School of Business and EconomicsBSP030
Personal Development for Employability
Individual Written Assessment: SWOT, STAR Plus (and CV)
Coursework Weight: 60%
Coursework Deadline(s): 2pm, Tuesday 22nd March 2022
Coursework Task
Throughout the semester you will be expected to reflect on your own learning and development.
Reflecting on and analysing experiences helps us to improve our learning. Through reflection we
think about what we do and why; what is effective and how we can improve. You will be
encouraged to keep a record of your achievements in a format that you can use later when you
apply for jobs.
The individual coursework of this module is comprised of a SWOT analysis that demonstrates your
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to your career development and a
portfolio of interview answers using the STAR plus model to evidence these. You are required to
submit an up-to-date graduate CV in the appendices of the assignment (this is compulsory, but it
will not be assessed). The CV identifies your experience, achievements, key skills, and personal
qualities.
The assessment will be explained during lecture 1 in week 1. You will need to refer to the
appropriate hand-outs and workshop notes for the frameworks you need to use for each part.
Weighting: SWOT Analysis 40%, STAR Plus portfolio 60%, CV not assessed but compulsory. For
more information on the weightings see the coursework rubrics at the end of this document.
Guidance Notes
A good piece of work will demonstrate the following:
SWOT analysis
The 4 main sections of the SWOT have equal weighting, therefore ensure there is equal
consideration to all sections. The analysis should be put into context i.e. with some indication of
your intended career and summarised with some immediate future goals. Marks will be awarded
for presentation of evidence or illustration of each of the points considered:
•
•
Internal factors:
o Strengths: include evidence that you could use in an interview of an occasion when
you demonstrated the skill or attribute that you are describing.
o Weaknesses: include consideration of how you could overcome the weakness.
External factors:
o Opportunities: include a plan for how you can make the best use of the opportunity.
o Threats: include consideration of the best way to overcome the threat.
STAR plus portfolio
6 STAR plus examples required, and each example should include an experience of when you
have demonstrated a specific employability skill.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Situation: set the scene e.g. where, who was involved, what role were you in
Task: succinctly describe the task and the reason for it, it should include the clarity and
brevity of the task
Action: this should be the biggest section where you describe what you did and the scale of
it. Clarity and level of detail about what you did including quantification should be included.
Result: provides an outcome and the impact it has had.
Reflection: reflect on the skill – what was learnt and what the individual has taken from the
experience.
Application: consider how you may apply this skill to future experiences e.g.
workplace/chosen career.
CV
The CV will not be assessed however it is compulsory. It should be an up-to-date CV and be
included within the appendices section of the assignment.
•
The overall impression of the document should be considered e.g. format and layout. It
should be clear and engaging.
• Relevant details reflecting employability required e.g. skills identified and examples
included. Information included on a CV should add value and demonstrate why the
individual is a good candidate.
• Ensure the standard CV sections are included. The CV should be 2 sided.
• Accuracy and attention to detail is crucial on a CV and poor spelling and grammar can let
the CV down and mean the applicant is not shortlisted and moved to the next stage of the
recruitment process.
Important note: due to anonymous marking your name should not be included on the CV.
Key sessions:
• SWOT analysis – week 2 workshop
• STAR plus portfolio – week 2 workshop
• CV – week 6 workshop
Word Count and Format
The page/word limits for each part are as follows:
•
•
•
SWOT analysis: maximum of 1000 words (±10% but do try to be concise).
STAR plus portfolio: minimum of 6 examples analysed (one A4 page per situation/approx.
500 words).
The CV should be a two (A4) page document (included in the appendices). Due to
anonymous marking, you should leave your name off this.
You should produce your document in Microsoft Word. The main text of the report should be
presented in either Times New Roman font with 12 point characters or Arial font with 11 point
characters with single line spacing. Remember to check your document before you hand in; marks
will be deducted for poor spelling and grammar.
All material (academic and other) that you cite should be properly referenced in the text and in the
reference list (in Harvard style) at the end of your report.
Please ensure you back up your assignment and any other important documents. Information for
students on data storage can be found here: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/it/student/storage/
Coursework Marking Rubric
2
Please see the rubric at the end of this coursework brief for further details of the criteria against
which you will be assessed, and descriptors of performance on the coursework for each
assessment criterion.
Coursework Submission
The deadline date is provided above. One electronic copy must be uploaded to the
submission point for the module on LEARN by the submission deadline.
You must use the following file naming convention for your work. You should not include your
name anywhere on your assignment. You should also include the filename in the header of
your assignment.
StudentNumber – Module code – Coursework component (e.g. B123456-20BSP123-CW1)
Your submission should be one document only (i.e. no loose appendices etc), preferably in Word
or as a pdf (not scanned copy). If your assignment consists of different documents in varying
formats you will need to embed them in a Word document or convert them to pdf and upload one
document. The file size limit for your submission is 20MB.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You need to ensure you back up your coursework and any other
important documents. Information on data storage can be found here:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/it/student/storage/.
Losing your work through technical failure is not a valid reason for a Mitigating Circumstances
claim or a coursework extension request.
Extensions and Mitigating Circumstances
If you have any other problems with meeting the deadline for this coursework you may wish to
request a 48-hour extension and/or submit a Mitigating Circumstances claim. This must be
requested in advance via:
Coursework Extension Link: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/handbook/exams/extensions/
Mitigating Circumstances Link: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/students/handbook/exams/mitigatingcircumstances/
Consultation and Feedback
The lecturer will be available of course for consultation and queries between class sessions and
the assignment deadline. Questions regarding the modules content and the assessments can be
asked via the Personal Development Forum or during the lecturers Feedback and Consultation
Hours (details can be found on the modules Learn topic). Feedback could be particularly useful for
clarifying the brief or marking criteria.
Please note, lecturers will not comment on a full draft version of the assignment but will comment
on a summary/plan (of up to 400 words) if you want some reassurance that your approach is
viable.
Provisional marks and feedback should be available by 14th April 2022. All marks are provisional
until ratified by the formal examination boards.
3
School of Business and Economics
Marking Rubric for BSP030 Individual Written Assessment: SWOT, STAR (and CV)
< 30
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
> 80
SWOT
Analysis –
general
(weighting
15)
No effort has
been made to
use the SWOT
analysis, each of
the sections lack
any detail. No
context provided
to the analysis.
No attention to
spelling or
grammar.
A very limited effort has
been made to use the
SWOT analysis. Equal
consideration was not
given to all sections in
the SWOT, with
considerably more
details included in some
sections and lacking in
others. No attempt to
provide context to the
analysis. Large number
of errors made regarding
spelling and grammar,
attention to detail
needed.
A limited effort has
been made to use the
SWOT analysis. Equal
consideration was not
given to SWOT
sections leading to an
imbalance of
information. Little, or
no, attempt to provide
context. Number of
errors made regarding
spelling and grammar,
attention to detail
needed.
The SWOT analysis
was used to some
effect to analysis
employability, but
overall, it was lacking
in evidence. Some
sections have more
details than others
and therefore there
was an imbalance of
information. Limited
attempt to put the
SWOT analysis in
context i.e.
introduction and
conclusion. Errors
made regarding
spelling and
grammar, attention to
detail needed.
A good use of
SWOT to analyse
employability which
included evidence.
For much of the
time there was
equal consideration
to each section.
There was an
attempt to provide
context with an
introduction and/or
conclusion but these
were not detailed.
Accurate spelling
and grammar with
some mistakes.
A very good use of
SWOT to analyse
employability, which
included a good
level of detailed
evidence. Each
section was
considered equally.
Introduction and
conclusions
included to provide
context; however,
these were brief.
Accurate spelling
and grammar with
minimal mistakes.
SWOT
Analysis –
content
(weighting
25)
No analysis or
evidence
provided, with no
understanding of
the difference
between internal
and external
impacts on
employability.
Very limited details
provided in the SWOT
analysis. Limited
understanding of the
difference between
internal and external
impacts.
Brief list of strengths,
weaknesses,
opportunities, and
threats provided, but
the information is
limited. No analysis
undertaken and few
details provided
regarding
employability. There is
some overlap in the
information provided
for the internal and
external impacts.
List of strengths,
weaknesses,
opportunities, and
threats provided, with
evidence and
analysis limited.
There is some
understanding of the
internal and external
impacts however
there are some
overlaps.
Some
understanding is
demonstrated
regarding the
internal and external
factors that will have
an impact on
employability,
however it is limited
in relation to the
explanations and
analysis provided.
Very good
understanding is
demonstrated
regarding the
internal and
external factors that
will have an impact
on employability
with some relevant
points made within
each section,
providing good
analysis.
An excellent use of
SWOT to analyse
employability, with the use
of extensive and
significant evidence.
There was an equal
consideration to all
sections and a good
balance of information
provided. The analysis
has been put into context
with an introduction such
as a statement of a career
goal or future objective on
which the SWOT is
based. A conclusion was
included to either
summarise goals or plan
for what is needed next.
Accurate spelling and
grammar.
Extensive understanding
is demonstrated regarding
the internal and external
factors that will have an
impact on employability.
Relevant points are made
within each section,
providing clear and
relevant explanations and
analysis. For example,
strengths
detailing how the
individual
demonstrates they
are good
employment
prospect, how they
will overcome their
weaknesses, how
opportunities can be
best used and how
any threats can be
mitigated.
STAR Plus
Portfolio –
general
(weighting
15)
No effort has
been made to
discuss 6
employability
skills, with poor
examples
provided that
lacked any detail
to demonstrate
how the skills
were
used/acquired.
No attention to
spelling or
grammar.
STAR Plus
Portfolio –
use of
framework
and
content
(weighting
45)
No effort made to
use the STAR
Plus framework.
Very limited
information
included, no
insight provided
into how the skill
was
demonstrated.
Very limited effort to
discuss employability
skills and the level of
detail included was
lacking and did not
demonstrate the skill in
question well. There was
either some repetition of
the employability skills
used and/or the
examples used did not
clearly demonstrate the
skill in question. Large
number of errors made
regarding spelling and
grammar, attention to
detail needed.
Very limited effort to use
the STAR plus
framework, with little
information in the
examples.
Misunderstanding of
what information to
include in each of the
sections of STAR Plus
e.g. Reflection and
Application are missing
or have limited
information.
There has been a
limited effort to discuss
employability skills and
the level of information
included was not
sufficient to
successfully
demonstrate the skill in
question. Number of
errors made regarding
spelling and grammar,
attention to detail
needed.
6 different
employability skills
have been discussed
however the details
included in each of
the examples were
limited at times and
therefore did not
demonstrate the skills
as clearly as it should
have done. Errors
made regarding
spelling and
grammar, attention to
detail needed.
6 different
employability skills
used, with good
examples provided.
Some good
information provided
to help demonstrate
the skill. Accurate
spelling and
grammar with some
mistakes.
6 different
employability skills
have been used,
with very good
examples provided.
These have been
discussed well, with
relevant information
that demonstrate
the skill in each
example. Accurate
spelling and
grammar with
minimal mistakes.
6 different employability
skills have been used,
with excellent examples
provided. Each example
includes significant and
relevant information that
specifically and clearly
demonstrates the skill in
question in each example.
Accurate spelling and
grammar.
Limited use the STAR
Plus framework, but
the sections were
lacking in information,
e.g. more could have
be included in the
Action section to
ensure how the skill
was demonstrated is
clear. Some
misunderstanding of
what information to
include in each of the
sections of STAR Plus.
STAR Plus
framework was used
however the level and
clarity of the
information was not
consistent and more
information could
have been provided
to demonstrate how
the skill was
demonstrated e.g.
some reflection
carried out; however
this was brief.
A good use of the
STAR Plus
framework, however
the level and clarity
of details were not
consistent. Good
information included
in the Action
section, with some
good reflection
provided.
A very good use of
the STAR Plus
framework, but with
some consistency
issues in relation to
details included.
Good level of detail
included in the
Action section,
clearly showing how
the skill was
demonstrated.
Reflection carried
out, with some
understanding of
how it would be
applied to the
workplace.
Excellent, and consistent,
use of the STAR Plus
framework with significant
and relevant detail in the
Action section which
clearly details what
activities/duties the
individual undertook to
demonstrate the skill.
Excellent reflection
carried out, with clear
understanding of how the
skill would be applied
within the
workplace/chosen career.
5
Personal Development in Academic Study and Employability
School of Business and Economics
BSP030
Situation analysis – STAR Plus
Employability skill that this STAR example is
evidence for
Nature of Activity e.g. your module, your role,
type of employment, volunteering or other
activity
Dates of Activity e.g. Oct 2018 – Feb 2019
Time Commitment of Activity e.g. hours per
week, days or months
Description of the
Activity
Use the STAR Plus
technique in your
explanation:
Word count guide: 500
words
STAR technique
Situation – where were you, what was the context of the activity?
Task – what was the task, what were you trying to achieve?
Action – what was your personal contribution?
Result – what was the outcome?
Reflection – what was learnt and how might it be improved in the future?
Application – consider how you may apply this skill to future experiences
e.g. career/workplace.
Situation:
Task:
Action:
Result:
Reflection:
Application:
1