Higher Nationals: Hospitality Management - Professional Development

This report examines professional development within the context of the Clayton Hotel in London. It begins with an introduction to ongoing professional development and its importance for stakeholders, particularly employees. The report analyzes the key elements and advantages of professional development, focusing on how it benefits employees by increasing productivity, enhancing CVs, fostering competitive edges, opening career opportunities, and re-energizing creativity. It then investigates employer expectations regarding skills and competencies for operation managers within the hotel, highlighting communication, interpersonal skills, adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. An individual skill audit and SWOT analysis are provided from the perspective of a potential operation manager, assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The report also reviews various learning theories and approaches relevant to personal and professional development, including behaviorism, and their application within the hotel setting. Finally, it provides an overview of a job interview scenario for an operation manager role at the Clayton Hotel, along with an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the interview process. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for enhancing professional development practices within the hotel.

NELSON COLLEGE LONDON
Higher Nationals in:
Hospitality Management
Unit 3: Professional Identity and Practice
Student Name:
Student ID:
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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
LO1............................................................................................................................................4
P1 Determining the key elements and advantages of on-going professional development
for different stakeholders within the Clayton Hotel City of London.....................................5
LO2............................................................................................................................................9
P3: Evaluating an individual operation manager’s skills and competencies for his job role.9
LO3..........................................................................................................................................15
P5: Development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within the Clayton Hotel
..............................................................................................................................................15
LO4..........................................................................................................................................17
P6: Providing a job interview for an operation manager in Clayton hotel London.............17
P7: Determining the strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview session.................18
Conclusion................................................................................................................................20
References................................................................................................................................21
Appendix..................................................................................................................................23
CV........................................................................................................................................23
Cover later............................................................................................................................25
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Introduction
Ongoing professional development is the process or the system by which individual person
can track their skills and knowledge along with gathering experiences that help to gain
actively and both inactively from any kind of training and work experience. The ongoing
professional development process is the record by which an individual person can identify his
learning and understanding from any interactive session or training program. Inhospitality
business industry the need for personal and professional development plans help to identify
and determine the skills which need attention to develop. A business industry like- hospitality
industry needs more skills and competences to handle customers and provide proper services
to them.
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LO1
Clayton Hotel Overview
In the city of London, the hotel Clayton is considered as one of the most stylish and modern
interior based hotel to serve their customers. This hotel is situated near the financial hub of
London. The Clayton Hotel City of London is a 10-minute walk away from Liverpool Street
station. From Clayton hotel, the London city airport is very close which approximately takes
21 minutes to drive by the car (The flexibility of Charvet One works well for Clayton Hotel
City of London - Charvet - Premier Ranges, 2020). Clayton Hotel's infrastructure is inspired
by the Victorian textile warehouse. This hotel in London is a 4-star luxury hotel with 212
bedrooms with a London skyline view.
Figure 01: Clayton Hotel City of London entrance (The flexibility of Charvet One works well
for Clayton Hotel City of London - Charvet - Premier Ranges, 2020).
In this luxury hotel, modern rooms and spas are offered with 24/7 Wi-Fi and room services,
onsite gym. Clayton hotel is located near some famous modern music and event venues so
that the customers can enjoy their quality time (Cottrell, 2015). Clayton hotel of London
serves its customers by Vitality breakfast menu, Grill restaurants, provides Private dining,
Globe bar, Afternoon tea along with snacks, and Red Bean Roastery.
P1 Determining the key elements and advantages of on-going professional development
for different stakeholders within the Clayton Hotel City of London.
The ongoing development process is the system of tracking or documenting the development
process of the individual as a professional way of development. For any employee ongoing
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professional development helps to manage their development process on a daily basis (What's
Your Learning Style? - Aspire Training Team, 2020). It contains the document or record of
each individual's work review, learning reflects, and development process.
There are some elements to be an effective ongoing development process like- it needs to be
documented, self-driven, reflect individual learning process, helps to develop self-directed
goals and objectives, and lastly will need to be both active and interactive learning (Cottrell,
2015). In any organization like this chosen hotel Clayton Hotel in London city, there is a need
for ongoing professional development for the stakeholders for example- employees.
Determining the key benefit of ongoing professional development for the key stakeholder of
Clayton hotel is provided below:
Figure 02: Key advantages of on-going professional development for different stakeholders
within Clayton Hotel City of London.
Increasing the productivity rate
Employees of Clayton hotel can be benefited from this ongoing professional development as
it measures the productiveness of any individual employee (Langbridge, 2014). Employees
can measure and find out the lacking which is causing their lack of productivity in the
hospitality business. Organizations like Clayton loves to be benefited from highly productive
employees.
Adds values to CV's for future job search
Employees always search for better opportunities for their future. Every employee wants to
be more successful than the previous job. Increasing learning and knowledge to add values to
find a better job in the future ongoing development process is needed. It helps to define the
employee by building employees' qualifications day by day to prepare him for a future job by
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Increasing
the
productivi
ty rate
Adds
values to
CV's for
future job
search
Gaining
skills
increase
competitiv
e edge
Provides
new
career
opportunit
ies for the
future
Re-
energizing
creativity

adding more to his CV so that he can stand out from the crowd with confidence and
knowledge.
Gaining skills increase the competitive edge
In professional life employers find those employees attractive who ease up their skills and
increases their knowledge. One employee with proper knowledge and skill in the
organization like Clayton is highly appreciated than a useless employee (OLSON, 2020).
Ongoing professional development helps to gather knowledge and increase employee’s skills
through learning and training programs.
New career opportunities for the future
Ongoing professional development helps employees of Clayton hotel to increase their
satisfaction level by measuring their learning and knowledge of the job. If one employee can
increase their knowledge and skills according to the job requirement it is easy for him to get
any related job in the near future (Langbridge, 2014). It can ensure a better quality of life for
the future. Ongoing professional development helps to raise up knowledge and skills of an
individual employee by measuring them.
Re-energizing creativity
Sometimes there are many cases where employees switch their job to other sectors by finding
a passion for another sector. Many stakeholder find ongoing professional development
processes helpful because it helps to increase employee's knowledge and it helps to increase
creativity by opening many doors of knowledge and skills in front of the employees.
P2: Investigating professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within
Clayton hotel.
In Clayton hotel, there are many employees and their skills and knowledge is related to their
job description. If the skills don't match with the employee's jobs then the business will be
operated by a totally useless man (OLSON, 2020). So in terms of job recruitment employers
expect some key essential roles in any candidate. For operation manager in the hospitality
business industry, there are some key skills and knowledge which is expected to be in the
employee such as- decision-making skills, interpersonal skill, team player, well
communication skill along with problem-solving skills and knowledge. In Clayton hotel in
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London, the employer expects those skills and knowledge in an employee to get the job done
from them.
Figure 03: Skills and knowledge for the operation manager.
Communication skill
In Clayton, hotel communication plays a crucial part in the day to daily basis operations.
Form entry-level to top-level there is one thing common which is the communication is there
so for any operation manager the need for well communication skills is a must (O'Brien and
Jones, 2014). In terms of recruiting the employer always go for communication skill as the
operation manager needs to make a link between top levels to entry-level employees.
Interpersonal skill
In a hospitality business like Clayton, the need for working together is must need as
employees of the human resource department needs to work with each other. If the operation
manager can't interact with people then it causes issues in the hotel (Sansbury, 2016). Again,
the operation manager ensures a link between different departments so interpersonal skills
and competence are very much needed in Clayton hotel in London.
Adaptability
In the hospitality business organization like Clayton needs managers who can adapt to any
kind of situation in the hotel. An operation manager needs to behave the ability to adapt
things and act according to the situation. In many organizations employer uses many training
and development programs to increase the adaptability of an operation manager. For
operation manager being able to adapt things are one of the many important skills which are
required.
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Communication skill
Interpersonal skill
Adaptibility
Team oriented
Problem solving skill

Team oriented
Employers always search for those who are comfortable with working in a team rather than
working alone. Being able to work with the team is one of the vital skills which is required
for the operation manager (Sansbury, 2016). An operation manager needs to work with
employees who work in organizations so he needs to be a team player rather than an
individual player.
Problem-solving skill
In Clayton hotel, there can be many issues that can cause an issue in the organization. So
being an operation manager problem-solving skill is needed so that certain problems can be
solved. Having difficulty in managing employees in handling customers effectively problem-
solving skill is required in the hospitality business (O'Brien and Jones, 2014). Employers
search these skills and competencies in the operation manager.
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LO2
P3: Evaluating an individual operation manager’s skills and competencies for his job role.
In Clayton, an operation manager manages the day to daily activities and monitor each
department's connection in the hotel. If I want to join Clayton as an operation manager I need
to be highly skilled and competent for the job. In that case to evaluate my skills and
competencies skill audit and SWOT analysis is provided below:
Audit of skills and competencies
Skills and
Competencies
Present skills Skills in process Need training
Adaptability
In terms of adapting to a
new environment, I am
very much skilled in
adapting easily. In the
hotel, I can easily adapt
to any difficult
situation.
Problem-solving
skill
I think I need
training in terms of
operating a hotel. I
am not aware of
each and every
department's daily
operations. I need to
understand and
increase my
knowledge through
training and
observing more.
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Communication
skill
In the hotel, I feel I am
skilled to talk and
communicate with other
people. People feel
comfortable to
communicate with me.
As an operation
manager, I need to
communicate with other
people a lot. And my
both verbal and written
communication skill
helps to connect me
with other people.
Operational skills Clayton's operating
manager needs to
operate the daily
activities of the
organization. I think I
am moderate in
operating employees. I
have witness progress
in operating employees
as many employees are
now willing to
cooperate with me than
before which indicates
a process in my skill.
Decision-making
skill
I think as an
operation manager I
need to take proper
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decisions on the
basis of the
activities. In this
skill, I think I have
to lack. So I need
more training and
knowledge to make
decisions based on
the situation.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
 In Clayton, I am very good at
communicating with other employees.
 I am a very good listener which helps me
to connect with people more and average
people.
 Motivational skills are present while I
work with cooperators.
 The ability to adapt to every difficult
situation is present in me.
Weaknesses
 The extra shift of work
demotivated me.
 Lack of knowledge.
 Solving problems in a difficult
situation is one of the
weaknesses.
Opportunities
 Willing to shape my skills according to the
need.
 Motivation increases the willingness of
doing work.
 Quick learner.
Threats
 Lack of knowledge and
limitation in the workplace.
 Breaking policies of the
organization like- Clayton
hotel.
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P4 Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes.
In terms of the personal and professional development process, many scholars are defined as
many learning theories to help individual people in their workplace. In Clayton, hotel
employees use personal and professional development plans to learn (Scales, 2011). There
are many learning techniques by which individual operation managers can learn and increase
their skills and competences. Some of the best learning approaches are provided below for
the professional and personal development process.
Figure 04: learning theories and approaches (Ahmad and profile, 2020).
Behaviorism
In the learning theories and approaches the behaviorism approach acts as a box that can
absorb skills and knowledge by observing the near environment and people. Many
organizations like- Clayton can use which type of techniques as it is considered as one of the
easy ways to learn (Scales, 2011). Employees observe other employees' work or behavior to
understand and learn effectively and efficiently.
Cognitive:
In cognitive learning theory of the process consists of the learner closely observing and
understanding the work (Ahmad and profile, 2020). In this type of process, the learner tries to
observe and related those observable things to the real case (SUN and OGI, 2018). By
understanding cognitive learning individual people can solve problems in Clayton hotel.
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