Career Action Plan and Self Reflection (CW2) - Marketing Skills

This report presents a comprehensive career action plan and self-reflection, focusing on the skills and competencies needed for a marketing role, specifically targeting a Marketing Associate position at Tesco. The report begins with an introduction to career development and the importance of reflective practice. The main body includes a personal analysis, reviewing the student's skills and knowledge, followed by a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A detailed professional development plan (PDP) is then presented, outlining specific areas for improvement, such as team working, leadership, and management skills, and innovative and creative skills. The PDP includes measurable criteria, methods for achievement, and estimated timelines. The report concludes by summarizing the student's self-assessment and the planned steps for career advancement, referencing several academic sources. An appendix with a Curriculum Vitae is also included.

Career Action Plan
and Self Reflection
(CW2)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
PERSONAL ANALYSIS................................................................................................................3
General Review of Skills and Knowledge..............................................................................3
SWOT Analysis of Myself.....................................................................................................4
CAREER ACTION PLAN..............................................................................................................5
Professional Development Plan (PDP)..................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
APPENDICES.................................................................................................................................9
Appendix 1 – Curriculum Vitae.............................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Career development and practice involves actions taken in order to mover further towards
development of those skills and capabilities which are value adding and lead the path towards
success of an individual (Carpi and et. al., 2017). The career viewpoint refers to the idea and
pathway decided to conduct action in particular manner for attaining different objectives and
targets. The present assignment is a reflective report which holds my personal SWOT analysis
for identifying targets for skill developments and evaluation. Moreover, a professional
development plan is made in the report for showcasing different steps and stages needs to
acquire the identified skills for the job role of Marketing associate in the retail organisation.
MAIN BODY
PERSONAL ANALYSIS
General Review of Skills and Knowledge.
In accordance to the previous assignment I have reflected on different skills and abilities I
have in order to pursue my career in marketing and grab the vacant job in Tesco. In the
assignment before there were certain skills which I reflected on and showcased as my abilities
and skill set as a professional (Deiorio and et. al., 2016). I completed my degree in marketing
and I have 2 years of work experiences where in have done number of internships for gaining
more and more practical knowledge of working with the organisation and in the field.
According to my reflection in the assignment before I have certain skills and knowledge
which are highly effective for me as professional in marketing sector and as per the requirements
of the segment. I found out about the job role a marketing associate in Tesco through online
applications and websites like Indeed. I do have effective communication skills and knowledge
of being a good listener which supports me and enable me to be more competitive and suitable
for the job. Moving along, I also hold strong planning abilities which are helpful for me to
develop my future development goals and opportunities. Thus, I found myself suitable enough
for the job role of a marketing associate in Tesco as it is a huge opportunity for me which
matches with my aims and targets according to which how I needed to pursue my career. In order
to make more critical analysis of self I have presented SWOT analysis below in the next section.

SWOT Analysis of Myself.
SWOT is a framework which is most commonly used by organisations and businesses for
knowing those internal and external factors which can be used for further development of the
entity and some of those factors which needs to be managed for better understanding and
effective performances of the brand (Hartung and Santilli, 2018). The model is also applicable on
individuals for identifying their personal skills and strengths and align them in the direction to
grab the available opportunities in the best and efficient manner possible.
The SWOT analysis model help me to specifically identify and place my strengths and
weaknesses for effective usage of all opportunities provided and reduce the negative impacts of
the threats and weaknesses associated. My SWOT is presented below in the table:
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 The biggest strength which I have
presently that is identified by me is of
effective communication skills.
 One of the strength which I hold as a
professional dealing in marketing field
is of better planning abilities.
 Another strength is my strong decision
making abilities, where it is showcased
that I am a apparent decision maker can
effective enough to make my decisions
fast and appropriate.
 A significant weakness of me as a
student and part of marketing
profession is lack of team working
understandings and abilities.
 Lacking management skills is another
weakening point of me as a
professional.
 Innovation and creativity is another
weakening are which needs further
evolution and development as a
personality trait for a working
effectively in a professional world.
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 The opportunity which I found out for
leading my pathway towards my
success and goals is of the vacant job
position in Tesco of a marketing
associate.
 Future growth opportunity for me is to
 The biggest threat today for me as a
professional and pursuing my dreams in
the current market is increasing
uncertainties in the professional world
in regards to the needed skills and
capabilities of individuals.

learn better, gather more practical
experience while working in the
professional world and move to higher
professional positions in respective
organisation and professional setting.
 Further opportunity that is have to learn
more and gain more certificates in
relation to my profession by indulging
in further studies and course works.
 Another threat is increasing awareness
which is causing a negative impacts as
competition is rising and enhancing.
Nowadays more people are engaging in
the marketing field and profession.
 The significant threat threat which also
have existence in regards to marketing
for me as a practising professional is of
inducing and incrementing challenges
within in the industry.
CAREER ACTION PLAN
Professional Development Plan (PDP).
A professional development plan is a tool or a source which an individual use for
constructing a blueprint for himself or herself in order to keep focused on their objectives to
achieve and targets to attain (Zwozdiak-Myers, 2018). The process of developing a professional
development plan is a pathway which is used by the individual to walk on in respective manner
for being successful and appreciative. In regards to the same manner my professional
development plan is as follows which will be focused on creating a strong productive pathway to
acquire skills which I lack in order to gain the job position in Tesco of a marketing associate.
Professional
development area
based on the job
Measurement
Criteria
How to achieve? Time required to
achieve skills
Team working skills In order to analyse and
measure the success
criteria for achieving
and developing better
team working skills. I
will be taking help
from my peer group
In order to acquire
better team working
skills and abilities I
will be taking help
from different journals
and online articles to
get more idea about
Time required is of
approximately 1 to 2
months.

and seniors for
examining my actions
and rendering me
feedbacks accordingly.
the concept for
developing further
skills and gaining idea
of different practices.
Leadership skills In order to be more
productive and
working efficiently in
a professional setting
in need to learn more
about leadership and
related skills for
moving further in
positions. Thus, the
measurement criteria
can be helpful are
feedbacks from
superiors is a potential
aspect.
The leadership is a
critical and unique
concept which offers
better abilities to
individuals with the
purpose of moving
further in career.
Hence, for learning
more skills I can enrol
myself in training and
development session
conducted online for
learning and making
people understand the
usage and efficiency
of the aspect.
I require at most 3
months to develop
better leadership skills.
Management skills I lack management
skill and in need to get
further in my
organisation to higher
positions for growth.
Hence, the
measurement criteria I
will be using the
different evaluation
tools and processes
In order to achieve and
learn further about the
management concept
and develop more
skills I will be using
more critical and
specific articles as
well I can also make
use of books provided
by experts and course
In need at least 6
months for developing
better management
skills.

like quiz and tests for
scoring my progress.
works.
Innovation and
creativity skills
The measurement
criteria for innovative
and creative skills I
will be using my self
assessment abilities in
order to be more
critical and specific for
gaining the
understanding of the
results by developing
more ideas.
The developing skills
in regards to
innovation and
creativity I will be
engaging in better
online tasks that are
useful for
understanding new
ideas and skills for
being creative and
innovative.
At least 4 months.
CONCLUSION
The above report consist reflection over the skills and competencies of me as a
professional which concludes that is hold certain skills which are necessary for me and will be
helping me in my future development. On the other hand, there are certain skills which I need to
develop further hence I have constructed a PDP plan.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Carpi, A. and et. al., 2017. Cultivating minority scientists: Undergraduate research increases self‐
efficacy and career ambitions for underrepresented students in STEM. Journal of
Research in Science Teaching, 54(2), pp.169-194.
Deiorio, N. M., and et. al., 2016. Coaching: a new model for academic and career
achievement. Medical education online, 21(1), p.33480.
Hartung, P. J. and Santilli, S., 2018. My career story: Description and initial validity
evidence. Journal of Career Assessment, 26(2), pp.308-321.
Jackson, D. and Wilton, N., 2016. Developing career management competencies among
undergraduates and the role of work-integrated learning. Teaching in Higher
Education, 21(3), pp.266-286.
Lent, R. W. and et. al., 2016. Applying the social cognitive model of career self-management to
career exploration and decision-making. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 93, pp.47-57.
Savickas, M. L., 2016. Reflection and reflexivity during life-design interventions: Comments on
career construction counseling. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 97, pp.84-89.
Zwozdiak-Myers, P., 2018. The teacher's reflective practice handbook: Becoming an extended
professional through capturing evidence-informed practice. Routledge.

APPENDICES
Appendix 1 – Curriculum Vitae