Developing Essential Skills for Assistant Manager Role

This assignment requires a student to reflect on their current abilities and identify areas for improvement in order to become an Assistant Manager in Thomas Cook. The student is asked to develop their leadership, communication, and management skills in relation to leading a team, delivering consistent excellent consumer services, and managing policies and procedures. The student must demonstrate how they will improve these skills and provide examples of effective teamwork and communication to achieve excellent consumer interaction and sales performance.

Professional Identity and
Practice

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Personal and professional development plan and its importance...........................................1
COVERED IN POSTER........................................................................................................1
Reflection on development of skills and competencies for Assistant Manager.....................1
PART 2............................................................................................................................................2
Comprehensive development plan.........................................................................................2
PART 3............................................................................................................................................3
Application and interview for the Assistance Manager role..................................................3
Reflective Report....................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The professional practice refers to conduct and activity of someone from particular
profession. Professions are jobs which require extended period of education and training.
Professional standards of practice and ethics for specific tract are agreed upon and maintained
through broadly acknowledged professional associations (Evetts, 2014). This study is based on
Thomas Cook. It is the British international travel organization. The group owns umber of tour
operators and airlines based in the UK, Germany and so on. This report will explain the personal
and professional development and its importance within firm. It will create comprehensive
development plan which applies learning and development theory in relation to meet skills.
PART 1
Personal and professional development plan and its importance
COVERED IN POSTER
Reflection on development of skills and competencies for Assistant Manager
I am an intern working in HRM department of Thomas Cook, carrying out projects on
recruitment and selection. My internship will end in next few days and I have attended review
meeting with training and development manager within the Thomas Cook who is discussed
chances which are available for me to start a career within the organization. Manager have
suggested that it is appropriate beginning point would be Assistant Manager role. In this context,
I feel that many of skills and competencies will be developed as required in job role. As
Assistant manager, there are many skills and competencies such as communication and
influencing skills, excellent consumer services, result focused of driving team performance,
strong leadership and sales management on daily base. Therefore, I need to develop all these
skills and competencies which required for becoming the Assistant Manager in the Thomas
Cook.
In this context, I will follow learning theory and style for improving skills and
professional development within the company as Assistant Manager. There are range of learning
theories such as behavioural, social learning theory, humanistic approach to learning etc. which
are utilised for personal and professional development within the company.
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Behaviourist Learning Approach: This approach to learning is based on the thought
that I will respond to boost in the environment of firm (Truong, 2016). Therefore, it is to provide
me relevant and useful encouragement, so that I will respond and gain required knowledge and
experiences for becoming Assistant Manager.
Social Learning Theory: It is the development of early behavioural approach. Social
learning approach suggests that I can learn something by observing others in both directly and
indirectly. In relation to that, learning becomes adsorbed into my collection of behaviours. It
requires to be positively improved. This approach places great importance on learning with other
people through social communication either face-to-face or in team (Kirschner, 2017).
Humanistic Learning Approach: This approach is focused on individual as the subject
and maintains that learning is the natural procedure which aid to me reach self actualization. This
approach is focused on human freedom, dignity and potential.
In order to that, I am also followed the different learning styles such as visual, auditory,
reading/writing and kinaesthetic. In this context, I will prefer visual learning style in which I am
developing learning through observing other, diagrams, picture and written direction. This can
help to increase learning skills and competencies for effective performance for becoming the
Assistant Manager within the organization. Through picture and written document, I can
understand information and figures for managing the activities of business. Through this, I can
develop the skills and competencies for professional growth within the firm.
In addition to that, Agile developmental approach is the most appropriate theory to
develop personal and professional skills for job role of Assistant Manager within the Thomas
Cook. This approach can aid to increase development and growth through evolving their skill
and competencies for effective working in organization. This approach is determined in learning
centres around the content which appropriate behaviour can be taught through continuous
repetitions of combined task with feedback from the facilitator. Positive feedback is encouraged
and learn to me for success and negative feedback is discouraged the repetition of mistakes or
undesirable behaviour.
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PART 2
Comprehensive development plan
Recently, I am working as an Intern within Thomas Cook. My training and development
manager said that my skills and competencies are very weak which I need to be developed. I am
creating my development plan for improving my skills and competencies in different areas which
are required to become the Assistant Manager within the Thomas Cook. My objectives of
professional development is to develop all skills and competencies for becoming Assistant
Manager at Thomas Cook. This objective help to developing the skills and competencies for
future personal and professional development within the organization.
Skills Activities Resources Time frame Desired
Improvement
Communication
Skills
Recently, I am
unable to
communicate
with large people
within the
workplace.
Therefore, I want
attend the training
session for
improving this
skill.
I will try to
communicate
face-to-face,
verbal and written
basis for
improving this
skill.
I will develop my
communication
skills with 1 week
for job role within
the organization.
I will take review
from my
supervisors
within 3 days of
working for
achieving my
objectives of my
personal and
professional
development.
Leadership Skills Recently, I am
unable to lead
large number of
people and
guiding them, so
that I want active
listening, trust
battery for
I will involve in
different training
and leadership
resources such as
trust of advisor,
new perspective
and so on.
I will develop my
leadership skill
within 1 month
for job role within
organization.
I will take review
for previous week
for developing
my leadership
skills for
achieving
objectives of my
personal and
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improving this
skill.
professional
development.
Managerial Skills Recently, I am
unable to handle,
control and
organize any kind
of procedure and
policies, so that I
want need to
some training
session for
improving my
skill.
I will read some
management
books, focus on
goals, follow
behavioural
theory for
developing the
managerial skills
and competencies
within the firm.
I will develop my
managerial within
2 months for job
role of Assistant
Manager within
the organization.
I will take review
from training and
development
manager for my
managerial skills
for achieving the
objectives of my
personal and
professional
development.
Decision making Currently, I am
unable to take
quick decisions
about employees
and overall
company, so that,
I want to improve
the decision
making skill by
taking the advice
from my superior.
I will follow
resources such as
unique decision
making styles,
consultant with
others for
developing my
decision making
skills with in the
organization.
I will develop me
decision making
skills within the 2
months for job
role within the
firm.
I will take review
my superior for
my decision
making skills for
achieving the
objectives of my
personal and
professional
development.
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PART 3
Application and interview for the Assistance Manager role
CV
James Charles
Travel Assistant Manager
Seasoned travel and tourism professional with experience
helping consumer fulfil their needs of international and
domestic travel. Extensive knowledge of various top level
destinations and competency in the recent travel coordination
and booking software.
Personal Information
Phone
52395642
Email
[e-mail]
Twitter
twitter.comjames2
Skills and knowledge
 Maintaining the sales records.
 Controlling of policies and procedures.
 Powerful problem solving skills to manager stressful of
situations such as stranded clients, flight cancellation,
overbooked hotels and other situations.
 Motivation interviewing abilities to help in truly
listening to consumers and identifying that they need to
make tailored made travel experience which meet their
expectations.
Soft Skills
Expert in consumer services
Excellent communication
Effective time management
Expert in sales
Experiences
 2month internship within Thompson travel and tourism.
Language
French
Spanish
Qualification
 Master for Hotel Management.
 Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality
Management.
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COVER LETTER
JAMES CHARLES
123 Main street, London, UK.
52356462
[e-mail]
March 12, 2019
Smith James
Director, Human Resources
Dear Charles
I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Manager for fit living as advertised on your
website career page. I have working as an Intern in Thomas Cook. I have always enjoyed
working with people and think my previous experience will allow working as part of the team
and effective representative of company.
Pleas find enclosed copy of CV for more information.
Your sincerely
Reflective Report
INTERVIEW
Preparation for interview
I will prepare for attending the interview for Assistant manager in the Thomas Cook.
Previously, I am working an Intern in the company, so that they are shortlisted me for Assistant
manager, so that I will prepare my interview for the job role.
 I will develop my verbal communication for interacting with the interviewer when I will
attend interview process. I will try to give answers of all question with self confidence. I
will give unique answer, so that interviewer will get attract me and giving the chance for
job role.
 If the interview will give situation related to job role, so that I will give my answer in
effective and explain through example and giving the different suggestion to solve the
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conditions. In order to that, I will develop my problem solving skills for resolving the
situations in future job role within the company. It is necessary that there is no hesitation
while attending the interview (Dascalu and et.al., 2015. Before attending the interview, I
will research the Thomas Cook, so that if the interviewee asks me question about
company, so that I can answer appropriately.
 I will also research about job role, so that I will answer any kind of question which
interviewee will be asked. During the interview, I will not nervous and give appropriate
and effective answer of all question either for company or job role.
After Interview:
After interview, I have realised that may skills and competencies is weak, so that I will
try to develop my skills such as communication skills, problems solving and decision making as
well as leadership abilities which are needed to Assistant manager within the Thomas Cook.
 I will develop my learning skills and competencies for increasing the knowledge about
the personal and professional development which help to achieve the objectives and goals
of career. Professional development helps to identify that weak abilities and
competencies which is needed to develop by an individual which impact on their personal
and professional objectives and goals. In order to that, I will follow many of approaches
for developing the learning skills and competencies which involve behaviour, humanistic,
social learning and so on.
 These theories aid to me for improving and developing all skills and abilities which help
to achieve my career objectives and goals. Through following these approaches, I will
develop my learning skills and abilities by observing the others during the internship
within the Thomas Cook.
For joining the job role of Assistant manager, I will need to develop the all skills and
competencies such as decision making, problems solving and leadership skills within the
organization. These skills are very essential for leading the team, solving any kind of problems
relating to sales, consumer services, flight tickets, cancellation of flights and getting the
appropriate ideas for making the effective decisions such as taking the records of sales, analysing
the profits, handling and controlling of the whole organization when my manager is not available
in the organization (Kearney-Nunnery, 2015). Therefore, it is necessary to develop my all skills
and competencies for effective performance as job role within the company.
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In order to that, I have determined the different learning styles such as visual, reading and
writing and so on. According to that, I have to select the visual learning style in which, I will
develop knowledge through picture, written document, images etc. This style is very essential to
me for building the understanding, abilities and skills which help to me during the working in the
organization. In addition to that, I have to adopt different activities and resources for developing
the communication, leadership, decision making and managerial skills and also taking reviews
from my supervisors and consumers feedback which can help to me in terms of working as
professional. I have to develop my knowledge about travel and tourism as well as hospitality
industry, so that, I will perform and involving in the any kind of activities within the business. I
will also help to employees as well as consumers in terms of solving the issues within the
workplace. With the help of it, I will build relationship with the team members and other staff as
well as consumers which is beneficial for company in terms of increasing profitability and
productivity in travel sector and hospitality industry.
Throughout the study or the research, I have been through from several processes that
helps me to gain my personal and professional knowledge. Personal and professional
development if the most crucial process in the career advancement that makes individual person
more competitive and challenging. In order to that, it makes the good impact on the overall
development growth in the better performance level. I got to learn more research skills and make
the process more challenging for my future development growth. It makes good impact on the
growth development that affect the better development growth and results. Being as a member in
this programme and it helped me to reduced my fear and also gain my level of confidence in
within the process goals (Kirschner, 2017. Overall, process helps me to produce the level of gain
my skills and knowledge development. Overall, study gives me huge development process goals
and make me more competitive and confident to deal with the challenging situations. I got to
learn technical, personal skills though I can make good decision making in my future plans.
Personal and professional development plan will help me to reduce my weaknesses and re
produced the level of strength and opportunity and growth. Overall, this level of performance
will help me to adopt different opportunity and goals to make the future more productive. I used
my skills and knowledge to make new opportunities for me for my further development plan. In
other words, I gained my professional skills and also learned development growth and giving
long term opportunity and growth. This study helped to identify my own strength and
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weaknesses and in what areas I need to learn more. Such as I got to learn that, I need to learn
time management and decision making skills to make my overall development and growth.
CONCLUSION
This report has summarised that personal and professional development is very essential
and beneficial for achieving the personal and professional objectives and goals of an individual.
It can be concluded that determine skills and competencies for sales consultant, assistant
manager and cabin crew within the organization. It can be discussed that different learning
theories and approaches such as behavioural, humanistic and social learning that help to develop
the learning and other skills of individual. Furthermore, it has to create professional development
plan for achieving the personal and professional objectives and goals. It can be concluded that
reflection on the skills, knowledge and competence development for job role in the organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Burgess, A. and Nestel, D., 2014. Facilitating the development of professional identity through
peer assisted learning in medical education. Advances in medical education and
practic. 5. p.403.
Dascalu, M. I. and et.al., 2015. A recommender agent based on learning styles for better virtual
collaborative learning experiences. Computers in Human Behavior. 45. pp.243-253.
Evetts, J., 2014. The concept of professionalism: Professional work, professional practice and
learning. In International handbook of research in professional and practice-based
learning (pp. 29-56). 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.
Izadinia, M., 2014. Teacher educators’ identity: A review of literature. European Journal of
Teacher Education. 37(4). pp.426-441.
Kearney-Nunnery, R., 2015. Advancing Your Career Concepts in Professional Nursing. FA
Davis.
Kirschner, P. A., 2017. Stop propagating the learning styles myth. Computers & Education. 106.
pp.166-171.
Prosek, E. A. and Hurt, K. M., 2014. Measuring professional identity development among
counselor trainees. Counselor Education and Supervision. 53(4). pp.284-293.
Truong, H. M., 2016. Integrating learning styles and adaptive e-learning system: Current
developments, problems and opportunities. Computers in human behavior, 55, pp.1185-
1193.
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.
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APPENDIX
1. Do you have leadership skills which is required to become Assistant Manager in Thomas
Cook?
In order to that, I am unable to lead large team in relation to inappropriate result focused
on team performance which impact on the consumer services. Therefore, I will develop my
leadership skills for leading the large number of people along with effective outcome of team
performance. Effective team work help to commitment to deliver consistent excellent consumer
services. With the help of it, I will increase experience for developing people and sales
management on daily base.
2. Do you have communication skill that is needed to be Assistant Manager in the
organization?
In order to that, my communication skill is weak which is most essential for requirement
of becoming assistant manager within Thomas Cook. Therefore, I will develop my
communication skills which aid to excellent consumer interaction to provide the products and
services within the workplace.
3. Do you have managerial skills which is necessary for Assistant Manager job role?
Recently, I am unable to manage and control of policies and procedure, so that I will
develop the managerial skill for improving consumer services, performance and sales of
company. If I will develop my weak skills and competencies, so that I will manage consumer
services, sales and profits of Thomas Cook.
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