Professional Identity and Practice

This document discusses the importance of ongoing professional development and self-directed learning in enhancing career opportunities and professional identity. It examines the benefits of professional development for different stakeholders in the hospitality industry and investigates the skills and competencies expected by employers. It also evaluates the importance of ongoing professional development and assesses the individual's own skills and competencies. Finally, it provides a development plan to enhance skills and competencies within a specific work context.

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
LO 1 ................................................................................................................................................3
Examine Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders.....3
Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies .........................4
Evaluate The importance of on-going professional development and the associated
professional skills requirements.............................................................................................5
Critically evaluate own skills and competencies to meet the employer expectation of
professional skills required for employment within a specific job role.................................5
LO 2 ................................................................................................................................................6
Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role.....................................6
Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes...........................................................................................................7
Evaluate own skills and competences and the most appropriate development approach to
develop personal and professional skills for a specific job role ............................................8
LO 3 ................................................................................................................................................8
Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context ..........................................................................................................................8
Provide a detailed development plan that applies underpinning learning and development
theory....................................................................................................................................10
A comprehensive development plan that sets out clear and achievable targets, strategies and
outcomes of learning and training .......................................................................................11
LO 4 ..............................................................................................................................................11
Activity: Mock Interview- Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role.11
Evaluate job interview process.............................................................................................13
Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process..............................14
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Personal development is the life long process which an individual seeks in order to assess
its own skills and abilities and then set the goals accordingly in order to maximise and realise its
potential. On the other hand, professional development can be referred to as the developing the
skills and competencies in order to perform the job role effectively and efficiently. Thee two
when combined together refers to the process through which an organisation and the individuals
engage themselves in the process of learning something so that challenges are met and desired
goals are achieved (Ahmed, 2018). The organisation chosen for this report is Ritz London, a
luxury hotel situated in London. It was established in 1906 by Swiss hotelier Cesar Ritz. This
report shall deal with the importance of on going professional development and self directed
learning so that career opportunities and professional identity is enhanced and assessing own
skills and competencies. Further a professional development plan is to be designed and
demonstration of range of service industry and the transferable skills for the job application.
LO 1
Examine Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders
Professional development means the enhancement of the skills and competencies of an
individual within its job role in order to increase its productivity and efficiency. An organisation
comprises of various stakeholders which make up a successful company. The Ritz London is a
luxury hotel which comprises of different stakeholders and the key benefits of on going
professional development for these different stakeholders are as follows- Employees- These make up a key stakeholder for an organisation who work hard for the
success of the company. The employees of Ritz London Hotel can get benefit from the on
going professional development. By professionally developing, the employees fell
satisfied and the satisfied employee is highly productive which will contribute more to
organisational goals. Secondly, on going professional development add value in their Cvs
which shall help them in future search of jobs (Allen-Johnson, 2017). Thirdly, it also
increases their willingness to learn something new or enhance new skills. Customers- They are the most important part of the hospitality industry. The guest and
customers get benefit from the on going professional development as they get better
services from the updated staff who has continuously updated itself with industrial

development and training. Secondly, the customer of Ritz London Hotel will get better
services from the workforce who has undergone customer service training. Government- They are also the most integrated part of the stakeholders. The developed
and trained employee will implement the government made policies effectively in the
hotel. Secondly, the trained workforce will help the government in meeting international
and domestic demands so that government can generate more and more revenue.
 Employer- The employers in the hospitality organisation will get benefit from the on
going professional development as they will have a well trained and skilled employees
who will work towards achieving organisational goals. The employer will be able to
attract more customers by providing them services from the skilled staff which will help
in maximising the profits (Artyukhina and et. al., 2018).
Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies
An employer of a hospitality industry expects a skilled and competent workforce in order
to lead the organisation to higher success. The employer of Ritz London Hotel expects certain
skills and competencies from its staff so that organisational goals are achieved effectively and
efficiently.
Skills
The expected skills required by the employees within the Ritz London Hotel are
discussed below- Communication skills- This skill is the most important one as it helps the employees to
enhance the experience of the guest. Communication includes active listening to
customers, sharing valuable feedback and then conveying the clear messages so that
customers feels valuable and of utmost importance. Creativity skills- This skills helps in representing the services in creative manner. The
employer of Ritz London Hotel expect its employees to be creative enough so that the
services are provided in attractive manner so that customer loyalty base is established.
 Problem Solving skills- the society is dynamic in nature and so is the hospitality industry.
The employer of Ritz London Hotel faces new problems each day so it expects its
employees to possess the skill of problem solving so that solution is reached effectively
and timely (Atamanova and et. al., 2019).
Competencies

The expected competencies by the employees within the Ritz London Hotel are discussed
below- Team Work- This competency helps the hospitality industry to grow and lead the success
heights. The Hospitality sectors involves a lot of team work so the employer of Ritz
London Hotel expects mutual cooperative efforts of the individuals so that goals are
achieved altogether with the help of team work. Leadership- This competency helps in customer satisfaction, employee development and
the financial performance of the hotel. The employer of Ritz Hotel expects leadership
quality in its workforce so that it can lead its team effectively and adopt the new
evolutions in the society for the betterment of the hotel (Davies, Curtin and Robson,
2017).
 Decision Making- This competency helps the employers in achieving the objectives on
time and with the allocated budget. The employer of Ritz Hotel expect its workforce to
take effective decisions on time so that resources can be utilised on time and efficiently
which can satisfy the customers and the employees itself.
Evaluate The importance of on-going professional development and the associated professional
skills requirements
The on going professional development helps an individual to attain the skills and
competencies on time which helps in developing its future career opportunities. The skills and
competencies gained during the professional development trainings will help the employees to
enhance their productivity and capability in order to contribute effectively to the organisational
goals and objectives.
Critically evaluate own skills and competencies to meet the employer expectation of professional
skills required for employment within a specific job role.
A hospitality industry requires various skills and competencies in order to attract new
customers and retain its existing customers. For a job role of Foo & beverage manager, I possess
the skill of communication and problem solving which will help me in managing my workforce
to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the restaurant of Ritz London hotel and also to provide
high quality food to the guest (Howard and Eddy‐Imishue, 2020). I possess the competency of
leadership and team work which will help me in taking forward my team so that best experience
is given to the guest. On the other hand, I lack the skills of creativity which is an essential

requirement to become efficient F&B manager. When it comes to taking decisions, I feel
confused and hesitated to take decisions which is required to be improved in order to enhance my
productivity.
LO 2
Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role
For a specific job role of food and beverage manager, an individual must possess the
requisite skills and competencies so that its job is performed effectively and efficiently. In order
to analyse the self strength, weakness, opportunity and threats, a personal SWOT analysis shall
be discussed below in order to know the skills and competencies already existed and which are
required to perform the job role efficiently.
Personal SWOT analysis
For performing the job role of housekeeping manager, the following abilities,
competencies and skills are discussed below which are my strength, weakness, opportunity and
threats.
Strength Weakness
 My main strength is my communication
skills which is very essential as a F&B
manager because customers interact in
order to communicate their
requirements and feedbacks to which I
become responsible to answer.
 As a F&B manager, I possess the
competency of leadership where I take
forward my team with mutual
corporation and hard work.
 As a F&B manager, I am weak in
creativity skills where I am unable to
present my dish in an attractive manner.
 Another weakness in me is the lack of
decision making where I get confused
in taking relevant and important
decisions which are necessary for
retaining the loyalty base of customers.
Opportunities Threats
 As a F&B manager, I can adopt the
opportunity to gain time management
skills which will help me in presenting
 As a F&B manager, the major threat for
me is dynamic market conditions where
the preference and taste of people

the customers valuable and quality food
on time
 Food department often faces problem
of fusion and customer complaints, so I
can gain the opportunity to inculcate
the ability of team work so that work is
divided among the team effectively and
the customer queries are handled
quickly and efficiently.
changes day and night which becomes
threat for me to conduct market
research effectively..
 Nowadays, people have become career
oriented which has increased the
competition in the market so my major
threat are my competitors.
Personal skill audit
The personal skill audit for the job role of F&B manager will help in sorting the skills
which are required to be developed and which are already developed so that roles and
responsibilities are carried on effectively.
Skills/
competencies/
abilities
Bad Average Good Excellent
Creativity skills *
Decision making *
Time
management skill
*
Communication
skills
*
Team work *
Leadership *

Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes
The learning theory by David Kolb states that experimental learning includes learning
from the experiences (Taylor, 2017). According to Kolb, there are four modes of learning which
is portrayed as cycle which involves following steps-
 Concrete experience- This step involves the learner to experience an activity or task.
 Reflective observation- It involves the learner to consciously reflect back on the
experience.
 Abstract conceptualisation- At this step, the learner attempts to conceptualise what it
has observed through a theory or model.
 Active experimentation- Here the learner tries to plan how it can test the theory for a
future experience (Mashizume and et.al., 2020).
Through Kolb's learning theory, the employees in Ritz London Hotel can learn from their
experience and can gain practical knowledge which shall help in their professional development
by increasing their productivity.
Evaluate own skills and competences and the most appropriate development approach to develop
personal and professional skills for a specific job role
For the job role of F&B manager, I possess good skills of communication, leadership and
team work which will help me in leading my staff towards enhancing the guest experience for
the profit of the organisation. I lack in skills of creativity and decision making which will create
problems in providing attractive services to the customers. Kolb's learning theory will help me in
acquiring these skills and competencies so that I can increase my efficiency and productivity
level (Morgan, 2017).
LO 3
Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific work
context
Personal development plan
This plan refers to the process of creating the action plan which is based on the reflection,
values, goal setting, abilities and planning for the personal development so that self improvement

is attained (Von Suchodoletz and et. al., 2018). The Personal development plan is discussed
below n the basis of personal skill audit-
Skills/
competencies
Current
ability
Target ability Development
opportunities
Criteria to
judge
Time frame
Decision
making
competency
Poor I want to
possess this
competency as
quickly as
possible so
that I can take
effective
decisions for
the betterment
of my team
and the hotel.
I can acquire
this
competency
by practising
on demo
situations so
that I can gain
practical
knowledge.
Further I can
take help of
articles
published by
experts so that
I can acquire
knowledge
regarding its
importance.
My journey in
developing
this
competency
shall be
judged by my
peers and
colleagues
who will help
me in giving
accurate
results from
my
performance.
6- 9 months
Creativity
skills
Poor I want to
acquire this
skill as soon as
possible
because my
target ability is
high so that I
can represent
I can develop
this skill by
joining
training
programs so
that I can learn
creativity in
practical
The judging
criteria for
developing
this skill shall
be my
subordinates
and superiors
who will guide
3 months

Skills/
competencies
Current
ability
Target ability Development
opportunities
Criteria to
judge
Time frame
food to the
customers in
attractive and
presentable
manner.
sense. Further
I can rely on
books and
journals to
learn attractive
presentation of
dishes.
me in
improving my
skills. And
further
customer
feedbacks will
give me real
answer to my
development
journey.
Time
management
skills
Average I want to
develop this
skills
immediately
so that I can
manage my
staff
effectively and
complete my
roles and
responsibilitie
s on time so
that my
performance is
enhanced
efficiently.
I can develop
this skill by
applying this
skills again
and again on
hypothetical
situations so
that I can learn
practical
knowledge
and manage
my time
effectively.
This shall be
judged by my
team mates
and sub
ordinates who
will give me
my
performance
result in
respect to
acquiring this
skill.
3- 6 months

Provide a detailed development plan that applies underpinning learning and development theory.
The personal development plan is a action plan which helps in learning the lacked skills
and competencies which are essential to perform a requisite job role. For performing the job role
of F&B manager, I lack in skills of creativity, decision making and time management which act
as roadblock in my efficient performance (Pierson, Goulding and Campbell-Meier, 2020). These
skills can be developed by reading articles of expert authors, practical knowledge and applying
my skills on hypothetical situations so that both theoretical and practical knowledge is gained
through the experiences by applying Kolb's learning theory.
A comprehensive development plan that sets out clear and achievable targets, strategies and
outcomes of learning and training
The personal development plan discussed above sets the clear target and strategies which
will help in acquiring the skills to become an efficient F&B manager. For developing the skill of
creativity, time management and decision making, the target ability is high as these skills are to
be possess immediately and within the time frame allocated for acquiring it (Wang and et. al.,
2020). These skills will be developed within the time period of 6- 9 months in order to increase
my efficiency. The strategies which shall be adopted will include training programs for
inculcating creativity skills and regular practise of time management skills on hypothetical
situations which help me in monitoring my progress and books and journals will further help me
in knowing the tricks and techniques for developing these skills.
LO 4
Activity: Mock Interview- Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role.
Cover letter
Cover Letter
Date- xx-xx-xxxx
MR. XXX
Ritz London Hotel,
London
Subject- Food and Beverage Manager, Advertised in Newspaper
Dear Mr XXX,

If you are looking for a dynamic, award winning and hands on F&B manager for the Ritz
London Hotel, kindly consider my qualifications.
From the age of 17 years, I worked in the food and Beverage industry. Beginning from dish
washer, busser, line cook to a F&B manager, I worked from the ground level and reached this
level through my knowledge and experience. Throughout my journey, I have acquired various
skills which are necessary for the performing the job roles effectively.
I have excelled myself in managing 40+ employees together and successfully managed the
event of 200 meals per day with my skills and competencies. If you think my passion and track
record is close to your match, kindly contact me on my email id [e-mail]
I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Thank you
XYZ
Enclosure: Resume.
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum vitae
Name- XYZ
Address- ABC, London Street,
London, England
DOB- XX-XX-XXXX
Nationality- British
Summary
Self driven professional with an outstanding skills of manager and chef. I have the ability to
communicate effectively with customers and retain their loyalty base and have succeed in the
challenges of high pressure.
Skills
 Communication Skills
 Team Work Skills

 Leadership Skills
 Inventory Management
 Baking And Pastry Skills
Accomplishments
I have successfully managed a staff of 40+ employees during an event organised for 200 meals
per day in Birmingham.
Experience
12/2017- Current F&B manager in Hilton Hotel.
01/2014- 11/2017 Executive chef in Shangri la Hotel.
Education
2012 Masters in Business Administration from London University.
2008 Hotel Motel management from London University.
Hobbies and Interest- Reading, writing articles.
Declaration
The mentioned information is true to my knowledge and faith
Date- XX-XX-XXXX.
Evaluate job interview process
For the interview of the job role of Food and Beverage Manager, the following process
shall be adopted by the Ritz London Hotel which is discussed below-
 Phone screener- This step requires the organisation to screen the candidate which is
strong match according to the required skills, it helps in saving the time which shall be
invested if this step is skipped.
 Skill test- This step requires the interviewer to take a look at the theoretical knowledge of
the candidate. It helps in moving forward the skilled candidate and eliminating the
unskilled one so that talented candidate is selected for the job role.
 In person interview- Under this step, the interviewer already knows the qualification
and skills of the candidate. The interviewer now has to test his skills and identify what
can motivate it to work with maximum productivity (Powell and et. al., 2019).

This interview process is lengthy and time consuming which requires me to clear each
and every step in order to move forward. It examines my practical and theoretical knowledge by
undertaking test and interviews. It also looks forward to test my confidence and speaking skills
which is essential for this job profile. The biggest obstacle in this process is that it is a lengthy
process and involves elimination on each stage if it doesn't achieve the passing criteria.
Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process.
Strength of the interview process-
 This interview process will help the Ritz London Hotel to screen the qualified and
talented candidate for the given job role.
 It will help the hotel in saving the cost and time from being invested in an unqualified
candidate.
Weakness of the interview process-
 This involves a lengthy process where interviewer of Ritz London hotel has to focus too
much on the minute details.
 The whole process involves a lot of time and cost in conducting test and personal
interviews which is also a time consuming process (Pugh and Broome, 2020).
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above report that personal and professional development is very
necessary for a individual to perform its job role effectively and efficiently. The professional
development benefit the stakeholders of the Ritz London hotel as it makes the employees highly
productive. For the job role of F&B manager, the individual must possess the requisite skills and
competencies so that it can perform effectively (Sherwood and O’Donnell, 2018). A personal
SWOT analysis will help in knowing the abilities and skills which an individual possess and skill
audit will help in identifying the competencies and skills which an individual lacks. Further a
personal development plan will help in acquiring the lacked skills within the action plan.
Additionally, the interview process adopted by the hotel has its strength and weaknesses which
will help in selecting the qualified ad talented candidate for the given job role.

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