Basics of Employability

BOSS-Wellness and Empowerment Curriculum Module

Basic Employability• Training Objectives:

1. Participants will be familiar with the skills and personal qualities needed for basic employability.

2. Participants will be able to complete a self assessment of personal employability skills and qualities.

3. Participants will have the tools to develop a personal employability staff development plan with their supervisor.

The Three Categories of Employability Skills

• Basic Academic Skills

• “Higher” – Order Thinking Skills

• Personal Qualities

Employers are looking for these skills no matter what the job might be.

The assumption: If you have these skills, the ability to perform specific job functions can be developed with training.

What are “Basic” Academic Skills?

How do you demonstrate these basic academic skills in your day to day work?

• Reading and comprehension• Writing skills• Oral Communication; listening and speaking • Basic Arithmetic/Math

In What Ways are Basic Academic Skills Important for

Employability?• In what way are

– Reading and comprehension– Writing skills– Oral Communication; listening and speaking – Basic Arithmetic/Math

• Important for employability, in your position?

• What things are problematic without these basic academic skills?

“Higher” Order Thinking Skills

• The ability to think, reason, and make sound decisions. – Thinking Critically.– Act logically– Creative, innovative thinking– Problem solving and decision making.– Planning, organizing tasks and responsibilities.

• How are “Higher” Order thinking skills important for successful employment. In your position?

Higher Order ThinkingWhat does the use of these higher order

thinking skills look like to others/ to an employer.

– Thinking critically – Acting logically– Creative, innovative thinking– Problem solving and decision making.

How are “Higher” Order thinking skills important to employability?

Personal Qualities• Lets define what the basic employability

personal qualities look like from an action standpoint.

• “What does the quality or characteristic look when seen in action?”

• Think about what that quality looks like to you. What actions would you be seeing that tells you the person has the quality or characteristic?

Personal Qualities for Basis Employability

• Responsible & Accountable

• Self Confidence• Self Control• Social Skills• Honesty & Integrity• Adaptable and Flexible• Efficient• Openness to learn

• Team Spirit• Punctual • Self Directed• Good Work Attitude• Well Groomed• Cooperative• Self Motivated• Self management ability

Employability Self Assessment

• To have good employability skills, one must first want to work and perform one’s job well.

• The personal qualities of honesty, integrity, good work attitude, self motivation and management are essential qualities for completing a useful basic employability self assessment.

• Rate your basic academic skills using the following scoring system.

• 1= I have excellent• 2= I meet basic employability skills in this

area• 3= I need some improvement.• 4= This is an area that needs more attention

and focus.

Your Employability Self Assessment

Your Employability Self Assessment

Rate yourself 1-4 in each of the following Basic Academic Skills• Reading 1 2 3 4• Comprehension 1 2 3 4• Writing 1 2 3 4• Listening 1 2 3 4• Speaking effectively 1 2 3 4• Basic Math/Arithmetic 1 2 3 4Rate yourself 1-4 in each of the following Higher Order Thinking Skills.• Ability to think critically 1 2 3 4• Acting Logically 1 2 3 4• Creative and innovative thinking. 1 2 3 4• Problem Solving 1 2 3 4• Decision Making 1 2 3 4Rate yourself 1-4 in the following Personal Qualities related to employability.• Responsible and Accountable 1 2 3 4• Self Confidence 1 2 3 4• Self Control 1 2 3 4• Social Skills 1 2 3 4• Honesty and Integrity 1 2 3 4• Adaptable and Flexible 1 2 3 4• Efficient 1 2 3 4• Team Spirit 1 2 3 4• Punctual 1 2 3 4• Self Directed 1 2 3 4• Openness to learning 1 2 3 4• Well Groomed 1 2 3 4• Cooperative 1 2 3 4• Self Motivated 1 2 3 4• Self management ability 1 2 3 4

Self Directed/Motivated Assessment Response

• The self assessment is for your use. As such, it is important to be honest with yourself and look critically at your skills and qualities and at the areas that could be improved.

• To make this assessment useful, develop an action plan to develop the skills and qualities that are in needed of development.

• Your plan can be both an individual development plan and a plan that involves your BOSS performance appraisal staff development plan.

– BOSS follow up objective: In a monthly performance appraisal within the next two months, employee and supervisor will integrate the action plan into the staff skill development support plan.

• These employability skills cross work sites, career paths and employment settings. Person employment development can improve your long term employability and open doors to whatever career path you choose.