ICM404 Career Success in the Future World of Work Assignment Brief 2026 | Henely

Module Code and Title

ICM404 Career Success in the Future World of Work

Academic Year

2025-26

Module Convenor

Professor George Alexandridis

Type of Assessment

Oral Assessment

Weighting of Assessment

40%

Individual or Group Assessment

☒ Individual                   ☐ Group

Module Convenor Office Hours/Opportunities for advice and feedback

You can book a one to one Careers Appointment with Harriet Whittaker (MSc Finance / MSc Investment Management) or Neelam Kaul (MSc Management) at http://bit.ly/CHMJOappt 

Submission deadline

16:00 BST Tuesday 19th May 2026

Submission point

☒ Blackboard    ☐ Turnitin     ☐ Other:  Enter text here

Item(s) to be submitted

Once you have completed the oral assessment (video interview channel open between 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday 19th May 2026) please complete the Submission Sheet in Appendix 1 and upload to Blackboard.

File type

☒ PDF      ☒ Word       ☐ PPT      ☐ Excel       ☐ Video     

☐ Other:  Enter text here

Formatting guidelines

NA

Structure (e.g. required sub-sections)

NA

Size of assessment (word limit or length) and penalty applied

20 minute oral assessment 

Referencing style

☐ Harvard                   ☐ Other:  NA                      

Module learning outcomes to be assessed

· Demonstrate fluent communication, presentation and narrative building skills and practice confident speaking in public. 

· Articulate the different career paths and job markets in your area of interest, build a comprehensive target employers’ map, structure your job search and networking effectively and build a reflective early career strategy.  

· Gain an in-depth understanding of your personality and strengths and how to utilise them towards your career success. 

Task
(attach an assignment brief if required)

The task is to carry out a video interview. You will need to answer the questions as if you were applying to a real company for a real vacancy. Please choose the company and the job role you would like to apply for in advance.

You will need to:

· Record your answers on the ShortlistMe platform using the link which will be sent to you by email by the module convenor.  

· The questions will include motivational and competency questions about:

o your chosen role and the employer
and

o a randomised selection of 4 of the 9 Henley Skills (Appendix 2)  

· Questions will be randomised by the software

· See sample questions below:

1. Tell me about yourself

2. Why are you so interested in this company?

3. What excites you about this job role?

4. Give an example of how you influenced others to take ESG seriously.

5. Tell me about a time when you have worked effectively as part of a team.

6. Describe a time when you had to communicate complex information to others with a different level of understanding.

You will be given two minutes to prepare each question and you will have 90 seconds to record your answer.  You have 3 attempts to record your answers.

Guidelines/details of how to prepare your submission

Submission Sheet – see Appendix 1

1. Complete video interview between 14:00 and 16:00 BST on Tuesday 19^th May 2026

2. See Submission Sheet – Appendix 1. After recording your video interview include screenshot of the confirmation email sent to you by ShortlistMe as evidence that you have recorded your video interview.  

3. Include your Gen AI Statement (section 6)

4. Upload the Submission sheet on the ICM404 Blackboard pages as evidence that you have completed your video interview recording.

5. This will need to be submitted by the deadline of 16:00 BST on Tuesday 19^th May 2026.

Expectations for group work

(if applicable)

NA

Self-regulation: Make sure that you…

After recording your video interview at 14:00 and 16:00 BST on Tuesday 19^th May 2026, ensure that you give yourself enough time to upload your Submission Sheet on the ICM404 Blackboard pages before the assignment deadline 16:00 BST on Tuesday 19th May 2026.

Three key pieces of advice based on the feedback given to the previous cohort who completed this assignment

1. Research the company and the job role as if it was a real job you were applying to and try to show the interviewer that you have done this.

2. Use the CAR framework to help you answer the competency questions:

a. C:  Context (20% of your scenario)

b. A: Actions (60% of your scenario)

c. R:  Result (20% of your scenario)

3. Although you will need to be prepared to answer competency questions on any of the 9 Henley Skills, do not read your answers out – the interviewer wants to hear and see the real you.  

Formative assessment opportunities/activities

You can book a careers appointment on MyJobsOnline http://bit.ly/HCMJOappt 

Guidance on academic misconduct (including using Turnitin practice area)

The work you produce must be your own or that of members of your group if it is a group assessment. It must not have been submitted as part of other assessments, at this or another institution. You should ensure that the work you produce adheres to the University’s statement on academic integrity and to the regulations regarding academic misconduct (such as plagiarism and cheating). You can find information about this at: University of Reading Academic misconduct policies. 

You are encouraged to put a draft of your work through the Turnitin practice area to satisfy yourself that the work is your own original work. You can seek advice from the Module Convenor.

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools

*What do we mean by GenAI?

GenAI tools create new content in the form of text, code, images, videos, music etc. The most common GenAI tools at the time of writing are ChatGPT, CoPilot, Claude, Llama and Gemini. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. Please refer to the article here which frequently updates its list of well-known GenAI tools.

There are three categories of GenAI use in assessments in operation at the University of Reading. The ticked box below indicates which category this assignment belongs to:

1.GenAI tools cannot be used in any way in the assessment

2. GenAI tools can be used to support student learning and  development (to sketch initial ideas, find sources, explore unfamiliar concepts, provide structure etc.)

3. The use of GenAI tools is actively encouraged to help students develop their skills in the use of such tools and understand how their use can be incorporated into authentic writing tasks. Specifically: Enter text here

If option 2. or 3. above is checked, you must include a statement to acknowledge your use of GenAI tools* within the assessment itself. This statement should be written in complete sentences and include the following information:  

· Name and version of the GenAI tool used; e.g. ChatGPT-3.5  

· Publisher (company that provides the GenAI system); e.g. OpenAI  

· URL of the AI tool (if applicable)  

· Brief description (single sentence) of the way in which the GenAI tool was used  

· Confirmation that the work is your own  

For example:  

I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT 3.5 (OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/) to generate an outline for background study. I confirm that no output generated by GenAI has been presented as my own work.

Note: if you have not used GenAI tools to help with your assessment, you must still include a statement to acknowledge this fact, e.g. I declare that no GenAI tools have been used to produce this work.

The misuse of GenAI tools, including the failure to appropriately acknowledge the use of such tools, is considered academic misconduct and carries sanctions, as detailed in the Assessment Handbook.

Please also refer to student guidance on Using Generative AI Tools at University and GenAI and University Study 

Academic misconduct penalties

☒ The University’s standard policy on academic misconduct applies.

☐ Other: Enter text here 

Late submission point

☒ Blackboard    ☐ Turnitin     ☐ Other:  Enter text here

Late submission penalties

☒ The University’s standard penalties apply. See Standard Penalties.

☐ Other:  Enter text here

Timing of feedback

☒ Within 15 days of submission deadline   

☐ When examination marks are released

☐ Other:  Enter text here

Type of feedback

☒ Mark                                           ☒ Generic feedback

☒ Individual feedback                  ☐ Breakdown of mark

☐ Audio feedback                         ☐ Video feedback

☐ Comments written on the submitted work                  

☐ Other: Enter text here

Location of feedback

☒ Blackboard    ☐ Turnitin     ☐ Other:  Enter text here

GRADE BANDS

DISTINCTION

MERIT

PASS

FAIL

MAJOR FAIL

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

80+

OUTSTANDING

70 – 79

EXCELLENT

60 – 69

VERY GOOD

50 – 59

GOOD

40 – 49

39 AND BELOW

Criterion 1:  Constructing your Story

(20% of mark)

Compelling, engaging and highly persuasive narrative. Logically structured, with excellent use of the CAR approach, and captivating use of stylistic devices.  Refined and developed use of rich language that is contextually relevant.

Compelling, engaging and persuasive narrative.   Excellent use of stylistic devices and a rich range of language. Logical structure, with very good use of the CAR approach.

A very good narrative, though could be more compelling, engaging and persuasive in places.  Good use of stylistic devices and a range of language.  Logical structure with use of the CAR approach.

A good narrative, though could be more compelling, engaging and persuasive.  Limited use of stylistic devices but would benefit from a richer range of language.  Logical structure in places.  CAR approach used inconsistently.  

An adequate narrative, which is not sufficiently compelling, engaging or persuasive.  Little use of stylistic devices.  Illogical structure and narrow range of language. Very limited use of the CAR approach.

Poor and dull narrative, with little use of stylistic devices.  Lacking structure.  Poor range of language.  Poor or no use of the CAR approach.

Criterion 2:  Telling your Story

(20% of mark)

Highly compelling, engaging and persuasive oral presentation.  Thoroughly professional and succinct  with an excellent awareness ness of intended audience.   

Compelling, engaging and persuasive oral presentation.  Professional and succinct  with clear awareness of intended audience.   

Mostly compelling,
engaging and persuasive oral presentation.  Professional and well presented although could be more succinct.  Good  awareness of intended audience.

Dry oral presentation.  Could be more professional and presented more effectively, as well as more succinct in places.  Some awareness of intended audience.

A dull oral presentation which is not compelling, engaging or persuasive.  Lacking professionalism.  Length is not as specified in the assignment brief.  Little awareness of intended audience.

An inadequate oral presentation. Lacking professionalism. Length is not as specified in the assignment brief.  No awareness of intended audience.

Criterion 3:  Insight into Self

(20% of mark)

An extremely high level of self-insight and self-reflection focused around relevant industry skills and behaviours.   Excellent evidence and use of examples to demonstrate skills.

A high level of self-insight and self-reflection focused around relevant industry skills and behaviours.   

A good level of self-insight and self-reflection focused around relevant industry skills and behaviours.   

Showed some self-insight and self-reflection focused around relevant industry skills and behaviours.   

Low and/or inconsistent level of self-insight and self-reflection.  Lacks depth and consistency.  

Little or no self-insight or self-reflection.  

Criterion 4:  Passion for the Company

(20% of mark)

Demonstrates an outstanding understanding of the company.  Shows an outstanding level of research and is extremely specific in the reasoning.  Outstanding level of passion and  personalisation to create an authentic and memorable interview performance.  Demonstrates an extremely high level of commercial awareness.

Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the company.  Shows an excellent level of research and is highly specific in the reasoning.  Excellent level of passion and personalisation to create an authentic and memorable interview performance.  Demonstrates a high level of commercial awareness.

Demonstrates a good understanding of the company.  Shows a good level of research and is specific in the reasoning.  Good level of passion and personalisation to create an authentic interview performance.  Demonstrates a good level of commercial awareness.

Demonstrates some understanding of the company.  Shows some level of research and but is not specific enough in the reasoning.  Some level of passion and personalisation in interview performance.  Demonstrates some level of commercial awareness.

Demonstrates a low understanding of the company.  Shows a low level of research and lacks specificity in the reasoning.  Low level of personalisation and passion.  Demonstrates a low level of commercial awareness.

Demonstrates little to no understanding of the company.  Shows little to no research and reasoning.  Little to no personalisation and passion. Demonstrates no commercial awareness.

Criterion 5:  Passion for the job role

(20% of mark)

Demonstrates an outstanding understanding of the industry and the role.  Shows an outstanding level of research and is extremely specific in the reasoning.  Outstanding level of passion and personalisation to create an authentic and memorable interview performance.

Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the industry and the role. Shows an excellent level of research and is highly specific in the reasoning.  Excellent level of passion and personalisation to create an authentic and memorable interview performance.

Demonstrates a good understanding of the industry and the role. Shows a good level of research and is specific in the reasoning.  Good level of passion and personalisation to create an authentic interview performance.

Demonstrates some understanding of the industry and the role. Shows some level of research and but is not specific enough in the reasoning.  Some level of passion and personalisation in interview performance.

Demonstrates a low understanding of the industry and the role.  Shows a low level of research and lacks specificity in the reasoning.  Low level of personalisation and passion.

Demonstrates little or no understanding of the industry and the role. Shows little to no research and reasoning.  Little to no personalisation and passion.