Professional Career Development

This document discusses the importance of career development and personal growth. It includes personal reflections on career development, skills and knowledge required for efficient working, readiness for the next height in employment, and understanding personal strengths.

Professional Career
Development

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Personal reflection on career development, and journeyed so far...................................................3
Skills and Knowledge that has unable in efficient working.........................................................4
Readiness for next height in employment....................................................................................5
Understanding of personal strength.............................................................................................6
Analyze your area of weakness that talk about challenges this can cause at workplace and how
you can further develop on those areas........................................................................................7
Employment goals and personal actions......................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Career development is a thing which every human being seeks in his life. Every person
wants growth in his professional life and for this he make a plan or path which it follows till he
does not achieve that goal. The plan is concerned about how an individual would reach to his
ultimate destination with respect to his career. Professional career growth is developed by
acquiring the skills and knowledge which is required in his work or forte. An individual
generally pursue his career into the field in which he has interest or he considers it as his forte.
When an individual does the work of his interest, he performs it with utmost energy and
motivation. Similarly I have an interest in a particular field i.e. childcare (Ali and Menke, 2014).
Since my school days I want to pursue my career in this field as I believe it is my sole forte.
These report high lights about my career plan and how much I have achieved it. The
report also includes the skills and knowledge I required to acquire during the path and the
difficulties which I faced in between. The report also talks about my future goals which I have
planned for myself and are still waiting to get complete.
Personal reflection on career development, and journeyed so far.
Childcare career development, also known as child health care where the doctors or the
nurses take care over the health of children. Since my school days in had a very keen interest in
biology subject. It was a subject where I used to secure the highest marks. That point of time I
develop a very great interest in the field and wanted to pursue into this field only. Later after
completing my schooling, I researched about the qualification I would be needing in becoming a
doctor or nurse (Bloch and Richmond, 2015). From the research I found out the required
academics which I need to undertake to achieve my sole dream of becoming a doctor. I
completed my NCFE CACHE level 3 diploma in child care and education. After that I did my
BTEC national Diploma in children’s care, learning and development. After completing my
BTEC education, I joined for an internship in a child care hospital, where my initial work was to
taking care about the medicines of children, latter my work getting expand and slowly but
steadily I gained the confidence to check up the children and recommend the medicines and
other advices by myself.
In my training, I got to learn a lot of things which I could not got to learn in my studies.
They say that doing practical gives you more knowledge and skills then to learn it in theory. The
hospital which I did my internship has a total different ward for children. Children who are
unhealthy or have some issue with their heath admit there. During my internship, in realized that
week points in me. I got to know that I am very good in taking care of patients or children but I
don’t have that much confidence when it comes to performing the things practically. I learned
that I used to lose confidence when I encounter with patient which was I believe a major loop
whole in my personality. Because with confidence, the task are done with perfection. If as I
doctor or nurse I lose confidence then how can patient can gain confidence in me. I practice a lot

in filling my this loop whole. I made my mind very strong and start believing in my work. Later I
also found out that with the lack of confidence my communication skills are also getting
affected. At the time of checking up the patient and making they understand about the problem
or issue has become very much hard for me. To overcome this issue, I started to communicate
myself in front of mirror (Blustein, 2013). I practiced it daily till I personally did not have the
confidence to develop a good communication with others. With regular practice, I noticed in
myself that my confidence level has increases along with mu communication skills. I noticed this
change as now I don’t feel hesitate or unconfident while checking up my patients. After
completing my internship in hospital, I started my preparation for NVQ level 3 in Children’s
Care, Learning and Development course. That is consider to be as a last course in becoming fully
qualified for Pedialogy. I got entrance for this course as get qualified for the same. It was a three
level course in which after 2nd level the candidate need to do an internship in which he has to
gain the partical knowledge about the education which he has gained from this particular course.
The time when I have completed my 2nd level for internship purpose I meanwhile gave my
application for internship at Birmingham children’s hospital. The hospital comes in the list of
best hospitals in UK specially for child care. The hospital has all the advance technology and
facilities and aprt from this they take all kind of cases be it a trauma or any kind of pediatric
intensive case. I chose this hospital because I personally believed that if I would get a chance to
get into this hospital as a intern only, I would be getting more exposure to the different kinds of
cases. Which ultimately help me and my knowledge to grow.
Skills and Knowledge that has unable in efficient working
From my school days I was very much brilliant in Biology, but major positive learning I
developed in my internship period. During my internship I develop the following skills and
knowledge which has helped me in performing the work with full efficiency:
Critical thinking: When a person does the particle of the things which he has learned in theory,
he would start developing his critical thinking about how actually the things are need to get
performed. I things when doing in practical are very different when learn in theory. The pressure
of handling a patient and critically analyses of their heath and situation is a big task. But from the
internship, I developed the skills for critical analyses of a patient situation (Brown and Brown,
2012). It have helped me in developing and polishing my skills more and also from this I have
gained confidence in performing the things.
Good communication: You need to be very skilled with regarding your communication skills
also. With good communication you would be able to make other people understand about the
problem or issue under which the patient is going through. Bad communication would lead the
patient with more tension and more complex thoughts. During the internship, I found my loop
whole of bad communication which I improve in myself by practicing over my communication
skills in the front of mirror. With the time I myself noticed the change in me and slow but
steadily I gained confidence in my communication.

More efficiency: By regular practicing, I become very much efficient and special in some tasks.
This has helped in bringing the efficiency in my performance. By regular performance of tasks, I
not only completed the work at time but also with perfection (Brown and Hirschi, 2013). In my
internship, I more focused to do one task which is totally new to me along with my regular
works. By performing my regular work I become efficient in them and by doing a new task daily
I learned about many things and knowledge which were totally unknown to me.
Confidence: Practically performing the work and that to regularly have build confidence in me.
With confidence, I can check the patients now and also recommend them with medicines. During
the internship, I learned that it is very necessary to wear confidence, when you are confident
enough other people can also count on you. And especially it is very necessary where the patient
health is totally your responsibility. Confidence has polished my skills and knowledge more and
helped me in becoming more efficient in my job role.
Team work: A patient gets healthy with not only from the hard work of doctor but also from the
other nurses which has helped the doctor. Alone doctor can’t perform all the work, it takes the
hard work whole team. Skills and knowledge also includes the development of attitude for team
work. If you have that right attitude towards your nurses’ or your doctors then you can learn a lot
from them and make them learn about a lot of things to them. In internship, I learn to work in a
team, in teams we used to perform our duty which has helped me in gaining the trust in other
members and also other members gained trust in me (Claussen and et. al., 2014). Developing the
spirit for team work is very much necessary. It is the team work only which makes an operation
in an operation theater successful.
Readiness for next height in employment
Employment readiness is explained as being capable, with little or no outside help to
identify, acquire and keep an effective job as well as to be able to administrate transitions to new
jobs as required. Simply readiness of employment is referring to the ability of achieving the next
and upper position in form of particular job role. It is essential because it help in selecting and
skilled and knowledgeable person who is able to take the responsibilities of a particular job role.
There are different skills like basic academic, communication, problem solving, critical thinking
ability, management skills and personal skills are necessary to maintain the duties and perform in
efficient manner.
To accomplish the position of childcare manager, i am capable because i have effective
knowledge and appropriate skills that will help in attaining this position in adequate manner. I
have good communication, management and problem solving skills and with the help of
effective communication competencies i communicate with children and their parents (Ellemers,
2014). But due lack of written communication i am not good so when i need to share any
information through mail or other communication tools, i can’t write effectively and do
grammatical mistake regarding punctuation and spellings etc. So to make improvement in these

skills, i decided to take online classes, join online courses and watch videos. This will help in
making development in this skills and i will improve it within 3 months time frame.
I have good management and problem solving skills and with the help of effective
management skill i can segregate my work in small parts and complete them as per their priority
level. This will help in managing my work and finished it on time. My problem solving skill also
assists me and with the assistance of it i deal with issues of people, regarding safety and security
of their child, who provide me responsibility of their children to me. By utilising my ability
provide appropriate solution and satisfactory answer which help in resolving their queries. These
both skills are effectively motivate me to attain the position of Childcare manager because i am
able to solve problem of individual within less time duration appropriately manage my work.
But i am good in some skills like such as leadership, organisational and interpersonal skills cause
of which i do not lead and organise the people of the firm in appropriate manner. Due to
ineffective leadership skill, i do not direct my workers to do their work and accomplish their set
objective in effective manner. This skill can create barriers in accomplishing the job role of
childcare manager (Ko, 2012). But i will make development in it through training and
development within upcoming 2 months. Organisational skill affect me in unfavourable manner
due to not appropriate management of employees which affect the work of the firm in negative
manner and also impacted my employment readiness to job position of childcare manager. So
make development in this skill i will plan to work in a particular time or during the time of
allotting work, i also inform workforce about time duration of the work. This will help me in
developing this skill.
Understanding of personal strength
Everybody has something unique which works as a strength for them. It is preferable for
them to use their strength and try to make it stronger. As in my case, I have a strong strength that
I was very good in my studies. My past academics were very good and by over viewing it I took
the decision of becoming a doctor. During the introspect, I came across with the following
strengths in me:
Academics: Since my childhood I was very brilliant and studies in my studies. I somehow
manage to have a good score or rank in my class. After introducing with Biology subject I got to
know about my interest in it and then decided to pursue it. As I was into studying, I enjoyed the
biology books and related knowledge. In fact I also enjoyed giving exams and studying the
courses for that. I released that studying is my strength and I do it with full zeal and motivation.
Communication: The time when I realized my loop whole for communication, from that day
only I started my practice at it. With my practice and time, I manage to convert my weakness as
my strength. With time, I develop great communication skills that not only put impression on
other doctors but also on my patients. It has helped in gaining confidence of others also.

Efficiency and knowledge: Knowledge has helped me in becoming more and more significant
in my work. Gaining knowledge into the field in which you have your interest would
automatically lead you to become significant in that field (Osborn and Zunker, 2015). The more
efficiency would lead to have more opportunity into the future. If you are efficient into your
work, more the people could count on you and you will have more opportunity to lead the
situation. From the courses which I have done in child health care and along with the internship
has made my performance and work more value and efficiency into my performance.
Practice for child care: the internship which I did has proven to be a great help for me. From
that internship I inculcate my theory education into practical. It has giving me the ability to
develop the critical knowledge and thinking for the things. The practice has leaded me in
becoming very effective and efficient into my work. From that internship I also came across with
different cases which have shaped my knowledge and personality in a better and new way. From
the internship I also developed professionalism and code of conduct which is required in my
profession.
Determination: Determination to achieve a goal plays a very important role in building your
skills and knowledge about your forte or work. The right kind of determination helps a person to
be very much consistent and motivated till he does not achieve a desired goal or result. I was
very determined about my dream (Patton and McMahon, 2014). I worked upon my loop wholes
and turn them my strength by putting my efforts and practice on it. My will power to be
consistent and determined towards my work and urge to learn more and more has unable me in
becoming efficient into my work.
Analyze your area of weakness that talk about challenges this can cause at workplace and how
you can further develop on those areas.
Processional career development is process through which individual develop skills,
knowledge, etc. With help of PCD, it becomes easy for person to deal with challenges, issues and
problems in personal as well as professional life. It is essential for person to focus on PCD so
that one is able to handle difficult situations in proper manner. It is done through training or
courses depending upon individual choice. Development enhances performance and progress
level of person. So, focus and determination is required to see professional career development in
one’s life. It also helps in accepting the changes and adjusting according to it. In relation with
child care manager, proper analysis and knowledge related to the field is necessary so that results
are achieved positively.
A childcare manager is one who protects policy of child andgives status related to
development and progress of child to parents. A manager is responsible and handles many
responsibilities such as giving regular updates, handling of team and group of members etc.
Without a manager, functions and operations of business cannot be carried out appropriately.
Thus, it is essential that childcare manager need to aware about child qualities, traits, likes and
dislikes etc. There are many services who hire such managers for their organisation. Main role

of child care manager is to handle and manage everything according to the employer preference.
Every CCM possess different style of handling children such some are rigid and follow
administrative procedure and some are flexible; work according to the situation and environment
which is best suitable for results and outcomes. Both are effective and result oriented in nature
but it depend upon CCM how he manages other people.
Weakness and Challenges- Each and every individual has weakness which means
everyone is lack of something which need improvement. Becoming a manager is not and it
requires various types of skills as well as knowledge and high of expertise. Such as person
should have problem solving nature, able to handle team and group etc (Sampson and et. al.,
2014). In professional career development, trainers helps person to adopt such skills and develop
them accordingly. So, my main weaknesses which I realised are as mentioned below-
Poor communication- Not everyone have good communication skills&when Ifocus on
my professional career development I found that my communications skills are poor when
because I am unable to talk to people with confident and when I communicate to them they do
not understand what exactly the message is being communicated. So, to improve this weakness
firstly certain points are necessary which were adopted by me such as to enhance communication
skills it is important to be a good listener and understand other point of view then make
communication first priority which will give confidence to speak and communicate.
Introvert- Another weakness is being introvert in nature. It is a quality in which personis
shy, did not evolve with others or say public. Individual with such quality cannot become a
manager. Because to become a manager person need to extrovert and understand people
problems & solve them. With help of PCD, they help individuals so that they are open to
everyone and able to evolve with public. It is important for every organisation to focus on such
factors who affect employee at workplace and hinders the growth as well as overall
development. Goals & objectives cannot be achieved if staff members and people face issues at
workplace. To solve such issues, HR of the company need to make ensures that every employee
is performing in appropriate manner which leads to proper functioning of business.
Development of weakness-
After analysing weakness, it is also crucial so that weakness which has been identified
needs to be developed so that they are improved in effective manner. Areas where weaknesses
are analysed can be developed by many methods and ways which are discussed below-
Training-To improve weakness it is necessary to acquire for training because it helps in
developing skills as well as knowledge about particular field or area. Also, it increases
productivity of employee and turn them into valuable asset of firm. This also makes employee
efficient to handle and manage problems independently. So, at workplace it is done at every
phase so that errors and conflicts do not take place during the process.

Engage in Teamwork- When working in organisation it is important that every individual or
team member should engaged in a team and with people so that work is divided and tasks are
completed within a given period of time (Stead and et. al., 2012). Engaging in team also
enhances understanding and develops relationship between individual and with members of the
team.
Brainstorming & Group discussion- Another way of improving the above analysed
weaknesses are that HR manager of the enterprise should conduct brainstorming & group
discussion so that it will help people to evolve with each other and everyone one will be able to
communicate with other individual easily. Professional career development help every individual
to analyse and examine strength as well weakness so that they can be improved more & at wider
as well as broader level. It is time consuming process but it also assist person to develop skills &
knowledge and apply them in organisation or at workplace.
After a brief analysis of above matter it is stated in organisation every employee faces issues as
well as challenges at workplace. So, professional career development assists people to cope-up
with such problems and improve their weakness (Sung, Turner and Kaewchinda, 2013). Also,
growth and overall development of individual enhances at larger scale. Thus, with help of PCD,
it becomes easy for everyone to work with peace and smooth manner.
Employment goals and personal actions
The employment goal is to become a child health care manager. The role of a child health
care manager is to assists the other doctors, allot them with patients and manages all the patients
and resources. The task of a manager is solely a hard work as he is required to monitor the
doctors, nurses, patients’, resources and much more by himself. Also to get at such stage it
requires a lot of hard work and years of experience.
Goal: My goal is to become a child care manager.
Action plan: As I mention above, I have already send my application to Birmingham child care
hospital. That hospital is listed as one of the finest hospital in UK which has all the resources and
advance technology for treating their patients. The hospital also undertakes all kinds of cases
which would provide more exposure to my skills (Vondracek, Lerner and Schulenberg, 2019).
The hospital would be a great place for polishing of my knowledge and skills. Also internship
from this hospital would increase the value for me. If I would like to work in any major and
famous hospital they would happily accept my job there. Apart from this, it would make my
work and skills significant. After completing my internship, sometimes it happens that the
hospital itself will hire you as a doctor by monitoring your performance, so if I performed well in
their eyes it is likely to get a chance to get hired from them. But if I do not get any offer from
them, first I will complete my last level of my NVQ level course, and then I would apply for
child health care in hospitals or nursing homes.

Then after taking job at hospital I would be serving my service there till I would not get
another good opportunity. Hospital service would help me in gaining more experience which
would work as a positive thing for me. To become a manager it would require time and also my
managerial skills. So therefore, I would also necessary for me to build up the managerial skills in
me so that I can manage my team and resources allotted to me.
CONCLUSION
From the report discuss about, the career planning and development has been discusses.
The report is about setting a goal and making a career development path to achieve it. The report
also includes the problem which I faced during my path to achieving my goal and how I
surmounted it with my determination. Apart from this, the report also discusses about the
strength which I have and how it has helped me in making my work significant and efficient.

REFERENCES
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