LITERATURE REVIEW ON EMPLOYABILITY OF GRADUATES

Introduction

Employability is a problematic concept that can be defined briefly and thoroughly. As Osmani et

al. (2015) state, this term is used as an operational concept in various contexts with a range of

meanings and can lack clarity and precision. This literature review seeks to unite the concepts of

higher education (HE) employability in the UK. The concept of employability challenges

traditional concepts of (HE) and raises the issue of HE's point; subject matter knowledge and

understanding or learning. Even the few quantitative and empirical employability studies have

not been conclusive. In addition to this complexity, various stakeholders, such as faculty,

employers, and students, have demonstrated that the concept of employability is different (Misra

and Khurana., 2017.). In this context, a present paper on the employability of graduates is both

timely and essential.

Review of Theoretical Frameworks on the Employability of Graduates

The literature review highlighted several main theoretical frameworks that try to identify the

employability concept and its underlying factors for university graduates. Among the many

framework frameworks, Abelha et al.'s (2020) study can be regarded as a pioneer because it

summarized all previous and existing employability ideas for the first time. Employability,

therefore, has four main elements: assets, deployment, presentation, and contexts. Although the

employability model of Alharahsheh and Pius (2021) was instrumental in summarizing ideas

about employability, the underlying employability factors or their associations were not

explained. Many subsequent studies were performed based on "employability skills," which

constitute underlying skills factors leading to graduate employment. Osmani et al. (2019) are

theoretical framework identifies a set of essential, higher-order, and practical employees' skills.
Because of its simplicity and practicality, many subsequent studies focused on the

"employability skills model." According to Cotton's model, employability skills were divided

into three types: basic skills, higher-level thinking skills, practical skills, and traits. Many view

the Skills model as one of the earliest employability models based on the idea of employability

depending on the individual's skill levels, without mentioning other factors, such as attitude,

behavior, or experience, which restrict their general uses. Overreliance on skills was criticized as

a significant weakness in an employability model. Many recent skills plus employability

frameworks focused on attention, which argues that skills are insufficient for a meaningful job

(Nghia et al. (, 2020). An alternative concept of employability based on results from the capacity

concept, the social and psychological ideas, and literature was presented as ability plus an

employability model. USEM models are based on the following acronyms: comprehension, skills

(subject-specific and general), effectiveness, and met cognition (including reflection). The

USEM model is generally regarded as a significant development in employability research.

Employability has been designed for the first time concerning other buildings, such as skill,

subject understanding, meta-cognition, and personal qualities. However, it is mainly theoretical

and lacks evidence for research Artess et al. (2020). The complexity of this model is unable to

explain it in practice to the students and parents. Despite these restrictions, many studies were

based on the USEM framework to stress the importance of this theoretical framework.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the literature review on the employability of university degrees shows that the

concept has differing interpretations of employability based on stakeholder perceptions.

Employability depends not only on individual graduates' attributes such as subjects, expertise,
skills, and personality traits, but also on university teaching, curriculum, and educational

systems, as well as employers who recruit the graduates and their expectations. Although a

significant number of employability studies still seem to focus on the definition and

conceptualization of employable phases, only a limited number of studies have focused on

employability as a concept, and the conclusions confirmed the differences in employability

among different stakeholders.

 References

Abelha, M., Fernandes, S., Mesquita, D., Seabra, F. and Ferreira-Oliveira, A.T., 2020. Graduate

employability and competence development in higher education—a systematic literature

review using PRISMA. Sustainability, 12(15), p.5900.

Alharahsheh, H.H. and Pius, A., 2021. Exploration of Employability Skills in Business

Management Studies Within Higher Education Levels: Systematic Literature

Review. Research Anthology on Business and Technical Education in the Information

Era, pp.1147-1164.

Artess, J., Hooley, T. and Mellors-Bourne, R., 2017. Employability: A Review of the Literature

2012 to 2016. A Report for the Higher Education Academy. Higher Education Academy.

Misra, R.K. and Khurana, K., 2017. Employability skills among information technology

professionals: A literature review. Procedia computer science, 122, pp.63-70.

Nghia, T.L.H., Singh, J.K.N., Pham, T. and Medica, K., 2020. Employability, employability

capital, and career development: a literature review. Developing and Utilizing

Employability Capitals, pp.41-65.

Osmani, M., Weerakkody, V., Hindi, N. and Eldabi, T., 2019. Graduates employability skills: A

review of literature against market demand. Journal of Education for Business, 94(7),

+pp.423-432.

Osmani, M., Weerakkody, V., Hindi, N.M., Al‐Esmail, R., Eldabi, T., Kapoor, K. and Irani, Z.,

2015. Identifying the trends and impact of graduate attributes on employability: a

literature review. Tertiary Education and Management, 21(4), pp.367-379.

HOW TO DEVELOP OWN EMPLOYABILITY TO SECURE A GRADUATE ROLE

The core skills and characteristics required in almost every job are employability skills. These

are the general abilities that make an organization desire to hire certain graduates. Skills in

employability include soft skills to work with others, use of knowledge to solve problems and fit

into any working environment (Pham and Jackson., 2020). It also includes professional

qualifications that allow you to succeed on the job. These are also seen as transferable skills,

because they can be used in any industry (Clarke., 2018).

In addition to the core skills, employers need a lot. The abilities required by a future employer in

terms of employability are not specifically limited. They include, for example, extracurricular

activities and core competencies (Jackson and Tomlinson., 2020). I need a well balanced life

skill along with educational qualifications in order to support this business scenario. Therefore,

in order to develop my employability, I will carry out the following activities in order to be

relevant and increase my chances of employment in the in the current job market.

Being up to date

The employers of today are not just looking for skilled staff. They are instead searching for

people that can build a way forward, a path filled with innovative ideas and creativity (Bennett,

Richardson and MacKinnon., 2016). I will ensure that I am well motivated, have a good attitude

and strategically able to handle time. I will also have to manage my entire communication with

regard to online access, telephones, emails, online chat etc., while managing different types of

customers across geographical areas. I will have to manage all my communication to ensure that

I have the requisite information required for employment. I will therefore ensure that I am up-to-

date with regard to communication skills and other qualities required performing such various

tasks.
Adjusting my CV to the job specification

I will ensure that my CV is modified accordingly to be selected by top employers for applied

positions. If there is a vacancy of a position with specific needs, a normal CV will probably not

do well. Nowadays, most employers publish the exact requirements of a vacancy which helps the

candidates greatly to change their resumes. Therefore, I will ensure that my resume is

synchronized with what employers want to know about me and how I can help the organization

achieve its objectives.

Putting emphasis on soft skills

Today, companies are changing soft skills quickly. Skills such as team work, time management,

etc. are becoming increasingly critical (O’Connor and Bodicoat., 2017). Therefore, these skills

are emphasized by employers. I will need to work on the development of these skills in case I

lack them. Being involved in various activities such as voluntary work, community projects and

so on would help me develop soft skills. I will also ensure that I am prepared to discuss my

professional and personal weaknesses. I will come up with a development plan when my

weaknesses are requested to be discussed to make my impression positive.

Putting myself in an employer’s shoes

As the recruiting process involves a comparison of performance, I will ensure that I know about

my USPs (the strengths that help me stand out from others). I will identify these strengths,

mention them clearly in my CV, and remember when responding in the interview process to

evaluation questions.

Conclusion

I will seek the right companies to work with to ensure the efficiency of my employability and to

see that the tasks I am assigned conform to my specialization.

 References

Bennett, D., Richardson, S. and MacKinnon, P., 2016. Enacting strategies for graduate

employability: How universities can best support students to develop generic

skills. Sydney: Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.

Clarke, M., 2018. Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and

context. Studies in higher education, 43(11), pp.1923-1937.

Jackson, D. and Tomlinson, M., 2020. Investigating the relationship between career planning,

proactivity and employability perceptions among higher education students in uncertain

labour market conditions. Higher education, pp.1-21.

O’Connor, H. and Bodicoat, M., 2017. Exploitation or opportunity? Student perceptions of

internships in enhancing employability skills. British Journal of Sociology of

Education, 38(4), pp.435-449.

Pham, T. and Jackson, D., 2020. Employability and determinants of employment outcomes.

In Developing and Utilizing Employability Capitals (pp. 237-255). Routledge.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION GRADUATE RECRUITMENT

Graduates in many organizations are considered as a key talent source and are thus seen as a

logical talent management (TM) strategy to recruit, develop and retain these talents. However, as

part of the TM strategy of an organization, little attention has been paid to university graduates.

Graduates are one of the most frequent talent groups and many leading organizations view them

as an important source of employees with high potential (Sabic., 2014). Therefore, it is seen that

the importance of recruiting, developing and retaining graduates is a logical strategy of TM that

promotes organizational development and growth (Lundberg, Krogstie and Krogstie., 2020). But

graduates are often viewed as a mystery because their potential is offset by special challenges

such as poor working conditions and unrealistic expectations of the workplace. Also, recent

diplomats often fall into the Y category, which differs from other generations of employees

(Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, and Generation X). This requires graduates to understand the

particular nature of the graduate talent pool when designing and implementing the right TM

Strategy.

Key requirements expected from potential candidates

 Employee turnover and recruitment of new employees can cost companies time and effort.

Companies must not only retain as many employees as possible; they must also take effective

hiring decisions to prevent a loss in the training of new employees (Handley., 2018). Some

companies are looking for qualities when employing new people, which can often be found in

the initial interview. The following are the key requirements that potential employers need from

employees;

Enthusiasm and passion

Look for candidates who are passionate and enthusiastic about their actions. During the

interview, their achievements should shine through. People who appreciate work often stay

longer in firms than people who work for paychecks. Enthusiasm is a great feature to possess for

a new employee; enthusiastic and retired employees are often useful for a business, since they

probably know how to manage business activities, plan business resources and manage

healthcare.

Team player

The staff will have to work with their colleagues on a project in many situations. Although a job

requires most tasks to be done alone, sometimes employees have to work together (Krasna et al.,

2020). Recruiters and employers usually ask potential employees how well they work as a team

and what kind of workplace they want. A few other employers can even bring candidates to a

group interview to see how well they interact with certain employees.

Ambition

Based on the demands made on them, companies want to hire motivated and driven people.

Ambitious employees work hard to do their best and often look for ways to improve their work

and make it a high quality for an online HR graduate (Linos., 2018). An employee with these

characteristics is more likely, once the opportunity arises, to be taken into account in further

challenging positions.

Responsiveness

The careful response shows respect and courtesy to the company managers; a candidate who

answers thoughtfully when approached greets others politely, says 'thank you' and 'you are

welcome' will distinguish the candidate from others who do not have the correct skills of social

interaction. It is also an indicator of how you interact once in a position with your peers and
customers. The respectful treatment of people produces better business results in all aspects of a

company, particularly when dealing directly with customers. The right tones for the interview

will be set by candidates who make a good first impression.

 References

Handley, K., 2018. Anticipatory socialization and the construction of the employable graduate: A

critical analysis of employers’ graduate careers websites. Work, Employment and

Society, 32(2), pp.239-256.

Krasna, H., Czabanowska, K., Jiang, S., Khadka, S., Morita, H., Kornfeld, J. and Shaman, J.,

2020. The Future of Careers at the Intersection of Climate Change and Public Health:

What Can Job Postings and an Employer Survey Tell Us?. International journal of

environmental research and public health, 17(4), p.1310.

Linos, E., 2018. More than public service: A field experiment on job advertisements and

diversity in the police. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 28(1),

pp.67-85.

Lundberg, G.M., Krogstie, B.R. and Krogstie, J., 2020, April. Becoming Fully Operational:

Employability and the Need for Training of Computer Science Graduates. In 2020 IEEE

Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) (pp. 644-651). IEEE.

Sabic, N., 2014. Comparative analysis of doctoral education in Europe. Analele Universităţii din

Bucureşti. Seria Ştiinţe Politice, 16(1), pp.129-147.

RELEVANT JOB ADVERT

Job Description & Qualifications

Now it’s your time to join the #1 bank in the Middle East and one of the most prestigious
financial companies in the region. Shaking up the world of banking requires a lot of smarts and
skill. We’re looking for the brightest and best to help us reach our goals and we’ll also help you
reach yours. Your success is our success as you grow stronger in your career. Join us and leave a
legacy of your own, as a pioneer in both the company and the industry.

Purpose

Participate in audits covering the activities and processes of Group Finance & Treasury areas
across the FAB Group ensuring that governance, risk management and controls are in place to
mitigate the inherent risks of the business. Develop thorough understanding of business/
relationship aspects, financial control dynamics, finance & liquidity risk management processes
and the regulatory environment, both in UAE and other relevant jurisdictions where FAB
operates, provide assurance to Management by identifying weaknesses; reporting and escalating
significant Audit findings in a timely manner; and agreeing action plans to address the issues
raised.

Develop and position self as a subject matter expert.  Participate in special investigations,
reviews, additional tasks as and when required by GIA Senior Management. 

Job Context:

Ensure that:

 Each assigned audit is planned in detail by conducting risk assessments, developing an

understanding of activities, and allocation of audit work to assigned team members.

 Each assigned audit is planned to ensure that the scope and terms of reference of each
audit provides adequate and appropriate coverage.

 Audit work is performed efficiently and effectively by focusing on the risk areas
identified at the planning phase and in fieldwork.
 Audits are performed in accordance with approved audit programs, utilizing internal and
external resources provided by VP/SVP in a professional manner, in order that audits are
executed on time and within budget.

 All audit work and programs comply with the policies and procedures laid down in the
GIA Manual, standards set by the IIA and market best practices, where applicable and are
produced in a timely manner during fieldwork. 

 Any loss of documents, misappropriation of funds, thefts, frauds, and financial loss
should be immediately brought to the attention of GIA Senior Management.

 Discussions are held with Unit management in order to verify facts and obtain
explanations of and reasons for apparent deficiencies.

 Appropriate use of electronic working papers, audit tools and sources of knowledge (by
self and the team).

 Evidence is obtained, analyzed and appraised as a basis for an informed, objective

opinion to evaluate the effectiveness of the key controls and efficiency of performance of
the Unit being audited. Review appropriate transactions, documents, records, reports to
confirm their accuracy and effectiveness and record all findings in a manner that provides
relevant and reliable evidence to support conclusions.

 Findings are discussed with team members / Unit staff and delivered in a timely manner.
Material issues identified are discussed with team members and escalated to GIA Senior
Management as identified.

 Formal report is prepared at the end of each Unit review, and submitted to HOA/SVP.
Report should contain issues written in a concise and compelling manner with clear
indication of the risks and impact for the Unit management. Negotiate with Unit
management to agree a documented Management Action Plan to resolve the issues
raised.

 Additional tasks are undertaken diligently and in an effective and timely manner.
  All interactions with the team and Unit staff are conducted in a professional and objective
manner.

Qualifications

Educated to minimum degree level with professional qualification and/ or certification desirable

Job Skills/Competencies Required

 Good knowledge of bank and audit policies and procedures, as well as Central bank
regulations

 Good analytical and problem solving skills

 Team-oriented and able to manage/prioritize multiple tasks

 Very good verbal and written communication skills

Skills Template
Relevant skills
Good knowledge on audit policies
Good analytical and problem solving skills
Team oriented and able to multi-task
Good verbal and written communication skills
How I meet them
I know the audit and I am capable of
identifying implicit user needs and explicit
storage of information.
I can help companies identify and assess all
information resources and workflows and
determine the requirements for user access to
companies through my auditing knowledge.
I can use logical thought for information
collection and analysis. In order to arrive at a
final decision, I am able to approach an audit
without assumptions and am prepared to
examine all the elements and the data. This
includes consistent and logical data collection
and breakdown methods.
I can differentiate the important from the
insignificant. When the audit details are
collected, I am obliged to decide what is
important and what is not important to my job.
This can either accelerate or delay the results
considerably. It can also save trouble by
providing incorrect or dated data.
I have specialized in tax forms, balance reports
and other financial records that my clients are
required to disclose legally. I have a strong
understanding of budgeting and corporate
finance and understand the federal, state, and
local fiscal and financial reporting regulations.
I can effectively work together with other team
members and provide my views whenever
required to do so.
Interpersonal—I can work with people from
different areas of an enterprise and deal with
different business problems. I can also work
well and effectively communicate within a
team.
Writing—Including financial reports, inter-
governmental memos, strategy plans and
proposals I can prepare myriad kinds of written
communication.
Verbally — in terms that all may understand, I
can convey complex information.
PDP Template

Learning and How and where Timescales Who will Further

development I will get it arrange it comments
need
Qualification as a Enrollment as a 1-2 years Myself I will look for the
chartered public sector required finances
accountant auditor with to use as fees.
CIPFA
(Chartered
Institute of
Public Finance
and
Accountancy).
IT Skills Deepen my 6 months Mentor These skills will
knowledge with enhance my
deep technical efficiency and
lectures and equip me with
demonstrations, the latest
across a number knowledge
of different required for
technologies. I various tasks.
will enroll in
online classes
and read various
tutorials to get
the required
knowledge.
 References

Ali, N.A.M. and Kasim, N., 2019. Talent management for Shariah auditors: case study evidence from the

practitioners. International Journal of Financial Research, 10(3), pp.252-266.

Ali, N.A.M., Shafii, Z. and Shahimi, S., 2020. Competency model for Shari’ah auditors in Islamic

banks. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research.

Burton, F.G., Starliper, M.W., Summers, S.L. and Wood, D.A., 2015. The effects of using the internal

audit function as a management training ground or as a consulting services provider in enhancing

the recruitment of internal auditors. Accounting Horizons, 29(1), pp.115-140.

Lim, Y.M., Lee, T.H., Yap, C.S. and Ling, C.C., 2016. Employability skills, personal qualities, and early

employment problems of entry-level auditors: Perspectives from employers, lecturers, auditors,

and students. Journal of Education for Business, 91(4), pp.185-192.

COVER LETTER

Street Address 26384

City, Abu Dhabi
Phone Number 12956732931
Email Address joanvic@gmail.com
Date 16/07/2021

Duke Johnson
Company manager
Abu Dhabi Bank
Street Address 3123
City, Abu Dhabi

Dear Johnson
Following your advertisement on the First Abu Dhabi Bank website, I would like to apply for the
position of senior auditor, Group finance and treasury. I would like to work with your
organization since it is suitable for my career as well as accessible to me. I am a 23 year old
UAE citizen currently living in Abu Dhabi and am expecting to graduate in December this year
from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy with a bachelor’s degree in Audit and
Accounting. This letter will give an outline of my achievements and what I am expecting during
the period I will be working with your company in case I qualify for this position.
I have managed to participate in various audit activities through volunteering in various
organizations which ahs given me extensive knowledge in matters concerning auditing. Through
my stay in your organization, I will help your entity develop a thorough understanding of
business aspects and financial control dynamics. Due to my understanding of the audit regulatory
environment, I will help this organization build a strong liquidity management process to ensure
a strong financial system.
I will be committed to ensure the implementation of Security Trust Assurance and Risk ( STAR)
in this organization.  STAR covers the key principles of transparency, rigorous auditing and
harmonization of standards. Registry publication allows organizations, including regulations,
standards and frameworks that adhere, to show current and potential customers their position of
safety and compliance. It reduces complexity ultimately and helps relieve the need to complete
multiple questionnaires for customers. I will be a leader in ensuring good governance, risk
management and controls are put in place to help in mitigating the inherent risk of the business. I
will also be willing to participate in special investigations to unearth significant credit findings in
a timely manner to help in making informed decisions. I posses good communication skills
which enables me to effectively interact with a diverse group of people thus making me suitable
for this position. With my excellent analytical skills and ability to solve problems appropriately, I
believe I will be a great resource to this organization. I am also a good team player with ability to
multi-task and therefore can perform many duties within a short time.
I will be available for any further clarification at any time to help you in the recruitment process.
I will be glad in case you consider my application. Attached here with is my curriculum vitae.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Adam Johnson.
CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal information

Name: Jing Jong

Phone number: 1043789531

Email address: dukevic@gmail.com

Date of birth: 03.06.1998

Nationality: Arabian

Educational background

08.2017-05.2021 Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy

Bachelor’s degree in Audit and Accounting

Grade: First class honors

05.2016-03.2017 Oxford University

Diploma in computer science and programming

Grade attained: Distinction

Work experience

Accounting standards- I have skills in standard accounting principles such as the GAAP,

international financial reporting or pro-forma accounting, so that I can achieve a minimum

degree of coherence in the preparation of financial statements. These standards include a

common set of principles and procedures for the preparation of financial statements by

accountants.

Knowledge on regulatory standards- I understand corporate and public finances regulatory

standards. Compliance with financial reporting requirements and integrity in accounting is

important to ensure understanding of applicable regulatory standards.

Proficiency in software- I have skills in several software programs, including word processing,

spreadsheet and specialized accounting software. Specialized accounting software helps to keep

an account chart, manage the general leader, reconcile the accounts and generate the financial

statements.

STAR- I have knowledge regarding security trust assurance and risk which helps me to keep

truck of audit findings and the relevant regulatory frameworks.

Analysis of data- I can draw meaningful information from raw information. This allows me to

create financial report information based on financial data like account budgets, revenue and

expenditure. It also allows me to check the accuracy and consistency of the reporting and the

integrity of financial information.

Problem solving- I can find solutions and overcome problems which could result from billing

mistakes or inaccuracies. This includes the recognition that there is a problem, identifying

solutions that are available, evaluating options, then selecting and implementing the best solution

to the problem.

Self assessment

Ability to make independent decisions- I can make informed decisions without influence from

other people. I am bipartisan and therefore am able to perform my duties appropriately as

required by law.

Effective communication skills- I can effectively communicate with various groups of people

with ease and air my views appropriately.

Team player- I can effectively blend with a diverse group of people and can mobilize them to

perform a given task efficiently. I have good listening skills and can internalize other people’s

opinions to make informed judgment.