Portfolio Questions

1. How would you quantify an important transferable skill you have developed? Choose one
transferable skill you know would benefit any employer and describe it in measurable terms.

In a modern and market-oriented world, there are several transferable skills that an employee
should possess, develop and enhance before taking on a job position. Personally, what I consider
to be a major contributor to the job that the employer will recognize is good work ethic. Work
ethic refers to a person's attitude toward his or her work. Professional accomplishment is highly
valued by those with a strong work ethic. They have strong moral values that make them excellent
employees in any capacity.

I have been aware of the advantages and benefits of a strong work ethic since I was a high school
boy and had a part-time job in a coffee shop. I have been taught that an employee who possesses
a strong work ethic will value his or her job and believe that putting in long hours is necessary for
preserving a good character, and thus he or she will consequently achieve good success in the
career. In order to become such a praise-worthy employee in the long run, I have learnt and
developed a set of work principles and behaviours for myself to gradually improve from time to
time. This can be concluded in a total of 8 characteristics as follows:
 Reliability: Employees who have a high work ethic are extremely trustworthy. These people
will show up at shifts or meetings on time without any doubt. They meet deadlines and
produce high-quality work. They also are ideal teammates as they will contribute equally to
projects.
 Dedication: A strong work ethic requires commitment and focus to the task at hand. When
working on a task, they know how to keep themselves from distractions and will keep on
working till their tasks are accomplished. They are frequently employed by the same
employer for a lengthy period of time.
 Discipline: This characteristic is a part of a solid work ethic. Disciplined employees are
committed to their jobs, they try to get their job done with a good or better than expected
result and always improve their skills and performance whenever possible.
 Productivity: A strong work ethic leads to exceptional output of a worker. Employees with
good work ethic has better output than their co-workers. They finish their work ahead in time
and their results go beyond the requirement.
 Cooperation: Employees who openly collaborate on projects tend to spread a healthy work
culture to people around them. They get along nicely and are willing to assist others when
needed.

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  Integrity: Maintaining professional integrity entails adhering to strong moral standards.
Honesty is generally associated with those who have a strong work ethic. They are honest,
polite, and fair in their dealings with others.
 Responsibility: A strong work ethic necessitates a deep sense of obligation. Those who are
ethical and responsible hold themselves accountable for their actions. For any mistake
they’ve made, they'll accept it with responsibility and work to correct them as quickly as
possible.
 Professionalism: Professionalism is something that anyone with a solid work ethic will
maintain. They have a professional demeanor in the way they dress, speak, and carry
themselves. They're courteous, concentrated, well-organized, and neat.

2. What is the STAR interview technique? Research to discover how to use the STAR technique to
answer interview questions.

Nowadays, businesses are under increasing pressure to appropriately analyse potential applicants
prior to hiring as more of the workforce migrate to the virtual office. Behavioural interviewing
techniques are one of the ways firms are using to avoid costly blunders. Recruiters and hiring
managers currently use this as the most common type of job interview. The STAR interview
technique, which is a planned strategy to reply to behavioural interview questions, is the best way
to ace this sort of interview.

The word “STAR” stands for:

 Situation: Describe the event or situation that the interviewee was in and give the necessary
details of that example.
 Task: Describe what the interviewee’s responsibility was in that event or situation.
 Action: Explain exactly what steps were taken to complete the task.
 Result: Share the results achieved from the actions.

How to prepare for answering interview questions using STAR technique:

 Situation
Create the story's context based on the questions. It should ideally be a situation similar to
one that the candidate may encounter in his or her future job. Provide some insight into the
complexities, but don't spend too much time doing so. It'll be enough to use one or two
succinct sentences. It is more crucial to consider the impact of the interviewee's participation.

 Task
Outline the tasks and goals that were established for the interviewee’s role in the project.
Most job accomplishments involve the efforts of others, so emphasize personal objectives

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 and goals. Try to keep them short and simple, and choose a task that others would struggle
with.

 Action
When sharing a relevant situation and task from your industry, the interviewer will likely
understand what it takes to complete a similar situation and task from your sector. Thus, he
or she will provide some unique details on how the candidate went about exceeding
expectations. For example: “What actions did you take, and how did they benefit people
around you?”; “Try to talk about topics that just a few of your fellow candidates (competitors)
can talk about”.

 Result
Wherever possible, use financial data, percentage improvements, and industry context at this
point. Only use examples where the result is truly impressive (or at least have a positive
result) — the STAR method story must end with a “Wow” moment. Include what the
interviewee learned from the challenge as well as how he or she developed from the
experience.

Portfolio Reflection
Provide 120 to 150 words of reflection on your learning from both portfolio questions. You may reflect by
connecting what you learnt from these questions to prior knowledge, past experiences, or recent
perceptions / assumptions. Use the following as guidance.

Through the first question, I have a chance to look back on myself. In terms of work ethic, I have gradually
possessed and enhanced a major part of the figured work principles and behaviours. I’ve been working in
such a manner with every assignment or project that I have engaged and this is a key element that helps
me achieve high grades. I will consistently enhance this skill to make myself a beneficial employee to any
potential employer.

Through the second question and my learning experience, I know how to deal with traditional interview
questions using the STAR method. The STAR interview technique, which is a planned strategy to reply to
behavioural interview questions, will help me prepare well for any behavioural questions. In the future, by
using this interviewing method, I think I can leave a good impression on the interviewers and may
probably become a competitive candidate.

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Reference
Boogaard, K. (2018, December 18). How to use the STAR interview method to get the job. The
Muse. https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method
Drury, P. (2022, February 1). How to answer interview questions with the STAR method.
Resume.io. https://resume.io/blog/star-method?
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CjwKCAjwopWSBhB6EiwAjxmqDQtt8M6CQ_dUVNDyrHcVcJGcrLZBW2VCYS67Lfe8-
drXgRUFjckKyRoCz08QAvD_BwE
Indeed Editorial Team. (2020, November 26). Work ethic skills: Top 8 values to develop. Indeed Career
Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/work-ethic-skills
VELOCE. (2020, May 25). 9 Transferable Skills: Definition & Best Examples.
Veloce. https://www.veloceinternational.com/tips/9-transferable-skills-definition-best-examples-
checklist/?msclkid=f076df1aae3811ecb07d5904ac3d4490