The Ultimate Career Success Workbook: Tests & Exercises to by Rob Yeung

What sort of demands will I face in studying? Will I study and work at the same time? What sort of demands will my study put upon my partner or family and what practical support can I realistically expect from them? How is the course assessed (for example, essays, continuous assessment, group project work, end-of-year exams) and how do those methods suit me? You should think of these many questions as an opportunity to work out whether any particular qualification really is right for you. However, there is no doubt that the right professional qualification can make a huge difference to your career.

For example, when you are asked to give a formal presentation, then convincing is likely to be the most suitable. When you are trying to negotiate more flexible working hours, the cajoling and compromising styles may be equally appropriate. On the other hand, when there is a fire in the building and smoke billowing into the office, cajoling is the last thing you should be doing: someone needs to take charge and command others into taking quick action to save lives. Now look back at the statements that relate to the influencing style on which you got the lowest score.

In addition, try to think about the learning points from those mistakes. Refer back to your previous appraisal. What were the expectations laid out in that appraisal and did you achieve them or not? If not, you need to think of a way to explain your failure as well as give confidence to your manager that you will achieve them in the coming months. Looking at both your achievements and mistakes, weigh up what training or type of projects you would like over the coming months to develop your skills.