Reflective Journal on Career and Skills Development

This reflective journal explores career pathways and skills development through a skills audit, self-appraisal, and action planning. It includes a skills matrix review, work-based feedback, and strategies for improving communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence skills. The report also discusses the importance of evaluating existing skills and identifying areas for improvement to achieve personal and professional growth.

REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1. Career & Progression Plan (career pathways mind map)........................................................3
2. Skills Audit (job descriptions, skills matrix review & immediate skills gap analysis)...........4
3. Self Appraisal & Action Planning...........................................................................................6
4. Skills Development Record & Work-based Feedback............................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Career and progression plan helps in planning all strategies that could be used by
individual to achieve higher growth and success in personal and professional career. Skills audit
helps in identifying the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threat so that appropriate steps
can be taken to attained the objectives. This report has contained crucial detail related to career
and progression plan, skills audit, self-appraisal and action plan and skill development records.
1. Career & Progression Plan (career pathways mind map)
Career pathway is mind map that guide related to where an individual wants to go in
professional career to achieve success in future circumstance. It is excellent tool that is used for
brainstorming and organizing career ideas related so that the desired objectives can be attained in
limited time frame (Anderson, 2020).
Evaluate current situation: Currently, I am working as customers assistance in cinema so there
are several skills that are present in me such as I have good communication, patience and
problem solving skills that has helped me in achieving professional growth and success. Such as
communication skills that is present in me has contributed in building and retaining strong
relationship with the customers (Chang, 2019). In addition to this, I also have good problem
solving ability that helped me in timely resolving overall problem that are face by customers so
that alternative solution can be drawn to meet their expectancy. Therefore, I have good
communication, problem solving skills and needs to work on decision-making, creative and
persuasive to have bright future ahead.
Identify career goal(s)
1. My career goals is “ To become a manager of customers services” in any of the reputable
organisation to gain higher professional and personal growth in future circumstance”.
2. Second goals is “ To enhance my creative and innovative skills to delivered good services
to customers for their satisfaction and happiness”.
Identify skills, knowledge and resources required: In order to achieve the desire goals there
are range of skills, knowledge and resources that are need by me such as decision-making,
interpersonal and technology and problem solving skills.
Determine actions to achieve goal(s): To achieve the set standard goals, I have decided to take
actions such as learn from senior about the method that can be used to delivered best services to
customers. Moreover, I have decided to read books, journal or make use of internet to have

sufficient knowledge pertaining to the way I can enhance by decision-making skills, problem
solving so that I have capabilities to quickly resolve the problem face by the customers (Cottrell,
2017).
Determine evaluation frequency: I will evaluate my existing skills, knowledge within a time
frame of around every week to take appropriate and correct action to improve the same. Thus
frequency of evaluating at each interval will contribute in continuous working on the existing
skills and capabilities to achieve higher growth and success in future circumstance.
2. Skills Audit (job descriptions, skills matrix review & immediate skills gap analysis)
Skills audit is systematic assessment of skills, knowledge and capabilities that are present
in specific individual so that it can easily accomplish its work. It helps in finding skills that are
needed to complete particular job, achieve the desire results to get a better job opportunities in
future scenario (Georgii-Hemming, Johansson and Moberg, 2020).
 Job descriptions
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Job summary: To provide necessary support, guidance to employee's about the way particular
task and performance will be completed so that company can gain competitive advantages. The
individual must have good customers services skills, decision-making and problem solving
thereby it can easily provide better services to people living in the society.
Job responsibility
 To guide and provide necessary information to the employees about their respective
task.
 To monitor overall performance of the employee's that are working in the firm.
 Greeting and serving the customers
 Determination of customers needs.
 Handling the staff concern
 Ensuring providing better services to customers.
Reporting to: Top manager responsible for handling the customers.
Working condition: Employee's will be provided with healthy and safe working culture and
environment where they can easily work with each other so that end objectives of firm can be
attained. All the resources will be well organised, systematic managed and safety equipment

will be present in the firm. Thereby no harm can be caused to the individual in any
circumstance for its health and well-being (Horsten, 2021).
Skills
 Communication skills
 Problem solving skills
 Emotional intelligence skills
 Decision-making skills
 Conflict management skills
Machines that needs to be used: Digital technology will be used to build and maintained
relationship with customers and contribute in growth of organisation.
Hazard: Task has been undertaken to remove all the hazard thereby employees can safely work
and contribute in improving overall performance of firm.
 Skills matrix
STRENGTH
 Good communication skills helps
in effectively sharing information
with subordinate, customer's
related to what all services are
provide to them by organisation.
Thus it helps in building and
retaining strong brand image of
firm in competitive environment.
 Secondly, I have ability to
effectively solve the problem
through understanding and
listening all the problem faced by
customer's. Thus, the way it can
be resolved and their respective
wants can be fulfilled.
WEAKNESSES
 There are some weaknesses in me
such as I am unable to work in
team with different individuals.
 Face challenges while taking a
proper decision on any of the
particular situations. As lot of
time needs to be wastage by me
to take a particular decision that
could be good for all (Li, Tan
and Xue, 2019).

OPPORTUNITIES
 I have opportunities to become
customer's services manager in any
of the reputable organisation. As I
have skills to manage and
understand people and find out
strategies that could be used to meet
their respective expectancy (Merritt,
2018).
 I have also opportunities towards
improving my problem solving and
customer's relationship building. So
that I can easily accomplish my
respective task and responsibilities
and attain maximum growth in
future scenario.
THREAT
 Increasing competition is one of the
threat face by me as there are many
people that have more skills and
capabilities then me to complete the
task. So, employer might give chance
to them to be selected in the firm.
 Lack of decision-making skills are
some of the major threat that are face
by me while completing my respective
work. As lot of time is needed by me to
take correct decision that can be useful
for all.
 Immediate skills gap analysis: From the above analysis, it has helped in understanding
that there are several areas in which I lack i.,e problem solving skills, team working,
emotional intelligence. In order to fill up the immediate skills gap, I have decided to work
on my existing skills and knowledge so that I can achieve more success and growth in my
personal and professional career.
3. Self Appraisal & Action Planning
Self-Appraisal is assessment of my existing skills and capabilities to find out key action
or step that I could undertake to improve my skills for effectively completing my respective task
and responsibilities. Action plan helps in planning strategies that could be used by me to improve
my current skills, knowledge and capabilities to gain competitive advantages (Poldrack, 2021).
Therefore, the self-appraisal and action planning of myself can be explained as follows:
Skills or areas that
needs to be improved
Strategies that could
be used to improve the
Measure of outcome Time frame

skills
Decision making
skills
 In order to
develop
decision-
making skills I
have decided to
learn from my
superior. The
way they take
right decision
in minimum
time possible
for better
outcome.
 Secondly, I put
more effort to
analysis the
situation and
take best
decision that is
fruitful for all
(Reynolds,
2017).
It can be measured
through analysis actual
time taken by me to
take specific decision
and what are its
outcome.
Around 2-3 month will
be needed to enhance
my decision-making
skills.
Team working skills  To work on
my team
working
skills, I have
decided to
work with
The team working
skill can be easily
measured through
understanding the
manner in which I can
coordinate with other
5-6 month will be
required to develop
team working skills.

other
individuals.
Likewise, I
will listen and
understand the
point of view
of other
people. To
find strategies
that could be
used to work
with them.
 I will work
on my
problem
solving and
negotiation
skills to
coordinate
with range of
people
working in
team.
people (Stige, 2017).
Emotional
intelligence skills
 I will do
meditation to
develop
emotional
intelligence
skills so that I
can have
control over
The emotional
intelligence skills has
been developed in me
can be understood
through measuring the
way I handle a
particular situation.
To develop my
emotional intelligence
skills, I will require
around 2-3 months.

my emotions.
Such as my
anger, anxiety
to effectively
complete my
task without
much issues.
 Furthermore,
take help from
other related to
the way skills
can be
developed
pertaining to
emotional
intelligence so
that I can
accomplish my
task in better
manner
(Cottrell,
2017).
So,the above stated are all the strategies that I am going to make use in order to improve
my existing skill, overcome the weaknesses for bright future ahead. It will help me in becoming
a good customers services assistance manager in any of the reputable organisation.
4. Skills Development Record & Work-based Feedback
Skills The way it has been used
within the workplace
What was the result
Communication skills I have make use of The result of making use of

communicate skills while
performing my duty as the
customer's assistance in
cinema. Such as I have
effectively share necessary
information with my team
mates and customer's (Horsten,
2021). So that they need not
have to face any type of
problem or complication while
enjoying the services of firm.
communication is that I was
able to build and maintained
strong relationship with
customer's and subordinate
that are working in the firm.
Problem solving skills It is another skills that I have
make use in context of
performing duty of customer's
assistance. As I was
responsible to solve all the key
problem that are face by client
while performing their
respective task. I have use the
skill to resolve the key issue
face by customer's so that they
can be happy and satisfied.
It can be said that the result of
making use of problem solving
skill is that I was able to
resolve the key issues face by
customer's and contribute in
growth and expansion of firm
in external environment
(Poldrack, 2021).
Patience skills This is another skills that I has
while working as I am being
patience with customer's. I
effectively and patiently
handle their issue and try to
find out method that could be
used to make them satisfied to
more extend.
The outcome of making use of
patience skills was that I was
able to patiently handle all the
situation, find the best
alternative method that can be
used to promote smooth
operation of company.

Work-based Feedback
I have taken feedback from the superior pertaining to my work that has helped me in
understanding that I have good communication, decision-making skills that contribute in
delivering qualitative services to customer's in cinema. Work based feedback has also helped me
in knowing that I lack in team working and problem solving skills that cause problem for me to
do task in effectively and best manner. Furthermore, I was good at provide satisfactory services
to customer's that has lead in growth and expansion or achievement of cinema goals (Reynolds,
2017). The superior has stated that I devote time and energy in understanding key issue that are
face by them while working so that alternative solution can be plan and implemented for better
outcome. So, overall from the feedback, it has been yield that I have capabilities to offer best
assistance and services to customer's.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that reflection has helped me in analysing my
strength, key weaknesses, opportunities and threat. Furthermore, it contributes me in planning
strategies or set of action that I could undertake to work on my existing skills, capabilities to gain
competitive advantages. Work based feedback has also help me in knowing detail related to my
existing performance in the firm and the manner in which I can improve to achieve growth in
future scenario. At last, it can be summarized that the skill development records has helped me in
keeping record of all the skills to plan strategies to improve the same.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Anderson, J., 2020. Reflection. ELT Journal, 74(4). pp.480-483.
Chang, B., 2019. Reflection in learning. Online Learning, 23(1). pp.95-110.
Cottrell, S., 2017. Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Georgii-Hemming, E., Johansson, K. and Moberg, N., 2020. Reflection in higher music
education: what, why, wherefore?. Music Education Research, 22(3). pp.245-256.
Horsten, L., 2021. On reflection. The Philosophical Quarterly, 71(4). p.pqaa083.
Li, Y., Tan, T. and Xue, J., 2019. Understanding and analyzing java reflection. ACM
Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), 28(2). pp.1-50.
Merritt, M., 2018. Kant on reflection and virtue. Cambridge University Press.
Poldrack, R. A., 2021. Diving into the deep end: A personal reflection on the MyConnectome
Study. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 40. pp.1-4.
Reynolds, M., 2017. Organizing reflection. Routledge.
Stige, B., 2017. Reflection: Musical participation, social space, and everyday ritual. In Where
music helps: community music therapy in action and reflection (pp. 125-148).
Routledge.
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