Strengths and Weaknesses of Structured Interview

The given report concludes that continuous development is essential for individuals to develop their future career and existing skills. Various tools such as EFQM excellence model and CQAL model can be used to determine existing skills and performance. A personal and professional development plan is also useful for employees to improve their skills and performance by setting targets. The interview process has strengths and weaknesses that must be considered by HR managers before choosing a suitable interviewing method.

PROFESSIONAL
IDENTITY AND
PRACTICES

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders ..............3
P2 Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies....................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role...............................5
P4 Learning theories and approaches for personal and professional development processes7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5 Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies......................7
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6 Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role........................................10
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process.........................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Professionals in business refers to the people who are perfect or specialist in their field
and who brings better results to the business firms. These individuals continuously works fro
developing their skills and competencies in order to execute their assigned work properly
without any errors. Personal and professional development programs are essential for individuals
so that they can sustain at the workplace or an organisation. This is beneficial for both employees
and employers in raising the productivity of the organisation. Taken firm in this assessment is
British Airways which is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom having headquarter at
Harmondsworth. This report assessment will cover the role of ongoing professional
development along with its benefit to both employees and employer. Further this report will also
assess own skills, competences and the different learning and development approaches. This
report will also cover professional development plan and range of transferable skills for a job
application.
TASK 1
P1 Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders
On-going professional development refers to the process of continuous professional
development in which individuals learn new things throughout their career for getting more
growth. Through this, the learners become more professional and competent in their working for
bringing better results to the organisation (Avalos, 2011). On-going professional development in
British Airways is the commitment of company for improving the professionalism among the
employees. Through this, the management can ensures that the individuals has the skills and
knowledge which is essential for meeting the future challenges in career. This process is
beneficial for both employees and employer at British Airways as discussed below:
Benefit for employer
Through the on-going professional development, the employees of British Airways are
equipped with the required skills through which they can work in proper manner for achieving
the desired organisational goals. This will support the firm in gaining in desired success at
marketplace. Also due to the improved working, company can retain their employees for
accomplishing the long term objectives or vision of the company. Also through the Professional
development, employees can improve their degree, training and confidence for performing the

job in professional manner which will simultaneously improve the profitability, productivity,
flexibility, quality, commitment of the company (Cooke, 2012). Also this Continuous
professional development for employees will benefit the British Airways in providing high
standard service to the customers, increase the collective knowledge of the team, boost
employees’ jobs satisfaction etc.
Benefit for employees
British Airways is providing various benefits to the employees through the professional
development. British Airways is providing training and development opportunities to their
employees through the collaboration with Global Learning Academy (GLA) which brings
together all areas of training within British Airways into one centre of excellence. Through these
development and training sessions, the employees of British Airways can gain more or new
experience as well as learn new skills which can assist them in handling the future challenges of
their growth and career (Eteläpelto and et. al., 2014). The company is also helping the employees
in demonstrating their ambitions and ability for moving forward in their career by eliminating
the mistakes. Through the professional development, employees are engaging in the business
activities for becoming more talented, skilled and qualified in their working.
P2 Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies
British Airways is having some standards for hiring the employees. According to the
ethics of airline industry, employees needs be professional, be punctual, responsible, positive as
well as should possess the soft and hard skills, transferable skills etc. (Hadar and Brody, 2013).
The company also has some requirements for the candidates of cabin crew position which are
discussed below:
 Height of the candidates must be between 5’2” and 6’1” along with the weight in
proportion to height,
 Diploma/Graduate in High School,
 Fluent in spoken and written English,
 Having experience of handling the customer i.e. customer service,
 Valid passport having expiry date of minimum or more than 1 year while applying,
 Must have clear criminal record,
 Be able to obtain and keep an airside pass,
 Ability to swim 50m, flexibility as well as problem solving,

 Be well groomed and a pleasant personality for showing positive attitude and
professionalism.
 Good in handling technological equipments and software.
These are some of the requirements of the British Airways for candidates applying for the
position of cabin crew (Zepeda, 2012). These requirements should be present in the candidates
for performing their roles and responsibilities in proper manner.
Evaluation of importance of professional development and associated professional skills
requirement in British Airways
Professional development is important for the British Airways in maintaining the
standards of their customers services which will assist the firm in building a good reputation of
the company. This improved reputation will attract the customers for taking the services of the
company. Also the company can improve the knowledge of their employees through the
professional development which helps the company in sustaining in the marketplace. Cabin crew
candidates with professional skills assist the company in providing excellent customer service
through which the passengers will feel comfortable and safe (Hamza, 2010). This will bring the
success and good rates to the company as customers are satisfied with their services. However, if
employees are not ready to learn then it can negatively impact the company as customer
dissatisfaction can arises which can cause complains and problems to the company.
TASK 2
P3 Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role
It is very essential for the individuals to analyse and assess their skills and competencies
in order to improve them for improving the performance and productivity. For the job role of
cabin crew, it is essential for me to analyse my skills and knowledge for making suitable changes
in them in order to enhance my performance at the workplace or in organisation (Xu, 2014).
Some of the skills are discussed below: Willingness to learn and adopt: I rate myself 7 out of 10 in these skills as i am capable
of learning new things due to which i get the required support from these while
performing the job as a cabin crew in British Airways.
 Positive Attitude: In this skill, I rate myself as 9 out of 10 as I receive lot of comments
regarding my work in positive manner. I am confident due to which people receive

positive attitude from me. This is also because I can perform better work for getting
positive outcomes even in difficult situations (McCarthy, 2016) (McNiff, 2010).
Some of the points have been discussed below which are required for my personal ability
as a Cabin Crew of one of the renounce company known as British Airways are. Problem Solving: I must rate myself 7 out of 10 in this particular case because I am able
to find solution of most of the problem without taking any of the mental stress. It is
helping me to create a positive environment within my workplace leadership: When it comes to leadership, I will rate myself 5 out of 10 because there are
number of situation where I am able to solve them but in many of the cases I might not
succeed. It is important for me to enhance my leadership skill.
 Customer Service: It is the best thing which I do have in me and because of that I rate
myself 9 out of 10. I do have better communication skill and interpersonal skill which
helps to understand the issues of customer through which I can provide better service to
them.
Personal Skill Audit
Learning Skills Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
Skills:
Positive Attitude
Willingness to learn
Cooperation
10 9
10 8
10 7
Abilities:
Team Handling
Research Capabilities
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 6
10 9
Competencies
Customer Service
Leadership
Problem Solving
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 9
10 6
10 8

P4 Learning theories and approaches for personal and professional development processes
After evaluating my strengths and weakness as a cabin crew member, it is very essential
for me to adopt the various theories and approaches through which I can improve my personal
and professional development process. Some of these theories are discussed below: Behaviourism: This type of learning theory is associated with the behaviour of the
individuals. This learning theory is used for determining the behaviour of individuals
towards learning in terms of positive or negative (Moon, 2013). As a cabin crew member
it is my duty to improve my skills and capabilities for attaining high performance in my
working. Through these improved skills and capabilities, I can achieve the desired goals
and objectives in an effective manner so as to provide my maximum contribution in the
development and growth of the firm. Cognitivism : This is another type of learning theory which is used by individuals for
learning new things based on their internal interest not on external pressure (Mwalongo,
2011). This theory is useful for me as the cabin crew member. Through this theory, I can
learn new things through my complete efforts which was not possible in behaviourism
theory of learning. Through the use of this theory, I can make improvements in my
existing skills for improving my performance which will assist the British Airways in
accomplishing the desired organisational goals effectively.
 Constructivism : This type of learning theory states that the individuals needs to develop
new ideas and thoughts based on the past learning and experiences for improving them
for future use (Olsen, 2015). As a cabin crew member, it is highly essential for me to take
proper training and development sessions for gaining new skills and knowledge based on
the past experiences and learning. By using this theory, I can resolve the issues of
workplace based on the learning from past issues so that proper decision could be taken
for resolving the issues.

TASK 3
P5 Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies
It is very essential for me to develop a plan for improving my skills and competencies as
is can assist me in determining the target which should be executed by using my skills and
knowledge. Also I can determine which skills needs improvement for executing the given work
(Stenfors-Hayes and et.al., 2010). This plan will also assist me in determining the activities
which should be performed by me as well as the resources required for developing the skills and
for executing the assigned activities. This plan for my skills and competencies is as follows:

Targets Skills/ Competencies Resources Activities Status
Short-
range i.e.
initial
time of
hiring
For getting recruited at
the British Airways as a
cabin crew I needs to
have strong Interview
skills, numerical and
English skills,
interpersonal skills. The
numerical skills needs
improvements.
The resources
required are
conducting online
research, filling
mock interview
questionnaire etc.
Need to acquire
more
information
regarding the
cabin crew job
role, preparing
for the interview
questions, doing
mock test for
maths, English,
and interview
1 Month
Mid
range
from 1
months
to 6
months
The skills required for
this target is strong
communication skills,
convincing and
negotiation skills for
handling the grievances
and issues of customers
properly. These skills
need some
improvements.
Required resources
are training
programs for
performing the role
of crew cabin
member effectively.
Providing
customer
services,
assistance to
passengers,
handling the
passengers etc.
5 Months
Long
range
from 6
month to
1 year
The skills required are
problem solving skills
for handling the
customers regarding
their concerns and issues
in effective manner. Also
the multitasker skills
The resources
required for
improving the
multitasker skills
are executing the
work in deadlines,
as well as practising
The activities in
this phase
includes
multitasking for
executing the
assigned work
on deadlines and
6 Months

needs improvement
which will be done by
me.
to execute multi
task at same time.
Also I needs to
organise the work
for multitasking.
in an effective
manner. Also I
needs to provide
the guidance to
new employees
or cabin crew
members due to
having
experience.
TASK 4
P6 Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role
The portfolio of the credentials includes CV and Job specification which are given below:
Job Specification
Organisation: British Airways
Division: Cabin crew
Job Title: Cabin Crew member
Working conditions : 8-10 Hours
Job Summary
British Airways is the flag bearer of United Kingdom having a large number of fleet of airlines.
The company is recruiting the candidates for the position of cabin crew members who can
handle the passengers easily during the flight.
Role
 Welcoming passengers on board and directing them to their seats
 Checking all seat belts and galleys are secure prior to take-off
 Making announcements on behalf of the pilot and answering questions during the flight
 Serving meals and refreshments
 Completing paperwork, including writing a flight report.
Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae
Name: Marvin
Address: 12th Street, South Bank, London
Phone No.: [phone]
Profile summary: Diploma in management having experience of 1 year working as a customer
services officer. I desires to work with a highly professional firm where I can polish my skills
for future career by grasping the development opportunities.
Specialisation:
 Providing proper information to the customers for their issues and concerns.
 Giving advices to the customers regarding the services and products. Giving satisfaction to the customers so that they can have a luxurious experience during
the flight
Educational qualification:
 Diploma in Business Administration. Graduate in Business Administration.
Declaration:
I hereby declare that the above knowledge and details are true according to the certificates
issued by the university.
Date: April 4th, 2019
Place: United Kingdom
Based on the above job specification and CV, I applied in the British Airways for the
position of cabin crew member. I was selected for the interview which was taken by the
management. The interview process used by the HR manager of British Airways was Structured
interview, which is a formal type of interview. The conversation between the HR manager and
me is as follows:
Me : May I come in sir.
Interviewer : Yes, please.
Me : Hello sir ! Good Morning.
Interviewer : Good morning, please take your seat.
Me : Thank You sir.

Interviewer : So, introduce yourself?
Me: Sure sir, myself Marvin presently working in the XYZ organisation at the position of
customer services officer. I am working with the company from last 5 years because of which I
am having experience of handling the issues of customers in proper manner. I pursued my
education from the ABC university of London with an aggregate of 7.4 CGPA.
Interviewer : That's great, but as you tell, your are working fine with your previous company
without having any issues. Then why you wants to join our company and switching to another
job?
Me : Sir, British Airways is one of the largest airline company having operations throughout the
UK. The company has huge opportunities for my career development and I want to grasp these
opportunities for future development in terms of skills and career.
Interviewer : Okay, very well but why should we hire you instead of anyone else who is in dire
need of job?
Me : As I have already told you, I am having 5 year of experience in handling the clients and
customers due to which I had developed and improved my skills for giving my 100%
contribution in the development of the firm. Also I has experience of communicating with the
customers regarding their issues and concerns in various conditions. Apart from these, I am also
quick learner due to which I can grasp the new knowledge easily as well as I am ready to learn
new things.
Interviewer: Well, it was a nice conversation with you Mr Marvin. I am satisfied with your
answers. You can join our firm from the upcoming 13th April and also you have been given 20%
raise in your previous salary. Do you have any questions?
Me : One questions sir, is there anything in my CV that bothers you?
Interviewer: Not really, however we would want to look for the original documents and
certificate when you start your working in our company.
Me: Thank you sir, That's all.
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process
There are various strengths and weakness of the interview process which is used by the
British Airways. The company is using the structured interview for interviewing the candidates
which is the commonly used method in formal organisation. Some of strengths and weaknesses
of structured interview are as follows:

Strengths: Structured interviews contains standardised questions which also has
standardised responses. Also the same questions are asked by the interviewer to different
candidates. The structured interviews are easy to replicate due to including the fixed set of closed
questions which are also easy to test for the reliability (Strengths and Weaknesses of Structured
Interview, 2019). Such interviews are easily and quickly conducted which leads to conducting
several interviews in less amount of time.
Weakness: The weakness of such interviews is that the interviewer can potentially effect
the answers of the candidates using the tone and body language. However this method of
interviewing people is time consuming and costly to higher interviewers. Another weakness is
that such interviews are not flexible i.e. new questions may not be used during the interview.
Such interviews are done by asking closed questions which generates quantitative data.
Evaluation of job interview process emphasising on the obstacles and the challenges
Job interview process of British Airways is helpful for the company in hiring the suitable
candidates at right time in order to fulfil the business requirements. However the company also
needed to provide the training to new employees in order to improve their existing skills which
will impact the profit of the company and is considered as an obstacle or challenge (The
interview methods, 2014). The obstacle for the interviewee is the time taken by the HR managers
of the British Airways in conducting the interview.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that the continuous development is very
essential for the individuals in order to develop their future career and existing skills and
competencies. There are various tools which can be used for determining the existing skills and
performance of the individuals such as EFQM excellence model and CQAL model. Personal and
professional development plan is also useful for the employees so that they can improve their
skills and performance by setting the targets. Interview process has some strengths and weakness
which must be considered by HR manager before choosing the suitable interviewing method.

REFERENCES
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