ICC 422

(English for International

Employment)
j

MODULE 2:
Discovering Yourself

HANNAH JANE B. SUMABAT

DSSC – IMAS DEPARTMENT
OVERVIEW

Hi, Dear Students! Welcome to this 2nd module! This is the

second part of the subject course English for International
Employment (EfIE).

The first module was introduced and tackled about the

introduction of this course where English for Business Purposes
was mentioned and which includes different concepts that are
related to business transactions. In order to face those certain
challenges, you have to challenge yourself first by knowing who
really you are and what you are. So in this module, you will be
focusing your self’s experiences, skills/competencies, &
qualifications that helps secure your goals especially in looking job
or work in the near future.
Identifying and learning yourself is a plus factor to gain
confidence and enthusiasm in this time which jobs are must be
related to your credentials and be matched to the field of expertise
and specializations. Always remember this phrase coined by
Aristotle, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” So, let
yourself showcase what you have.

Objectives/Outcomes:

The following are the outcomes expected to achieve at the

end of the module:

• Identify and discover about yourselves

• Describe the academic qualifications
• Show and recognize of what competencies, skills and
experiences used in job

For your idea, these are the following lessons in this

module: Lesson 1: Identifying yourself
Lesson 2: Describing qualifications
Lesson 3: Highlighting skills, competencies and experiences

Lesson 1
Identifying Yourself

Objectives/Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Identify and discover their selves.

Time Frame: Week 5

Introduction

Hi, welcome again to this new topic! This lesson involves ‘YOU’!
Discovering yourself is like looking or researching a treasure in
deep and categorizing the means why, who and what you are
looking for. Defining, knowing and describing yourself also are
the basic term to practice and enhance the writing and speaking
skills. Aside from that, you are going to prepare yourself how to
handle such situations particularly in looking a job that is
matched to your qualifications.

Instruction: Practice and try to answer this mind map to highlight

the strengths and weaknesses of JC using prepositions: in, to or at.
Analysis

Instruction: Answer briefly the following questions below in the space

provided.

1. What have you learned in the mind map of JC?

2. How do you define strengths and weaknesses based on JC’s

mind map?
Abstraction:
Learning the English Language is important as it is essential to every
part and interaction in our everyday lives. Every sentence we use has
the purpose of enabling the second language learners to move beyond
vocabulary and grammar to the functional aspect of communication.
The topic and the exercises aim the enhancement of the learners’
communication skill as this new academic year brings a lot of energy and
eagerness to students, teachers and parents (although in a different way
like in this new normal learning). It is high time to practice self-
introductions especially in this timely online platform of education.
Introducing or discovering oneself is in educational atmosphere and for
career, which are both vital in one’s life.

‘You’ personally knows the background, however, there are some

instances that you have to discover and later on realize that you are a
person with different capacities and talents that others could discover or
able to describe who you are with them especially in applying for a job
or while you are already in the working industry.
But, before you look for the perfect job, write a CV/Resume for job
application, you need to do some research. Researching yourself is the
key to finding job that is right for you. However, the first thing you need
to do when about to start the job-hunting process is a self-assessment of
your own strengths and weaknesses. This process will help you identify
and assess the
skills, qualifications, experiences, knowledge and personal
characteristics that employers are looking for.

Application

ANSWER THIS!

Instruction: Draw a mind map similar to JC’s showing your

strengths and weaknesses. You may add many bubbles you like
and try to use the following phrases.

Strengths Weaknesses Positive Negative

Characteristics Characteristics
I’m I’m not I am… I can
excellent very good sometimes
at…
at… be…

I’m able to… I could be I try to… Occasionally

better at… I am…
I’m I’m I can be a little
intereste reasona bit…
d in… bly good at…
I recently I would like to
managed to.. be able to..

Closure:
Well done, Dear Students! Hope you have learned and able to
inculcate the importance of the topic! See you in the next lesson!
 Lesson 2

Describing Qualifications

Objectives/Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 describe the academic qualifications

Time Frame: Week 6

Introduction

Hi, welcome again to this new topic! This lesson involves your
qualifications and educational achievements as one of the
important keys in finding job. It will be your training ground
how to use phrases and sentences in giving details of your
academic qualifications.

Instruction: Practice and try to complete the sentences using the

prepositions: in, at, from or with.

I started my career
Industrial
 Food Corporation after graduating
Davao del Sur State College a
Bachelor’s degree major Enterprise
Management.

1. I also obtained a BSc Computer Science Ateneo

de University 2017.

2. I read Modern Languages and Historical events

The National Library of Manila.

Analysis

Instruction: Answer briefly the question below in the space provided.

1. What qualifications do you have?

Abstraction:
English is the real global language and it is important in
education, relations, and business, and in seeking jobs that relates and
matches job qualifications.
Job qualifications (Job specifications) refer to the summary of
education, work experience, and skills appearing to a certain job
opening. Employers, recruiters and hiring managers use listing of
required and desired job qualifications when selecting applicants for
an interview where a candidate is deemed perfect in a specific role or
job position.
These qualifications are categorized into the following:
 Education: includes high school, post-secondary courses, college
and advanced degrees as well as licenses and certifications. Example,
the job qualifications for an accountant might include CPA certification
in addition to a bachelor's degree in accounting.
Work Experience: includes prior roles and / or responsibilities,
industry knowledge, as well as the ability to use certain tools.
Example, the qualifications for an office associate or office clerk that
include familiarity with office works or paper works and other related
practices to clerical works.
Skills: includes verbal and non-verbal or written communication,
analytical, research, computer literacy, interpersonal, planning and
organizing, problem-solving, customer service, leadership, and
teambuilding. For example, the qualifications for a computer
technician might include knowledge of software applications and
associated hardware.
Physical Attributes: includes the ability to travel, haul up objects
of a certain weight, work changeable schedules, and hold a valid
driver's license.
Featuring your qualifications for a job can help you establish
yourself as a competent professional. You can modify your resume or
CV to describe your qualifications as they pertain to a specific position
or go in- depth with descriptions in your cover letter. You also should
be prepared to discuss your outstanding qualifications during an
interview, using care responses as they apply to the description of the
job you are applying for. In all stages during the job application
process, you really need to describe your academic qualifications.

Application

ANSWER THIS!

Instruction: Answer the following:

1. List at least 5 positions that you think you are qualified which
is related to your academic qualification.

2. Out from the 5 positions, what you most likely to be your

position in the future? Explain why?

3. What are the tasks that best describe to the position you
wanted to have in the near future?

Closure:

Well done, Dear Students! Hope you have learned and able to
instill the importance of the topic! See you in the next lesson!
 Lesson 3

Highlighting Skills, Competencies and Experiences

Objectives/Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 show and recognize of what competencies, skills and

experiences used in jobs.

Time Frame: Week 7

Introduction

Hi, welcome again to this new topic! This lesson tackles the
competencies, skills and experiences that are keys to apply a
certain job. If you’re looking for a job or are keen to understand
how you can advance in your career, it’s important that you
recognize the transferrable competencies, skills and experiences
that you have so you can further explain yourself to an interview
or show who you are to work with.

Instruction: Practice and match the phrases which demonstrate

transferrable skills using the correct verbs.
 1. creativity a. convince
someone to do
2. communication skills something

3. negotiation skills b. chair a meeting

4. organizational skills c. invent a machine

5. leadership skills d. meet deadlines

6. analytical skills e. give an idea

7. team working skills f. support

a colleague
8. interpersonal skills
g. analyze a data

h. work with
‘difficult’ people

i. target
Analysis

Instruction: Answer briefly the questions below in the spaces provided.

1. What skills do you have?

2. What competencies do you have?

3. What experiences do you have towards work?

Abstraction:

Highlighting Skills, Competencies and Experiences

Highlighting skills and experiences are one of the priorities in
dealing with employment aspects. Employers will ask for transferable
skills or competencies which skills, knowledge and behaviours are
necessary for the particular jobs. Reviewing previous experience will
help identify your transferable skills and recognize jobs that you are
qualified for.

Skills and competencies do differ:

Skills are the specific learned capabilities that you need to
perform a given job well. Examples: handling accounts; coding;
welding; writing tenders; computer programming and foreign
language proficiency.
Competencies are the person’s knowledge and behaviours that
lead them to be successful in a job. Examples: analytical abilities;
problem-solving; initiative; negotiation; improving business processes;
strategic planning and data-based decisions.
Transferable skills are skills and abilities that are relevant and
helpful across different areas of life: socially, professionally and
academically. They are called ‘portable skills’.
Skills and abilities can be transferable; it is depending on where
they are being transferred to and from. When applying for a job you
should remember, however, that the type of transferable skills you
highlight in a letter of application, in your CV or résumé should be
related to the position for which you are applying.

Transferable skills are:

Teamworking skills - work effectively in a group or team to achieve
goals.
Leadership skills- Show initiative and leadership abilities
Personal Motivation, Organization and Time Management (interpersonal
and organizational skills) - manage and prioritize your workloads and
time effectively. Know yourself and find ways to develop/personal
development.
Communications skills

• Written Communication - Write accurately, clearly and concisely

in variety of styles.

• Verbal Communication - Speak clearly and dynamically in a

variety of situations.
Research and Analytical Skills - Gather, interpret and analyze
information.
Information Technology - Effectively use computers and
technology.

Transferable skills that could bring the following benefits for

candidates and employers:

• Flexibility. In an increasingly competitive job market,

companies want to employ employees who can vary and
complete multiple tasks and roles. When you have a varied skill
set, this will set you apart from the other applicants and shows
you have greater flexibility.

• Diversity. The more diversity you can offer to a potential

employer. The experiences that you have had during your
studies, work experience or academic projects have all allowed
you to develop a range of skills, many of which can be put to
good use in any role.

• Portability. The nature of transferable skills means they can be

taken with you when you move jobs. As you progress, the skills
that you currently have will improve and you will also gain new
ones too.

• Employability. Even if you have very little work experience,

building a strong CV or resume around your transferable skills will
strengthen your chances of success. Although you may not have
direct work experience, these transferable skills will demonstrate
that you can adapt to new demands.
Skills on the resume – highlights your resume based on the following:
• Resume summary or objective – includes your most valuable,
relevant transferable skill.
• Employment history descriptions - skills you used to be successful
in previous roles. You should select 2-3 of your most relevant
accomplishments. Use several different skills to achieve those
goals but you don’t need to state the transferable skill directly.
• Skills list - helpful way to display your strongest transferable
skills. Several useful qualities, be sure to use the job description
to decide which skills to put on your resume. These can be
found under sections like “job duties” or “requirements.”
Skills on writing cover letter
• Writing a cover letter, focus on one or two of your transferable
skills that the employer has integrated in the job description. In
the letter, write about when you’ve used these skills during the
past work experiences.
Skills in the interview

In the interview, use examples of when you’ve used relevant

transferable skills to answer your interviewer’s questions.
Consider and always remember to “show” instead of “tell” when
can provide specific stories about highlighted skills and
experiences.

Experiences are part of the skills and competencies being applied in

the certain activities and works and in a certain situation. Experiences
are can be learned and discovered. It also simplifies how a person be
successful towards the experiences encountered and what the person
can do out from the practices through skillful and competently useful.
So, it is necessary that skills, competencies and experiences must be
included in the particular job application or seeking job in the private
or public sector to give the employers’ idea and choose an applicant
suited to their company’s qualification and in the desired position.
 Application:
Instruction: Answer the following:

1. List at least 5 skills do you have.

2. Out from the 5 skills, what most likely skills fit in the degree
you earned? And explain why these skills are important?

Closure:
Congratulations, Dear Students! You’ve finished the module two!
Thank you for your cooperation. See you in the next module!
ASSESSMENT

Instruction:
Create a video presentation about yourself using the following
statements/questions below. Video presentation must be 3-5 mins. Wear
appropriate attire while covering a video.
a. Tell something about yourself.
b. Why did you choose to study your degree subject?
c. How will your degree help you in the near future?
d. What skills did you employ during this pandemic?
e. What important skills that you need to posses for the degree you have?
f. Where do you see yourself in five years?

SUMMARY

This module was all about discovering about self that refers to
qualifications, skills, competencies and experiences that a person or a
professional must have to showcase the potentials because it is
important that you identify and appreciate what you consider to be
your skills, abilities and personal qualities. Academic qualifications are
demonstration of abilities and asset can help you when applying for
jobs.

An added advantage of assessing yourself is that you will be able

to recognize your weaknesses, plan to improve and upgrade them.
Demonstrating these on your CV and be able to convince yourself
effectively to possible employers. Being able to communicate your
work experience and knowledge to a manager and also match their
requirements is essential for successful job hunting needs by recruiters.

All of the training and qualifications that you have gained are
have particular expertise. These are transferable skills in one particular
workplace that you can take with you from one employer to another.
REFERENCES

Downes, C. & Day, J. (2008). Cambridge English for job-hunting. USA:

Cambridge University Press.

Barnard, R., Cady, J., Buckingham, A. & Trew, G. (2009). Business ventures. USA:
Oxford University Press.

Santhi.V, Jeya & Selvam, R. (2015). Advanced skills for communication in English:
Book
I. New Century Book House. Retrieved on July 24, 2020.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301351158_Advanced_Skills_for_Com
municati on_in_English_Book_I

Talbot, F. (2009). How to write effective business English. Great Britain and USA:
Kogan Page Limited. Retrieved on July 27, 2020.

Roman, K. & Raphaelson, J. (2010). Writing that works. Australia: HarperCollins

Publishers Pty, Ltd. Retrieved on July 27, 2020.