Faculty Of Computing Reflective Journal
Journal Overview
This reflective journal mainly consists of 6 main modules as Understanding the student and the industry gap, preparation of resume part 1, part 2, communication – ice breakers, Interviewing and Emotional intelligence & leadership. In the first module we discuss about understanding our current position in the industry and about the aspect we have to improve in order to go higher in the career life. In the resume preparation part 1 module we discuss about understanding the concept of mind mapping, making our own mind map, uses of mind mapping, and guide for marketing us in our resume. In the resume preparation part 2 module we discuss about mapping the previously made mind map into a resume. We also discuss about dos and don’ts while making a personal resume.
In the communication – ice breakers module we discuss about Meaning of icebreakers, advantages of them and how to conduct an icebreaker session. In the module of Interviewing we discuss about how to face an interview properly. We also discuss about commonly asked questions during and interview and how to answer them properly. In the EQ & Leadership module we discuss about the concept of Emotional Intelligence also known as EQ and its impact on team leadership. And also we discuss the 5 main key elements of EQ and how to develop those qualities which helps us in out career life.
Glossary
Following are the abbreviations and definitions used in this document. Abbreviation Description EQ Emotional Quotient / Emotional Intelligence Understanding the Student and Industry Gap
Summary
To be successful in my professional life, I must understand;
- My current position
- In which level I am studying
- How I am supported financially
- How I get support in studies
- How I get guidance by lecturers.
- How I get emotional comfort through parents and friends.
- Extent of my duties and responsibilities as a student.
- The goal I expect to achieve
- Exact picture of my goal.
- Duration assigned to reach there.
- Requirements that should be fulfilled to achieve that goal
- If the goal is large it should be break down to smaller goals
- Now these smaller goals should be achieved
- Other than achieving academic levels, internship in related field is also compulsory. It may be SE, IT, Project management, DB administration, UI engineer, Software Quality assurance, SQ control or QA analyst
- Importance of industry training
- I must build a picture of what I will become at the completion of the six-month industry training
- If picture at the end of six month matches the one built at the beginning I have well understood the industry
- A good picture of the industry
Learning Outcome
- Understand my current position
- Understand where I want to reach
- Identify how to achieve the destination I want to go
- Introduction to Industry Training (my perspective)
- More information on what the industry is about
Application of the area covered
After completing this lecture, I understood my current position in the industry and the areas I have to improve I order to go higher in my career life. I understood the importance of industry training and how it affects the career path I will be choosing soon.
Application of the area covered
Making a good resume contribute in employers to identify our abilities and personality better than getting to know us at an interview.
Communication – Ice Breakers
Summary
An ice-breaker is an activity, game, or an event that is used to welcome and warm up the conversation among participants in a meeting, team building session or another event. Any event that requires people to comfortable interact with each other and a facilitator is an opportunity to use an ice-breakers. An effective icebreaker will warm up the conversation in our training class or meeting and ensure that participants enjoy their interaction and session. When participants don’t know each other, the icebreaker concept helps us to introduce ourselves to the other participants. Even If the participants know each other, icebreakers are still useful to warm up the conversation.
There are 2 main types of ice breakers:
- The first type of icebreaker is just for fun. When participants know each other, laughter and conversation generated by the icebreaker, warm up the group. When participants are strangers, the ice is broken and participants learn something about each other.
- The second type of icebreaker introduces or segues into the topic of the training session or meeting. It might also generate laughter and conversation, but its clear purpose is to open up the topic of the session. An example of this type of icebreaker is asking the group to identify the characteristics of their best team experience to introduce a session on team building.
Learning Outcome
- Meaning of icebreakers.
- Advantages of them.
- How to conduct an icebreaker session.
Application of the area covered
- When participants know each other and we want to warm up and get the discussion flowing comfortably, an icebreaker is in order.
- When participants know each other and work in different areas or departments, an icebreaker will break the ice that can occur between silos.
- When participants know each other but have different job titles and levels within our organization’s chain of command, an icebreaker can break down the barriers that might inhibit honest, comfortable communication.
- When participants are strangers, an icebreaker is a comfortable, simple way to make introductions, help people start communicating and sharing thoughts, and generally, warm up the room.
- When participants don’t know each other but share a mission, an interest or an idea and have a lot in common, an icebreaker warms up the group prior to more serious discussion of the topic. We can use a topic that allows the group to enter into the topic discussion but not the weightier issues at hand.
- When participants are diverse: various ages, ethnic groups, profit and non-profit organizations, job titles within their organizations, and have unknown areas of commonality and shared interests, an icebreaker is essential to get people talking, generate laughter and start with an initial level of warmth within the room.
Learning Outcome
- In this lecture I understood 5 steps to prepare for an interview in advance.
- I learnt the general tips about interviewing.
Application of the area covered
This module helped me to learn how to face an interview properly. I learnt many tips regarding understanding my values and how to present them to the interviewers properly. And also I understood some of the key personalities employers seek from us. Now I have an idea about what the employers are going to ask from us in an interview and how I am supposed to answer them.
EQ and Leadership
Summary
EQ is the Emotional Intelligence or the Emotional Quotient. It is the ability to understand and manage our own emotions and emotions of the people around us. People with higher level of EQ know what they are feeling and what their emotions mean and how those emotions affect others. Ability to understand other people’s emotions helps us to manage a situation to get a productive result. Having emotional intelligence is essential for leader to lead others. A leader’s emotional intelligence can have far-reaching influence over their relationships, how they manage their teams, and generally how they interact with individuals in the workplace. Most leaders frequently face stressful situations. Leaders who are low in emotional intelligence tend to act out in stressful situations because they’re not able to manage their own emotions. They may be prone to behaviours such as yelling, blaming, and being passive aggressive. This can create an even more stressful environment, where workers are always walking on eggshells trying to prevent the next outburst. Leaders who are emotionally intelligent foster safe environments, where employees feel comfortable to take calculated risks and to voice their opinions. Working collaboratively isn’t just a goal, but it gets woven into the organizational culture.
5 key elements of Emotional Intelligence
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Way to improve our Emotional Intelligence
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Application of the area covered
Understanding the concept of emotional intelligence and its impact on team leadership and the team help us to improve out leadership qualities and personality which helps us in our career life.
Conclusion
In conclusion this reflective journal writing has helped me deepen my knowledge in the form of understanding my strengths and weaknesses, my current position in my career life, understanding my goals, how to make a mind map about myself and how to make a good resume with the help of the mind map etc. I have also learnt a lot about being a good employee and how to blend into a new environment. I have also understood new method for that like ice breaking methods. And also, I have learnt how to face an interview well and how to make a good picture and tone about myself in front of the employers. I have understood the place I want to go in the future thanks to the reflective writing. I understood why emotional intelligence is a main skill to have in order to become a good leader and I learnt how to achieve that skill. I believe I will go a long way into making me a better leader if this not only becomes a part of my academic learning but also my daily life, and a necessary part of my career development.
