Inquiry Based Learning. Inquiry Project

Company name Mark's and Spenser. \nSubject Management. I need 1250 words \nthe information I sent it. Pay attention to Background, the questions. I have sent a picture of the demands that the teacher wants them to have written. Please keep them.

Professional identity
and practices
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................2
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................2
P1 Key benefits of On-going Professional development for different stakeholders...........................2
P2 Employers expectations of skills and competencies.....................................................................3
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................4
P3 Own abilities, skills and competencies.........................................................................................4
P4 Range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional development
process...............................................................................................................................................6
TASK 3.................................................................................................................................................6
P5 Development plan.........................................................................................................................6
TASK 4.................................................................................................................................................8
P6 Job Interview................................................................................................................................8
P7 Strength and weakness of applied interview process....................................................................9
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................9
REFRENCES......................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity creates one’s belief, value, attitude, motives and experiences by
which particular person can define themselves in their current or anticipated professional life
(Baker and et. al., 2015). For better future and taking good position in competitive business
environment there is requirement of professional skills and knowledge related to specification
area. This assignment is based on Thomas Cook, which is a leading multinational business
specialised in travel & tourism sector. Firm provides ease and competent holiday packages to
the peoples. This report will going to discuss on-going professional development and self
directed learning for enhancing professional identity as well as career opportunities. Along
with this, own skills, competencies and different learning or development approaches. In
addition to this professional development plan will be designed and demonstrate skills
required for job applying in service industry.
TASK 1
P1 Key benefits of On-going Professional development for different stakeholders
Thomas Cook is a multinational company of travel and tourism sector. Respective
organisation is specialised in doing their business operation in an area of travel & tourism as
well as have higher number of satisfied customer. It have their headquartered in London,
United Kingdom and currently they are operating in approx. 70 countries. Thomas Cook in its
work tenure has comes up with various strategic alliance with other business entity to grow
them and led future based business with them. Offerings of respective organisation are
different range holiday packages as well as also operating within airline industry. In addition
to this, they are working towards milestone for generating employment opportunities for
youth and led positive career change.
On-going professional development is also known as continuous professional
development (Basturkmen, 2014). It is related to the procedure of tracking as well as
documenting skills, knowledge as well as experience which gain in both formal and informal
manner. Thomas Cook provides training and development session to their employees so they
can develop their skills and knowledge according to the requirement as well as compete in
competitive business environment. There are several benefits of on-going development from
the view of different stakeholders. Explanation of these are as follows :-

 On-going development skills make sure as well as enhance skills and knowledge in
such manner that staff members of Thomas Cook can deliver professional services to
customers and make them satisfy.
 It also helps each and every individual personnel to make meaningful contribution in
the working of team. Thus, it will result in generating more and more revenue by
satisfying customers.
 Along with this, on-going professional development builds confidence level in
employees through which they can easily handle customers, investors, suppliers and
so on.
Thus, in such manner on-going professional skills are beneficial in perspective of
different stake holders. Along with this, it also results in generating revenue for Thomas
Cook and making customers satisfy.
P2 Employers expectations of skills and competencies
Employers are the one who give job opportunity to individual according to the vacant
position in organisation and capabilities of candidate. While hiring employees there are some
expectations of employers in term of skills and knowledge (Cruess and et. al., 2015). In
relation of Thomas Cook, employers expectation from the candidate applying for the position
of assistance manager are as follows :-
 Communication skills are required in assistance manager so they can transfer valuable
or important information to employees through appropriate source. Because it will
result in accomplishing goals and objective of Thomas Cook in effective manner by
meeting daily basis targets.
 Motivation and encouragement skills are needed in assistance manager which is
necessary because sometimes employees get demotivated from their daily basis
activity or any other issues. This tool helps in employee’s retention also.
 Assistance manager is called to take both types of decisions minors and major within
working area. For being effective in this role there is requirement of decision making
capabilities. Although, good assistance manager is able to rapidly assess any situation
and make decision according to that.
 Along with all this, there is requirement of ability to follow directions because
assistance manager generally work under the direction of superiors as well as have to
operate in the manner the head manager has requested.

These are some expected skills required by the employers in the candidate applying for
position of assistance manager within Thomas Cook (Cruess, Cruess and Steinert, 2016). So
that, he/she can perform their duty in effective manner as well as help in accomplishing goals
and objectives of company.
TASK 2
P3 Own abilities, skills and competencies
In Thomas Cook, this will be my first job after my training and higher education. I am
very much interested in the job role of assistant manager, whose job role is to manage work
or management in the Thomas Cook (Wald and et. al., 2015). After receiving call from the
management of this leading travel & tourism, I have decided to pursue his job role with a
vision and strategic objective to raise my career on the higher and large platform As, HR
manager was very much impressed by my personality and credentials which I got after long
practice or work out for enhance my career and also get approached me to quick my career in
the Thomas Cook with beginning role of assistant manager. During the response stage for this
job role, I was existed for this job role with have a look over pre-planning stage in a self-
screening of actual skills, competencies or abilities, which I have or I gained during my
education period. For my long career, it is necessary for me to evaluate my own skills,
competencies or ability to draw outcome on what sort of skills I need to develop or pursue to
make my personality or credential more attractive as well as responsive to desired work or
job role.
S. no Skills/competencies Rating #1 Rating #2 Rating #3 Rating #4
1 Interpersonal skills
a. Listening ability X
b. Negotiation power X
c. Problem-solving skill X
d. Decision making X
e. Verbal communication mode X
2 Intervention skills

a. Counselling skills X
b. Education/training work X
c. Group facilitation skill X
d. Conflict management X
e. Empathic relationship X
What find positive for me: From the tabular representation of self evaluation it has
been analyzed that, building relation is one of my positive point which is required in
hospitality industry. Because it is service sector and maintaining relation with customer is
necessary. Along with this, I have got good command over negotiation as well as problem
solving skills or potential. Moreover, my counseling power is very much appropriate for job
position of assistant manager.
What is required to be improved: After going through above self evaluation
process, it has been evaluated that I have lack of conflict management as well as decision
management skills. These are my major weakness area which need to develop so that I ca
work as an assistance manager within Thomas Cook. Also, it has been founded by me that I
have good command over providing education and training session but this much is not
enough. I have to work on these skills so that I can do daily basis activities in effective
manner.
To overcome with this weakness there is requirement of developing professional
development plan (Valentino and Reardon, 2015). Because it is the tool which involves
proper steps by which I will be able to come out with all shortcoming. For performing my job
role as an assistance manager in Thomas Cook because decision making and conflict
management is most important tool for required while working in an organization. In
addition to this, understanding of learning theory is needed to understand as well as have
recommendation over learning style.
P4 Range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development process
There are some type of learning theories for personal and professional development
process (Flores, Kleyn and Menken, 2015). In context of Thomas Cook explanation of these
are as follows :-

 Behaviourism – It is also known as behaviour psychology as well as this type of
learning theory is based on behaviour acquired within entire process. In addition to
this, staff member working with in Thomas Cook develop their professional and
personal skill through condition occur within working environment. Apart from this
behaviourist believes that response to environment stimuli shapes actions of
employees.
 Social constructivism - It is also known as sociological theory of knowledge as per
this theory human construction through interaction with others is been developed in
socially situated (Marañón and Pera, 2015). Thus, in simple terms staff members
working within Thomas Cook develop their personal and professional skills by
interacting with other members socially.
TASK 3
P5 Development plan
Development plan is the procedure through which an individual do planning of their
weakness that how he/she can overcome with it (Luft and Roughley, 2016). It is developed by
the manager working closely with personnel’s to analyse essential skills as well as resources
for supporting their careers goals and organisations needs.
What are my
development
objectives?
What activities
do I need to
undertake to
achieve my
objectives?
What
support/resource
s do I need to
achieve my
objectives?
Target dates for
achieving my
objectives
Actual dates of
achieving my
objectives
Conflict
management
To overcome
with this there is
requirement of
taking
participation
within group
activities.
Because there
are most
chances of
There is
requirement of
support from
superiors to get
me engage in
small team
activities. So that
I can manage
their work as
well as conflict.
There is
requirement of
much time. So
this process is
on-going.
Accomplish till
25 July 2019.

conflict if I am
able to manage
issue of single
team then it will
become easy for
me to manage
conflict related
to entire
association.
This is important
to resolve issues
and manage
conflict for
building healthy
relation within
employees
working in
Thomas Cook.
Decision
making
I have to take
participation in
activities
conducted
within Thomas
Cook so that I
can take
decision as per
the requirement.
Because as an
assistance
manager
decision making
is most
important skill
required in me.
Coaching class is
one of the best
resources to
increasing
decision making
skills. Because in
this situations
will be created
according to
which decisions
have to be
making. In such
classes training
as well as
development
sessions will be
provided to each
and every
individual so
they can make
decision in every
circumstance.
There is
requirement of 1
– 2 months for
learning
decision making
skills.
Thus, it will be
accomplished
till 30th June
2019.
Thus, through respective professional development plan I will be able to enhance my
skills which will required for working as an assistance manager within Thomas Cook.

TASK 4
P6 Job Interview
I had gone through the interview which was taken by Human Resource manager of
the Thomas Cook. Below mention is the overall conversation taken within interview
process:-
Interviewee: May I come in sir, good morning
Interviewer: Yes come in, good morning have your seat.
Interviewee: Thank You sir.
Interviewer: Can you me hand me your CV to check your credential?
Interviewee: Sure sir.
Interviewer: Tell me about yourself ?
Interviewee: My name is ABCD
Interviewer: Do you have any kind of working experience?
Interviewee: Yes. I was working with Travelodge for two years
Interviewer: Are you able to handle this job profile?
Interviewee: Yes sir I am very much capable to handle this job profile
Interviewer: OK ABCD, please wait outside we will let you know about the results. If you
will selected then documentation will be done right now.
Thomas Cook
Job Description
Job code: XXXXX
Job role: Assistant manager
Report to: General manager
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: 6 May, 2019
Summary: Candidate require to have proper exposure in relation to their perform so that roles and
responsibilities can be fulfill in effective manner and required outcomes within duration will be
gained. In addition to this, candidate should have motivation and encouragement skills according to
the job role of assistance manager. Because this will enhance performance of overall organization and
result in more customer satisfaction. Also, the person must have enough capabilities to define their
roles as well as responsibilities with power of co-ordination among others.
Duties & Responsibilities:
 Candidate should be responsible for effectual co-ordination within staff members along with

provide valuable information to everyone within required time period. So that, company can
generates more revenue.
 Candidate must have to co-ordinate with other administrative manager. So that, company
generation higher revenue and gain more customer loyalty.
 Manage daily basis activity in effective manner without any conflict within employees.
P7 Strength and weakness of applied interview process
Interview conducted with Thomas Cook have their strength and weakness both.
Explanation of these are as follows :-
Strength Weakness
Major strength of this interview was its
transparency as well as formality, due to
which interview has been conducted within
increased efforts. Moreover, interviewee was
confident and lots of positive vibe is coming
from him. In addition to this, duration and
timing of interview was perfect to crack it in
appropriate manner.
The major drawback of interview process
was lack of adequate information with an
interviewee which was interviewed by
Human Resource manager of the Thomas
Cook.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it has been concluded that, individual require both
personal and professional skills in them so that better position will be taken by them within
competitive environment. Along with this, every person have some strength and weakness
which will identify by doing personal audit. So that, individual can work on their strength and
take it as a future opportunity. Moreover, interview process also has some strength and
weakness as well as employers wants some skill in candidate which also discuss within
respective procedure.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, C. N. and et. al., 2015. Teacher (mis) perceptions of preschoolers’ academic skills:
Predictors and associations with longitudinal outcomes. Journal of educational
psychology. 107(3). p.805.
Basturkmen, H., 2014. Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. Routledge.
Cruess, R. L. and et. al., 2015. A schematic representation of the professional identity
formation and socialization of medical students and residents: a guide for medical
educators. Academic Medicine. 90(6). pp.718-725.
Cruess, R. L., Cruess, S. R. and Steinert, Y., 2016. Amending Miller’s pyramid to include
professional identity formation. Academic Medicine. 91(2). pp.180-185.
Flores, N., Kleyn, T. and Menken, K., 2015. Looking holistically in a climate of partiality:
Identities of students labeled long-term English language learners. Journal of Language,
Identity & Education. 14(2). pp.113-132.
Luft, T. and Roughley, R., 2016. Engaging the Reflexive Self: The role of Reflective Practice
for Supporting Professional Identity Development in Graduate Students.
In Supporting the Success of Adult and Online Students. CreateSpace.
Marañón, A. A. and Pera, M. P. I., 2015. Theory and practice in the construction of
professional identity in nursing students: A qualitative study. Nurse Education
Today. 35(7). pp.859-863.
Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F., 2015. Effectiveness of four instructional programs
designed to serve English learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 37(4). pp.612-637.
Wald, H. S. and et. al., 2015. Professional identity formation in medical education for
humanistic, resilient physicians: pedagogic strategies for bridging theory to
practice. Academic Medicine. 90(6). pp.753-760.
Online
Professional Development, 2018. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.inc.com/joel-
trammell/10-ways-to-maximize-your-professional-development.html >