Professional Identity and Practice

This report examines the concept of professional identity and practice within the context of InterContinental Hotels Group plc. It analyzes the key benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders, including employers, employees, and customers. The report also analyzes the skills and competencies expected by the employer for specific roles within the IHG group, assesses the author's own abilities and skills, and reviews various learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional development. Finally, the report includes a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies, a job interview simulation for a suitable service industry role, and a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the interview process.

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Activity 1.........................................................................................................................................1
Key
benefits of on-going
professional
development for
different stakeholders.................................................................................................................1
Skills and competences expected by the employer to perform specific role within IHG group.2
Activity 2.........................................................................................................................................4
Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role.........................................4
Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes................................................................................................................4
Evaluation of own ability, skill and competences for job roles within the organisation, by
using self-evaluated models...................................................................................................5
Activity 3.........................................................................................................................................6
Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context................................................................................................................................6
Activity 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................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity is considered as one's self as perceived in relation to a profession as
well as to one's membership of this. It is developed through individuals attitudes and beliefs,
experiences, values and motives by which respective can explain itself in their present or awaited
professional life (Akerson and et. al, 2014). For this report the chosen company is
InterContinental Hotels Group plc which is a leading multinational hospitality firm. Its
headquarters is in Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. The purpose of this report is to
explain the key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders.
Investigation of professional employer expectations of skills and competencies. Assess own
skills, competencies and various learning and development approaches. Learning theories and
approaches used for personal and professional development processes. Design a development
plan and job interview for a suitable service industry role along with this their strengths and
weaknesses are also mentioned in this report.
Activity 1
Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is also known as a IHG group, it is a British
multinational hospitality firm in UK. It operates their business in which resorts and hotels in
about various nation that are Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza hotels and many more. On going
professional development is refers as a organised process of keeping records about the
experiences, knowledge and skills which individuals learn from the work place. It maximise
one's knowledge as well as understanding and make them independent for developing strategic
decisions by using professional skills (Bates and O'brien, 2013). This is crucial as it assure that
individuals is becoming competent by obtaining new learnings, like how to handle pressure in
tense situation. Therefore, InterContinental Hotels Group plc can provide training to its staff that
leads them towards continuous personal development and accomplish the goals of the respective
firm. Thus, ongoing professional development key benefits for stakeholders in firm are
mentioned below:
Benefit to employer
 Develop confidence: When workers has appropriate set of skills as well as knowledge
this develop confidence in it and allow them to face any types of challenges without any
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fear. InterContinental Hotels Group plc manager facilitate effectual training which create
confident and enhance staff productivity that are advantageous for firm for accomplishing
its objectives. Trained staff deliver better quality of work and it benefits company
(employer) by increasing their revenue. Effective and quick decisions: This is the most essential continuous professional
development benefit as this will increase the capabilities of the decision making by
examine situation. Training and development methods assists the staff to develop its
innovative ideas and formulate them in a manner to find out issues and then solve it as
per its abilities. InterContinental Hotels Group plc manager facilitates continuous
professional development to its workers as well as make them in such a way so that it can
able to face problems and resolve them appropriately. This assists staff to take quick and
strategic decisions that are needed by firm as this further aids in accomplishing the
organisational objectives.
Benefit to employee
 Enhance Trust: With the assistance of continuous professional development, workers
increase their skills as well as capable to perform effectively in particular field that
develop trust on firm so that they can retain for the long time period in same company
(Clavelle, and et.al, 2016). InterContinental Hotels Group plc facilitates various types of
training that assist employees to deal and communicate with consumers effectually. This
benefits staff by allowing them to perform well in difficult situations as well as consider
important actions as per its capability. Up-gradation of skill set: Continuous professional development assist employees in
learning new technologies and different ways of working. It prepare them for the jobs
which will exist in future i.e. make them employable.
Benefit to customers
 Better product and service: When employees have enough knowledge and experience
then they always deliver better results compared to an untrained or unskilled staff.
Customer of InterContinental Hotels Group plc are receiving better quality of food and
others services because of continuous professional development.
 High customer satisfaction: InterContinental Hotels Group plc is working in hospitality
sector delivering a memorable experience to clients is an important part of their business.
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Employee with updated skills concentrate on fulfilling expectations of customers and
make sure that they do not face any kind of problem while staying in hotel.
All the above mentioned benefits assists the firm to attain its objectives of the business
that enhances productivity and profit. Continuous professional development is essential and
advantageous for InterContinental Hotels Group plc. This will maximise the workers capabilities
to deal with complex conditions and identify effectual solutions.
Skills and competences expected by the employer to perform specific role within IHG group
The primary objective of hotel in hospitality sectors is to deliver appropriate services to
their guests those who are far from its home as well as want a place to enjoy or relax. So, hotels
employees plays crucial role while delivering servcies like food, room cleaning and many more
this adds experiences into travellers lives and assists them in developing upcoming decisions.
Also, hotel workers are placed in various categories such as management, guest services etc.
management perform competency skills for guiding roles, duties and position from managers to
secretaries (Hancock and Walsh, 2016). Guest services involves chefs, maids, waiters which look
after the requirements and issues of employees because of that they should has good experiences
as well as skills to understand consumers needs.
The roles and duties of various employees vary as per the hotel size and types. Herein,
InterContinental Hotels Group plc which operates their business globally because of that it
trained its employees to perform their activity effectually. For instance, managing director
supervise whole staffing and financial problems while role of housekeeper is to clean the guest
rooms to deliver them standard quality consumer experiences. Because of this they obtain
experiences to handle customers so that a relationship builds among employees and guests.
Generally, convention manager is appointed in large hotels such as InterContinental Hotels
Group plc, in this the role of manager is to handle and coordinate overall guest activities like
bookings. Furthermore, assistant manager plays crucial role in respective firm through staffing,
facilitating training training to new and existing employees so that whole activities in hotel
perform effectively without hampering their growth.
Apart from these employees roles another are cashier, receptionist and so on to assist the
consumers about its reservation and make them feel good by facilitating them quality and fast
services. Likewise, food and services department role which involves chef is to manage the
kitchen section and accomplish the traveller food requirements. Thus, various sections
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employees perform together to develop valuable experience of its guest that assists in achieving
the goals of the firm.
Importance of undertaking ongoing professional development
Continuous professional development assist the workers to improve themselves as well as
develops its professional identity (Holden and et. al, 2015). With the assistance of training and
development events, firm can accomplish its objectives that is fulfilled by the staff. Continuous
training maximise their workers skills and knowledge as well as create them so that they can face
challenges in effective manner. InterContinental Hotels Group plc deliver its services
internationally in order to increase productivity and profit.
Activity 2
Assess own abilities, skills, and competences for a specific job role
All individuals are unique capabilities, competency and skills to accomplish the work on
specified time. It is the crucial that individuals should assess what proficiency, qualities has
possess to manage complex situations (Hughes, 2013). Skills contains characteristics and
qualities an individual has to perform job role and what required to be develop for accomplishing
the needs of the firm. For instance, InterContinental Hotels Group plc has vacancy for assistant
manager whose role is to coordinate meetings, another important events, consumers relations,
execute guarantee as well as cut of policies etc. for fulfilling the requirements of role, I have the
some skills that are required such as conflict management which assists me to actively manage
the disputes among employees or guest members. Time management so that I can manage my
time as well as other staff time and difficult problem resolving skills, with the help of this I can
able to identify issues and reviewing the relate data to improve and analyse options and execute
the solutions.
I am not good enough in active learning and problem resolving due to this I can not able
to make more efficient decisions made conclusions to issues. Also, have knowledge about
management that help me in this job role for allocating resources, planning strategically etc. I
have ability to negotiate with difficult customers and my current set of skills is enough to
manage complete operations of hotel. I know how to motivate others without sacrificing much
resources of the organisation.
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Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes
Learning theories and approaches assist people to develop personal as well as
professional skills and this will be comply by InterContinental Hotels Group plc. Few approaches
or theories are mentioned below:
 Social learning theory: This theory states that a person can acquire new behaviour by
observing and imitating other people. Herein, individuals will learn by monitoring
someone and they obtain other's attitude, values and so on. Within InterContinental
Hotels Group plc it assists their staff to observe the behaviours of their manager in order
to learn something new that aids them to enhance its personal and professional
development. New employee can learn more by watching and analysing their seniors. For
example, inexperience staff member of housekeeping department can watch and learn
correct technique of mopping.
 Cognitive approach: This is considered as a psychological theory in which this involve
the analysis of mind and thinking method (Karpetis, 2014). InterContinental Hotels
Group plc manager can apply this approach to examine its consumer's mind and then
analysis its demand that build firm to develop its hotel services and satisfy them. If
superiors understand thinking process of their subordinates then they can develop new
behaviour in them.
 Behaviourist approach: This perspective argues that people learn from their
surroundings. It involve various thoughts or ideas in which workers can response rapidly
on its learning that develop them capable to solve many issues within firm. Mainly, with
the help of this people are able to face tough situation which develop personal and
professional skills. InterContinental Hotels Group plc manager formulate effective
strategies in which staff has to response immediately and resolve their guest queries.
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Learning Theories and
Approaches
Social Learning
Theory
Cognitive
Approach
Behaviourist
Approach

Developing productive environment at the workplace develop more skills in employees and it
also enhance their technical knowledge.
From the above mentioned theories are helpful in developing the learning abilities and
this will improve personal and professional skills of workers. By concentrating upon the
behaviourist and cognitive theory staff of InterContinental Hotels Group plc can capable to face
the challenges effectually and solve it as soon as possible. Also, social learning thoery aids
workers to resolve issues by monitoring others.
Evaluation of own ability, skill and competences for job roles within the organisation, by using
self-evaluated models
Evaluation facilitates clear thoughts about its objectives and how this can be
accomplished with proficient skills (Pinho and Andrade, 2015). Firm measure this with the
assistance of skill audit which aids company to find out the skills and knowledge people have.
InterContinental Hotels Group plc conduct skills audit so that skills can be identified and then
facilitate training events as per the requirements.
S No. Skills and knowledge Score by
me
Score by
others
Difference
1 Time Management 9 8 1
2 Problem Resolving Skills 6 7 1
3 Management skills 7 8 -1
4 Conflict management 8 10 -2
Note: The negative variances shows the strengths of the individuals and positive one
weaknesses.
From the above table it is clear that I have having better conflict management skills and
average in management skills. I am lacking in problem resolving skills as well as in time
management. Also among many self-evaluation model such as CQAF, EFQM and many more so
most appropriate methods for InterContinental Hotels Group plc to increase its profit are
mentioned below:
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EFQM Excellent model: European foundation for Quality management developed a tool
which can be used by all the types of organisations, it basically concentrate on continuous
improvement. It is the model which is applied by different company like public or private for
improving the operations or services of firm. So, the manger of respective firm can apply this
model to set benchmark for its services as comparison to rivals. Thus, this assists top hotels to
increase their profit constantly (What is the EFQM Excellence Model, 2019).
CQAF model: This stand for common quality assurance framework, it concentrate on
assurance of quality for vocational education and training by following ISO system (CQAF VET,
2019). Herein, manager role is to organise and coordinate events and meetings as well as
facilitates training to their employees for developing its existing skills and knowledge that can be
used in favour of the firm.
Activity 3
Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific work
context
Development plan are generally prepared through InterContinental Hotels Group plc
manager. This is an effectual sources to find out personal skill and resource required by company
to accomplish organisational objectives (Rosenblum, Kluijtmans and ten Cate, 2016). Therefore,
this is effective tool that is applied to set strategies of firm, learning outcomes for employees and
utilise learning and training for professional improvement. This type of plan differ among
people. According to me, skills such as problem solving, time management and active learning
are the areas that required to improve as they are my weaknesses. So, this need to be develop in
specified time period through optimum usage of resources. Thus, for the learning outcomes
development plan is developed:
Skills Activities which needs to
be undertake
Resources Time-
frame
Desired
improvements
Time
management
For effective time
management, manager is to
plan strategically in
particular time duration,
obviate deliberation mostly
Effectual
communication
mode and formal
training.
30 days Establishing the
priorities and
delegating task as per
the expected manner
for me to develop my
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that task which is important
one, track regular events,
coordinate them properly
also apply technology for
good and fast outcomes.
time management
skills.
Problem
resolving
skills
Manager perform many
activities to resolve the
issues such as maintain
flexibility, increase
interpersonal skills etc. For
problem resolving social
learning theory is effective
techniques that is utilise
enhance staff capabilities
through resolving the
issues effectually to
accomplish the goals of the
firm to obtain learning
outcomes from
development plan.
Facilitates
functional formal
training, case
study, aptitude
test in order to
improve problem
resolving skills.
45 days In order to resolve
issues manager
capability is to resolve
problems effectually
by making strategic
decision on stipulated
time. Also, making
effective decisions I
make assure this
accomplish
organisational goals
effectually by
maximising
productivity and
profit of firm.
Activity 4
P6 Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role
InterContinental Hotels Group plc organised interview process for the assistant manager
posts for which particular knowledge and skills are needed in order to accomplish many work as
well as assistant manager contribution is to aids business to enhance its productivity and profit
(Slade, 2013). I am shortlisted for the post of assistant manager within InterContinental Hotels
Group plc where I has to clear many interview rounds. Initial round is evaluation in which my
qualifications and experiences are compared with another candidates. After clear this phase I has
to face interview at which interviewer check my management skills and knowledge by giving me
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case study or situations then ask me to act and provide opinions about that cases. After this
rounds I have to confront the hr round in which it check my personality as well as ask me
different types of questions such as why you want to join our hotel? Tell me about you strength
and weaknesses and many more. Few more questions were like, why do you want to work for
InterContinental Hotels Group plc, what are your long term goals and why should we hire you.
At the time of interview, I answered them all the questions. I want to for this company because it
is a MNC and I can get more explore in the organisation. In long term, I want to become
management consultant with a specialisation in hospitality industry. Company should hire me
because I fit in all the requirements which enterprise is demanding. Due good academic
background and my previous experiences, this assists me to obtain this position as well as I
secure the assistant manager post. Also, before going for the interview, I gather information
regarding firm's profile, particular role and duties and another essential data. By doing so I got
the information about the required position in InterContinental Hotels Group plc. I prepared for
the interview effectively and collect data about this post in deep.
Also, I prepared some questions that are usually asked in the interview during the process
of interview. Also, I find out my key strength and weakness which matches the assistant manager
role. My conflict management skills, time management skills, problem resolving skills and many
more. That assist me to assured this particular position of assistant manager.
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process
Interview process is considered as a multi stage methods for recruiting new persons
(Webb, 2017). Through this interviewer need to know about the skills, confidence and
personality of the candidates. Also, strength and weaknesses of interview process are mentioned
below:
Strength: Interview process have assists me to obtain self confidence, view the reflection
of my skills and understanding as well as how effectively I answer the queries that was asked by
the interviewer. Therefore, from this methods I experiences many things. Also, because of
effective aspect, experience, skills and knowledge, I acquired from my past experiences assists
me a effectually for grooming my personality. Various rounds of the interview assist me to find
out the business environment, work culture and expectation of interviewer. Also, this provided
me an opportunity to communicate with existing staff of InterContinental Hotels Group plc as
well as becoming a member of respective firm.
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Weaknesses: At the time of interview I get to understand that I am lacking in my
reasoning, current affairs, general awareness etc. all these are the area where I have to enhance as
well as improve my knowledge. With the assistance of interview method, I get to know about my
potential skills as well as capability that are required for the assistant manager which was not
effectively know by me.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that personal and professional development
is an essential aspects of the company which is considered by on-going learning process.
ongoing professional development key benefits for stakeholders are enhance trust, effective and
quick decisions, develop confidence and so on. Different theories and approaches of learning
like cognitive, social learning theory, behaviourist approach and many more assists to maximise
the capability as well as skills of people for accomplishing the objectives of the firm
successfully. Also, evaluation is done to know about the strength and weaknesses of individuals.
Development plan is formulated to improve the weak area. Job interview is undertaken for the
assistant manager within service sector. Also the strength and weaknesses such as to find out the
business environment, work culture and expectation of interviewer because of lacking in some
skills job may be looses.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Akerson, V. L. and et.al., 2014. Developing a professional identity as an elementary teacher of
nature of science: A self-study of becoming an elementary teacher. International
Journal of Science Education. 36(12). pp.2055-2082.
Bates, P. and O'brien, W., 2013. ‘It's more than stick and rudder skills’: an aviation professional
development community of practice. Teaching in Higher Education. 18(6). pp.619-630.
Clavelle, J. T. and et.al ., 2016. Evolution of structural empowerment: moving from shared to
professional governance. Journal of Nursing Administration. 46(6). pp.308-312.
Gale, K., Turner, B. and McKenzie, L., 2013. Action research, becoming and the assemblage: a
Deleuzian reconceptualisation of professional practice. Educational Action Research.
21(4). pp.549-564.
Hancock, S. and Walsh, E., 2016. Beyond knowledge and skills: rethinking the development of
professional identity during the STEM doctorate. Studies in Higher Education. 41(1).
pp.37-50.
Holden, M. D. and et.al., 2015. Professional identity formation: Creating a longitudinal
framework through TIME (transformation in medical education). Academic Medicine.
90(6). pp.761-767.
Hughes, D., 2013. An expanded model of careers professional identity: Time for change?.
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling. 41(1). pp.58-68.
Karpetis, G., 2014. Advocating the clinical social work professional identity: A biographical
study. Journal of Social Work Practice. 28(1). pp.23-41.
Pinho, A. S. and Andrade, A. I., 2015. Redefining professional identity: the voice of a language
teacher in a context of collaborative learning. European Journal of Teacher Education.
38(1). pp.21-40.
Rosenblum, N. D., Kluijtmans, M. and ten Cate, O., 2016. Professional identity formation and
the clinician–scientist: a paradigm for a clinical career combining two distinct
disciplines. Academic Medicine. 91(12). pp.1612-1617.
Slade, B., 2013. Professional learning in rural practice: a sociomaterial analysis. Journal of
Workplace Learning. 25(2). pp.114-124.
Webb, S. A. ed., 2017. Professional identity and social work. Taylor & Francis.
Online
Learning theories and approaches. 2019. [Online] Available through
<https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning-approaches.html>
What is the EFQM Excellence Model? 2019. [Online] Available through
<http://www.efqm.org/index.php/knowledge-base/what-is-the-efqm-excellence-model-
2/>
CQAF VET - Quality Assurance System for Vocational Education and Training According to
ISO System. Provider Model. 2019. [Online] Available through
<http://www.documenta.es/index.php/en/projects/european/244-cqaf-vet-quality-
assurance-system-for-vocational-education-and-training-according-to-iso-system-
provider-model>
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