Professional Development for Front Office Job

The assignment focuses on the importance of professional development for individuals seeking front office positions in hotels. It highlights the need for self-analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as the limitations of traditional interview processes. The document also emphasizes the significance of communication skills and resilience in overcoming challenges. By addressing these aspects, the assignment aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of what is required for success in front office roles.

Professional Identity and
Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1. Benefits of Hilton hotel's stakeholders from the ongoing professional development. ........1
P2. Expected Skills and competence is required in front office manager skills are as follows :-
.....................................................................................................................................................2
P3. Analysis of my competences, skills and abilities as front office manager ..........................3
P4 Learning theories for professional development process.......................................................4
P5 Professional development plan..............................................................................................5
P6 Job interview for the post of front office manager................................................................6
P7 strength and weakness of interview process..........................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity helps to identify the many skills and competences of the
professionals. This practices helps to enhance the capacities and ability of the individual towards
the professional work. This study is based on the Hilton hotels it is a luxury hotel of America.
This hotel provides various services to their customers and have a chain of hotels and resorts in
different areas (Baldwin, 2016). This report will show the benefits of stakeholders of Hilton-
Hotel by the ongoing professional development programmes. Report will also investigate the
expected competences and skills of front office manager. It also involves the self assessment of
skills for the front office job. This report will also give the details of various learning theories
such as VAK theory, behavioural theory. Study will also provide the development plan for the
front office work. This also include the interview process for the job. Report will also show the
strength and weakness of interview process (Ellinger and Ellinger, 2014).
P1. Benefits of Hilton hotel's stakeholders from the ongoing professional development.
Ongoing development is planned process to enhance the professional and personal skills,
maintain the knowledge up-to-date, develops the brainstorming process. It not only helps in the
development of organisation but also helps the stakeholder to get the benefit from it.
Benefit of ongoing development professional for employer :- owner of the Hilton- Hotel get
the benefit from the continuous development practices. This development practices support to
maintain the quality of product and increase the productivity which helps the leader to generate
the new product line and services (Jones, and Stone, 2017). With the help of ongoing
professional development practices employer become able to generate the new ideas, skills, and
creativity among the employees which helps the owner to grasp the opportunity present in the
market through which entity maintain the stability in the market and improve their goodwill. This
professional programme helps to achieve the organisational goals.
Benefit of ongoing development professional for employee :- Not only employer but employee
also get the benefit from the ongoing professional development. Continuous development
programmes helps to reduce their mistake during the work and improve the employee evaluation
report. This type of practices motivates employee to work with full efficiency so that they can
achieve their personal goal as well as fulfil their personal needs. Ongoing development support
to boost the employees confidences so employee can present themselves with full confidences.
Continuous professional development programmes helps the employee to connect with other
1

employee and build the relationship. In this programme employee learn about the different
activities which helps to enhance their knowledge (Naim and et. al., 2016).
Benefit of ongoing development professional for investors :- capitalist are also stakeholders
they are directly effect the entity and they also get the benefit from the ongoing professional
development. This professional development practices reduces the business cost which increase
the profit ratio. Profit ratio affect the dividend and retention ratio. When profit ration increases
investor of hotel will get the higher returns and reinvest their money into hotel.
P2. Expected Skills and competence is required in front office manager skills are as follows :-
Communication skill :- as front office manager, requires the good communication skills to
connect with the guest and other members of entity. Manger not only hear but also understand
the requirement, and problem of guest and resolve it.
Technical skills :- Individual must have the IT skills, skills to gather information from the
website and done the reservation of rooms. As front office manager, professional must have the
knowledge of documentation and verification work. At the time of entry of the guest individual
need to verify their identity and then allot the room (Wald, 2015).
Coordination and leadership skills :- Person need to have the coordination skills in the hotel
front officer need to maintain the coordination with various department in hotel. It is also
required from the front office manager has a leadership skills. Because in hotel front office
manager required to give the order and direction to the employees and workers.
Interpersonal skills :- As front office manager must have the ability to manage the things and
manage the people. And very important front office manager must have the interpersonal skills
such as smart, good looking, attractive personality, behaviour etc. Individual must have the good
presentation skills because it helps attract the new guest, investors, employees etc.
Competences are as follows :-
1. In the hotel front office manager must have the knowledge about their job role, responsibility
in the hotel.
2. It is required from the front office manager has the full details about the services provided by
the hotel services like parking services, charges of accommodation in hotel, near area of hotel
etc.
3. if hotel provide some external services the front office manager regularly check the quality of
that services(Ryder, 2017).
2

4. It is also required that front office manager have the knowledge of accounting. This is
necessary for data entry work, for money collection work etc.
5. Front office manager need to have the motivational skills. As individual who work as front
office manager must be fully motivated towards his work and also motivate others to perform
their activity efficiently. Front office manager need to have supervisory skills. Person must be
able to supervise the activity, and make corrections when required.
6. It is necessary that front office manager have the skills to take right decision according to the
situation. It must have the management skills (Cruess, Cruess and Steinert, 2016).
P3. Analysis of my competences, skills and abilities as front office manager
Skills and
competences
Very good good average bad
Communication
skills
Technical skills
Coordination and
leadership skills
Interpersonal
skills
Knowledge of job
role
Motivational
skills
Presentation skills
Front office manager require to deals with the customer of hotels, understand their
problem, find their solution. As I have a good communication skills which helps me to interact
with the guest, build the relationship with employees and customers etc.
3

As my technical skills are average, I am capable to gather the information from the
website, I have the knowledge of internet which helps to perform my job efficiently. But I have
no knowledge about the documentation work so I need to work on this. As I have the good
leadership skills I am able to give the command to others have maintain the coordination among
the different departments. I am sweet, smart and good looking person. I can manage the things
easily. But sometime I fail to manage the people which creates issue. In the hotel, for it is require
front office manager to have the excellent interpersonal skills (Vähäsantanen and et. al., 2017).I
have some knowledge about my job role and my responsibility as a front office manager. But as
the job require the full knowledge of work. Front office manager need to work as a motivator and
I have the good motivation skills. I can motivate the employee to perform their work with full
efficiency. My presentations skills are bad, I can present the things in the effective manner.
P4 Learning theories for professional development process
There are various theories which explain the way through which individual can learn new
things and can develop personal and professional skill.
VAK Theory
VAK theory reflects that learning can be done through various ways such as Visual,
Auditory, Kinaesthetic.
 Visual means learning by seeing the displays, pictures and observing the way of work .In
the Hilton Hotel by applying the VAKA theory Employees observe the way of seniors
work and do work according to the seniors. This theory developed the skills of work of
the hotel employees.
 Auditory includes learning by listening the directions which is related to the task. In
Hilton hotel by applying the VAKA theory employees properly listening the directions
and do work according to the directions it increases in efficiency of work. Kinaesthetic includes physical experience, movements. In the Hilton Hotel employees
can learn by training and gain the experience of work.
Honey and Mumford learning theory
This theory explains that there are many kinds of learning styles through which an
individual can improve their capabilities. Activities is the major style which is the open minded
approach that explains that a person can learn through their own experience and by getting
involved in other activities (Naim and et. al., 2016). Brainstorming, group discussion, role play is
4

the common strategies through which employees can develop their knowledge and learn new
things. This would help in improving the capabilities of an employees and workers can perform
even better in the organisation.
Theorist is another learning style which explains that models, theoretical framework are
helpful in developing skill of person. Employee can know more about new things or develop
skills by applying theories into real life. Furthermore, pragmatist approach highlights that by
implementing ideas into real action a person can raise their skill. Discussion, case studies are the
great example through which employees can learn how to work, how to resolve problems. In
addition, reflector is the style that explains that paired discussion, observing others etc. All these
things are helpful in learning new skills and performing the job in most significant manner.
Social learning theory
This theory explains that an individual can learn by observing others, by coping style of
other etc. It is also known as cognitive learning approach because it emphases more on memory,
attention and motivation elements. As if person is paying attention of working of other people
then individual will get to know how other person is reacting and how he is performing his work.
This will help in identifying their own mistake and rectify it soon. Furthermore, employee can
also learn by recalling things which has been learnt earlier. In addition, if an individual is getting
motivation then person will feel comfortable and like to learn new things. Symbolic coding, self-
observation is considered as most essential element s which may support a person in improving
their capabilities and learn new skills so that they can perform even better in the organisation and
can complete their allotted work significantly (Ellinger and Ellinger, 2014).
P5 Professional development plan
Professional development plan can be defined as planning of person to improve their
professional skills and improve the lacking skill. Individual has to implement various strategies
in order to develop their capabilities.
Skills that need
to be developed
Current level
(1=bad, 5= very
good)
Strategies for
improvement
Resources Time
To improve
technical skill
3 Coaching, senior
guidance
Pen, paper,
internet, trainer,
computer
2 months
5

To develop
communication
skill
4 Attend seminar,
senior guidance,
watching
speeches of other
speakers
Seminar hall,
internet, pen,
paper
1month
To improve
presentation skill
1 Attend seminar,
reviews
presentation of
other people,
guidance from
seniors,
Pan, paper,
computer,
seminar hall
2 month
It is identified that my communication skill is good but sometimes I fail to coordinate properly
with my juniors. Sometimes culture and language creates problem for me in communicating with
others. I defiantly have to work on this skill and it will be developed by me by getting guidance
from seniors and attending seminars as well. Both these strategies will be beneficial in order to
improve this skill greatly. Furthermore, my presentation skill is bad, I am not able to present
myself in front of few people. Sometimes I feel nervous which creates problem to me in
presenting myself (Wald, 2015). My aim is to present myself at corporate level. Front office
manager must have good presentation skill so that individual can gain attention of consumers.
P6 Job interview for the post of front office manager
Steps of an interview process
Interview process is for hiring the new candidates based on their skills and knowledge. It
includes description of job , scheduling of calls, preliminary interviews, choosing a candidate,
and to offer a job.
Job description is made to give the specific information about the job I.e., what the job is all
about It includes the key responsibilities of a duty. This process helps recruiter to save the time,
create pool of candidates which are suitable for job. It helps a candidate to evaluate himself
according to job. Before selecting any applicant this is the foremost step.
Application: In this step a candidate comes to know whether they are fit for the job or not and
helps a candidate to give the required information and their qualification.
6

Telephonic Round: It is a process where a short conversation takes place between the recruiter
and candidate. Candidates are generally asked about the location their long term goals etc.
In person interview: In person interview includes various kinds of questioning round which is
done by interviewer. This step is important for candidates to be well prepared. for example;
Hilton, a hotel industry which needs good communication skill as it is necessary in a hotel and
to judge that skill this is the best step to check the interaction , communication skill etc.
Skills Test: In skill test candidates qualities , knowledge ,capabilities are tested by giving task
such as In Hilton hotel industry if a person apply for the sales position and in sales position the
required skills are negotiation fluent and soft speaking so for testing this skills a interviewer can
give the task of advertising or how to promote a product etc.
Final review and feedback: In final review candidate performance is assessed . According to
their performance they are informed that they are going to receive an offer or not. In Hilton hotel
the interviewer are good they help to those candidates who are not selected they give proper
feedback wherever they need improvement (Kluijtmans and et. al., 2017).
Offer the position: In this step finally the offer is released for the selected candidates in accurate
time. For example if offer letter is not given on time then the interviewer may loose the star
candidate and due to that, candidate also makes poor perception about the industry. This leads to
a industry loss in terms of time and money.
Job description
Job Title Front office manager
Reports to Head of department
Roles & Responsibilities Manage customer flow
Managing records of check in and out of guests
Resolve customer quarries
Manage calls
Qualification MBA from renowned university
Having hotel management degree
Title of the job Human resource assistant
7

Date: 12/06/2019
Qualification required Essential Desirable Met
Hotel management
MBA
Yes
Yes
Need of Experience
At least 2 year
experience in hotel
industry working as front
office executive
Yes
Personal characteristics
& conduct
Communication skill
Presentation skill
Technical skill
Yes
Yes
Yes
Responsibilities
Manage customer flow
Managing records of
check in and out of
guests
Resolve customer
quarries
Manage calls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
8

CV
P7 strength and weakness of interview process
Strengths of Interview process -
 With the help of interview process right person for the right job can be selected.
Interview is the best process in order to evaluate the strengths and weakness of the
candidate. As the success of any company depends upon its employees so it is very much
important that efficient candidate must be selected. As Hilton hotel's requirement is for
the front office manager so interview process serves beat as it give clear picture about
the candidate's skills (Ellinger and Ellinger, 2014).
 The information gathered from the interview will be more accurate in comparison with
the other sources. As personal interaction will give clear and correct information about
the candidate as just the written information cannot give the clear picture.
9

 The overall personality of the candidate can be judged with the help of interview process.
The interviewer can judge the candidate by asking questions, by conducting tests, facial
expression, body language, confidence level, etc. as these aspects can't be examined
through any other indirect means of communication. As in Hilton hotels are in the
hospitality sector they need candidates who are efficient in communication skills and
have the ability satisfy customers in a polite manner.
 For Hilton hotel the candidate must have good inter-personal skills, communication skills
and not the technical skills. So personal interviews plays a major role as these skills can
be judged by interacting with the candidates personally.
 Interviewer can develop the good relation with the candidate which will help the
interviewer to know the candidate in a better way.
Weakness of Interview Process-
 There can be chances of confusion in the interview process as it does not have any record
or evidence about what the conversation happened in the interview as human brain
cannot register and remember all the information (Kluijtmans and et. al., 2017).
 As interview process have various steps so it becomes lengthy process which leads to be
time consuming.
 Just through one meeting all the personal strengths of the candidate cannot be evaluated
so some times it may lead to selection of a wrong candidate. As Hilton Hotels needs front
office manger so just one meeting will not serve the purpose.
 Sometimes the interviewer may take biased decision.
 Sometimes the candidate comes in the interview with much rehearsals and memorising
the few general questions so the correct judgement may be hampered. As for the job in
Hilton hotel the proficiency in communication skills are very much important so wrong
candidate might get selected because of his practised speech.
 The interview also depend upon the mood of the interviewer. Sometimes even a good
candidate can be rejected if the interviewer is not in a good mood (Cruess, Cruess and
Steinert, 2016).
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that professional development is necessary for
every organisation. it is necessary to identify the skills and competencies of the individual for the
10

requires job position. After the self analysis of the ability individual can overcome their
weakness. It also concluded the strength and weakness of interview process. The importance of
interview process and the whole interview process is conducted in the entity. It also show the
competence required for front office job in hotel. This study also provide the benefits from the
development plans.
11

REFERENCES
Baldwin, M., 2016. Social work, critical reflection and the learning organization. Routledge.
Brangier, E. and et. al.,2018, August. An Interview Process to Anticipate Future Needs.
In Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (pp. 718-729). Springer, Cham.
Cruess, R. L., Cruess, S. R. and Steinert, Y., 2016. Amending Miller’s pyramid to include
professional identity formation. Academic Medicine. 91(2). pp.180-185.
Ellinger, A. E. and Ellinger, A. D., 2014. Leveraging human resource development expertise to
improve supply chain managers' skills and competencies. European Journal of Training
and Development. 38(1/2). pp.118-135.
Hazanov, S. M., 2017. Success and failure factors in implementation of reengineered sales and
procurement planning process.
Jones, M. A. and Stone, G. W., 2017. Student Self-Assessment of Job Interview Skills: The Need
for Coaching in Marketing Education.
Kluijtmans, and et. al., 2017. professional identity Professional identity in clinician-scientists:
brokers between care and science.
Naim, I. and et. al., 016. Automated analysis and prediction of job interview performance. IEEE
Transactions on Affective Computing, 9(2). pp.191-204.
Ryder, M., 2017. Mini 08: Smart Interview Habits for Educational Leaders.
Vähäsantanen, and et. al., 2017. Professional learning and agency in an identity coaching
programme. Professional Development in Education. 43(4). pp.514-536.
Wald, H. S., 2015. Professional identity (trans) formation in medical education: reflection,
relationship, resilience. Academic Medicine. 90(6). pp.701-706.
12