Importance of Ongoing Professional Development and Self-Directed Learning

This document explores the importance of ongoing professional development and self-directed learning in enhancing professional identity and career opportunities. It discusses the role of ongoing professional development, the benefits for employees and employers, and the expectations of professional standards. It also examines the effectiveness of ongoing professional development and the professional skills required in the workplace. The document further assesses own skills and competences, different learning and development approaches, and design a professional development plan within a specific work context.

Professional
Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1
LO 1...................................................................................................................................1
Explore the importance of on-going professional development and self-directed
learning to enhance professional identity and career opportunities..............................1
LO 2...................................................................................................................................4
Assess own skills, competences and the different learning and development
approaches....................................................................................................................4
LO 3...................................................................................................................................7
Design a professional development plan, within a specific work context.....................7
LO 4...................................................................................................................................9
Demonstrate a range of service industry and transferable skills for a job application..9
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................15
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
In an organisation it is essential for an individual to have proper understanding
and knowledge of their identity as well as practices as it help them in conducting their
work in effective manner. Here professional identity is considered as belief, code of
practices, values, moral, legislations and so on which guide a person to conduct their
work in more proper and ethical way (Badwall, 2015). Along with this it will also lead to
attainment of positive as well as desire outcome at the workplace. Organisation
selected for this Holiday Inn which is a operating in hotel industry. It is founded by
Kemmons Wilsom in year 1952 as well as its head office is situated at
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. They are operating their business at international
level. For this assignment job role selected if Operation manager. The main aim of
conducting this report is to define advantages of ongoing professional development
according to the employers expectations in order to enhance competences as well as
skills. Moreover it will also include skills, competences, different learning and developing
approaches which are required for specific job role. This report will also include
professional development plans along with different transferable skills of particular job
role.
LO 1
Explore the importance of on-going professional development and self-directed learning
to enhance professional identity and career opportunities
Role of Ongoing Professional Development
Continuous professional development is a process that recognizes and traces
the record of experience, knowledge and skill that an individual earns. A person
develops professionally either through experience, formal or informal ways. All
professionals require continuous development of their skills in order to achieve goals
and objectives (Carrillo, Baguley and Vilar, 2015). The process include various
components such as coaching, mentoring etc. The benefits of ongoing professional
development are explained below -
Benefits for employees
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 Intrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation refers to seizing in a particular
behaviour because there are personal rewards attached with it. The employees
of the respective organization are motivated through training.
 Personal satisfaction: By getting training and development at the workplace,
employees able to enhance their skills which lead to their self satisfaction
(Cruess and et. al., 2015). In respect of staffs working at Holiday Inn are involved
in numbers of practices which are conducted for enhance their personal
satisfaction such as training and development according to requirement. Through
this staff also able to conduct work effectively for attaining desire goal.
Benefits of Employer Employees retention: By providing effective training and developing employer
able to motivate as well as encourage their staffs. In respect of Holiday Inn, their
manager conduct several activities in order to motivate their staffs that directly
lead to retention of staffs for long time durations.
 Skilled Employee: By providing proper training and development to staffs
Holiday Inn management able to get skilled employees who will help employer in
attaining predetermined goal in effective manner. Moreover it will encourage
employers in adopting technology and new technology.
Expectation of professional standard
There are various expectation of employers at Holiday Inn from the employee
who come at the position of operational manager, some of the major expectation of
professional standards, some of them are given below:- Personal presentation and appearance- According to this expectation,
employee working on job role of Operational manager at Holiday Inn must be
very presentable as well as their appearance should be good so that guest get
impressed with them (Gibbs, 2015). Along with this they also must have
knowledge as well as understanding of good gestures and postures while
interacting with guest or visitors.
 Working ethics and responsibility- Employers of respective company also
expect that operational manager must have proper understanding as well as
knowledge of workplace ethics as well as job role responsibilities. As it will help
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them in conducting their work in good as well as effective manner that lead to
attainment of predetermined goal successfully.
Effectiveness of ongoing professional development
Continuing professional development is termed as another name of ongoing
professional development. Through this a personal can enhance their skills, knowledge
and capabilities on regular basis according to the situation or requirement. Along with
this, it will help operational manager of Holiday Inn in proving quality services to their
guests.
Professional skills required at workplace
There are numbers of professional skills which are required by a person for
conducting work at workplace. From which some major professional skills which are
required at Holiday Inn for the position of operational manager is given below:-
 Good communication skill: It is essential to have good communication skill at
workplace as it will help in interacting with others (Goldie, 2012). In respect of
Holiday Inn, they are operating in hotel industry at which every staffs specially
operational manager need to interact with their guests so that they get convinced
to stay at their hotel. In this effective communication plays an essential role.
 Creative thinking: For a employee it is also essential to have good creative
thinking so that they can develop effective decision and strategies according to
situation. In respect of operational manager at Holiday Inn by having this skill
they can conduct their work effectively. Along with this, it will also help them in
taking proper decision according to situation.
 Effective decision making skill: For a person it is necessary to have proper
decision making skill so that they can take proper decision according to the
situation (Gonzalez, Swanson and Tanaka, 2014). In respect of Holiday Inn, it is
necessary for operational manager to have effective decision making skill so that
they can take decision according to the situation.
These are some of the main professional skills which are required by operational
manager in order to conduct work at Holiday Inn because they need to interact and
communicate with guests and other staffs whole day. In which these skills plays a major
roles.
3

LO 2
Assess own skills, competences and the different learning and development
approaches
For conducting any activities a person need to have several skills and
competence so that they can conduct their work in effective manner for attaining goal as
well as target of themselves and company (Hamman and et. al., 2013). Along with this
for analysing this management may adopt various learning and development
approaches. In respect of operational manager job role, there are various skills,
knowledge and competence are required so that they can perform assist task in
effective manner through that firm attain their goal as well as objectives. There are
several learning and development approaches are used, which are explained below:-
Skills Rating by me Rating by others Differentiation
Communication Skill 8 10 -2 (Strength)
Decision Making 8 6 2 (Weakness)
Leadership Skill 7 10 -3 (Strength)
Problem Solving
Skill
6 4 2 (Weakness)
Flexibility 7 5 2 (Weakness)
Responsibility 5 8 -3 (Strength)
Teamwork 7 9 -2 (Strength)
Adaptation Skill 9 7 2(Weakness)
By analysing above table I am able to identify my strength as well as weakness
for the job role of Operational Manager-
Strengths Weaknesses
 Communication Skill  Decision Making
 Leadership Skill  Problem Solving Skill
 Responsibility  Flexibility
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 Teamwork  Adaptation Skill
Along with this in order to identify skills as well as competences for the job role of
operational manager, SWOT analysis will be conducted which help in allocation of role
and responsibilities according to strengths and weaknesses.
SWOT Analysis
The respective method is used by a person in order to determine their strength,
weakness, opportunities and threat that are based on their skills as well as competence
(Hordern, 2013). So in order to know my capabilities and abilities or the job role of
Operational manager at Holiday Inn, I conduct SWOT analysis which is given below:-
Strengths Weaknesses
 I have good communication skills
which help me in interacting with
others like guests, visitors, local
vendors and so on in effective
manner.
 I am also posses with good
leadership skills through which I can
lead or guide my subordinates
effectively that help them in
conducting work successfully.
 I lack in adaptation skills which
hamper my work because I need
some time for adopting change at
workplace.
 I am also lacking behind in decision
making due to which sometime I am
not able to take decision effective
according to the situation.
Opportunities Threats
 By enhancing my adaptability skills I
will able to adopt changes
effectively which leads to providing
quality services to the their potential
customers or visitors.
 It will also opportunities for me, if I
enhance my decision making skills
as it will help me taking effective
 There are numbers of employees
working at Holiday Inn so the
competition will be high, which is
threat for me of I didn't develop my
skills properly.
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decision according to the situation.
In order to manage things in effective as well as proper manner there are also
several models which help a person in conducting proper learning related to their job
role. In respect of analysing skills and abilities for the operational manager job role at
Holiday Inn I adopt learning theory which is mentioned below:-
Learning Theories
These type of theories are mainly adopted by an individual in order to enhance
their skill, abilities and competences according to job role. In this there are different
types of models are included, from which some models are explained below in respect
of job role of Operational manager-
VAK Learning Cycle- Visual- This include learning practices like reading, seeing and observing things
by displays, pictures and diagrams (Konkin and Suddards, 2012). For this a
person can enhance their skills as well as capabilities of handling things in
effective manner as it improve both personal as well as professional skills. Auditory- It is defined as a learning method in which transferring of information
is done with the help of listening words and sound or by spoken. Through this a
person able to enhance their professional skills by listening their senior authority.
 Kinesthetic- This method is considered as the physical practices that include
feeling, holding, shaking hands, touching and many others. Through this an
individual able to enhance their skills for performing practical things.
Behaviourist Approach-
The respective approach is focus on various factors such as problem solving,
thinking, reasoning and so on. In this if any change occur in the environment then
behaviour of a person can changed accordingly (Korkmaz and Senol, 2014). By
adopting this approaches skills and abilities of a person get enhanced because it
improve their thinking and behaviour.
Development Options
 Formal Training- It is also known as structured learning and training that help a
person in improving their personal as well as professional development in proper
way.
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 Informal Training- This is a unstructured training program that provide to staffs
so that they work effectively for attaining goal.
These are the main methods and theories of learning and development which
can be used by a person in order to enhance their skills and competence for operational
manager job role.
LO 3
Design a professional development plan, within a specific work context
Professional development plan is considered as written document which help a
person in skills, capabilities, objectives, score and so on that is essential for better
development of career (Lee and Fawcett, 2013). In respect of Holiday Inn they
developed professional development plan of their staff which is given below:-
Present skills and
competencies used
for personal and
professional plan
Goal of personal/
personal
development plan
(SMART Target)
Methods used for
monitoring
progress,
underpinning
(learning and
development
theory)
Identify benefits of
your personal
development plan
Decision Making Short term goal for
2.5 months
For this a person
may adopt
behavioural theory
according to which
they need to focus
on the other's
behaviour so that
interaction can be
conducted
effectively which
lead to development
of proper decision.
Through this a
person able to take
proper decision
according to the
requirement. Along
with this it will also
help in resolving
issues at the
workplace by
developing effective
decision(Leijen and
Kullasepp, 2013).
7

Problem Solving
Skill
Medium term goal
for approx 6 months
For this
benchmarking
technique can be
used according to
which before starting
or conducting any
work a person need
to develop
benchmark in
respect of which
they conduct their
work in effective
manner. Through
this they also able to
know internal
opportunities for
growing business
properly.
By developing
respective skill a
person able to
enhance resolve
issues or problems
in effective manner.
In addition to this it
will also leads to
enhancement in
employees moral
and satisfaction
(Olitsky, 2015).
Flexibility Long term goal for
near by 13 months
For this situational
theory can be used
so that a person
able to take decision
according to the
situation. This will
also help them being
flexibility so that they
can adopt each and
every changes or
technologies in
effective manner
(Thorne, Sauro and
By enhancing
flexibility skill a
person able to
conduct their work in
effective as well as
appropriate manner.
Along with this, it will
also help in adopting
new technologies as
well as strategies
according to the
situation.
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Smith, 2015).
Adaptation Skill Medium term goal
for 6 months
For this social
learning skills can be
used according to
which learning
process will be
based on behaviour
of society through
which one can
increase their
adaptability skills
successfully.
By enhancing this
skill an individual
can adopt new
technologies,
strategies and
procedure in
effective manner.
That will also help
them in enhancing
their work quality
(Thornton, 2013).
There are also number of training and development programmes which are
conducted by me in order to enhance my skills and abilities for developing career in
hotel industry, from which some main are given below:-
Training courses
which are taken by
me
Date Venue Fresh skills developed/
primary learning
undertaken.
Inventory
management course
20th June 2019 Hilton hotel Through this course I able
learn how I can management
hotel inventories in effective
manner so that demand and
supply not get imbalanced.
Certification in
quality management
1st July 2019 Hyatt hotel In this I get training and
development program related
to how can I maintain quality
of work so that hotel attain
their predetermined goal.
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LO 4
Demonstrate a range of service industry and transferable skills for a job application
There are diverse range of service industry as well as transferable skills for a
specific job application. Some of them in respect of Holiday Inn are given below:-
Job advertisement:
It is considered as electronic as well as print media that will aid in providing
proper and specific information related to particular vacant job profile (Trede, Macklin
and Bridges, 2012). Through job advertisement a company able to attract numbers of
candidates for the specific job role. Along with this it will also provide proper information
about job role to the candidates. There are several job advertisements conducted by
Holiday Inn for job profile of Operational Manager, that are given below-
Job Advertisement
13th December, 2019
Dear peeps,
Their is a great working opportunity for you all at one of reputed and multinational hotel
i.e. Holiday Inn. Firm is hiring for Operational Manger job profile, for that they are
looking for highly skilled, qualified and experienced person. Below all critical criteria of
respective post is given-
Qualification
 MBA in Hotel Management from recognised University or college
 Graduate in Hotel Management or Any Management degree from recognised
University or college
Experience
3 to 5 years in respective sector
Age
 Age limit is between 26 to 35 years along with quality heath.
Salary
 Salary package will be based on candidate's experience, qualification and
knowledge.
Other Requirement
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 Good communication skill (English, Hindi and one other language).
 Presentable
 Quick decision making skills
Interested candidates who fulfil above criteria can mail their CV along with passport
size photo to mail id i.e. “[e-mail]” till 25th December 2019.
For any enquiry candidates may also contact to below given number.
Thanks and regards,
HR Manager
Holiday Inn
[phone]
Job Specification
This is considered as written document which will include several informations
related to specific job role such as qualification, experience, skills, physical skills and
many others (Wenger and et. al., 2014). Job specification which is developed by
Holiday Inn management for job profile of Operational Manager is given below:-
Job title Operational Manager
Reporting Authority Senior manager of Holiday Inn
Qualification required  MBA in Hotel Management from recognised
University or college
 Graduate in Hotel Management or Any
Management degree from recognised University
or college
Role and responsibilities  Interact with guest.
 Manage team of operational department.
 Manage daily activities at the workplace.
 Provide training to new joineries so that they
know how to conduct wok effectively.
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Title of job Operational Manager
Date: 13th December 2019
Qualification required Essential Desirable Met
 MBA in Hotel
Management
 Diploma in Hotel
Industry
 Fluent in English
and Local
Language
Yes
Yes
Yes
Experienced Required
3 to 5 years experiences
in respective department Yes
Personal characteristics and skills
 Problem Solving
Skill
 Interpersonal Skill
 Communication
skill
 Leadership Skills
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Role and responsibilities
 Interact with
guest.
 Manage team of
operational
department.
 Manage daily
activities at the
Yes
Yes
Yes
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workplace.
 Provide training to
new joiners so
that they know
how to conduct
wok effectively.
Yes
Curriculum Vitae
It refers to the written detailed document that focus on academic or professional
skills, knowledge and capabilities of candidate who apply for a specific job role. This is
one of the main document which is required for applying for a specific job. It will include
several detail of a person such as educational qualification, experiences, skills and
knowledge, past responsibilities and so on (Williams, Ritter and Bullock, 2012). Below
curriculum vitae of a candidate is given who apply for operational manager job profile.
Curriculum Vitae
Name: XYZ
Contact number: [phone]
Email Id: [e-mail]
Address: House no. 150/182,
London street,
London, United kingdom.
Career objective: My aim is worked in renowned company at where I can use by
theoretical knowledge for attaining goal. I also want to enhance my skills, capabilities,
abilities, experience and knowledge which help me in my future development.
Education qualification
Course College/ University/
School
Year Percentage
MBA in Hotel Management Oxford Brookes University 2013 89.54%
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Bachelor In Hotel
Management
University of Surrey 2010 80.00%
12th Board Queen Elizabeth's School 2007 95.22%
10th Board The King's School
Canterbury
2005 97.00%
Skills:
 Leadership Skill
 Problem solving Skill
 Communication Skill
 Interpersonal Skill
 Decision making Skill
Job Experience
 Hilton Hotel- 5 years experience from 2013 to 2019 at Operational executive
post.
Job Role and responsibilities
 Interacting with guests or visitors.
 Ensure each and every work are conducting properly.
 Reporting to Operational Manager.
Declaration
I hereby want to declare that all above given information is real as well as reliable
to my knowledge.
Thank you.
XYZ
Interview Question
 Why do you want to get job in our company?
 Why you left you previous job?
 Why should we hire you, tell your strengths and weaknesses?
Interview Process
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 Invitation- It is a first stage at which candidate applications are collected for
specific vacant position.
 Screening- In this stage most reliable candidates are selected from bulk of
applicants.
 Recruiting- In this stage right candidate will be recruit for the vacant position.
 Selection- It is a last stage at which all the documentation verification is done in
order to confirm selection of candidate for vacant position.
Strength and Weakness of Interview Process
Interview
Process
Strengths Weaknesses
Invitation Through this stage company
able to gather bulk of candidates
from which they can select most
appropriate as well as effective
one.
The respective stage is time
taking as well as costly for
company.
Screening In this management can evaluate
candidate's skills and abilities for
identifying appropriate one
according to profile (Wood,
Farmer and Goodall, 2016).
This phase is also taking taking
because management need to
analysis each and every
candidate skills.
Recruiting By this company management
able to recruit most effective
person for the job profile mean
right person at right job.
In this several effective
candidates are not selected due
to which they feel demotivated
and get disconnected with firm.
Selection In this stage firm able to select
highly qualified person for vacant
position at their workplace.
The respective stage is less
flexibility.
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CONCLUSION
By conducting analysis of above discussed topics it can be conclude that for a
person it is essential to have understand of professional identify and practices so that
they can conduct their work in effective manner. Along with this it will also help a person
in accomplishing their work effectively through which firm able to attain their goal as well
as objectives in successful way. For this a person need to conduct analysis of their
skills, abilities and capabilities through which they conduct work effectively as well as for
this a person can adopt numbers of models such as SWOT and so on. In addition to this
they can also develop professional development plan for maximising their skills as well
as knowledge which help in accomplishment of work properly for attaining goal as well
as target. In respect of this there are numbers of theories as well as approaches which
lead to professional as well as personal development of a person. In context of a firm
there are several practices are conducted by a company so that they can attract more
appropriate candidate for the specific job role such as they do job advertisement,
interview session and so on. Furthermore, they are firm management also need to
conduct training and development practices for the newly joined staffs.
16

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