Professional Development Plan - Report

Running head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL PLAN
Professional Developmental Plan
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Executive Summery
The purpose of this report is to develop a professional developmental plan (PDP) that will
enable me to develop certain skills that will help me in achieving my target job and develop
my skills as a human resource professional. The human resource professionals need both hard
and soft skills for doing their jobs successfully. Self-reflection informs me that there are
certain gaps in skills like communication skills, self-confidence and cultural intelligence and
understanding for both individuals and organization. In order to enable successful and timely
achievement of goals, a professional developmental plan has been created with appropriate
time line.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Advantages.............................................................................................................................3
Causes....................................................................................................................................3
Features..................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................3

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Introduction
Self-reflections are necessary parts of learning (Boud, Keogh and Walker eds.1985).
This enables us to learn new things about ourselves and understand the competencies that we
have. Through reflection on self-development and professional journey analysis, we can
determine the skills that we need to develop further in order to achieve success in our desired
job roles. The professional development course that I took enabled me to achieve many of the
skills that are needed for a successful career. It gave me understanding about the basic ideas
of human resource management and the job roles that human resource personnel have. My
intended job role requires enhanced interpersonal skills and technical knowledge which I
intend to develop in the next few months. In order to do that I needed a professional
developmental plan. This report analyzes the job roles of my target job and the skills that I
need to develop further (Lumley and Wilkinson 2014). Moreover, the report also reflects on
my experience and competencies until date. From the reflection, the key strengths and
weaknesses that I have been identified. Finally, based on the weaknesses and job role
requirements a professional developmental plan has been created with intended timeline.
Discussion
Identification and critical analysis of chosen level and appropriate job role
standards
Through the analysis of the CIPD professional development, I have identified that I
am presently at the fundamental level of competency. My core abilities are present though at
the basic level and there are large windows to improve. I have realized through my
experience with the course that my present job role is not motivating enough for me and I feel
that I am not being challenged enough. Though this job has given me certain skills and

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helped me, develop certain abilities needed for a successful HR manager, I think that a job
that will be more challenging is appropriate for me. Through my research for new job
opportunities, I have found that a job of Human Resource Business Partner posted by Google
is appropriate for me (appendix 5). The job is located in London and as is Google’s practice
gives much autonomy and challenging opportunity that will help me grow as a professional.
The basic qualifications needed for the job are experience of human resource
management. There are also certain skills that will make me likely to get the job. Skills like
legal understanding, relationship building and communication, analysis and problem solving,
decision-making ability are needed to become a desired candidate. My professional course
has developed the technical and theoretical knowledge that I need while communication and
analytical skills need to be developed more. For this, self-learning and self-development are
necessary (Roth 1989). This is the reason that I need to develop a personal developmental
plan. The key to successful learning is creating a proper plan and set timelines for it.
Achieving each step in proper time ensures that the larger goal is achieved. This is what I
intend to do in my professional development plan.
Critical reflection on current level of competencies
The CIPD professional map identifies three basic competencies, the core knowledge,
the core behaviors and the specialist knowledge that can be used to determine the present
level of competency that I am at present. This competency map also indicates the higher-level
competencies that candidates expect to achieve over time. Through the analysis of the
professional map through the competencies that I have I have learnt that, I am at the
fundamental level. Six core competencies constitute the core knowledge for professional
excellence. Depending on the scale that is given in the professional map, I have limited

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people skills as I am only oriented to the job that I do and have the understanding of the laws,
policies and regulations that are relevant to my own work.
Because of my fundamental stage of development as a people’s professional, I have
idea only about workforce planning, performance management systems in the organization
that I work. I am only aware of the idea of wellbeing and its importance while I lack the
understanding of the factors that might ensure wellbeing (Robbins and Coulter 2016). I want
to work for the associate level which will give me enhanced understanding of the mentioned
concepts along with the idea of diversity, inclusion, equality, team work, coaching and
mentoring, cultural intelligence organizational behavior, structure and their relation with
human behavior, ethics and many such issues that are relevant for my development as a
professional Human Resource Manager.
Through my personal developmental logs that I have kept through the different weeks
of my course, I have learnt that I have certain basic competency needed for being a successful
human resource professional. I have empathy and compassion for people and a sense of
loyalty to the organization that I work in. through the different activities taken over the course
and the self-assessments, I learnt that I need personal challenges and motivations. I am
generally intrinsically motivated and thus monotonous job roles are not suitable for me. Thus,
the job that I have chosen to do after my completion of the degree will challenge me to
improve. I learnt that I am a believer of self-development and that had motivated me to join a
course in Scotland.
Being adaptive to change and managing change in an organization is a necessary skill
for human resource managers. Presently, my level of understanding change is limited to the
theoretical knowledge. I myself am adaptable and I am able to understand the necessity of
change. As human resource manager, I need to guide people during change in an organization

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and help the organization grow. This includes explaining people which changes are taking
place, communicating with them about their worries and fears, explaining to them the
necessity of those changes and the expectations that they should have and help their journey
through the change.
My course activities also informed me that I feel demotivated for the work that I do.
The reason behind that is the lack of challenge that I face in the job (King 2003). The only
incentive for doing the job for me is money that is keeping my sustenance. The activities also
informed me about the necessary competencies like adaptability, emotional intelligence,
cultural intelligence, positive attitude, initiative and tolerance. In a global world, these
competencies are necessary and these are present within me though at the minimum level. I
am comfortable while speaking to people that I know while I struggle with unknown people.
the following table shows the strengths and weaknesses that I have:
Strengths Weaknesses
 Compassion
 Empathy
 Loyalty
 Consideration of bias
 Intrinsically motivated
 Change oriented
 Adapted
 Learning new skills
 Flexibility
 Emotional intelligence
 Willingness to learn
 Bias influences decision
 Limited understanding of the
implications of my actions
 Communication skills
 Self confidence
 Self-reflection
 Expressing self
 Lack of experience in HR jobs
 Lack of self-awareness
 Cultural competence
 Contribute to team work

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 Helping people
Personal development plan in line with identified requirements
I have also learnt through my study that I will need to develop my people
analytical skills and talent management skills. At the fundamental level, the understanding
that I have are extremely basic. While I have certain idea about talent management and skill
analysis, in order to become a professional, I will need to understand the organizational
approach and align organizational need with the talents. I also need skills about
communication decision making and analytical knowledge in order to be successful in my
career. I have a hard time in talking about my strengths and weaknesses. This hinders my
communication, which is necessary to be people’s person.
I need to develop my self-confidence and my ability to express myself (Chiaburu et
al. 2006). Throughout my course, I have found that I have very less conviction about my own
self. In order to develop that I need to take part in activities that challenge me. In that regard,
engaging in job roles that are difficult for me is an effective way. Moreover, helping
somebody and taking care of own self can also boost confidence. Active listening and
communicating with people improves confidence in own self. During group discussions, I
need to take an active part. I need to affirm myself of my abilities and taking the feedback of
my peers and teachers will help me. While working with people as a HR manager, self-
confidence helps in instilling confidence and trust among the people in the organization. This
is extremely necessary for Human Resource Managers.
Other necessary competency that I need to develop are, understanding about the
organizational culture, structure to align that with talents. This skill will help me in
understanding the skills that people have and their qualities and potential. I will be able to