Personal and Professional Development: Enhancing Skills for Career Growth

This report discusses the importance of personal and professional development in enhancing skills for career growth. It covers various employability and study related skills such as communication, teamwork, ICT and more. The report includes a reflective journal using Gibbs model and a personal development plan.

Personal and
professional
development

Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Main Body...................................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
Personal development is about improving own skills and capabilities in order to attain
growth in an efficient manner. Now, personal development has become crucial to get success in
the future career. In the present era, there is significant competition in the job market hence, it is
quite difficult for individuals to get as well as sustain in job. Here, professional development is
associated with improving the professional capabilities so that a person can perform assigned job
in an efficient manner. In context of professional development, skills & capabilities of
individuals are enhanced so that they can work for the betterment of company. Here, personal
and professional development, both are the important concept for enhancement & growth of an
individual (Hildebrand, 2018). The present study is based on personal & professional
development of individuals so that they can work towards growth and success of the
organization. In this context, the report will cover a reflective journal including various
employability and study related skills such as communication, teamwork, ICT and more. It will
also cover my selfreflection through different models like kolb, gibbs and more.
Main Body
Continuous professional development is crucial to develop various skills and capabilities
in order to create differentiation in job market. By getting involve in continuous development,
one can progress in career easily. Here, continuous development is about progressing in career
constantly. It helps a person in getting new skill set to get a good employment in the future
period of time (Davies, Curtin and Robson, 2017). Basically, CPD is a combination of different
approaches, techniques that are helpful in own learning & growth. The main focus of CPD is on
professional development of an individual. Also, it considers the benefits that derive by the
professional development in real world.
The current module proved helpful for me by developing various skills & capabilities. Now,
I can easily performed the assigned duties profoundly. This will help me in getting a remarkable
job in the future period of time. During the module, I got several skills like communication, ICT,
presentation and more. These skills will help me in making a bright career in the future period of
time. Here, the learning’s, I got through the module are mentioned below:

Communication Skills: Communication is the key of business success. It refers to the
exchange of message and information from one person to other. During the module, I learned
how to communicate with other people (Bhagra and Sharma, 2018). This will help me in coping
up with my hesitation to interact with strangers. Further, it will also make me enable to grab the
opportunity of growth at workplace.
Research Skills: Research skills are related with getting information on a particular topic.
This skill makes a person enable to develop in-depth knowledge on a particular topic. Here,
research skills are useful in improving the knowledge base of a person to get success in the
future period of time. While studying in the module, I got opportunity to gather information on
numerous topics. This improves my knowledge and made me enable to grab the effective job
opportunities in future period of time.
Use of ICT: During the module, I use internet and technology for different purpose. In
current time, ICT skill is imperative to grow in career. Here, I can use my ICT skill at my
workplace. It will help me in performing current job role. Also, I will be able to gain promotions
in future period of time.
Teamwork and networking: Teamwork is something which is highly important to work
successfully in the current competitive market (Wolff and Booth, 2017). During the module, I
used to work in a team of different individuals. Here, I learned from them. The learning and
networking will make me enable to make a successful future in an efficient manner.
Time and self-management: Time management is a crucial employability skill. This skill
makes a person able to create an appropriate schedule for the completion of assigned duties in
timely manner. During the module, I learned time as well as self management. Here, time
management will prove helpful in achieving the targets within pre-defined period of time.
Problem-solving skills: While studying in the module, I used to face several problems.
Here, I learned how to deal with difficult situations. Further, I learned to stay optimistic while
facing hardships. This skill prepared me for future complexities. This will also help me in
attaining success in future period of time.
Gibbs reflection cycle:

Description: This is the first step of respective model where I need to describe the entire
situation significantly (Tsitskari and et. al., 2017). It is stated that I got ample of skill while
studying in the module. My other fellows also learned several concepts. This learning will help
me and my fellows to attain the maximum level of success in the future period of time.
Feelings: During the module, I felt excited. I always wish to learn something new. In
addition, I was really overwhelming by gaining opportunities to learn new and valuable
concepts. Apart from me, my fellows were also overwhelmed by gaining such vast knowledge.
While studying in the module, I was happy and felt like to learn new concept each and every dat.
My fellows are also likely to think in the similar way.
Evaluation: After generating the feelings, the next step is evaluation. Here, one needs to
evaluate the entire situation in terms of good or bad deeds during the situation (Griffin and
Coelhoso, 2018). In my case, I used to learn a lot during the session that will help me in making
a remarkable career in the future period of time. Also, sometimes, I did not receive the expected
results. In such situation, my fellows used to help me in order to overcome from failures.
Analysis: After evaluation, the next step is making analysis. Here, one has the opportunity
to make sense from the things which have been happened. If I analyze my learning’s throughout
the module, I found that I learned all the concepts with due consideration. Sometimes, I also
faced failures due to my own carelessness. From the situation, I learned that one needs to give
own best in each and every situation to get success in upcoming years.
Conclusion: Here, one needs to make conclusion about what has been happened. It is about
summarizing the learning’s and highlighting the actions to improve the situation. I learned that it
is important to pay utmost attention to learn new concepts. To grow in future career,. I need to
develop communication skills, ICT knowledge, time management, problem solving and more.
Action plan: This is the last step of the respective model. Here, I prepared am action plan
where I will work on such areas in which I am lacking. In this, I will prepare an appropriate plan
including target dates, criteria’s for judgment and more. This will allow me to make a bright
career to face competition.
Plan to develop skills in future:

Learning
target
Development
opportunities
Steps to develop
the skill
Criteria for
judging
attainment
Time period
Communica
tion skills
Through this, I can
easily communicate
with others
profoundly
Joining online
sessions and
attending
workshops
For this purpose, I
will take reviews
from others.
3 months
Research
skills
By developing this
skills, I can easily
research on any
topic to gain
significant
knowledge
For this purpose, I
will join workshops
and take guidance
from others.
Here, I will judge
my performance
based on
enhancement in
my own
knowledge.
5 months
Use of ICT Through this, I can
easily make use of
updated and
advance techniques
Learning through
online sessions.
By assessing
knowledge
regarding updated
and advance
technology
6 months
Teamwork
and
networking
With this, it is
possible to work in
team of different
individuals for
career growth
Taking guidance
from experienced
people.
By assessing the
relationship with
other members
9 months
Time and
self
management
Here, I will be able
to prepare
appropriate
schedule to attain
set targets
efficiently
Joining online
sessions and
attending necessary
workshops
significantly.
Here, I will assess
my ability to
accomplish the
assigned duties.
12 months
Problem
solving skills
Through this, I can
easily resolve the
Going through with
necessary modules

issues profoundly. to manage the time
properly.

Conclusion
Out of above-mentioned information, it can be summarized that personal and professional
development is about enhancing own skills to create differentiation in job market. Here, one can
easily attain success by learning new skills & capabilities. It is analyzed that I learned numerous
skills during the session such as communication, research skills, ICT, time management and
more. Gibbs model has been applied to assess the learning’s during the session. Further, an
appropriate personal development plan has prepared to develop necessary skills of career growth
and enhancement.

References
Books and journals
Bhagra, A. and Sharma, D.K., 2018. Changing paradigm of employability skills in the global
business world: A review. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 12(2), pp.7-24.
Davies, K., Curtin, M. and Robson, K., 2017. Impact of an international workplace learning
placement on personal and professional development. Australian Occupational Therapy
Journal, 64(2), pp.121-128.
Griffin, M. and Coelhoso, P., 2018. Business students’ perspectives on employability skills post
internship experience: lessons from the UAE. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based
Learning.
Hildebrand, J., 2018. Bridging the gap: A training module in personal and professional
development. Routledge.
Tsitskari and et. al., 2017. Employers’ expectations of the employability skills needed in the
sport and recreation environment. Journal of hospitality, leisure, sport & tourism
education, 20, pp.1-9.
Wolff, R. and Booth, M., 2017. Bridging the gap: Creating a new approach for assuring 21st
century employability skills. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 49(6), pp.51-
54.