Professional Identity and Practice INTRODUCTION

Professional Identity and Practice INTRODUCTION 1 PART A1 Overview of the Organisation 1 Competencies and skills expected by the employer for the specific role 1 Benefits of On-going professional or personal development 2 Importance of On-going professional development 3 Learning theories & approaches used for the professional development 3 Assess their own skills, ability and competencies 3 PART B4 Development plan 4 PART C5 Interview process for the service industry5 Strength and Weakness of the interview process 6 CONCLUSION 6 REFERENCES 7 INTRODUCTION

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
Overview of the Organisation......................................................................................................1
Competencies and skills expected by the employer for the specific role....................................1
Benefits of On-going professional or personal development......................................................2
Importance of On-going professional development....................................................................3
Learning theories and approaches used for the professional development..................................3
Assess their own skills, ability and competencies.......................................................................3
PART B............................................................................................................................................4
Development plan........................................................................................................................4
PART C............................................................................................................................................5
Interview process for the service industry...................................................................................5
Strength and Weakness of the interview process.........................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity is the practice where individual enhance their own skills which
helps them in their professional as well as personal life and provide a unique identity in the
workplace. These practices include the individual belies, attitudes, experience, values or
motivation which further help the person to achieve their business goals & objectives. Thomas
Cook Group Plc chosen for the better understanding of this concepts. It is a British Global travel
company which founded in 1841.
This report cover various topics such as importance of on-going professional
development and it enhance the professional identity. Individual need to assess their own skills
which provide various learnings and need to prepare development plan for the enhancement of
their skills. In addition, individual need to demonstrate range various skills which required for
the job applications.
PART A
Overview of the Organisation
Thomas Cook Group Plc is UK based travel company which founded in 1841 and after
that it merged with Thomas Cook AG in 2007. It's headquarter in London, UK and they globally
served their services. Company have approx. £9584 million revenue in 2018 and net income of
the company is £163 million in the same year (Thomas Cook Group Plc, 2019).
Competencies and skills expected by the employer for the specific role
Various skills and competencies required by the employer in their employees which help
the organisation to successfully complete their task in order to achieve their bushiness goals &
objectives. Because main purpose of the organisation to maximise their profit through optimum
utilization of their resources such as their employees. In the Thomas Group, manager focuses on
various skills which help the organisation to build effective strategies which further increase the
sales and profit margin of the company (Bleach, 2014). Their are few skills and competencies
required by the manager for the role of business developer and it is mentioned below:
Problem Solving: This skill required by the employer for the role of Business developer
which help the organisation. With the help of this skill person can take effective decision in order
to achieve their goals. So Thomas Group required this competency which make employees more
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capable to solve internal problems and then effective decision which increase productivity or
profitability.
Effective Communication: In the travel agency, it is the most common skill required by
them because with the help of this employee convince the people to book their trip. With the help
of effective communication, worker influence other and develop interest in their organisation. It
also helps in solving problems in the organisation regarding any issues.
Stay Calm Under Pressure: Company required those people who can handle the work
pressure as well as able to take important decision in respect of the organisation. Thomas Group
required this competency in their employees which is beneficial for the business to achieve their
objectives & goals (Brooks, 2016).
Benefits of On-going professional or personal development
It is a continuous process which include the tracking and representation the skills,
competencies, experience and knowledge required in the professional life for the career growth.
It exclude the initial training and only consider the leaning and knowledge earn through working
in the organisation. Their are some benefits of On-going professional development and it is
discussed below:
Increase Retention: Organisation provide various training to their employees in order to
increase their efficiency & effectiveness in the work. When company invest for the development
of employee then they wanted to retain employees for the longer period. It is a opportunity cost
for the organisation such as Thomas Group provide training for the enhancement of skill so they
wanted to retain their employees because it include the cost which is expensive for the company.
Improve Efficiency: With the help of on-going professional development, business
increase the efficiency of their staff members so they perform well in their work and become
capable to achieve their goals & targets. Thomas Group provide various professional
development trainings which help the employees to improve their efficiency.
Build Confidants: On-going professional development increase the confidante among
the employees related their work. Required training build confidants as well as creditability
among the staff members. So manager of Thomas Group provide various training which increase
the confidence among the employees (Clarke, Hyde and Drennan, 2013).
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Importance of On-going professional development
On-going professional development important for the whole organisation as well for the
staff members because it increase their efficiency, retention and build confidants among the
employees. With the help of various training, individual perform their work very well and
become capable to achieve their business goals & objectives. These professional or personal
development not only helps in career life and it also beneficial for the personal life as well.
Learning theories and approaches used for the professional development
Their are some theories and approaches used by the Thomas Group for the professional
development and it will be discussed below (Learning Theories, 2019):
Behaviour Approach: This approach provide the learnings or change in the behaviour
due to any action. With the help of this approach, organisation identify the every employees
behaviour in respect of any changes in the business. Such as Thomas Group adopt latest
technology which increase the productivity and profitability. In this case, business identify the
behaviour of each staff member regarding changes in the organisation.
Social Learning Theory: In this theory, individual learn through observing other people
and it can be direct or indirect. Learn through their superior or peers actions and behaviour, after
this analyse the learning or if it is imitable then helps in reinforcement process. In the Thomas
Group, staff members learn various skills or competencies by observing their superiors or
employers.
Assess their own skills, ability and competencies
Self assessment is very important for me because it helps me to identify my own ability
for the role of Business developer in the Thomas group, I need to enhance my skills and
capabilities to fulfil the requirement of business developer. For this role employer required
different skills, ability, competencies which help the organisation to build effective strategy in
order to increase productivity as well as profitability (Eteläpelto and et.al., 2014). Which further
helps in achieving my business goals & objectives. With the help of skill audit, I can evaluate my
ability, capability or skill for role of business developer and it will be discussed below:
Skills Required Scores required for the
specific role
Self Evaluation Score Improvement required
or not
Communication skills 9 8 -1 (Required)
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Problem solving 8 6 -2 (Required)
Negotiation skills 7 8 1 (Not Required)
Interpersonal skills 7 8 1 (Not Required)
Time Management 7 6 -1 (Required)
Company required Business developer who can build effective strategies for the
successful outcomes. Which include planning, managing or controlling internal activities and
will be done through above mentioned skill. I required improvement in few skills such as Time
Management, problem solving and communication.
Above mentioned theories improve my skills which is required for the business developer
role in the Thomas Group Plc. I am focusing on social learning & Behaviour approach because
with the help of this I can improve my Time Management and problem solving skills.
PART B
Development plan
Development plan include the strategies or actions taken by individual for the
enhancement of their own skill. With the help of this plan, I can analyse the area where I have to
improve my self to become compatible with the role of business developer (Guile, 2014).
Development plan include objectives, strategies and training which improve my skills as well as
increase my efficiency. It further helps the Thomas Group to increase their productivity &
profitability and it will be mentioned below:
Skills Required
Activities
Resources Time Changes Required
Problem
Solving
For this, I need to
develop my critical
thinking process
which help me to
solve problems in
the organisation.
To enhance this
skills, I need training
& development,
done aptitude test
and reasoning
because it will
increase by thinking
It
required
almost 2
months
to
develop
In the organisation, I
need to take effective
decision which is
beneficial for the both
parties such as Thomas
Group or me.
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process. this skill.
Communicat
ion Skills
I need to read
article or
communicate with
other on daily basis
(Tseng and Kuo,
2014).
In the organisation,
participation of other
staff members help
to make effective
conversation.
It
required
almost 1
months.
I have to share my
options and need to give
suggestion because it the
way to start any
conversation which
improve the
communication skill.
Time
Management
I have to manage
time because it
increase the
efficiency as well
as effectiveness. I
need to prepare
schedule of my
work and then
follow it properly.
To managing time, I
need to motivate
other participants to
complete their work
on time and
management their
work. Because team
members & peers
help me to complete
my task on time.
Need to
update
their
schedule
or daily
work
sheet
accordin
g to
work.
For this, I need to build
proper scheduled and
then update it on regular
basis. Along with this,
need to prepare check
list. Which help me to
analyse the competed
task and then only
focuses on remaining
one.
PART C
Interview process for the service industry
Thomas Group Plc set a interview process for the role of business developer where they
required some specific skills and competencies. This role include the various responsibility
which is completed by the selected candidates and it will increase the productivity or profit
margin. I am going to take part in this interview process for the position of business developer in
the Thomas Group company. It include the 3 rounds of interview first one is aptitude test, second
one is technique round and last round was HR round. So after completing my all rounds of
interview process I was selected for the position of business developer (Hayward and et.al.,
2013).
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I am selected for this post due to my strong academic background and my internship
experience. Before starting interview process I was search a lot about company and the
designation they offer. After knowing the vacant post, I am start evaluating my own skill and
build development plan for the necessary requirement. I also prepare some common questions
for the interview rounds and with the help of my skills. Such as effective communication, time
management or problem solving skills help me to secure this business development position in
the Thomas Group Plc (Holden and et.al., 2012).
Strength and Weakness of the interview process
Strength: This interview process help me to increase my confidants, knowledge and
make me aware about the whole process. Because at the time of interview I observed that
interviewer impressed with my quick and creative answered. Along with this, qualification or
past experience matters a lot to get this job because internship experience teach you a lot about
work culture. It is the learning face of my life where I get the life time experience and it was
always with me. Most of the questions are from my work experience and my difficulties which
face in the internship duration (Littlejohn, Beetham and McGill, 2012).
Weakness: In the interview process, I observed that my general knowledge was bad but I
pass the aptitude test. This factors can become barrier for me and other candidates who come for
the interview are very stressed. I also get affright to see other applicant and then my nervousness
level will increase. Few skills affect my interview such as my communication skill which reduce
my confidence. But after facing all the situation I get this job and this interview process become
valuable for me and I get the post of business developer in Thomas Group company.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it has been concluded that, on-going professional development
help the organisation to enhance their employees performance and also provide various benefits.
Along with this, by using skill audit tool I analyse my own skill, ability or capabilities for the
role of business developer and after development plan it helps me to analyse regarding what I
have to be done next to achieve these skills. With the help of this plan, I analyse my strength as
well as weakness which I faced in the interview process.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Bleach, J., 2014. Developing professionalism through reflective practice and ongoing
professional development. European early childhood education research journal. 22(2).
pp.185-197.
Brooks, C., 2016. Teacher subject identity in professional practice: Teaching with a professional
compass. Routledge.
Clarke, M., Hyde, A. and Drennan, J., 2013. Professional identity in higher education. In The
academic profession in Europe: New tasks and new challenges (pp. 7-21). Springer,
Dordrecht.
Eteläpelto, A., and et.al., 2014. Identity and agency in professional learning. In International
handbook of research in professional and practice-based learning (pp. 645-672).
Springer, Dordrecht.
Guile, D., 2014. Professional knowledge and professional practice as continuous
recontextualisation: A social practice perspective. In Knowledge, expertise and the
professions (pp. 88-102). Routledge.
Hayward, L. M., and et.al., 2013. The first two years of practice: a longitudinal perspective on
the learning and professional development of promising novice physical
therapists. Physical therapy. 93(3). pp.369-383.
Holden, M., and et.al., 2012. December. Professional identity formation in medical education:
the convergence of multiple domains. In HEC forum (Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 245-255).
Springer Netherlands.
Littlejohn, A., Beetham, H. and McGill, L., 2012. Learning at the digital frontier: a review of
digital literacies in theory and practice. Journal of computer assisted learning. 28(6).
pp.547-556.
Tseng, F. C. and Kuo, F. Y., 2014. A study of social participation and knowledge sharing in the
teachers' online professional community of practice. Computers & Education. 72.
pp.37-47.
Online
Learning Theories. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning-approaches.html>
Thomas Cook Group Plc. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.thomascookgroup.com/>
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