CAREER COMPETENCIES AND WORK HABITS OF SELECTED STEM ACADEMIC

ACHIEVER OF KCNHS

SAAD M. PATADON

DECEMBER 2017
 INTRODUCTION

Career competencies make someone grow in their own fields. Davoren (2009)

define competencies as a skills, knowledge or abilities that enable good performance in

a particular role. This competency requires the ability to recognize that there may be

more than one valid point of view. Students as a future successor of professionals

enable them to persuade their goals and mold themselves to perform and compete with

other students. It helps them to achieve their true selves and gain success. Alberta

(2016) stated that competencies are combinations of attitudes, skills and knowledge

that students develop and apply for successful learning, living and working. Alberta

(2016) emphasizes that student’s use and develops competencies when they encounter

unfamiliar or challenging situations. Competencies help students draw and build upon

what they know, how they think and what they can do. o. In school, students develop

and apply competencies through subject-area content and learning experiences.

Work Habits in the other hand makes us do a productive output. They help you

build a strong reputation with superiors, subordinates and colleagues; gain

consideration for promotions; and feel a greater sense of accomplishment in your career

(Kokemuller, 2017). People with good work habits tend to be more successful in their

careers than poorly organized individuals, and they tend to have more time to spend on

personal life. Good work habits are more important than ever because of today's

emphasis on productivity and quality. As students progress through school, they

become more and more responsible for their own learning. Attending class regularly,

participating, getting the most out of instruction, and being prepared for class and
exams are just some of the skills students must develop in order to succeed. It is also

crucial for students to develop successful study habits including: careful listening and

effective note-taking, carefully preparing for and taking tests, thinking strategically,

taking an active approach to studying, and being able to self-regulate learning and

studying.

This research paper will evaluate the career competencies and work habits of

selected STEM student that acquire high academic performances. This study will help

the respondent to assess themselves and do some improvements, modifications and

enhancements as necessary.
 Significance of the Study

This study will determine the career competencies and work habits of STEM

academic achievers.

STEM academic achievers. This study will help the students to assess their career

competencies and working habits.

Professors and Instructors. This will also study benefit the professors or instructors to

determine the level of competencies and working habits of their student. The

result will provide information on the kind of career competencies and work

habits the selected STEM students have. If necessary, the intervention in the

bounds of classroom instructions will be implemented or integrated.

Future Researchers It will help the future researcher in providing them of reference

related to student career competencies and work habits.

Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study seeks to determine the level of career competency and

working habits of the STEM academic achievers.

Specifically, this study aims to:

1. determine the personal characteristics of the respondents;

2. determine the Career Competencies of the respondents and;

3. determine the Work Habits of the respondents.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The data that will be included are the career competencies and work habits of

International Relations students who are officially enrolled in the school year 2017-2018.
Operational Definition of Terms

Career Competencies. These refer to the level of competencies of International

relation students.

Work Habits. These refer to the level of work habits of International relations students.

STEM academic achievers. These refer to the student who got a higher grade in

Science Technology Engineering Mathematics(STEM) strand.

Theoretical Framework

Student

Work Habits Career Competency

Good Students’ Performance

(Academic and Extra-
curricular)
 REVIEW OF RELATED OF LITERATURE

The development of learning skills and work habits needed to succeed in school

and in life begins in schooling. As students move through the years, they develop and

then consolidate their learning skills and work habits in preparation for performing jobs

in a workplace. As Barber writes (2016) graduate students and post docs

should understand the importance of being able to communicate, understand and

analyze about their competencies to prospective employers during their job search.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2016) has recently

highlighted the idea of career competencies and career readiness in a push to help

colleges and universities work with their students in ways that encourage a successful

transition from the academic environment to the workplace. That includes the process of

moving from being a graduate student or postdoc to a being faculty member within

academe, as well as entering into career fields in business, non-profits, government,

and beyond. They help students and postdocs understand that it takes a wide diversity

of skills to be successful in any work situation. They demonstrate that there are always

news skills to be learned and new situations in which to apply pre-existing skills.

According to Heslin (2005) that within the vast literature on the antecedents of

career success, the success criterion has generally been operationalized in a rather

deficient manner. Many higher education institutions have developed their own

customized competencies for their students. It is clear that the role of career advisers is

not necessarily to assist them in gaining all of these competencies. But they can
certainly play a key part in helping students and postdocs understand the importance of

these traits from the prospective of employers, to point them towards experiences that

help them develop and practice these competencies, and perhaps most important, to

help them be able to communicate the competencies they do have in clear, illustrative

and relevant ways during their job search and career development (Barber, 2016).

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently released a

fact sheet defining seven (7) core competencies that form career readiness: one (1)

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, two (2) Oral/Written Communications, three (3)

Teamwork/Collaboration, four (4) Information Technology Application, five (5)

Leadership, six (6) Professionalism/Work Ethic and seven (7) Career Management.

Critical thinking and problem solving skills are necessary components of workplace

success, according to Rod Adams, U.S. recruiting leader at PricewaterhouseCooper.

“Reflection, analysis and planning all drive achievement, innovation and deep

understanding, which are instrumental to success,” says Adams (2014). Some people

mistakenly think that strong communication skills are only vital for employees who write

proposals and conduct presentations, but Adams says these skills are necessary for all

employees. “It is important to cultivate a clear communication style that not only gets

your ideas and messages across, but also helps you connect and convince other

people,” says Adams. “Communicating with authenticity allows you to be engaged and

engaging.” Adams adds that strong communication is not about memorization. “It is

about knowing your message so thoroughly that you can easily and confidently share

your ideas so others will walk away with a clear, cohesive, and consistent
understanding of who you are and what you have to offer.” And Lauren Griffin, senior

vice president of Adecco Staffing USA explains that regardless of the industry, the

growth of cross-office collaboration and social media tools increases the need to

communicate effectively. “It’s also critical that you be aware of non-verbal

communication conveyed through body language and facial expressions. As you seek

to make a good impression with a new employer, try to exude enthusiasm even if you

are given a difficult task.”

This is one of the skills that may be as important as technical ability or work

history. “Even if you are capable of handling the workload, your interpersonal skills –

like the ability to be a team player, build strong relationships, and effectively manage

conflict – or the lack thereof, could make or break a hiring manager’s decision as they

determine which candidate is the right fit,” warns Griffin. When applying for a job, Griffin

says to make sure your resume, cover letter and profile highlight the ability to work well

with others.

“The world is changing around us—and fast; businesses are feeling the

unprecedented impact of rapid demographic changes, economic shifts, increasing

resource scarcity, urbanization, and technology breakthroughs,” says Adams. And as a

result, he says that companies want employees with skills in data analytics and

information management because this data helps to drive innovation and lead change.

Leadership is often confused with management, but according to Reese, the two

have nothing in common. “Anyone can be a leader, regardless of position,” says Reese.
 “I’m looking for a resume that reflects the exhibition of leadership skills,

independent of whether the candidate ever managed people.”

And Adams adds, “Leadership skills prove that you learn from your experiences,

take the time to develop your personal approach to work, lead others to be the best they

can be, act with integrity and uphold professional standards at all times.”

Our experts had the most comments about this competency. Aaron Michel, co-

founder and CEO at PathSource, says, “These skills cannot be overvalued in the job

market. For recent college graduates who are trying to prove themselves, what they do

doesn’t necessarily impress as much as how they do it.” Michel says just being on time

and behaving responsibly can leave a strong impression.

Taking the initiative is also an important part of this competency. Griffin says

employers are looking for reliable self-starters who can do the job right the first time.

“Managers have their own responsibilities to attend to and cannot micromanage an

employee’s every move.”

And Adams warns candidates to remember that they’re building their personal

brand. “It’s always a good idea to make sure that your social media persona reflects you

appropriately, so research yourself on the web to see what can be found about you.” He

advises taking action to correct anything that could negatively impact a candidate’s

reputation.

And still according to Adams (2014) also advises candidates to use tools like

LinkedIn to build their credibility and visibility within their professional network.

“Branding is a journey, not a destination – and each interaction is an opportunity to build

your brand. Make sure to be clear on what you want to be known for and be compelling

in how you share your story with others,” says Adams.

Career management may be an unfamiliar term to many people, and since

Michel’s company, PathSource, is a career exploration company, we asked him to

explain this often overlooked skill set. “Many young professionals believe that if they just

work hard, they’ll organically advance in their career, but the truth is that graduates

need to be able to define their career path and recognize opportunities that can help

them achieve their personal goals,” says Michel. He notes this involves taking

advantage of opportunities to learn from professionals that they admire.

Michel also advises college students to engage in career exploration early to

make sure they’re on the right career path, and then nurture and develop their careers

to continue growing professionally.

A good work ethic can be the determining factor in just how well you’ll do in

school –and in life. Your good work ethic tells future employers what they might expect

from you on the job (Poster and Chester Institute, 2014). To succeed in the workplace,

it's a good idea to develop work habits that reflect a desire to help the organization.

Managers and coworkers enjoy working with people who report to work every day,

interact in positive ways, take pride in their work and complete their assignments on

time. With a bit of extra effort, you can prove your value to your colleagues and your

boss. They cannot help but respect your hard work and efficiency (Bianca, 2017). She

also added that good work habits are essential for getting a positive performance

evaluation and continuing employment in an organization.

 LITERATURE CITED

Heslin 2005. Conceptualizing and evaluating career success by Peter A. Heslin,

February 3, 2005 retrieved from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/job.270/full.

Barber, 2016. Are you Career Competent? By Joseph Barbers, August 29, 2016
retrieved from
https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2016/08/29/importance-knowing-
competencies-employers-seek-essay

Williams 2016. 7 Core Competencies Shape Career Readiness for College Graduates
by Terri Williams, January 12, 2016 retrieved from
https://www.goodcall.com/news/7-core-competencies-shape-career-
readiness-for-college-graduates-03909

Bianca, 2007. The Importance of Good Work Habits in the Workplace by Audra Bianca,
retrieved from http://work.chron.com/importance-good-work-habits-
workplace-8019.html.

Poster and Chester Institute, 2014. The importance of a good work ethic in school
and life, April 22, 2014 retrieved from
https://www.porterchester.com/news-events/importance-good-work-
ethic-school-life/
 METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will employ descriptive research design. The descriptive design was

used to generate a description of personal characteristics of respondents; the

respondent’s level of career competencies and work habits.

Correlation design was used to regulate the relationship of socio-demographic

characteristics affecting the respondent’s level of competitiveness.

Locale of the Study

The researcher of the study will set to conduct her study at Kidapawan City

National High Schoool, Kidapawan City.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study will be the STEM achiever student who are

officially enrolled in the school-year 2017-2018.

Sampling Procedure

The researcher will use a purposive sampling procedure.

Research Instrument

The study will use a self made questionnaire to generate the data from the

respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

To facilitate the conduct of the study, first the respondent will coordinate with the

Principal through a letter to provide him permission to conduct the study. After the

approval of the researcher will then gather the data through a self-made questionnaire

to the respondents. Lastly, the gathered data will be unified and incorporated to the

study.

Statistical Analysis

The statistical tools used in the study were the descriptive statistics such as

percentage, frequency, and weighted means.

CAREER COMPETENCIES AND WORK HABITS OF SELECTED STEM ACADEMIC
ACHIEVER STUDENTS

SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE

Instruction: Please fill-up or check the space provided with correct information. Rest

assured that your identity will remain confidential.

Part I. Socio-Demographic Profile of Respondents

Name: (Optional) ____________________________________

Age: _______

Sex: ( ) Male ( ) Female

Religious Affiliation: ( ) Islam ( ) Roman Catholic ( ) Protestant, others, please

specify _________________

Tribe: ( ) Maguindanaon ( ) Maranao ( ) Iranun ( ) Cebuano ( ) Ilocano ( )

Ilonggo, Others, please specify ________________

Grade level:

( ) Grade11 ( ) Grade 12
Part II. Career Competencies of International Relation Students

Instruction: Read each question and select the appropriate answer from the four-point

scale on the selection list for each question according to how competent you think you

are at that skill.

(1) Highly Competent (3) Less Competent

(2) Competent (4) Not Competent at all

Statement 1 2 3 4

I am actively participating on activities that would help

me gain more knowledge about my field.

I enhance myself mentally, critically and behaviorally

I am a career-oriented person

I seek guidance to my professor to improve myself on

my fields.

I assess myself to modify myself.

Part III. Work Habits of International Relation Student

Instruction: Read each question and select the appropriate answer from the four-point

scale on the selection list for each question according to how competent you think you

are at that skill.

(1) Highly Observed (3) Less Observed

(2) Observed (4) Not Observed at all

Statement 1 2 3 4

I am always on time on doing compliance and work.

I am always prepared on every job I’ve been working.

I am always giving my best to produce productive output.

I engage on class discussion and out of the school

discussion to develop my ideas.

I am capable of effective communication with others on

discussion, meetings, socialization and etc.