Task 6 extension

In this task I'm going to compare the main job roles in the main departments in two different organisations. I chose to write about Westminster Kingsway College and John Lewis.

Some examples for main departments in Westminster Kingsway College are Finance, Human Resources, ILT (Information and Learning Technology), Marketing, Professional Development, and Quality. Westminster Kingsway College is not a profit making business. It main purpose is to provide education to students.As well as the other organisations the college main aim is to present good image and provide good services to the students.

Examples for departments in John Lewis are Human Resources, Finance, Sales department, ICT, Research and Development, Marketing, and Customer Service. John Lewis is a profit making business but the role of the departments in achieving aims and objectives is quite similar. The company wants to provide new, innovative products in terms to get more customers and to satisfy their needs.

The departments that both companies have are Finance, HR, Marketing and ICT.

The finance department is to manage company's finance, keep records of all financial events and purchases within the business. The finance department is also responsible for the wages and salaries for the employees. 

Main responsibilities for the Accountants in John lewis are:

• preparing regular financial statements and accounts, such as profit and loss accounts
• monitoring spending, costs and budgets
• analysing the company’s financial performance
• forecasting and planning future spending and profits
• recommending ways to reduce costs and increase profits
• managing a team of accounting technicians and finance clerks
• overseeing the company's payroll, credit control and bookkeeping systems.

Main responsibilities for Financial manager in WKC are:

• providing financial information
• monitoring and interpreting cash flows 
• analysing change and advising accordingly
• formulating strategic and long-term plans
• researching and reporting on factors influencing the organisation performance
• developing financial management that minimise financial risk
• conducting evaluations for cost-reduction opportunities
• managing a company's financial accounting, monitoring and reporting systems
• producing accurate financial reports to specific deadlines
• managing budgets
• supervising staff
• keeping abreast of changes in financial regulations and legislation.

The human resources function, in terms to achieve the company’s aims and objectives, is to take care for the staff, trainings and hiring the best person for the job. If the staff is well trained and committed to aims and objectives of the business, the organisation is more likely to be successful.

Main responsibilities for HR Advisor in John Lewis are:

• Conducting job evaluations
• Advising managers on recruitment and selection strategies
• Coordinating the appointment process for successful applicants
• Negotiating terms and conditions of employment with staff
• Providing advice and playing a major role in work reviews and change processes
• Updating and maintaining the HR Information System data
• Advising on staff development
• Consulting on issues related to workplace relations and performance management
• Providing advice and assistance on policies, procedures, legislation, and enterprise agreements

Main responsibilities for HR Manager in WCK are:

• Lead and direct the Human Resource team to deliver a comprehensive HR service to the college
• Employee Relations managing absence, disciplinaries, grievances, sickness etc. Measure employee satisfaction and identify areas that require improvement
• Learning & Development providing guidance on development for managers and their teams
• Training - Carry out the training and development agenda; identify areas that need attention and improvement
• Reward advise and support employees on organisation benefits
• In conjunction with the Head of HR, ensure all company policies and procedures are up to date in line with current employment law
• Working with senior managers, coaching them and advising on all people issues
• Crafting of business and people solutions
• Managing HR budgets

Marketing department must act as a guide and lead the company's other departments in developing, producing, fulfilling, and servicing products or services for their customers.It typically has a better understanding of the market and customers' needs and wants. 

Main responsibilities for the Marketing manager in John Lewis are:

• researching and analysing market trends
• coming up with marketing strategies
• planning campaigns and managing budgets
• organising the production of posters, brochures and websites
• making sure that campaigns run to deadline and on budget
• managing a team of marketing executives and assistants.

Main responsibilities for the Head of marketing in WKC are:

• To research analyze and evaluate the competitive market environment
• Develops, manages and implements creative, effective and successful annual marketing plans for the organisation along with the annual market plan and budget
• Marketing plans should include Advertising and Public Relations
• Keep effective control of budgets
• Ensure that the college’s image is maintained at high standard.

ICT department helps with the IT maintenance, obtaining and installing hardware, obtaining and installing software, managing LAN and WAN networks and supporting IT users in an organisation. 

Main responsibilities for Network manager in John lewis are:

• supervising technical staff
• implementing network security measures
• planning preventative maintenance schedules
• monitoring and reporting on network performance and usage
• managing network growth and development.

Main responsibilities for the ICT technician in WKC are:

• installing new IT systems
• upgrading existing hardware and software
• testing systems to make sure that they are working properly
• servicing printers, scanners and other office equipment 

A business is doing well and completes its aims and objectives easier if the functional areas work well together and communicate well to each other. The purpose of the functional areas is to ensure that the business activities are carried out efficiently. Specific areas will support different aims and objectives.
Different departments have their responsibility to achieve the aims and objectives of the company. They all work together to achieve the same target, to become better organisation, provide the best service and satisfy the customers’ needs and wants. 

Task 1 extension

In this part of the assignment I am going to explain the benefits of starting your own business. Starting it can be very stressful but entrepreneurs can get great rewards if they are lucky enough to create successful business.
Here are some rewards of going out on your own.:
Make your own money
Make your own decisions
A good experience

Independence and flexibility are ones of the main benefits for the entrepreneurs. People who work for themselves have more freedom and independence. One of the main goals for the people, who set up their own business, is the power. It's your own company, so you can make your employees do it your way. You make your own decisions and you get more experience. Money are also very important reward. You can get rich in a small business, or at least do very well financially. You can keep the money for yourself and do whatever you want with it. You can decide to invest it in your business of use it for personal needs.
If you want to start up your own business you need to think about some important things about your business. To succeed you'll need a business idea that works and have the skills you'll need. You need to think how much money you will spend and how to do your business plan. If you start your own business, the only person you have to answer to is yourself. The good thing about being an entrepreneur is that you choose what kind of firm you start up and where. So, providing that you've done your research properly and there is a gap in the market, you can turn a hobby or interest into a profitable enterprise. Meet your own targets can be a huge motivation to work hard and drive the business forward.

There are many advantages of creating your own business. Many famous people started their own businesses. Some examples are Jamal Edwards, Jack Cohen, Alan Sugar, Richard Branson, Levi Roots, Bill Gates, Karen Millen and many others. I am going to explain how some of them started from nothing and now they are rich and famous for what they do.

Jamal Edwards is 22. He has 130 million YouTube hits and is one of the biggest names in the music industry. He has £6 million. He is richer than pop icons Jessie J and Taio Cruz and still owns a 100% of his online broadcasting company SBTV. SBTV is a very modern broadcaster based only on YouTube. It publishes interviews, live events, and jam sessions of upcoming artists and music superstars.

Lord Alan Sugar is a British business magnate, media personality and political advisor. He has £770 million and was ranked 89th in the Sunday Times Rick List 2011. He is most famous for his ventures, such as, Amstrad, Tottenham Hotspur, Amsair, Amsprop, Viglen LTD, Amscreen, and many TV appearances.

Karen Millen Fashions Limited is a British multi-national women's designer clothing retailer. The company was founded in 1981 from Karen Millen and Kevin Stanford. They bought one thousand metres of white cotton and began manufacturing and selling white shirts. Now the company has stores throughout many European countries.

These are only few examples of the people who started up their business. With the right planning, effort, and a little bit of luck you can set up your own successful business and make money from whatever you like to do.

In this task of the assignment I am going to write about the consequences for society of an increase in online business.

There are some consequences that affect the society in many different ways. Because of the online business has been accross the globe this affects the society and the way they shop.
Nowadays, many people prefer to stay at home on the computer and buy all they need with just one click on the mouse. Businesses provide deliveries at home, so it is very convinient for people because they don't need to go to the shop and carry heavy bags.

There are many disadvantages of the increase in online business. There is a lack of human contact. People don't go out often and they don't communicate to other people.
Another problem is that the society wants companies and organisations to make available well-paid jobs, but when online business is increasing this is impossible because the company doesn't need many people to operate online. The business needs just few people to take care of the website and the products. Businesses which operate in a phisical premises hire more staff and more people are employed within different departments.
Customers want good quality products at a cheap price , and companies on the other hand want to maximise profits, so this is why they always try to satisfy the customers' needs and requirements.

Task 3d (task 2 extension)

In this task I am going to explain the possible benefits to the business and customers in developing an online business.

The online business can provide many opportunities and benefits. There are many different ways to do business online and satisfy all the customers' needs. You can provide a wide range of services online. Offering many services online provides opportunities for you to reach more customers and succeed in a competitive marketplace.Customers may prefer to visit your website to find out about your products and services and buy goods online, instead of going to the shop.

When you are planning the online business, you should:

• research your competitors and other online businesses
• decide what aspects will benefit your online business
• review your budget to work out what you can afford
• familiarise yourself with any laws and regulations that will apply to your online business activities
• consider your requirements, including what software you need and what types of computer equipment you need to run it
• plan for risks, such as computer viruses, scams, data theft and loss of or damage to hardware
• think about what training you or your staff might need
• be realistic about the time and budget you will need to manage your online business

How you manage your business online will depend on the products or services you offer. You may be able to use the internet to:

• run an online shop
• manage your suppliers
• communicate with your customers, and get their feedback on your business
• offer services online
• allow customers to make reservations or appointments online
• manage your finances, such as online banking, tax and employee pay
• research competitors.

The many benefits of online business include:

• Global access, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Improved client service through greater flexibility
• Cost savings
• Less paper waste
• Opportunities to manage your business from anywhere in the world
• Financial benefits
• Faster delivery of products
• Time saving
• Helps these who live away from shops
• Different methods of payment

 One of the main benefits is the cost saving. There are minimal start-up costs to create and run a website. To create a website you need to spend minimum money and it is ready for only few days.
You can offer online feedback forms for your customers. This can help you recognise problems and improve customer service without losing customers. Also it will help you to target the right audience more effectively.

Running an online business is the most effective way to reduce a company's carbon footprint. Fewer staff are needed and your employees can work from home - save on travelling and utilities costs. You can run your business from your home and even when you are on holiday. It saves you time and a lot of effort. You don't need to have premises or to pay for utilities.

 The online shopping is very helpful for people who don't live near to any shops.

Also a good benefit for the customers is that the courier companies can allow them to track their orders online. This gives customers an idea of how long they need to wait for a delivery, so they can make sure they're home when a delivery is due.
Your online business will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. If you are running an E-commerce website then your business can make money for you while you are sleeping or doing your hobby. Potential customers can browse the products and services, and review them whenever they want from the comfort of their own home.

The internet is, also, a great and very effective tool for marketing. Online advertising is affordable and easily tracked which means you see what communication is working and what isn't. Email marketing is also a powerful tool to help raise brand awareness, build relationships and advertise your business effectively. 

Task 2B Sources of advice

I am going to describe different individuals and organisations that can help you set up a new business. Some of them are formal and some are informal.

Individuals
-Solicitors/lawyers
-accountants
-teacher
-mentor
-parents
-friends

Organisations
-Department of Business innovation and Skills
-Bank
-local authority
-C.A.B
- young entrepreneur mentoring orgs.

Solicitors and lawyers can help you with the problems that the business can face. They can offer the right advice on all the typical problems. Getting legal advice at the start means that you can avoid crises. A solicitor can help you identify possible problems and take steps to prevent them - protecting your business and saving your money. For my business I would choose solicitor's help. They always give the right advice, particularly where legal matters concerned. They can help you with the company structure, business premises, finance, taxes, insurance, cash-flow, licenses and employment.

Accountants are people who help business to manage its finance. The advice of a great accountant is very important to set up a business. Accountant can help you with financial statement, forecast cash-flow, provide business advice for expansion, and help you reduce unnecessary expenses.

Teachers and mentors can give you a lot of information about different businesses and how to set up your own successful business. They can give you advice how to trade it, how to manage your finance, how to create your marketing strategy and etc.

Parents and friends are the people who can help you with the funding for your business. They can invest money and also give you advice on how to trade your business. I would use the help of my parents and friends, because these are the people I can trust the most. I have many friends who already have their own businesses. I can ask them for advice how to make my business successful. They can help me with finance, marketing, accounting and they can give me advice on how to avoid crises.

The department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is the department for economic growth. It helps people to promote, trade, boost innovations and help people to start and grow a business. It protects consumer and reduces the impact of regulation. I would choose BIS to help me with my business, because they are responsible for working with further and higher education providers to give students the skills they need to set up a business. They make sure consumer law is fair for both consumers and businesses.

People who start up a business need to choose an efficient business-friendly, accountant provider. Banks will help people and give them plenty of support, generous loans, useful business tools, and helpful advice.

Local authority is responsible for a range of services that your business may need to use or know about. These include planning applications, health and safety, licenses, and environment and trading standards requirements. I would choose the local authority to help me to set up my business.

C.A.B. can help you with things like what kind of a business you can run, training, how to trade, finance, income tax, VAT, premises, business rates, insurance, names and licenses, and further advice.

Young entrepreneur mentoring orgs. is a new scheme launched by the government offering loans to young entrepreneurs, to help them start up successful business. Applicants will receive advice, guidance and help with developing business plan.

Task 2c Job role for an estate agent

Estate agency administrator

 

Location:

East Central London
 

Salary:

£10,000 - £12,000 per annum

 

Company:

Colourful House
 

Job Type:

Permanent

 

Job Description:

As an administrator within our company you should have good organisational and time-keeping skills. You should also be trustworthy.

We are more interested in your skills and experience than your formal qualifications.

 

Colourful House have an excellent opportunity for a property administrator to join a well established estate agent. Suitable property administrators will have experience within property/ estate agent administration and an excellent telephone manner.
The role of a property administrator will include updating the company website, mail merges, offer letters correspondence, and supporting a busy team. The working hours are from 9am to 5pm, 5 days a week.

 
Administrator's Responsibilities:

• Registering new applicants both over the phone and face to face
• Arranging viewings
• dealing with post
• making sure that there is enough stationery
• answering the telephone and passing on calls
• typing and setting up documents such as letters and reports
• keeping computer records up to date
• filing
• using office equipment such as printers, photocopiers and fax machines
• managing staff appointments

Administrator Requirements:

• with previous experience of administration skills, although it is not essential
• Self motivated and enthusiastic, desire to succeed
• Well presented with excellent communication skills is essential
• Polite and get on well with people
• an organised approach and excellent time management skills
• good communication skills are essential
• the ability to work well as part of a team
• computer literacy and good typing skills are desireable
• accuracy and attention to detail

 
If you are interested in this job, please apply online, forward an up to date copy of your CV to tsvetelina.kochankova@gmail.com .
 

Market research survey (Estate agent)

1

What gender are you?

o Male

o Female

2

What age are you?

o 18-24

o 25-36

o 36-45

o 46-56

o 57+

3

Please state your ethnicity.

_____________________

o Prefer not to say

4

Are you:

o Waged or unwaged

o Student

o Other (Please specify)

_____________________

5

What area do you live in?

_________________________

6

What type of accommodation do you live in?

o   Flat

o   House

o   Other (Please specify)

_____________________

7

What kind of a company do you think of when you see this logo?

_____________________

8

Have you ever used an estate agent services?

o Yes

o No

9

If 'yes' how likely are you to recommend your real estate agent to others?

o Extremely likely

o Very likely

o Moderately likely

o Slightly likely

o Not at all likely

10

Which source of information do you use when choosing a real estate agent?

o Open houses

o Family or friend recommendation

o Social networking website

o Real estate advertisement

o Mortgage brokers

o Internet

o Yard signs

o Other (please specify)

______________

11

What type of accommodation are you most interested in?

o Flat

o House

o Commercial

o Land

12

If our new services were available today, how likely would you be to use it instead of competing services currently available from other companies?

o Extremely likely

o Very likely

o Moderately likely

o Slightly likely

o Not at all likely

13

How likely would you be to recommend our services to others?

o Extremely likely

o Very likely

o Moderately likely

o Slightly likely

o Not at all likely

14

If you are not likely to use out services, why not?

o Don't need service like this

o Don't want service like this

o Satisfied with competing services currently available

o Cannot pay for service like this

o Other (please specify)

_______________________

15

What do you like most about competing services currently available from other companies?

_______________________

Financial aspects of a business

In this part of the assignment I'm going to write about the start up costs, fixed and variable costs for my business. 

Start up costs
This is the amount of money used to begin a business. Money need to be spent on capital items.

Rent

East London EC1, EC2, EC3

Around 60 sq. m. premises

£12,000 per annum

Rates (council tax) about £100 per month

Utilities

Gas, electricity, light – about £200 per month

TV, phone, internet £35 per month (£50 installation tax) Virgin Media

Software System

Microsoft Word - Office home and business 2013 - £220

Insurance

Around £50 per month

Equipment

Camera £150

Television £300

3 Computers £700 each - £2100

Printer £80

Phones £55 (triple pack)

Digital Screen £300

Light panels for posters £200

CCTV cameras – 4 cameras for £400

Office furniture (if the office is unfurnished)

3 Computer tables £100 each - £300

3 chairs £50 each - £150

3 shelves £50 each - £150

3 Multi drawer Cabinets £50 each - £150

Wall clock - £10

3 plastic waste bins £5 each - £15

Stationery

A4 back lit papers for light panels (packed in 50 sheets) £35

Paper A4 (3 packs) £5 each - £15

Paper A3 (2 packs) £6 each - £12

Pens (20 in pack) £4 each - £8 (2 packs)

Pencils (6 in pack) £2.20 each - £6.60 (3 packs)

Markers (4 in pack) £5 each pack - £15 (3 packs)

Ink for the printer - £20

10 Notebooks - £12

Storage boxes - £13 (pack of 10)

Sticky notes (3 per pack) £2 - £6 (3 packs)

Coloured folders (50 per pack) - £5

Assorted folders (5 per pack) £3 - £9 (3 packs)

Total: £17,171.60

Fixed Costs
These costs don’t change. They may increase or decrease over time.

Rent 
£12,000 per annum - £1000 per month

Rates (council tax) about £100 per month

Utilities
TV, phone, internet £35 per month

Insurance
about £50 per month

Permanent staff/wages
about £2500 per month for two people 

Total fixed costs: 3,685 per month


Variable costs
These are the corporate expenses that vary with the production output. These costs are depending on a company’s volume.

Utilities
gas, electricity, water - about £200 per month

Stationery
Depending on how many pens, pencils, paper packs and etc. we need every month the costs may vary - roughly £150

Marketing/Advertising
Depending on how we advertise the business - roughly £6000 for 6 months (£1000 per month)

Total variable costs: £1,350 per month 

Websites used:

www.occupa.co.uk

www.uswitch.com

www.microsoft.com

www.argos.co.uk

www.staples.co.uk

Storyboard (Estate Agent)

Formal documents

Business organisations produce millions of formal and informal documents every day. They write letters, reports, emails, and prepare agendas and minutes for meetings. They respond to enquires and complains, and provide information to people both inside and outside the organisation.

The documents in the business communication have two main purposes:

• Internal communication - within the organisation
• External communication - outside the organisation

People in business communicate for many different reasons:

• Provide information
• Confirm an arrangement or agreement
• Promote an idea, product or service
• Make a request
• Provide instructions

The layout and style of a business document must be fit for its purpose as well as appropriate for the task and the audience.
In this task I am going to explain the purpose of 4 different formal documents. I have chosen to write about a formal letter, email, agenda of a meeting, and minutes.

Formal letter

A formal letter is a business letter which is written in formal language, usually used when writing from one business organisation to another or between an organisation or its customers. The business letters are mostly external and are used for many different purposes such as to make inquires, send replies, to place orders or bank correspondences and many others. The main and basic function of the letter is to influence the reader not only to send your message to the person who receives the letter. Nowadays, it is very easy to communicate through letters. Business letters can be highly effective tools to achieve your purpose.
Some of the more common reasons to write a formal letter are:

• Responding to someone
• Requesting permission for something
• Job application
• Describe a problem
• Express opinion about a product
• To thank a person

Formal email

Sending an email is a method of exchanging digital messages from one person to another. Messages can be send worldwide very easily. Emails operate across the internet or other computer networks. Business emails are less formal than the letter. They could be internal and external. They are mainly written to colleagues and ask for specific actions. Emails are usually short and other documents can be attached. Office workers receive many emails. In its simplest form, business emails are for sharing information. If it is used properly, email can be an effective method of communication.
The main purpose of emails are:

• For sharing basic information
• For marketing and advertising
• For negotiations

Emails are very useful and quick method of communication. It is very easy to store all your inbox and find the information later on, when you need it.

Meeting Agenda

An agenda is a list of meeting activities in order in which they are to be taken up. It usually includes one or mire specific topics to be discussed in a business meeting. The purpose of the agenda is to follow the topics need to be discussed so that no one gets off topic. The agenda should be distributed to participants several days before the meeting so that they have the opportunity to prepare for the meeting. Building a meeting agenda is making a plan for the meeting.
The items which appear on the meeting agenda include:

• Participants for the actual meeting
• A date and time of the meeting
• A suitable location
• The items need to be discussed and actions to be taken
• The amount of time the group will need to discuss each item
• Review the meeting's purpose
• Review the minutes of the prior meeting

Meeting minutes


Meeting minutes are the written or recorded documentation that is used to inform attendees and non-attendees of the happenings during the meeting.
Minutes usually include:

• The names of the participants
• The agenda items covered
• Decisions made during the meeting
• Due dates for the completion of commitments

The meeting minutes focus on decisions made during the meetings. They include basic information and not everything should be written but you should summarise the information carefully. In case of confusion you can refer back to it and find the information you need.

Source used for the examples: www.google.com

Unit 8 M2
In this task of the assignment I am going to explain and compare my choice of internal and external documents.

There are two basic types of documents: external and internal. External documents, such as invoices, payment vouchers, VAT report and tax returns are produced because someone outside the organisation needs them. Internal documents are used inside the company to make decisions about different things. Examples are price information, sales statistics, payment forecasts and others. You need the information they provide to control and develop your business and you are required to keep it up to date and archived in a safe place. All documents should be written correctly whether they are informal or formal.

I chose to write about formal letter and formal email because most of the companies use them almost every day. They are used mainly as external documents because the internal are more informal. People within the organisation know each other, so they don't have to use formal language and don't need to write emails in formal way. Emails which are sent to people outside the organisation should be written in more formal way and, also, the lay out is very important.

The purpose of the formal letter is often more serious. It may be a formal application for a job, a formal statement of a job offer, a formal document from the employer to the employees or the customers. All these are generally too important to write them in more informal document like e-mail or a memo. In addition, recipients may want a document that has a signature and is filed in an appropriate way.

Meeting agenda and meeting minutes are internal documents. I chose to give them as an example because they are very important for the company and they, both, improve the work within the organisation. The meeting agenda is a list of meeting activities in the order in which they are to be taken up. It usually includes one or more specific topics about the business to be discussed. It is used by the people who attend the meeting so they will know exactly what to talk about and they will make sure that they don't miss anything that have to be discussed.

The purpose of the meeting agenda is to record the actions have been decided upon and summarises of the discussions held at the meeting. After the meeting the minutes should be checked with the chairperson to confirm accuracy and then passed to anyone else affected by any decisions taken at the meeting.

All internal and external documents are important for the overall image and productivity level of the company. They improve the team work within the company and inform the customers about any changes or offers provided by the business. All documents should be stored carefully and people should be able to find it easily when they need something. Because of the importance of these kind of documents the business should be very careful with the arrangement and try to not lose any of them and keep them safe. The purpose of the documents may be different but they all help to company to work more effectively and achieve its goals.

 

SWOT Analysis and career plan

A SWOT analysis is a great tool to help people to find their strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats. It's a strategic tool that will help everyone in both their business and their personal life.


Business SWOT

Strengths

• Advertising ideas
• Good team working
• Good understanding of local needs and issues

Weaknesses

• Lack of information on estate management
• Lack of experience and confidence
• Lack of competitive strengths

Opportunities

• Possibility of extending area of housing sold
• More advertising can be done
• Choose a good area for the property
• Good estate Management IT system

Threats

• Loosing staff
• Difficult to find experienced staff
• Difficult to let properties
• Competitive reality is quickly gaining strength
• Issues that may affect and decrease the property value

Personal SWOT

Strengths

• Get on well with people
• Well organised
• Responsible
• Enthusiastic
• Ambitious
• Honest
• Well motivated
• Good IT skills
• Good paperwork
• good at meeting deadlines
• excellent punctuality
• love of learning
• Kind
• Sense of fairness
• Self-control
• Positive attitude
• Working the achieve the best in the future

Weaknesses

• Not a great negotiator
• Lack of confidence and experience
• Impatient
• Problem solving in some occasions
• Easily distracted sometimes
• Too lazy sometimes

Opportunities

• Access course
• Achieving the qualifications I want
• Making new friendships
• Career direction
• New challenges
• Developing stronger communication skills

Threats

• Not achieving my goals and qualification
• Lack of competitive strengths

Task 3B

In this task I am going to write about two jobs, which I could do now.  

Administrative assistant is the job I could currently apply for, because I have the skills and qualifications I need to apply for it, because last year I worked as an admin assistant in a consultancy company for 2 weeks. I have worked a lot in a team during the assignments in college and I have good computer skills. Entry requirements can vary a lot between employers. Some may look for GCSEs, including Maths and English, and others may taste the keyboard, filling, and telephone skills. They may need Award, Certificate or Diploma in Business and Administration at levels one to three. I already have Level 1 qualifications and if I achieve my qualifications this year I will have Level 2 in Business, Maths and English.

The tasks this job might have include:

dealing with post

making sure that there is enough stationery

answering the telephone and passing on calls

reception duties such as greeting and looking after visitors

typing and setting up documents such as letters and reports

keeping computer records up to date

filing

using office equipment such as printers, photocopiers and fax machines

managing staff appointments

setting up meetings and taking minutes

making travel arrangements for staff.

To be an administrative assistant I will need to have:

• excellent time management skills
• good communication skills
• the ability to work well as part of a team
• computer literacy and good typing skills
• good 'people' skills
• accuracy and attention to detail
• the ability to use your own initiative

The second job I could currently apply for is as Customer Assistant in Vue cinemas. I am suitable for this job, because I love films and enjoy working with people. I get on well with them, so I can get more experience and improve my 'people' skills. The cinema is looking for people to deliver a great cinema experience to all their customers which will keep them coming back. There are a wide variety of duties in all areas of the cinema. The main duty is to meet and great customers and serve them drinks, snacks and tickets. Through experience I'll soon be able to suggest the best films and prepare screens for the next film. I need to ensure that my work is effective, the teams achieve their targets and the cinemas maximise profits. 

 

Career Plan

After I finish Level 2 in Business and I achieve qualifications in Maths and English Functional Skills Level 2 I want to study Access in Business Level 3 course. When I achieve the Access course I want to go to university and study Business Management. I am going to specialise in Economics, International Business, Law and Marketing. This is a three years course, so I plan to finish my education in about 5 years time. After that I plan to start work in a company as an Office administrator. This will help me to gain more experience within an business environment. In ten years time I plan to open my own business or to be a manager in a big company. I still don't have the skills and qualities I need to do this job, but in the future, I plan to work as a Business Adviser. As a business adviser I would give advice and support to help new businesses to start up. I would also encourage established businesses to grow. I might advise on different kind of issues including finance and marketing. To work as business adviser I need experience and a good track record in business management. Most business advisers have run their own business, or have worked in management, finance or human resources. I will need to demonstrate a wide range of skills, including marketing, finance, planning and project management. Employers are usually more interested in the skills and experience than the formal qualifications, although it may be helpful to have a business-related degree or professional qualification.

Day-to-day tasks would normally include:

• looking at clients’ business ideas and analysing their potential
• helping clients to develop business plans
• advising on sources of finance and grants
• helping existing small businesses with problems such as finding ways to reduce costs or improve marketing
• networking with the local business community and enterprise organisations

To be a business adviser, I will need to have:

• experience of managing small or medium-sized businesses
• excellent written and spoken communication skills
• clear, objective and logical thinking
• awareness of current business issues and trends
• a non-judgemental and positive approach
• IT skills
• good organisational skills and the ability to manage several projects at once