Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: One-to-ones
Size of student group: 1
Observer: Michelle Ussher
Observee: Jazmin Hodges
PART ONE (Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review)
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
The observer will be sitting in on my one-to-one block. In one hour I will have two twenty minute appointments. One-to-ones are appointments that can be booked via the website up to an hour before the session. They are for students in their final term of study or graduates up to five years out. The topic they can select to talk about must be careers related and often cover subjects such as CV reviews, cover letter help, application guidance, interview prep, identifying career options or where to look for work, portfolios etc.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
The one-to-ones can be booked by any student or grad from any college. So most times I only see them for that 20 minute slot. However, it is common to see the same grad perhaps 4 times in a term, while they work on different areas that they would like to develop.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
They should have a clearer understanding of the query that they came in with and be able to orally tell me what their next steps and actions will be after the session.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
They should have begun to work on their action plan during the session and give me some indication that they have inputted reasonable goals with time frames.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
As the sessions take place online sometimes tech issues can be a disruption that eats into the very limited time.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
They will be told during the session
What would you particularly like feedback on?
I think the action plan and the way the graduates demonstrate their understanding.
How will feedback be exchanged?
Follow up email or meeting.
PART TWO (Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions)
Below is a list of observed interaction between Jazmin and 2 student/alumni. At the end of each list is a summary including positives and areas of suggested improvement.
1st meeting: LG, 2nd year BA Textile BA student graduating DPS student. (3rd year is in industry) and 3rd year spent back in CSM.
Outline: Use of form for personal reference / columns. Referred to Student Team as it relates to student work rather than graduate work.
Graduate query / intention: cover letters, project unit 6 brief assistance. Looking for cover letter help for placements (would like a textile artist Australia, Sydney) and future applications.
Suggested Action Plan: Advised on a general approach to cover letters to include the course studied and achievements. Key to a cover letter is it should complement your cv not mirror it.
Advised to highlight your research of the organisation. Select a few things about them and tie it in to something you have done in the past that you couldn’t include in your cv. Include specific responses to the role. Regarding CV positives were affirmed (clear, thoughtful and tidy layout) while improvements were suggested such as: Remove face image from CV to make anonymous (no bias) Use an image of your work instead and a hyperlink to website/instagram.
Include location – if you’re willing to relocate. Use single font rather than multiple
Add more details on significant subject learning. (live briefs, group work, client work)
Change “expertise” to “skills”. Rather than combining “hard” skills (training required/sewing etc) with “soft” skills (communication), separate and evidence your “soft” skills through examples not claims. Narrow down your bullet points to focus skills advertised. Look at their desirable aspects in job advert and include these in your CV list. Don’t end bullet points with commas. Use Capital letters, run through an app to check Grammar Lose 1st person. Write in 3rd person without pronouns. Include the dates of work experience and list your Responsibilities and Achievements.
Graduate Understanding: Concluded with the highlighted important areas and mentioned time left.
Summary:
Your personable and relaxed tone makes the interaction welcoming and supportive. Your ability to reassure while weaving through shared information to ground the student is very good. Your strengths are in clarifying the purpose of the appointment and focusing support on the areas requested while advising on other UAL areas for learning support. This kind of clarity could be used when concluding by asking the student/alumni what notes they have taken (knowing they haven’t) which will prompt them to make a list on the call outlining an action plan so they have a written list of your good suggestions. This can make for a more “concrete” outcome that will evidence to the student the usefulness of the meeting, which they can refer to for guidance once off the call.
2nd meeting: CF graduated in 2023. Media Communications
Outline: pre-appointment form, advised to take notes outlining goals and dates (For your own purposes). Time. Pre-sent places to find work.
Graduate query/ intention: Wanting to find work. Obtained job in Sept advertised as a Junior Marketer and Website development however actual job was outsourced to India and role was project management. Contract received a few days after training, which specified that they were not allowed to work in a similar role within a 30km radius. Completed training and wasn’t comfort signing contract. Applying for jobs and engaging in phone interviews prior face-to-face interviews. Checking usual creative industries site, linkdin and cold calling based in London and Essex. Struggling with entry level jobs want 1-2 year’s experience. Has a clear vision of working in celebrity PR.
Suggested Action Plan: Advised to apply to companies advertising for experience anyway as they may not get exactly what they wish for. Recommend joining a few recruitment agencies at once. Encouraging the proactive cold calling. Considering other networking opportunities associated with training, seminars or human connections. Considering working in associated areas to celebrity PR like Luxury PR. In the next month
– attending seminars, film festivals, red carpet areas, networking events
– contacting recruiters to have more than one workng for you
– hitting associated areas like Luxury PR.
– continuing with your same proactive energy knowing it isn’t personal.
– keep being varied as possible
– knowing you have interviews which means you are doing something positive, and follow up for feedback on what is working and can be improved.
– if you receive any interviews be in contact for further support
In a few months
– if no success come back and we can reassess strategy.
Graduate Understanding: Lean into when the upward projection happens.
Questioning the interviewee about culture to gauge the company’s values and how they are recruiting people.
Attend CSM Alumni networking events advertised online (2 x month letter)
Summary: You establish an excellent clarity of allocated time, and what is possible, make clear what information has been provided by both yourself and the student and gain further background information to establish an understanding of character in a short period of time. This initial interaction seems crucial for advising on successful outcomes. Shifting the meeting from conversation/advice towards an “action plan” had more clarity than the previous meeting by announcing it – “OK so in terms of an Action Plan”. An understanding can be strengthened further by asking the alumni based on the advice given what they think the next steps are, and the “action plan” could be written in the chat for both to see while acting as a record of suggested outcomes from the meeting. This might allow you to look over what you have suggested to give you a moment to consider anything you would like to add. The follow-up could include booking an appointment that could be cancelled at a later date.
PART THREE (Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged)
Thank you for your detailed feedback. It’s useful to gain an understanding of how someone outside of the careers team views these one to ones.
How I will act on feedback (Action Plan)
- The first appointment was with a second-year student, who booked on to the session by mistake. As the service is primarily for graduates (and students in their final term) when this happens, I will continue with the session, but just take a more relaxed approach to how the session is structured. However, I think your points about still ensuring they complete an action plan will be good practice going forward. As although they likely won’t use the service for a while it may help to begin to set the tone of what the expectation will be when they get to graduate level. It is a simple enough tool for them to get to grips with and implement during the session and hopefully after too.
- To mirror my strengths on clarifying at the beginning I want to adopt the approach I observed you taking with your students. Around 10 minutes into the tutorials I noticed you often asked them what their intended actions were. I will adapt this slightly, as I need a little longer to introduce myself, the structure of the session and gain context about them, so I think I will aim for around the 12-15 minute mark. I will try doing this, with the hopes that it will allow them to begin taking ownership of the outcome of the meeting and help shift anyone who is being passive to a more active role in the outcome of the session.
Note Taking
- Another point I intend to adopt is your way of drawing attention to when they haven’t taken notes. If for some reason a student or grad is unable to access or edit the Action Plan that has been sent to them ahead of time, I think gently asking them what notes they have taken or if they want to note this part down will help make sure they have their own record of next steps.
- I also like the idea of asking them to write their action plan in the chat. I’ll likely incorporate it into my intro, so they are aware that that will be the expectation at the end of the session. It will also be useful as a backup in case there are any technical issues with them accessing the Action Plan sent over. This will mean that they can still fully participate in the written portion of the one-to-one.