Professional Identity and Practice

This report explores the importance of ongoing professional development and self-directed learning for enhancing professional identity and career opportunities. It assesses current abilities and skills, investigates the skills and competences required for a hospitality manager, and discusses different learning theories and approaches. The report also provides a SMART strategy for developing a development plan to enhance skills.

Professional identity and
practice
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
ACTIVITY 1...................................................................................................................................3
A brief introduction of Hilton hotel.............................................................................................3
Key benefits and importance of ongoing professionals...............................................................3
Investigation of skills and competences for hospitality manager................................................4
Assessing current abilities and skills...........................................................................................5
A critical evaluation of own abilities, skills and competences....................................................6
Different learning theories and approaches.................................................................................6
Most effective and appropriate developmental approaches for enhance professional and
personal skills..............................................................................................................................7
ACTIVITY 2...................................................................................................................................8
SMART strategy to develop a development plan for enhances skills.........................................8
Evidences of detailed development plan.....................................................................................8
Produce comprehensive development plan.................................................................................9
ACTIVITY 3.................................................................................................................................10
Plan and undertake a job interview............................................................................................10
Review the key strength and weakness.....................................................................................11
Evaluate a job interview process...............................................................................................11
Critical reflection about the job interview process....................................................................12
CONCLUISION............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
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INTRODUCTION
Professional development is the best learning for earning as well as maintaining
professional career in the future. For, the employee and student have to done self assessments for
achieving great success at company. Professional development is the best way to improve sills to
be better for meet the needs and wants of their employees as well as students. The present report
is based on Hilton hotel which is a global brand of full services hotels and resort as well as
flagship brand of American Multinational Hospitality Company. The report will explores the
importance of on-going professional development and self directed learning for enhance
professional identity and career opportunity. This will assess the skill, competences and the
different level learning and development approaches. The report will design professional
development plan, within the specific work context. At the end of report will demonstrate the
range of services industry as well as transferable skills for the job application.
MAIN BODY
ACTIVITY 1
A brief introduction of Hilton hotel.
The Hilton hotels and resort is a global brand of the full services hotels as well as resorts
and the flagship brand of American Multinational Hospitality Company. Company is founded
by Conrad Hilton. This includes properties that is owned or leased with 20264 rooms. Present
company has serves to the world wide area with 586 numbers of locations. This is the Flagship
brand and one of the largest hotel brands in world. This is targeted at the both businesses as well
as leisure traveller with location in the major city centre, near the airport, convention centre and
popular vacation destination around the world (Webb, 2017). The company is also participants in
Hilton hotel as well as loyalty program. Hotel is provided and offers great and wonderful
facilities as well as hospitality services to their customers in effective and respective manner.
Key benefits and importance of ongoing professionals.
There are various benefits and importance of ongoing professional development which is
help to develop effective and valuable benefits and profits for employees. This help to enhance
prefect career prospects. This help to employees for continue to not only be competent in their
profession. It should be an ongoing process which is continuous throughout an individual career.
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This activity is pursuing professional development ensures about the knowledge and skills stay
relevant and up to date.
 It can be sharpening the knowledge, especially which you are already feeling rusty. The
complete knowledge of work and project is help to enhance career within the Hilton hotel
(Holland and Leslie, 2017).
 It develop skills and offers the great opportunity for learn something new. Ongoing
profession is hospitality manager within the Hilton hotel is help to develop great
opportunity to create and working for others in effective and in valuable manner.
 This help to make employees satisfies and become more confident when people promote
their job effectiveness. This offers great opportunity to develop professionally such the
cross training and job showing as well as mentorship.
 This helps to enhance business reputation and attracting higher caliber job for candidates
place some ads for an opening and wants (Wearing, Benson and McGehee, 2016). With
the help of professional development programs that can assures to achieve this as well as
build a positive reputation as an employer to strive for employ only with the best career
about the people.
Those are the great and effective importance and benefits with ongoing professional
development. This help to enhance great career opportunity for Hilton hotel and hospitality
manager.
Benefit of using professional development for Employer:
If company provide Professional development, then it provide benefit to their employers
such that they developed a skilled workforce for the company and this in turn leads a business to
meet the define aim. Also, having such a good labour will assist to improve the brand image of
the company, as a result, customers are attracted towards a business that leads to improve the
financial performance. That is why, there is a need to provide timely professional development
plan which in turn leads to meet the define aim. On the other side, another benefit which
employer get through professional development is to improve the skills and offer new
opportunities to assist a business to improve the existing performance. Overall, it help to enhance
the business reputation which in turn build a positive impression upon society and customer.
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Beside this, it is also analysed that with the help of professional development, employers
organize the team which help to meet new contacts and as a result, expand the business network
as well which in turn leads to sustain the brand image of the company.
Benefit of using professional development for employee:
The biggest advantage of using professional development for employee is such that it
help to job satisfaction because employees feel confident when they perform job in effective
manner which leads to higher rates of retention. On the other side, skill development is another
benefit which a company get while attaining professional development training from companies.
Such as employee gain personal and professional skill that assist to meet the define aim and let
the employees use those skill in future as well.
In addition to this, it is also analysed that with the help of professional development,
employees are able to develop new ideas which in turn leads to attract range of customers. So,
with the help of professional development, employees enhance their creativity and dedication,
also reconnect with the passion for a specific industry as well. So, it will help to overall company
as a whole and let employees understand about their roles and responsibilities as well.
Investigation of skills and competences for hospitality manager.
There are various effective skills and competences are required for hospitality manager
which is expected by manager of Hilton hotel. Those skills and competences are as follows:
 Higher level of customers’ services and attractiveness. This is very important and
effective for business. The employer is expect from candidate should have great and
effective confidence in order to attract more customers by providing great services.
 Good communication skill is the great skill which is employer of Hilton hotel expected
from their employee (Hsieh, 2015). Hospitality industry is completely depends on better
communication skills.
 Good interpersonal skill is another skill which is also required for hospitality manager.
 The good ability to work well and effective as a part of a team. Teamwork is important
for building great confidences into all the staff and team members.
 Good leadership skills are also the biggest skill which is expected by employers from
their employee who will be applying for hospitality manager within the Hilton hotel.
 Employee relation is the best and effective skills which is expecting by employer of
Hilton hotel with their employees at the time of work. Employer expected that identifies
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and resolve employee concerns as they develop create more effectiveness for satisfying
work environment for employee as well as employer. For the hospitality manager need to
make and good employee relations within the organization (Vellas, 2016).
Those are effective and valuable skills which are highlight required for hospitality manager.
These skills are help to make effective professional development in the future as well as help to
make better future of hospitality manager.
Assessing current abilities and skills.
For improving their skills and knowledge as well as self evaluation is more important and
effective. The abilities, skills and competencies are highly required for the business. Good
communication skill is highly required to become successful hospitality manager within the
hotels. With the help of communication skills, manager is highly able to attract customers as well
as explains all the details and information to other employees. This is most important and
necessary for manager. Additionally, good leadership skill is most important for manager to
become a successful within the hospitality industry and Hilton hotel. This creates more
effectiveness for manager. Leadership skill is help to make proper bound into the team and all
the team members in effective and in respective manner (Mason, 2015).
On the other side, interpersonal skill is also required for manager to working within the
effective and in respective manner. With the help of this, manager of Hilton hotel is have great
relations with all the staff members as well as team members are highly effective and valuable.
Other, ability to work within the team is also help to make complete effectiveness for the
business within the effective manner. Team working is highly important and effective for
managing great and effective success at the working place. This helps for working in proper
management by sharing effective ideas and knowledge about working ability. Those are the
effective and valuable aspects and skills for managing work at the working place.
A critical evaluation of own abilities, skills and competences.
In respect of that here is select SWOT analysis model for self is help to make complete focus in
improving other peoples which is influence perceptions and evaluate self. With the help of this, here is
identifies skills, strength, weakness, threat and opportunity are as follows:
Strength Weakness
 Good Communication skill both written  Having a lack of Time management
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and oral.
 Ability to influence others for working
in better manner.
 Good updates about the current trends
which are runs into hospitality industry
(Medlik, 2016).
 Identification of proper resources
 Planning for work
 Building effective and strong
relationship with others
 Fear from analysing situation.
 Fewer knowledge of other languages
 Lack off critical thinking and decision
making
Opportunities Threats
 Gain higher position
 Opportunity to become a successful
manager within the hospitality industry.
 Able to improve knowledge of
hospitality operations.
 Effectively and proper management of
resources
 Increase level of confidences and
leadership.
 Lack of confidences about the
competition level
 Threat from more use of technology
 Make wrong perception of work
(Timothy, 2016).
Different learning theories and approaches.
Learning theories and approaches are organized principles. Those principles are help to
explaining to individual and group members. There are various types of learning theories and
approaches are as follows:
Behaviourism
Behaviourism theory believes the knowledge as well as skills which are existing and
outside peoples. In that, learning is generated by new behaviour and little bite changes into
behaviour. Thus, association leads to a change in behaviour of British airways employees. It is
effective and valuable for managing changes in behaviour. Learning process is based on those
objectives which are making little bite changes within the behaviour of employee (Pappas and
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Bregoli, 2016). This theory is defined as learning thoroughly make changes in existing behaviour
of employees. In this employees of Hilton hotel are learn with the existing environment of
company and also from new employees. They are make changes in their behaviour and learn
better. It is not creative thinking and also not gives problem solving instruction.
Constructivism
Constructivism theory is based on individual experiences and internal part knowledge. In
this employer of Hilton hotel is construct knowledge for employees and sets different experience
and perceptions. This creates complete uniqueness as well as this is believed learning process.
This is because of the reason learners give new ideas or concepts which are based on knowledge
and experience. This makes focus on preparing employees to face problems to solve it in
effective’s manner. This theory is included by case studies, research projects, problem based
learning and collaboration learning or group work (Perry, 2017). It is effective and valuable for
the team learning. In this theory result of work is effective and in valuable manner.
Those are the learning theory which are effective and valuable for learn something new
about the particular topic. It is effective and valuable for managing in effective manner. Those
are helping learn more and more which help to perfect future.
Most effective and appropriate developmental approaches for enhance professional and personal
skills.
The above is mention two theories of learning which are highly helped to enhance
professional and personal development skill of employees in effective and in respective manner.
the most effective and appropriate theory for enhancing skills in great way that is constructivism
theory of learning because this creates complete effectiveness for employees to learning with
uniqueness. Through that employees have chance to learn some unique skills from employees
and employer. That is help to learn better and effective skills from others.
ACTIVITY 2
SMART strategy to develop a development plan for enhances skills.
Here is mention smart and effective strategy for produce best development plan in order
to enhance skills as well as competences which are higher important and effective for managing
more greatness for the business. Five simple steps for develop a development plan for enhances
more effectiveness for business is as follows:
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 Self assessment is the complete evaluation of professional interest, knowledge and skills.
This is creating a self assessments which is allow examine skills.
 Goal is the second stage which is help to examine those skills which are highlight
important for business (Pihl-Thingvad, 2015).
 Strategies are more important as well as effectiveness to build and define to achieve
goals. This should be listing different approaches and learning theories for working in
better manner.
 Resources are another important aspect which is creates more effectiveness. This help to
learn about the working.
 Time line is highly help for managing complete working like within the 1 month for
developing and improving skills.
Evidences of detailed development plan.
Training Course
undertaken
Date Venue Main Learning
undertaken/new skills
developed
Food Safety Policy and
Management
01April
2019
Radisson
Blu Hotel –
Marble Arch
Food Safety Legislation and
policy
Managing teams
Food hygiene protocols
Managing bookings
Customer services and online
software
Compliancy and
professionalism of their
business.
Human resource
management
02 may
2019
Ritz hotel Improve good interpersonal
skills.
Good communication skill.
Knowledge about all the
employment legislations and
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laws acts.
Customer relationship
management
3 may
2029
Hilton hotel Update about software of CRM.
Making great relation with
customers.
Produce comprehensive development plan.
In order to improve the personal and professional standard, which are undertaking the
follow development plan (Robinson and et.al., 2016). This is effective and valuable development
plan which is help to improve as well as develop skills and identified by self evaluation tools.
Development plan are as follows:
Current Skills and
Competencies used
in personal and
professional plan
Goals Personal /
Professional
Development Plan
ACTIVITY (Use
SMART targets)
Indicate how
you have
monitored
your progress,
underpinning
learning and
development
theory
Evaluate the effectiveness
of your personal
development plan
Time management
Short Term Goals
(3 months)
Complete event
and get
feedback from
my seniors.
limitations associated with
plan
Situation analysis Medium Term
Goals (6 months)
By handling
situation
properly and
maintain
discipline
within the
hotel.
The main purpose for
improving these skills to
handle situation and make
effective relations between
whole staff members.
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Decision making Long Term Goals
(1Year)
Take best
decision in the
absences of my
seniors. As well
as also
discussed with
senior about
the decision
which would be
planned by me.
The main purpose for
developing this skill is to
develop my effectiveness in
front of each and every
person. In the future having
opportunity to solve and
maintain all the situation
and making best decision
for the growth of company.
ACTIVITY 3
Plan and undertake a job interview.
Here is undertaking job interview for the hospitality industry as a hospitality manager are
as follows:
Interviewee: may I come in sir?
Interviewer: yes, come in and take seat.
Interviewee: good morning sir?
Interviewee: good morning.
Interviewer: screening the resume and tell me about yourself which is not mention in the
resume?
Interviewee: tell about their academic and higher education. Also, tell about their past
experiences.
Interviewer: what do you know about the industry?
Interviewee: thanks for asking this question with me. It is the interest in this company which is
pushed me towards applying for position. This creates the higher investment and effectiveness
for the business. It is very great and more effective industry which is highly contributed within
the economic growth.
Interviewer: why do you want to work for us?
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Interviewee: this industry and company is giving me higher success opportunity in order to
getting effective success into the future.
Interviewer: what are your career goals in the hospitality industry?
Interviewee: this is the main question which is check effective as well as effective energy of me
in the meeting room. My career goal is to become a successful hospitality manager within the
industry.
Interviewer: great reply and answers you give.
Interviewee: thank you sir.
Review the key strength and weakness.
Here is analysis the great and effective strength and weakness which happened within the
interview room are as follows:
Strength: the main strength within the interview room is higher level of confidences
about the working. This creates more effectiveness for interviewer is help to make more effective
and valuable aspects for the business and in respective manner. Additionally, goal is another
strength of interviewer because through that me as an able to attract employer for working in an
effective manner (Tan, Van der Molen and Schmidt, 2017). Weaknesses: the main weakness is
feeling nervous about the interview because not having any idea about those questions which are
asked by interviewer within the interview. This is the biggest weaknesses which are faced into
the interview room.
Those are the effective and valuable aspects for the business and in effective manner.
This help to analysis strength and weakness which are face at interview room.
Evaluate a job interview process.
The interview has been done with effectiveness because employer is impressed with me.
This is creates great opportunity to working within the company in an effective manner. This will
evaluate that the working abilities as well as all those experiences and your working style. At the
time of interview I felt nervous with the interview process which is creates issues for me to
working into the workplace. For overcome the challenge which is created at the time of interview
process. Interviewee need to make complete focus on their goal which is getting effective
success and for becoming successful hospitality manager.
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Critical reflection about the job interview process.
Interview is the part of life this experience was good which is help to get complete their
task for getting best job within the company. I was going for hospitality manager interview in
Hilton hotel. I shared experience with my senior when i was going for interview then someone is
saying me for waiting outside she is reception ma’am of hotel. HR manager of hotel call me for
interview I go and asked may i coming they say yes please. I wish him/her and asked for seat and
seat on chair. I was very nervous and HR manager tell please explain about my-self.
Interviewees exhibited varying comfort with real time textual conversations. It was the very great
interview experience of my life. At the beginning of interview I thought how can managed all
thinks and also what replied of question but when I meet with the interviewee then all has
normal. I thought aptitude test is very difficult but after learning it was great. Staff members
were also good and great. Interviewee is helpful and very knowledgeable person. At the end of
interview I talk with them in general way. It was the great and most important experience of life.
CONCLUISION
From the above study it had been concluded that the professional skills development has
continue process. That had been help to gain the advantage to peoples and for desired position.
Report had been covered by introduction and overview of company and skills which expected by
employers. Report has covered by the self managed learning and lifelong learning approaches
and activities. That had been used for maintain the effectiveness at company. It had been
evaluate by own abilities, skills and competences for job roles by using self evaluation model.
With the helped of this get ideas for our strength, weakness, threats and opportunities for work.
Development plan has helped to improve weakness with the help of done some activities like
practice of work and talking with staff members.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Holland, J. and Leslie, D., 2017. Tour Operators and Operations: Development, Management
and Responsibility. CABI.
Hsieh, B., 2015. The importance of orientation: Implications of professional identity on
classroom practice and for professional learning. Teachers and Teaching. 21(2). pp.178-
190.
Mason, P., 2015. Tourism impacts, planning and management. Routledge.
Medlik, S. ed., 2016. Managing tourism. Elsevier.
Pappas, N. and Bregoli, I. Eds., 2016. Global dynamics in travel, tourism, and hospitality. IGI
global.
Perry, M., 2017. Personal Professional Development Plans. Canadian Journal of Medical
Laboratory Science. 79(1). p.8.
Pihl-Thingvad, S., 2015. Professional ideals and daily practice in journalism. Journalism. 16(3).
pp.392-411.
Robinson and et.al., 2016. Operations management in the travel industry. Cabi.
Tan, C. P., Van der Molen, H. T. and Schmidt, H.G., 2017. A measure of professional identity
development for professional education. Studies in Higher Education. 42(8). pp.1504-
1519.
Timothy, D. J., 2016. Relationships between tourism and international boundaries. In Tourism
and borders (pp. 29-38). Routledge.
Vellas, F., 2016. The international marketing of travel and tourism: A strategic approach.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Wearing, S. L., Benson, A. M. and McGehee, N., 2016. Volunteer tourism and travel
volunteering. In The Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation, and
Nonprofit Associations (pp. 275-289). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Webb, S. A. ed., 2017. Professional identity and social work. Taylor & Francis.
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