​Examples of skills used

As I am in my final year at University, I have been through many highly
competitive hiring processes. Therefore, the ability to communicate effectively was
essential when I attended interviews. One specific situation where I needed to use effective
communication was when I went through the highly competitive hiring process for the
Deloitte summer internship program. The hiring process for Deloitte consisted of three
separate interviews. Throughout the course of these interviews, I had to demonstrate
communication skills such as making eye contact; talking slowly and at the right pace;
listening carefully to the interviewer; speaking with confidence; choosing the right words;
considering questions and answers carefully and being able to ask the appropriate
questions. By reflecting on the interview process, I believe that the communication skills I
demonstrated led to my success in getting through the highly competitive hiring process
and securing a spot in the internship program.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many situations where I had to communicate
and work with a team virtually. Even with the help of technology, working during the
pandemic was still a challenge. Working virtually can decrease the efficiency of a team.
Research has shown that teams work more efficiently when members are in close physical
proximity (Andrew Hill, 2015). In-person team meetings allow members to express
themselves in ways that cannot be displayed in virtual meetings. Body language and facial
expressions are harder to recognise in virtual meetings. In order to be successful in working
virtually in past teams, I had to demonstrate skills such as having open and honest
communication, finding ways to address conflict, adapting my body language to fit a virtual
space, and showing respect, consideration and patience with other team members. By using
these skills, I communicated effectively in virtual team meetings. Team coordination was
also an essential component when working with a team in a virtual setting. Having constant
communication with other team members was helpful as it allowed members to express
their individual needs, resulting in harmony within the group.

A situation that developed my problem-solving skills included undergoing intensive
assessment tests, part of the application process for competitive firms such as Deloitte and
KPMG. The assessment test for KPMG is known to be particularly hard. Some statistics show
that only 3-5% of those who apply to KPMG get hired, and most fail during the aptitude
testing (Job Assessment Experts, 2022). The aptitude testing consists of numerical reasoning
and verbal reasoning. The numerical reasoning test requires test takers to use problem-
solving skills to interpret data from tables and charts. In addition, the tests are timed, which
adds another layer of pressure. The Verbal reasoning test determines how confident test
takers are in analysing and interpreting information from a previously unseen passage of

text. The steps that I used to develop my problem-solving skills and pass the aptitude tests
included:
• thoroughly identifying the problem,
• analysing the problem,
• looking for root causes,
• developing alternate solutions and implementing the solution.
These steps helped me develop my problem-solving skills, which resulted in me passing the
test and securing a post-graduate job at KPMG.

Having initiative can be described as recognising a task that needs to be done and doing it
through self-direction (Rautaray, 2021). There have been many instances during university
where I have had to show initiative and enterprise. For example, when the COVID-19
pandemic hit, I quickly adapted to online learning. Online learning is highly self-directed;
therefore, I had to use my initiative to complete the given tasks. COVID-19 poses many
challenges regarding conventional teaching, education, and assessment in the university
environment. By being put in a self-directed learning environment, I maintained a positive
attitude, looked for new opportunities, and sought more responsibility. However, I am still developing the ability to ask more questions. My communication style is relatively short and direct, and I enjoyfinding solutions to problems
through self-directed learning; therefore, I need to develop further the skill of asking more
questions in order to improve my initiative.

During COVID-19 I had to use self-management skills. Due to learning online, I had less
guidance and support from my tutors as I could not interact with them face to face.
Therefore, I had to develop skills such as managing my stress levels, delaying gratification,
being self-motivated, and managing my own time. I used these skills to achieve my personal
and academic goals. One aspect I could improve is that instead of relying on supervisors to
provide me with work tasks, I could find my own tasks by identifying problems within a
system.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated my use of technology as my studies shifted to an
online space. My ability to interact and complete tasks using computer-based technologies
rapidly increased by switching to remote learning. Having technology skills during the
pandemic was extremely important as it allowed me to work more efficiently, boosted my
confidence in my work, and helped me complete tasks to a high standard. I had to use
various technology platforms such as web-based platforms, mobile platforms, application
platforms and database platforms.

The cumulative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to adapt to a new learning
environment where I had to take more responsibility for my study habits. Being in a remote
setting meant that I had to take more initiative and responsibility in finding new learning
opportunities. I dealt with the situation by using online platforms to seek out new
opportunities. My use of web-based platforms propelled my remote learning experience, as
I was able to have access to databases where I found a range of new opportunities. For
example, after I was offered a graduate job in the data and cloud team at KPMG, I used web
databases to search for courses that would pertain to my graduate job. An online course
that I found is the Microsoft Azure training, which I intend to complete by the end of the
year; this is just one example of how I took responsibility for my learning by finding an
opportunity where I could expand my knowledge and gain new skills.