MM1F29-Developing Professional Excellence

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Tatiana Rowson
Email: t.rowson@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module focuses on developing students’ understanding of the graduate and placement recruitment process from the perspective of the recruiter and the organisations. For that purpose, the module draws on the skills and learning from the first two terms to provide students with an experience of the recruitment process, beginning to end. The module will enable the students to use their learning so far to appreciate the economics of recruitment, the context of different organisations (businesses and sectors), the different talent management strategies and needs, the rational for employing certain process and procedures, and what are the next steps in developing a successful, high-performing and engaged workforce. 

This module provides an insight into a recruitment process, from a project management angle. 

The students will also be encouraged to reflect on their own careers. It offers a combination of practical and applied elements as well as more conceptual and academic aspects. As a result, it enables the students to obtain a broad range of knowledge while allowing them to actively reflect on their career, employability and apply to their immediate experience. 

The Module is designed to be delivered in the summer of part 1. The lectures and seminars run ahead of placement applications. Therefore, it equips the students to make better choices and improved applications, to strengthen the students’ success rate of obtaining successful placements and future jobs upon graduation.  

 

This module is delivered at University of Reading and University of Reading Malaysia.

Aims:

The Module is designed to actively support students in their applications for placements, internships and graduate positions and, later, in their management of the job search and application process with the support of Henley Careers. The focus of the module is on the recruitment process, graduate skills and professional development in early career taking the perspective of the employers (organisation and recruiters). This module draws on the learning from the autumn and spring term to help students understand the how the recruitment process fits with other organisational aspects, and the expectations employers, recruiters and organisations have of candidates and talent they attract and aim to retain. The module enables the students to identify and reflect on how to further develop their strengths essential to their future career plans. 

An additional aim of this module is to give students an understanding of this process from a project management angle. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to: 

1. Understand and be capable of navigating the recruitment and selection process 

2. Appreciate the economics of graduate recruitment and talent management broadly

3. Understand the context of contemporary organisations and businesses, their different needs and approaches to recruitment 

4. Identify and understand what employers look for in the recruitment and selection process

5. Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written form appropriate for professional audience 

6. Reflect on strategies and resources for enhancing their skills, strengths and competencies that enables them to plan their professional career. 

Additional outcomes:

Students will also

• Apply their learning from previous terms into a focused project 

• Experience how to design an effective recruitment and selection plan

• Learn how to use reflective practice to inform their career planning and development

• Understand the elements to consider when putting together and revising their career plans 

 

Outline content:

1. Introduction to the module

2. Economics of recruitment and the typical graduate recruitment process

3. Understanding Strengths in Recruitment and talent management 

4. Researching and analysing organisations (Navigating the Job Market) 

5. Competency frameworks (job descriptions and CV writing)

6. Recruitment in the era of AI and Digital technologies

7. Ethical consideration in recruitment industry (e.g. diversity and inclusion)

8. Identifying transferrable skills and competencies from people’s account

9. Understanding the mechanics of psychometrics, interviews and assessment centre 

10. Developing Critical and Reflexive Writing Skills and Business report writing 

11. Module Summary 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The students will receive a combination of lectures, workshops, facilitated training sessions and independent study to develop their knowledge and understanding of how employers recruit placement students/graduates. The students will be able to work in-depth with Henley Careers and benefit from the insights of a number of external speakers during the module.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures			20
Supervised time in studio/workshop			20
Fieldwork	2	2
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)			50
Wider reading (directed)			50
Other	10	10
Completion of formative assessment tasks			6
Essay preparation			15
Reflection			15
Total hours by term	12	12	176
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

There are no formal examinations.

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Method	Percentage	Deadline
Professional Excellence Portfolio (individual): Recruitment Report and Personal reflections  word limit 2,000 (+10%) plus appendices (graded)	100%	WK 39

Formative assessment methods:

Guided self-reflection exercises (during business simulation activities)

Seminar discussions and exercises on “Recruiters’ Report”

 

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A minimum of 40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Professional Excellence Portfolio, word limit 2,000 +10% (graded)

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 8 April 2021