Education and Career Guidance (ECG)

Helping our students realise their dreamsAug 2014 Issue (Secondary)

Content• Work Competencies• New ecareers.sg Parents’ Brochure in 4

languages• ITE Course Information Cards for Sec 3NA/NT

Work CompetenciesHelp our students practise these

competencies to be better prepared for their entry into the world of work.

Competencies in dealing with People

Leading Others

Establishing FocusDeveloping and communicating goals in support

of the School/ CCA’s mission

This provides direction and meaning to people’s work

Providing Motivational SupportEnhancing others' commitment to their work

Key competency distinguishing leaders from managers

Fostering TeamworkGetting groups to learn to work together cooperatively

Increasingly, important work must be done by teams. Everyone should be able to work constructively as a team member and many people need to

develop the skills of team leadership

Empowering OthersConveying confidence in others to be successful Allowing them freedom to decide how they will

accomplish their goals and resolve issues

Enhances team’s productivity and competitiveness with better utilisation of people’s skills

Managing ChangeInitiating or championing change; helping others to

successfully manage major changes in the School/ CCA

Most organisations need significant, ongoing change in structure, work processes, procedures and styles of

management to remain competitive

Developing OthersDelegating responsibility and coaching others to

develop their capabilities

In developing others, leaders demonstrate the commitment of the team to its members and thereby enhances motivation and

productivity

Managing PerformanceProviding others with clarity about expectations and clear

feedback about performance; dealing firmly and appropriately with performance problems

The direction, standards and follow-up ensure that the team achieves its goals

Competencies in dealing with People

Communicating and Influencing

Attention to CommunicationPassing information on to others who should be kept

informed

This ensures that everyone in the team/ CCA understands the overall direction and that the efforts of different groups are

aligned with each other and the overall plans

Oral CommunicationSpeaking clearly and logically so that others can follow your

reasoning and understand your message Maintaining and directing the flow of dialogue by paraphrasing

what the other person has said to verify your understanding

Very important to your effectiveness when working in teams

Written CommunicationExpressing yourself clearly and concisely with an appropriate style to effectively reach an audience

Most people should be able to write effectively especially for the documentation of important information

Persuasive CommunicationPlan and deliver different arguments in support of a position with

information or data that will have a strong effect on others

Important for anyone who wants to gain others’ support for initiatives

Critical to leaders in establishing the vision for the team

Interpersonal AwarenessNoticing what people are feeling when they are not

stating it and showing that you care about their concerns

Essential in influencing, selling, team leadership and people management

Influencing OthersAccurately anticipate the implications of events for various stakeholders and identify solutions that benefit all to gain

support from the real decision makers

Organisations are moving away from hierarchical structures The increasing use of teams requires influence skills, rather

than authority, to gain support

Building Collaborative RelationshipsDevelop, maintain and strengthen partnerships with others who

can provide information, assistance and support

Relationships are important in large organisations where people might be reluctant to lend support to others whom they do not know and trust

Competencies in dealing with Business

Preventing and Solving Problems

Diagnostic Information GatheringIdentifying the information needed to clarify a situation, seeking

that information from appropriate sources and using skilful questioning to draw out the information

Ensure that you have the right information to make good decisions, prevent problems or develop contingency plans to cope with potential problems

Analytical ThinkingApproaching problems by using a logical, systematic

and sequential approach

The basis for problem solving, decision making, project management, time management and priority setting

Forward ThinkingAnticipating the implications and consequences of situations and

taking appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies

Gain and maintain people’s support by accurately anticipating and preparing for their reactions to new information and to

major changes

Conceptual ThinkingFinding effective solutions by taking a holistic, abstract

or theoretical perspective

Required for solving problems that affect many teams or processes and for problems that require innovative approaches

Strategic ThinkingAnalysing your competitive position by considering market and industry trends, existing and potential customers, and strengths

and weaknesses as compared to competitors

Maximising chances for competitive success with a medium-to-long term plan

Especially important for senior managers

Technical ExpertiseDepth of knowledge and skill in a technical area

Tasks requiring basic technical knowledge are being automated, leaving a large proportion of jobs that require technical problem

solving and creativity that depend on Technical Expertise

Competencies in dealing with Business

Achieving Results

InitiativeIdentifying what needs to be done and doing it before

being asked or before the situation requires it

More initiative will be required with flexible work arrangements becoming more common as work is performed

at home without direct supervision

Entrepreneurial OrientationLooking for and seizing profitable opportunities; taking

calculated risks to achieve goals

Central determinant of success in business and in sales

Fostering InnovationDemonstrating support for organisational changes

needed to improve its effectiveness

Companies that do not innovate will not survive Innovation enables great leaps in productivity and profitability

Results OrientationFocusing on the desired outcome of the work; setting challenging

goals, focusing effort on the goals and meeting or exceeding them

Enables an individual to set and achieve challenging goals; accomplishing more in a shorter time

ThoroughnessEnsuring that one’s own and others’ work and information are complete and accurate; careful preparation for meetings and

presentations; following up with others to ensure that agreements have been fulfilled

Displayed by most good managersMinimises problems in most situations

DecisivenessMaking difficult decisions in a timely manner

Necessary for senior management Does not mean making decisions impulsively or

intuitively

Competencies in dealing with Self-Management

Self ConfidenceFaith in one’s own ideas and ability to be successful; taking an

independent position in the face of opposition

Important in gaining opportunities, support for your ideas and followers when you attempt to provide leadership

Stress ManagementFunctioning effectively when under pressure and maintaining

self-control in the face of hostility or provocation

Many jobs today involve high levels of stress because of increased pressure for results, threats of job loss and an organisational environment involving continual change

Personal CredibilityDemonstrating concern in your work to be a

responsible, reliable and trustworthy team member

Pre-requisite to be treated as a serious member of the group to be entrusted with important responsibilities and leadership

roles

FlexibilityOpen to new ways of doing things and willing to modify your

preferred way of doing things

Information technology has led to broader and ever-changing job responsibilities

People who cannot demonstrate flexibility will not survive in most organisations

Did You Know?“Many studies show that young people cite their

parents most frequently as the main influence in their occupational plans

No other group even comes close”

Sarah M. Shoffner and Richard H. Klemer, (authors of “Parent Education for the Parental Role in Children’s Vocational Choices”)

Did You Know?

Survey conducted by IDA, 2012

The most influential people in the eyes of students are....

New ecareers.sg Parents’ Brochure• Now available in 4 official

languages

Schools are encouraged to avail these brochures to parents to help them tap on ecareers.sg as a resource in guiding their children make informed decisions along their education and career journeys

Click on image in slide presentation mode to download from OPAL.

ITE Course Information Cards Specially Prepared for Sec 3NA/NT

10 sets have been delivered to each schoolDownload from OPAL: Softcopies of the cards, lesson plans & counsellors’ guide (Scroll down to Sec 3 resources)

*Cards may be used till 2016

AcknowledgementsAdapted from: 1. The Value-Added Employee: 31 Skills to Make Yourself Irresistible to any

Company (1999) Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas.

Images from:2. Microsoft Clipart3. www.graphicstock.com

Suggestions/ Feedback

Should you have any suggestions or feedback, please contact our ECG Guidance Officer,

Lee Jun Feng at:

Lee_jun_feng@moe.gov.sg

Thank you!