Professional identity and Practice - Sample Assignment

PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY
AND PRACTICE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Key benefits of on going professional development for different stakeholders within
company.................................................................................................................................1
P2. Investigate professional employer expectation of skills and competencies within industry 3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3. Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role..............................4
P4. Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes...........................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5. Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context...........................................................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6. Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role.........................................7
P7. Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process..........................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity can be defined as a concept which consist of a different beliefs,
motive, values, attribute, practices and experience that helps in enhancing the performance level
at workplace (Barley and Kunda, 2016). This is specifically build with different conditions faced
by an individual which is required to be followed in order to develop a professional identity. It is
being found that, it is much required for an individual to carry a range of practices which could
help in developing a unique identity within the professional business world. In order to build a
deeper knowledge, Virgin Holidays which is a tour and travel business organisation has been
taken under this report. It was found in the year of 1985 and coming under the Virgin Group
which was found and owned by Sir Richard Branson. Along with this, report is going to include
key benefits of on going professional development regarding various stakeholders. Away this
this, assignment will also put light on own competencies, skills considering approaches. Lastly, a
development plan along with the transferable skills within service industry has also been
included.

TASK 1
P1. Key benefits of on going professional development for different stakeholders within
company
Company's Overview:
Virgin Holidays, a famous United Kingdom's tour and travel business organisation
delivering a range of services to consumers related to tourism sector. Company was found in
1985 and basically offers holidays worldwide with destinations that are coming under Canada,
USA, Africa, India, Middle East, Australia, Far East and South Pacific. Along with this, Virgin
Holidays has a specialist cruise division, "Virgin Holidays Cruises" and "Worldwide Journeys"
which company offers to its customers and this makes them different from other business
organisation that are performing at international level. In order to gain competitive advantages,
company would require to deliver a continuous professional development program for its
stakeholders. Some of key benefits of this are given below:
Key benefits for stakeholders:
Continuous Professional Development can be defined as an on going learning process
which could help an individual in maintaining the overall professional competencies and skills in
order to gain competitive advantages at workplace. It is essential because this process majorly
stays enclosed with past experiences which has been faced by an individual and then training can
be given to overcome different weaknesses or build up effective plans and procedures (Lamote
and Engels, 2010). Some of key elements/benefits are given below:
Increase retention: Continuous improvement plan if provided by Virgin Holidays to its
employees, it will directly aid them in retaining customers for a longer time frame because they
might get proper learning which will aid in improving satisfactory level as well. For the same,
there is another approach which could be used and i.e. compensation, incentives and more which
might help Virgin Holidays in building trust among staff.
Helps to develop successful plans: Considering an on going professional development
plan, it can be said that Virgin Holidays could develop plans at workstation for improvising the
skills and requirements of staff. In present context, a successful plan consist of existing skills,
capabilities that are needed to be changed successfully and here a plan could be developed for
ample number of benefits for customers, employees and for Virgin Holidays as well.

Increase Trust: Focusing upon on going professional development, staff members of
Virgin Holidays and their skills could be enhanced through building trust among them and this
could be done through a range of techniques like conducting meeting, offering training to staff
and many more.
Better and fast decision: On-going professional development within an organisation like
Virgin Holidays, could help individuals that are performing at workstation with effective
decisions. Considering this type of professional development, it can be said that better decisions
can easily be taken by staff which will aid them in becoming a much more fruitful asset for
Virgin Holidays. Here, training & development given by managers of Virgin Holidays to staff
will improvise there thinking and might make them much more creative. Through this, they
might become able to take right decisions for themselves and for Virgin Holidays in specified
time frame which will help company in attaining desired goals and objectives.
Considering the benefits which has been discussed above could help Virgin Holidays in
grabbing a good position in today's competitive business market through attaining different goals
& objectives (Miller, 2018). Therefore, it can easily be said that on-going professional
development could help Virgin Holidays in enhancing the overall capabilities of staff of Virgin
Holidays where they could easily take right decisions in crucial times.
P2. Investigate professional employer expectation of skills and competencies within industry
In modern era, it is being found that an organisation basically expects more from an
employee from its capabilities so that company could effectively gain competitive advantages
(Edwards and Dirette, 2010). Employer of a business organisation like Virgin Holidays is
coming under travel and tourism business sector looks to grab a good market share so that profit
margins could easily be improvised right on time. This can only be done if employees of Virgin
Holidays performs well. Lets take an example, where a customer executive of Virgin Holidays is
directly communicating with customers, here it will be required for individual to carry a good
range of skills like positive attitude, effective communication and decision making skills in order
to fill up all the requirements of the customer. Then only, a customer will use company's services
for a longer time frame. It can be said that positive and polite response from employee will
increase the customer satisfaction level as well as loyalty for the organisation. In present context,
employer of Virgin Holidays is required to have effective and skilled customer executive in order
to improvise there customer base. They might look for some specified skills, which is required

for an individual to become an effective and fruitful employee for Virgin Holidays and these are
mentioned beneath:
Positive behaviour: A customer executive needs to have positive behaviour while
communicating with consumers so that there queries could easily be resolved. In the same way,
Virgin Holidays' employer is looking for the same because organisation is working at
international level where competition is very high and due to excessive rivalry, Virgin Holidays
needs to have customer executive with positive attitude towards there job where they can
understand and resolve all the issues which are faced by customers at the time of booking tickets
or for any other concern.
Problem solving skills: Another crucial skill which an employer looks into employees
because Virgin Holidays is dealing in tour and travel business sector which is carrying both
uncertainties and competition in business environment. If it is talked about customer executive,
then it can be said that the individual needs to have problem solving skills so that individual
could effectively take decisions in specified time frame regarding all the queries raised by
customers regarding services provided by Virgin Holidays.
Proper communication: Another crucial skill which is required by an individual at the
time of working in a company like Virgin Holidays. It can be said that, effective communication
skills in customer executive could directly help consumers of Virgin Holidays in gaining higher
experiences.
Importance of undertaking ongoing professional development:
Basically, an on going professional development directly impacts positively upon staff
member's performance level and this basically stays enclosed with a range of factors which aid in
building a professional identity in specified time frame (Crocket, 2014). Here, it can be said that
employer of Virgin Holidays, if uses training & development programs, company will directly
put positive impact upon capabilities and skills of an individual. If it is talked about, customer
executive of Virgin Holidays, it will be required for employer (leaders or managers) to deliver
training sessions at different weak areas of customer executive so that it can easily be improvised
in specified time frame. This will also offer customers with a range of benefits and along with
this, Virgin Holidays may also effectively get a good reputation at international marketplace.

TASK 2
P3. Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role
Considering a job role i.e. Customer Executive for a business organisation like Virgin
Holidays, it is required to have a range of abilities, skills and the competences. In the same way,
I found that, I am capable of becoming an effective customer executive in Virgin Holidays but in
some areas, I can consider as my weak points which I effectively need to make alterations. In
present time, I realised that, every single employee (staff member) needs to have different skills
and it can be said that for acquiring a good position these skills are needed to be improvised in
specified time frame. Through doing a proper analysis, I can easily find out all the differences
that I have from the expectations of employer of Virgin Holidays. This will directly aid in taking
right actions regarding my own knowledge, skills, and more which may aid in developing an
effective program in specified time frame. Along with this, if it is talked about Virgin Holidays,
employees of this company already consist with a good range of skills and capabilities through
which goals and objectives can easily be attained right on time.
On the other hand, due to higher competition, Virgin Holidays is looking forward to
recruit customer executive so that customer base of this organisation can easily be improvised.
Along with this, if I would like to fill this vacant seat in Virgin Holidays, it will be required for
me to have effective skills that this company is looking for in a customer executive. In present
context, I have used personal skills audit approach in order to identity skills that are needed to
become an effective customer executive at Virgin Holidays. Basic assessment of skills is given
beneath:
S No. Capable in: Score Desired ratings to
fulfill requirements
of Virgin Holidays
Strength (positive
numbering) & Weakness
(Negative numbering)
1 Problem Solving 7 8 -1 (Weakness)
2 Communication 6 4 2 (Strength)
3 Presentation 5 6 -1 (Weakness)

4 Time Management 5 8 3 (Strength)
5 Interpersonal Skills 6 9 3 (Strength)
P4. Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes
Learning approaches and theories are helpful for a person to improve profession and
personal skills which need to be followed through Virgin Holidays (Learning Approaches,
2019). Some theories and approaches are mention below:
Cognitive approach- It is psychological theory that consists thinking process. In this,
manager of Virgin Holidays use this kind of approach for the purpose of study mind of
consumers. As then determine their demand which make company to make its service better.
With the help of this, both Virgin Holidays and its employees could effectively expand the
overall performance level through offering customers with holiday packages as per their own
interest, needs and requirements as well.
Social learning theory- Under this, people learn by other people and also from their
behaviour, attitude, values etc (Chamberlayne and Bornat, 2014). In Virgin Holidays, this theory
is helpful in observe behaviour of managers through employees so that they can learn new
things and enhance their professional and personal development. Considering this theory,
manager of Virgin Holidays might effectively enhance the performance of staff members where
they will direct offer customers with different range of services from resolving there queries to
developing new package as per their requirements.
Humanistic learning approach- This learning approach minimize feeling or stress of
being unusual the behaviour of individual. Under this, manager of Virgin Holidays apply this
approach and then make employees capable to determine own behaviours and make improve
them. Along with this, it can easily be said that humanistic learning approach could effectively
aid staff members to execute their own plans in order to improvise themselves within specified
time frame. This will directly help Virgin Holidays in reaching to an all new level.
Behaviourist approach: Another theory which is basically consist with a range of
thoughts or ideas which is specifically needed by an employee who can perform or response very

quickly on their learning which make them capable to resolve various problems in the
organisation (Learning and Teaching: Theories, Approaches and Models, 2016). In present
context, this sort of approach could easily help an individual (customer executive) in becoming a
much more effective or fruitful for the business organisation like Virgin Holidays.
Hence, above comprehended theories would help an individual in improvising a range of
skills like learning capability and so on. This would help in enhancing overall personal &
professional skills. Here it can be said that behaviourist and cognitive approach are the two
approaches that are needed to be used by Virgin Holidays so that they could help individuals in
performing well at international market.
TASK 3
P5. Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context
In present context, a proper development plan has been built which includes different
range of objectives, strategies and various training processes that will help me in reaching to my
own desired goals and objectives in specified time frame (Bruss and Kopala, 2013). Along with
this, it will also improvise my own efficiency as well at workstation of Virgin Holidays and this
will directly put positive impact upon my own and company's productivity & profitability level
at the same time. It has been formulated beneath:
Skills Required Activities Resources Time Changes
Required
Communicat
ion Skill
In order to enhance this
skill, it will be required
for me to communicate
with others. Along with
this, I can take language
classes as well.
Direct communication
with others and use of
different books,
journals and many
other resources as well.
3 months
time is
required to
improve
this skill.
As I am shy in
behaviour, it will
be required for me
to build up
confidence so that
I could
communicate with
others.
Time It will be required for In order to enhance Within 3 Taking help from

Managemen
t Skill
me to set time for every
single activity or the
tasks that I might
perform in Virgin
Holidays.
this skill, it will be
required for me to take
help from others and
along with this I can
use stop watch as well
for different tasks.
business
months
this skill
could be
effectively
enhanced
in
specified
time
frame.
others and looking
at the ways that
how they manage
there work
accordingly.
Problem
Solving
Skill
In order to enhance this
skill, I can use my own
interpersonal skills and
critical thinking as well
which might aid me in
developing favourable
conditions.
Training &
development, case
study, aptitude test,
stimulation, reasoning
etc. it will help myself
to solve problems.
I need 5
months to
improvise
this skill in
specific
time
frame.
I have to take
effective decision
on time need to
ensure that all
required resources
are available
which me possible
to solve problems.
TASK 4
P6. Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role
In regards to this, Virgin Holidays has conducted an interview for me for the job role of a
customer executive. If I get selected, it is may be possible for me that a range of gates might get
open which will help my career to get fully flourished in near future. Since the company is
working at international level, it is may be possible I may face a range of problems regarding my
qualification if they are going to be compared with other candidates. Just when I will finish up
with the evaluation process, it is may be possible for me to be called at technical round and this
is where I might face issues as questions that interviewer will ask might go tricky. It is also
possible that, interviewer will ask tricky questions too which may impact upon insights because I
am weak at this point. But if I directly gets selected from this place it is may be possible that HR
round the next one I might clear easily because explaining about my own experiences that I had

in my past were interesting which will help me in influencing HR manager of Virgin Holidays
(Miller, 2018).
Along with this, my another strong point is my own academic background and my past
experience, it helps me to get this job and I secure the post of assistant manager. Even before my
interview, I search about the companies, job profit, role & responsibility of the post and other
relevant information. This might aid me in reaching to new heights where this will help in hitting
my targets.
Away with this, job interview questions which could be asked within an interview are
given beneath:
Interview Questions
Q1. How are you ?
Q2. Tell me about yourself apart from the CV ?
Q3. What could you do for this company, if we select you ?
Q4. How was the working environment in previous organisation, where you worked ?
Q5. Do you know about HR policy of our business organisation ?
Q6. What motivates you the most ?
Q7. Tell me about your life experiences ?
Q8. With what perspective you will perform in different range of uncertainties ?
Q9. What salary you are expecting us to offer ?
Q10. Why you left last company ?
P7. Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process
Strength of interview process: One of the most effective and efficient skill that I had
while giving the interview was confidence. The way I gave a range of answers to the interviewer
helped me in communicating with interviewer. Along with this, while giving answers to the
questions which has been asked by Interviewer as I was quick enough which showed presence of
mine in front of the interviewer. Away with this, I am strong at critical thinking point which
helped me out in answering the trick questions which were asked by interviewer. Since I have
already cracked a few interviews previously, I did not faced any sort of issues regarding anxiety
and so on which is normal while giving an interview (Sims, 2011).

Weakness of interview process: Under this type of procedure, I see that my insight in
regards to general awareness, thinking, current issues and other information may be explanation
behind unaccomplished activity. As a result of the pressure along with the stress of different
applications, I started loosing the confidence which impacted upon my own performance level.
Some answer of my own which I have given were anticipated in a whole different way which
means, I am getting anxious and started developing a range of uncertainties. For an instance, I
started shivering and stammering while giving answers to the interviewer which impacted upon
my overall performance level while attending the interview.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that professional development & practices
is the necessary aspect which needs to be carried with its increasing level of individual durability
and growth development. Also, it is concluded that development needs to be comes from past
level of experiences and also its experiences is highly important to be make considered for better
individual growth and productivity. Learning style has led for bringing of learning style in a
productive ways to develop personal growth level, potential and reliability. Development plan is
very necessary for finding future growth and career development opportunities to build career of
self and others.

REFERENCE
Books & Journals
Barley, S. R. and Kunda, G., 2016. Contracting: A new form of professional practice. Academy
of Management Perspectives. 20(1). pp.45-66.
Bruss, K. V. and Kopala, M., 2013. Graduate school training in psychology: Its impact upon the
development of professional identity. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice,
Training. 30(4). p.685.
Chamberlayne, P. and Bornat, J. eds., 2014. Biographical methods and professional practice: An
international perspective. Policy Press.
Crocket, K., 2014. From narrative practice in counselling to narrative practice in research: A
professional identity story. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community
Work. 2004(2). p.1.
Edwards, H. and Dirette, D., 2010. The relationship between professional identity and burnout
among occupational therapists. Occupational Therapy in Health Care. 24(2). pp.119-
129.
Elman, N. S., Illfelder-Kaye, J. and Robiner, W. N., 2015. Professional development: training for
professionalism as a foundation for competent practice in psychology. Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice. 36(4). p.367.
Kram, K. E., Wasserman, I. C. and Yip, J., 2012. Metaphors of identity and professional
practice: Learning from the scholar–practitioner. The Journal of Applied Behavioral
Science. 48(3). pp.304-341.
Lamote, C. and Engels, N., 2010. The development of student teachers’ professional
identity. European Journal of Teacher Education. 33(1). pp.3-18.
Mellin, E. A., Hunt, B. and Nichols, L. M., 2011. Counselor professional identity: Findings and
implications for counseling and interprofessional collaboration. Journal of Counseling
& Development. 89(2). pp.140-147.
Miller, K., 2018. The evolution of professional identity: The case of osteopathic medicine. Social
Science & Medicine. 47(11). pp.1739-1748.
Sims, D., 2011. Reconstructing professional identity for professional and interprofessional
practice: A mixed methods study of joint training programmes in learning disability
nursing and social work. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 25(4). pp.265-271.
Online
Learning Approaches. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning-approaches.html>.
Learning and Teaching: Theories, Approaches and Models. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304119354_Learning_and_Teaching_Theori
es_Approaches_and_Models>.