Professional Identity & Practice

This report discusses professional identity and practice, focusing on the benefits of ongoing professional development, employer expectations of competencies and skills, self-evaluation of skills and competences, assessment of different learning theories and approaches, and creating a development plan to enhance skills within a specific work context.

Professional Identity &
Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK A...........................................................................................................................................3
Essential benefits of on-going professional development for various stakeholders in the
company.................................................................................................................................3
Analyse employer expectations of competencies and skills...................................................4
Evaluate own skills, abilities and competences for the job role.............................................5
Assessment of different learning theories & approaches utilized for personal & professional
improvement procedure..........................................................................................................7
Create a development plan to improve enhance skills and competencies within a specific work
context....................................................................................................................................9
TASK B.........................................................................................................................................10
Job interview for the job role................................................................................................10
Key strengths & weakness of the applied interview procedure...........................................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Books & Journals.................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity generally created with the help of one's values, attitudes, beliefs,
motives as well as experience through which people will define themselves in the present or
expected professional life. In general, professional define as an act of an individual person where
they perform all the work in an independent manner by using personal experience, skills and
knowledge (Franck and et. al., 2017). In the present report, Marriott Hotel is chosen as the base
organisation which is an American multinational hospitality organisation. It was founded by J.
Willard Marriott in the year 1927. A scenario is given where an individual working as a
housekeeping employee decided to change the profession to front desk receptionist. In this
report, key benefits about on-going professional development are discussed in this report along
with this, assessing owns skills, abilities and competences are included. In addition to this,
development plan is included which help in improving the skills as well as competencies.
TASK A
Essential benefits of on-going professional development for various stakeholders in the
company.
Professional development is a process of providing training to employees for
accelerating ability,skill and knowledge of employees in the workplace. Professional
development maintains and builds the morale or confidence level of staff members and it helps
to motivate high quality employees in the company. In addition to this, Hospitality Sector
emphasised on picking up new and innovative ideas to satisfy customer in an effective manner
because this sector growing rapidly and competition increases at a very high level. In context of
Marriott hotel, the supervisor should focus on providing effective training for increasing skill,
knowledge and capabilities of staff member through ongoing professional development (Gibbs,
2015).
Ongoing Professional development refers to the process of providing professional
services in an effective manner in order to accelerate skills and knowledge of staff member. In
assistance of this, Formal training increases experience and capability of employees related to
their professional activities thus it helps in serving customer well. The benefit of ongoing
development for staff member which is mentioned below:
Employees:

 Ongoing professional development increases knowledge and skill thus it provide
opportunity to learn something innovative which will be advantageous for staff members
in their career development.
 It is important and beneficial for employees to learn something in their workplace which
will help in its career progression.
 By acquiring suitable and effective method of professional development, staff member
of Marriott hotel increase their understanding about policy, strategies,procedures and
actions adopted by competitor (Olson, 2015).
 In addition to all this, the employees of Marriott hotel develops effective strategy as well
as procedure in order to complete their work which will be good for their constant career
progression.
 In discourse to Marriott hotel, the supervisor also emphasised on providing training to
that employees whose goal is to change its profession from house keeping to front office
executive.
Employer
 On going professional development helps in enhancing goodwill and business reputation
that result in increasing market share of business.
 The manager of Marriott hotel conducting an effective training session to improve the
skills and knowledge of employees in order to achieve goal and objective of business.
 New skills and knowledge of employees helps enterprise in managing different external
factor in order to acquire competitive advantage in the workplace (Presti, 2016).
 Ongoing professional development helps employer to raise its ability,competence skill
and knowledge to render professional services to its customer and community on regular
basis.
Analyse employer expectations of competencies and skills.
It is said that professional competencies as well as skills of an employer is quite essential
so that all the work will be done in an effective manner. With the help of high level of skills and
competencies, overall profitability of the organisation will be increased. In reference to Marriott
Hotel, it has been identified that manager of the company hire skilled and capable employees so
that the motive of business entity will be fulfilled. Along with this, it has also been identified that
the managers or staff members including receptionist or housekeeper, every person interact with

their customers in an effective manner. Some essential skills, abilities and competencies which
are expected by the employer of Marriott Hotel are going to be discussed as follows:
Knowledge: One of the most essential expectation which is required by the employer of
Marriott Hotel is that the candidate must have sufficient knowledge and information about the
requirements, goals, objectives as well as about the job role. With the help of effective
knowledge, employee or the staff member will be able to perform all the task in an effective
manner (Sherwood and O’Donnell, 2018). In the present context of Marriott, it is said that
employees of the company must have effective knowledge about the roles and responsibilities so
that they can perform all the work in an effective manner.
Experience: It is expected by the managers that the candidate must have sufficient
experience so that they can perform all the goals and objectives in an effective manner. In
addition to this, by having experience in the same field employee know all the functions about
the sector, which will aid them in conducting all the activities in an appropriate manner. Along
with this, having experience in the same field help in creating positive relationship with the
clients which retain them for a longer period of time period.
Background: Another essential expectation from the employee is that their background
must match up with there current profession so that they can perform their work in an effectively
manner. With the aid of having similar background, knowledge of the person will be increased
and can produce high quality goods and services in an effective manner. Therefore, it is quite
essential for the employees to fulfil this expectation of the manager so that they can gain ample
number of opportunities at the marketplace (Stein, 2018).
Evaluate own skills, abilities and competences for the job role.
In context of Marriott hotel, HR manager helps to appraise my skills, knowledge, ability
and competence in an effective manner. This will assists me in continuing my roles and
responsibilities in a proper way. In assistance of this, I want some knowledge and skills in order
to achieve competitive advantage over rival firms in a beneficial manner. SWOT Analyses of my
own skill and abilities which is mentioned below:
SWOT analysis
Strength Weakness
 It has been analysed by me that I have  I am not good decision maker that

good communication and interaction
skill that helps me in understanding the
behaviour and attitude of other persons.
 I have examined that one of my
strength is being empathetic and self
confident that helps me in confronting
adverse situations.
adversely effect my action and
performance in the Marriott hotel.
 I have examined that one of my
weakness is not to adopt changes that
negatively impact on career
development and progression.
Opportunities Threat
 I have a good knowledge of technology
that will help me in doing my work
activity with advanced and innovated
ideas in proper manner.
 The team building quality will
extremely help me in developing my
career as well as work in a team will
helps me in accomplishing objectives
within given time frame.
 Critical thinking skill of mine is not
good that is considered as a major
threat for me and creates specific
issues in determining answers of
specific questions.
 Delegating work skill is considered as a
threat for me because it may create
conflicts and grievances in the
workplace.
Skills
Multi tasking skill: It has been analysed by me that I have capability to perform various
task at once. For instance, I am a houskeeper of Marriott hotel and I have ability to become front
desk execuive if someone give me opportunity in the future.
Corporation: Another skill which has been identified by me is coorporation skill is quite
effective which aid me in performing various task in an effective manner. This as a result aid me
in accomplishing all the goals within given time frame (ten Cate and et. al., 2015).

Professional develop area:
Learning Skills Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
Abilities
Research capabilities
Team handling
10 5
10 9
Skills:
Cooperation
Positive attitude
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 8
10 6
Competencies
Customer Service
Leadership
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 7
10 8
Abilities
 Team Handling: The team building quality will highly assists me in developing or
progressing my career as well as work in a team will helps me in achieving objectives
within a predetermined time frame.
Skills
 Cooperation: I am good to work in a team that helps me in completing my work on a
given time period. It also assists me in solving my problems in an effective manner as
well as achieving goal and objective of the organisation (Webb, 2017).
Competencies
 Leadership: I have strong leadership skill that supports me in influencing or motivating
others to work in a team in order to accomplish goal of the organisation.
Assessment of different learning theories & approaches utilized for personal & professional
improvement procedure.
It has been said that for fulfilling all the requirements of the job role of front desk
receptionist, it is very essential to review different types of approaches and theories so that all the

task will be performed by them in an effective manner. Some of the most essential theories along
with approaches are going to be discussed as follows:
Learning Theories: Constructivism: According to this learning, it has been identified that learning is a
constructive as well as active procedure. It is kind of theory which aid in identifying how
individual will be able to acquire learning as well as knowledge in an effective manner.
With the assistance of this learning theory, staff members will be able to learn different
methods, concepts & techniques with the help of personal experiences.
 Cognitivism: This is a learning theory which mainly focuses on learning instead of
observed action (Blaik Hourani and Stringer, 2015). In general, it is supported on interior
intellectual act & focuses on the mental procedures such as knowing, problem-solving
and memory. It refers to one of the most important learning theory used by various
service sector organisations, which needs brain functioning as well as decision making
process.
Learning Approaches: VARK Style of Learning: As per this learning approach, it is said that there are ample
number of ways in order to distinguish learning styles which as a result aid learners in
learning new things in an appropriate as well as best way. This is the theory which
mainly focuses on four learning styles which are Visual, Reading/writing, Audio and
Kinetics learning style. It has been said that with the help of questionnaires, scores are
given according to the learnings. With the help of this, best and most suitable learning
style will be adopted in order to learn new methods and concepts.
 Kolb’s Learning Cycle: It is the approach which mainly works on four stages for
learning. In this reference the first and foremost stage is all about encountering fresh and
new experiences. After that, in second stage it requires to detect the experience in context
of identifying inconsistencies among perceptive, experience and understanding. In the
third step, it requires to calls for developing abstract concepts, which is fresh thought,
idea & alterations (Sarsby, 2016). At the end, it is requires by the learners to implement
all these ideas in an effective manner.
With the help of above theories & approaches of learning, it has been said that it will
assist in enhance the inner as well as mental capabilities in an effective manner. In the present

context of Marriott Hotel, while changing the profession by housekeeping to front desk
receptionist it has been analysed that Constructivism Theory help in enhance knowledge with the
help of personal experience. On the other hand in case of learning approach, best approach used
to learn new techniques is VARK learning style.
Create a development plan to improve enhance skills and competencies within a specific work
context.
A Professional development plan is a framework and list of various steps taken for
accomplishing career goal and objectives. This plan displays skills, knowledge and competency
which is required for their career progression and development. It has been examined that I have
a strong leadership and team building quality that help me in developing my career whereas due
to lack of positive attitude some of objective is not accomplished on a proper time (Franck and
et. al., 2017). So it is necessary to have a positive attitude and good customer service skill that
supports me in career progression and development. The Professional development plan of mine
which is mentioned below:
Target Action to achieve Evidence of
completion
Target date
The main objective is
to satisfying need and
wants of customers by
serving them well and
build positive attitude
in order to achieve
goal of the
organisation
By executing and
implementing new and
innovative
competencies and
skills within a given
time period.
By building customer
loyalty and trust on my
words.
Within 30 days
More zeal in adopting
innovation and new
skills
Reading current
affairs, newspapers ,
magazines and journal
By knowing more and
more about company
policies and
procedures
Within 60 days.
Self motivation for
completing work on
Ready myself for
achieving goal of the
Finishing assigned
work within a time
Within 85 days

time organisation. frame
TASK B
Job interview for the job role.
In order to conduct the interview for the job role of front desk receptionist, some of the
essential and necessary questions are being asked by the manager are going to be discussed in
this section. With the help of this, managers will be able to examine whether the candidate is
suitable for the job role or not. Some of the essential questions are as follows:
 Why you want to work as a front desk receptionist in Marriott Hotel?
 What are the skills, competencies and abilities are required to fulfill the requirements of
front desk receptionist?
 Do you have any kind of working experience in a hospitality sector?
 What are your strength and weaknesses which influences your capabilities and skills?
Key strengths & weakness of the applied interview procedure.
Strengths Weaknesses
 Biggest strength of interview process is
that it help in identifying the
communication skill and level of
confidence in the candidate.
 Manager of the company ask different
types of questions from the candidates
in order to examine the basic academic
and professional knowledge of
individuals.
 Weakness associated with interview
process is that due to different types of
questions asked by managers, candidate
feel nervous and give wrong answers to
the questions.
 On the other hand, another weakness of
this process is that conducting an
interview requires lot of investment
which might affect the overall
profitability of the company.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above stated report, it is concluded that personal as well as personal
development help in gaining various opportunities at the competitive marketplace. Having high

level of skills, capabilities and abilities aid an individual person in enhancing their professional
life and attain their desire goals and objectives in an effective manner. Apart from this, by
creating a development plan, individual person will improve their competences and skills so that
they can accomplish their work in a positive manner. Apart from this, with the aid of different
types of learning approaches and theories, individual will be capable enough to improve their
personal as well as professional life.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Blaik Hourani, R. and Stringer, P., 2015. Professional development: Perceptions of benefits for
principals. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 18(3), pp.305-339.
Franck, K., and et. al., 2017. Strengthening family and consumer sciences Extension
professionals through a competency-based professional development system. Journal of
Family & Consumer Sciences, 109(3), pp.18-22.
Gibbs, P. ed., 2015. Transdisciplinary professional learning and practice. Springer.
Olson, M.H., 2015. Introduction to theories of learning. Routledge.
Presti, C.R., 2016. The flipped learning approach in nursing education: A literature
review. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(5), pp.252-257.
Sarsby, A., 2016. SWOT analysis. Lulu. com.
Sherwood, M. and O’Donnell, P., 2018. Once a journalist, always a journalist? Industry
restructure, job loss and professional identity. Journalism Studies, 19(7), pp.1021-1038.
Stein, M., 2018. Theories of experiential learning and the unconscious. In Experiential learning
in organizations (pp. 19-36). Routledge.
ten Cate, and et. al., 2015. Curriculum development for the workplace using entrustable
professional activities (EPAs): AMEE guide no. 99. Medical teacher, 37(11), pp.983-
1002.
Webb, S.A. ed., 2017. Professional identity and social work. Taylor & Francis.