comes to seeing a photo on a resume of an applicant but I still have one on my LinkedIn profile for them to see, if they choose to do a further search to review me. As seen below in Laurenson (2024), there is a lot of information in the two pages, but I have been advised that most employers would rather more than less information on my previous duties and abilities.

Teagan Laurenson 2024 Resume (Laurenson, 2024).

As I had a shocking start with no prior cover letter experience, I have now learnt the importance of a cover letter, as Waung et al (2017) acknowledges, the level of research, attention and information done prior to applying for a job is showcased through the ability to write cover letters. I have now been able to create 4 cover letters for a job I applied for and the three required mock internship applications. I have attached the cover letter I had used when applying for a Membership Sales Coordinator job at Hawthorn Football Club below (Laurenson, 2024). This has obviously been a huge development as I have never written a cover letter, but this subject has assisted me in my confidence and ability to create one for each job or internship I apply for.

Teagan Laurenson 2024 Hawthorn Football Club Cover Letter (Laurenson, 2024).

When it comes to mock interviews, I have previously experienced them in high school through another assessment. It was to also help prepare us for applying jobs and university back then. When it came to participating in the current mock interviews, I was still nervous but when given the opportunity to hear from peers in the feedback forms, it had helped level the nerves out, give me confidence and prepare me for the real interview assessment. I personally think I have grown more confident as a student and I am more prepared to go into the professional sports industry and this subject has been the main contributor to that development.

References

Laurenson, T. (2024). Teagan Laurenson 2024 Hawthorn Football Club Cover Letter [Screenshot].

Laurenson, T. (2024). Teagan Laurenson 2024 Resume [Screenshot].

Waung, M., McAuslan, P., DiMambro, J. M., & Miegoc, N. (2017). Impression Management Use in Resumes and Cover Letters. Journal of Business and Psychology, 32(6), 727–746. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-016-9470-9

[aboutteagan]

Entry 6: Critical reflection on your experience of and performance in your interview practices and assessment. How have you developed your technique? What do you need to focus on? Use your peer feedback to assist.

 520 words

I have always been a nervous wreck when it comes to public speaking and when in interviews. This has been a weakness and is in definite need of improving. My nervousness tends to make me speak really fast, so it becomes hard for the listeners to take all of my information in. This was evident in my mock interview, where I included ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ into my speech to pause my talking and to think of a better way to communicate my answers. This is a common thing for me, as I find it hard to come up with straight answers and I always repeat myself or elongate my answers.

Although I have those weaknesses, I got praised for being confident when I spoke, kept eye contact with the reviewers and maintained “good and professional posture” (Dunn, 2024) throughout my first mock interview which is shown below (Dunn, 2024). Peer feedback can help recognise a level of comparison to peer and personal performance (Sumardi, et al. 2022), which assisted me in recognising the areas that I need to change based on the feedback I was given and the performances that I assessed.

Interview feedback form (Dunn, 2024).

When it comes to presentations, interviews and communicating, I have never been shy when it comes to eye contact as I think it is what draws people in and helps show emotion and passion when it comes to explaining what I’m talking about. This has been a continual element in my ability that I have developed throughout the years and take pride in.

Even though I got complimented for my posture, I have lacked good posture and professional demeanour when it comes to presenting or being a part of a class. I tend to sway on chairs that rotate, dangle my legs, take tiny steps back and forth when in front of a group, fidget with my hands or scripts and slouch when sitting in seats. These are all bad habits that I display when trying to be professional. These may not be identified by those reviewing me, but I have been able to pick up on them when I do them. Being able to pinpoint them may seem like a valuable skill but it doesn’t actually process in my mind until after I’ve done the habits for a while.

When it comes to technique, I had a specific dialogue that I had said in my opening ‘tell us about yourself’ answer. It included my experiences from volunteering, work, study and my internship but was then assessed and criticised at the end of my interview assessment. I was told to talk more about my passions, life experiences, schooling and other interests and not all my work experiences, volunteering or internships. This was due to being able to relate my potential answers to their questions by connecting my answer to my experiences. This helps reduce the amount of repetition of relaying experiences and enables me to talk more in-depth of my specific roles and duties. I overall think I have improved and been successful when it comes to the process of interviews but there is always space for development.

References

Dunn, B. (2024). Interview feedback form [Photograph].

Sumardi, Anisa, K. D., & Aniq, L. N. (2022). Oral Peer Feedback in A Flipped Speaking Job Interview Class: Practice and Learners’ Attitudes. JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies), 7(2), 245–268. https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v7i2.214

[aboutteagan]

Entry 5: The importance of organisational culture and being a high performing intern and team member.

438 words

An organisations culture is built up of a set of values, goals, hopes and behaviours that the organisation discuss and agree on, which are used to frame their expectations and requirements as a group (Carvalho et al. 2019). This is developed at the very beginning when it comes to creating a culture as an organisation or group and to set those boundaries that are needed. As shown in Figure 1, there are a wide range of skills and values that go into a selected organisation culture profile, such as being logical towards approaching certain outcomes, teams, details and people when it comes to work and joint expectations.

Figure 1

Dimensions of Organisational Culture Profile (OCP)

Note. From Sheppard (n.d.).

When it comes to joining a company or organisation, adapting to their certain groups and cultures can be hard. As shown in Figure 2, the ways to adapt to a new work place, consist of asking work related questions to gain knowledge on the workplace and its culture, don’t use comparisons from your old and new job or position, communicate and create relationships with colleagues and peers, set goals for the new job, take in the change and have a positive mindset (Eleven Recruiting, n.d.).

Figure 2

How to adapt to a new work environment

Note. From Eleven Recruiting (n.d.).

As I have already started an internship, I have been able to experience what is it like being an intern and going into an organisation that has those expectations and that culture. Luckily for me, I have been put in a really relaxing and chilled out role, which allows me to do the work that is needed and then gives me some time to wind down and do university work in my down time. I ensure that I have always done my required intern work to a high standard and get it approved prior to winding down, which has previously been praised by my supervisor and their superior.

Being an intern could sometimes be a hard and exhausting job but due to the timing of my prior internship experience, it wasn’t the busiest year in the calendar. Which means that when I go back this year, I am going to be required to help out more and maintain organised throughout the chaos that the new year can bring. I will be required to take on more responsibilities, handle professional jobs and use my knowledge to assist in experiences. As this internship is something I am passionate about with working in the women and girl’s department at Basketball Victoria. I have the ability to work towards assisting an increase in the knowledge and participation towards women in sport. This passionate has also grown from my work within such an eager team to see results for this department.

References

Carvalho, A. M., Sampaio, P., Rebentisch, E., Carvalho, J. Álvaro, & Saraiva, P. (2019). Operational excellence, organisational culture and agility: the missing link? Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 30(13-14), 1495–1514. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2017.1374833

Eleven Recruiting. (n.d.). 6 tips on how to adapt to a new work environment. https://elevenrecruiting.com/how-to-adapt-to-a-new-work-environment/

Sheppard, L. (n.d.). Fundamentals of Leadership. Pressbooks. https://opentext.wsu.edu/organizational-behavior/chapter/15-3-characteristics-of-organizational-culture/

[aboutteagan]

Entry 4: Critical analysis of your internship applications relative to best practice using peer feedback.

503 words

When it came to internships applications for assessment 2, we were to review other peers work and provide feedback. Providing and receiving peer feedback helps students process class activities and criteria when it comes to their writing (Huisman et al. 2018). When we were first reviewed by our peers on our resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles, I was given no feedback on my cover letter, as I didn’t have one for them to review.

Even though I didn’t have a cover letter to review, my previous resume and not completed LinkedIn profile were up for review. Clayton (2024) stated that my resume was laid out nicely and it had all the information required but my resume page may look too overwhelming and all the information was packed onto the page, which I agree on as school had told me that a resume had to always be one page long and nothing more. We have now been advised that resumes can be 1-2 pages long, which has helped when it comes to adding everything in.

When it comes to my LinkedIn profile, I had only just recently updated prior to this review, which helps with the positive feedback that I had received. According to Clayton (2024) “all fields were complete, good experience, photo, skills and interests and all education, volunteering and licenses and certificates were listed” were included in my resume in her review attached below. There were some adjustments needed, with my about section needing to be revamped and the possibility of adding a cover photo and some more skills. These are little adjustments that will take no time to change.

Review and feedback form (Clayton, 2024).

After we had time to change the elements that were identified, I had both Matthew Jerram and Ethan Yon review all 3 platforms and give feedback. My new cover letter was acknowledged as “well formatted, heavy detailed and written nice and clear” by Yon (2024) and had “referenced previous experiences and was well written” according to Jerram (2024). Although, there was plenty of positives, Jerram (2024) had noted that I didn’t find a recipient to address the cover letter to, which was due to the application not stating one at the time and that I needed to “highlight my degree” (Jerram, 2024) more, which are easy fixes.

When it comes to my resume Jerram (2024) stated that it consisted of multiple experiences but may be crowded with all the information, which I find that more information is best. Yon (2024) had voiced that it was formatted pleasingly and listed my experiences and needed no improvements.

Finally, with my LinkedIn profile, Yon (2024) thought my photo was idle and both reviewers liked what I had written in my about section. According to Jerram (2024), I had a brief URL but needed to engage more due to the lack of posts on my page. I have never posted on LinkedIn, as I’ve barely used it but will definitely be posting more in the future. I have added the two new feedback reviews below.

Peer review and feedback form (Yon, 2024).

Peer review and feedback form (Jerram, 2024).

References

Clayton, R. (2024). Review and feedback form [Screenshot].

Jerram, M. (2024). Peer review and feedback form [Photograph].

Huisman, B., Saab, N., van Driel, J., & van den Broek, P. (2018). Peer feedback on academic writing: undergraduate students' peer feedback role, peer feedback perceptions and essay performance. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(6), 955–968. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1424318

Yon, E. (2024). Peer review and feedback form [Photograph].

[aboutteagan]

Entry 3: The importance of personal marketing, branding and your unique value proposition. What is your brand and what areas do you need to improve?

477 words

Your own personal unique value proposition consists of the values and qualities you bring to a workplace and what social skills and strengths you can provide (Laja, 2023). These are what you use to sell yourself to companies when going for jobs as it is your main proposal. The company then determines if they would bother to set you up for a job interview or reach out at all in regard to the job. It all starts with how you can sell yourself through explaining your abilities and what companies can benefit from having you onboard.

Personal branding is to use marketing strategies to help sell your ability to potential employers (Khedher, 2014). Creating a personal brand helps develop your career by expressing your talents that can assist in future career paths (Sprout Social, n.d.). When it comes to creating a brand for myself, I have always been a confident, loud and talkative person. This has helped me make connections, showcase my ability and branch out in the last 7 years. I have been able to develop personable skills that helps me create relationships, make early connections and grow my professional career. I have been awarded multiple recognitions for excellence, with my previous award from my diploma course and my recent ASPIRE award at university. Below are the photos of me receiving the excellence award through a jersey presentation and the certificate of my ASPIRE award.

SEDA Group Diploma award ceremony (Laurenson, 2021).

Teagan Laurenson ASPIRE Award (Holmesglen Institute, 2023).

These prove that I have the ability to stand out to my teachers, lecturers and coordinators, so the only thing stopping me from showcasing it to my future employers is how my personal brand is displayed. I try my best by displaying these skills and strengths on my LinkedIn profile and in my resume and cover letters.

I pride myself in the ability to bring the best out of people to ensure all fellow students are participating and contributing with their best parts of them and their abilities. This brings out the best collaborative work that we could ever produce, and it helps us work as a team and build a stronger bond. In each and every task that I am allocated to a group, I am able to naturally become a leader, this is sourced by my previous leadership skills from my diploma course and has assisted with the way I can help take the role of leader that no one feels comfortable doing.

Although I can assist in leading and allocating within a group, I lack some trust when it comes to the work others can provide. I sometimes can find it easy when allocating and ensuring that each student will participate and do their part. More specifically, when it comes to some assessments and working with new students, it is hard for me to spread the work between others, as I struggle to build that trust so quickly.

References

Holmesglen Institute. (2023). Teagan Laurenson ASPIRE Award [Screenshot].

Khedher, M. (2014). Personal Branding Phenomenon. International Journal of Information, Business and Management; Chung-Li, 6(2). 29-40. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/personal-branding-phenomenon/docview/1511120777/se-2

Laja, P. (2023, December 3). Unique Value Proposition: How to create a UVP (with 7 examples). CXL. https://cxl.com/blog/value-proposition-examples-how-to-create/

Laurenson, T. (2021). SEDA Group Diploma award ceremony [Photograph].

Sprout Social. (n.d.). Personal Brand. https://sproutsocial.com/glossary/personal-brand/#:~:text=Personal%20branding%20is%20the%20process,and%20values%20that%20differentiate%20you.

[aboutteagan]

Entry 2 - Your preparedness for an internship: your skills (and skills gap), and the importance of a resume and cover letter with respect to the current status of your own documents.

505 words

Throughout my years volunteering at sporting event through Melbourne United and Basketball Victoria, I have been able to create and grow connections, be open-minded and be flexible when it comes to different professional situations. I have also learnt how to be a leader and work on my decision-making skills from my time doing my diploma course. I have worked in casual retail sales jobs for the past 2 years, which has helped with my customer service, communication and problem-solving skills and my patience towards customers, peers and when doing my assessments. During my time already completing an internship at Basketball Victoria, I have learnt to work on my personal demeanour, what I wear, how I approach certain situations and my communication, organisation and confidence have also improved whilst working within the participation department at Basketball Victoria. I have also been able to work on my time management, dedication, reliability and teamwork when juggling my three main commitments in work, study and my current internship.

When it comes to applying for jobs and internships, a resume is an important element that goes into the process. The information that goes into resumes assist the recruiters with their assessment and reviews on applicants (Su et al. 2015). This means that everything that you put in whether it’s experiences, education, volunteer work, skills, interests, contact details or references needs to be accurate and relevant. When it comes to resumes, I have made plenty in the past but none of them were at a high standard. I had never included all of my experiences whether it was work or volunteering and the information that goes with each. This is something that I had lacked and never really added what was needed. As shown below (Laurenson, 2023), I haven’t included my volunteer work, which consists of 7 years of volunteering, there are no references listed and there is a have a photo of me on it. These are all things I need to add and subtract from my resume to start applying for jobs and internships.

Teagan Laurenson 2023 Resume (Laurenson, 2023).

When it comes to cover letters, I haven’t had the motivation to make a cover letter, as I have always gotten a job that didn’t require me to add one. This reduced the amount of jobs I was applying for and securing, as I wasn’t putting in a bit more effort to address my interest in the job. This mindset has obviously now changed, as all the jobs and internships that I will be applying for may be future career opportunities and not just casual retail jobs that I needed to have to gain some extra money. According to Mathews (2018), sometimes cover letters can be more interesting than resumes, as they are new information pieces that an applicant uses to introduce their experiences and how those experiences relate to the job their applying for. Which is why I need to start practicing and creating cover letters for each and every job or internship I apply for and this subject should help me do so.

References

Laurenson, T. (2023). Teagan Laurenson 2023 Resume [Screenshot].

Mathews, J. (2018). INSIDE ... CUBITTS: Lead optometrist at Cubitts, Jewlsy Mathews, discusses the importance of the cover letter and how a little research can go a long way. Optometry Today (London), 58(6), 88.

Su, C.-H., Lorgnier, N. G. A., Yang, J.-H., & Oh, S. H. (2015). How does the interview change the importance of résumé information in acceptance decisions? An experimental study in the hotel industry. Service Business, 9(4), 711–732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-014-0253-y

[aboutteagan]

Entry 1 - About Me page including: a brief on your background, sport interests, work experiences and career ambitions. In addition: a reflection on your study performance to date and areas to improve; expectations and aspirations for this subject and your internship.

490 words

I have been playing all types of sport for the past 10 years, which has fuelled my want to pursue a job within the sports industry. Although, when it came to my schooling, I wasn’t cut out for the normal read textbooks and sit in classrooms all day. Schwichow et al. (2016) states that hands-on learning promotes outstanding learning abilities, student commitment and motivation to participate and get involved, which is what I was lacking at my previous high school. This led to me looking for new schools, more specifically sporting ones. This is where I found SEDA College, which became one of the best decisions of my life. My last 2 years of high school consisted of playing sport, making connections, a wide range of experiences and continuing to get one step closer to my career path.

I spent my final school years volunteering and creating relationships through working closely with Melbourne United and Basketball Victoria. This is where I led clinic training days for kids, set up NBL game day activations, work in the membership and ticket sales department and worked with the elderly to keep them active. This led to me winning an Outstanding Student award specifically appointed my Basketball Victoria, which is shown below (SEDA College, 2019).

Teagan Laurenson Outstanding Student Award (SEDA College, 2019).

After school, I had a gap year which meant I wasted a lot of time, didn’t get a proper job, didn’t do any study and didn’t really get anywhere in my career path.  This led to me choosing to do a diploma course the year after. Once I started my diploma, I had become a class leader, made new connections, excelled in my learnings which enabled me to finish my course ahead of time and I had received an award for excellence.

This led to my decision to apply for university to continue my studies. Holmesglen Institute displayed as a similar experience to SEDA, as there were small amounts of students per class. This has always been helpful when it comes to my learnings, as there is a one on one element that is consistent throughout all years in the degree. This process has assisted in creating strong bonds with all lecturers, being open to all opportunities suggested and creating a good name for myself.

I have already secured an internship at Basketball Victoria, where I am working within the women and girl’s participation department. I have already loved every minute and am looking to continue it again in my final year at university. As I have credits from previous studies, I only have 1 subject this semester. This provides me with a lot of spare time. I hope to use this time by securing another 1-2 internships or a sport industry job to expand my future career possibilities. I hope that this subject can provide me with more professional experience to be able to gain those new internships and possibly reach for a job in my decided career.  

References

Schwichow, M., Zimmerman, C., Croker, S., & Härtig, H. (2016). What students learn from hands-on activities. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(7), 980–1002. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21320

SEDA College. (2019). Teagan Laurenson Outstanding Student Award [Photograph].