Examining Professional Identity and Practice at Business Travel Direct

This report delves into the realm of professional identity and practice, specifically focusing on the travel and tourism company, Business Travel Direct. The introduction sets the stage by defining professional identity and its importance in enhancing performance within a work environment. The report then examines the benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders within the organization, including increased retention, improved decision-making, and enhanced employee satisfaction. It investigates the professional expectations of skills and competencies for a customer executive role, highlighting the importance of self-confidence, communication, creative thinking, and technological proficiency. The report further assesses the author's own abilities, skills, and competencies for a customer executive position, using a skill audit to identify strengths and weaknesses. It reviews various learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional development, such as behaviorism and social constructivism. The report culminates in the construction of a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within the work context, and a review of a job interview process. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and underscores the significance of professional development in achieving organizational goals and individual career advancement.

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1) Examine the key benefits of ongoing professional development for different stakeholders
within the organisation................................................................................................................1
P2 Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within the
organisation.................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Assess own abilities, skills and competences for a specific job role.....................................4
P4 Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5 Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context................................................................................................................................6
TASK 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..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity is simply explained as the concept where various beliefs, values,
practices and experiences are considered for the purpose of improving the level of performance
in the area where people work. It is mainly important for the individuals as it helps to develop
the personal image within the surrounding where people is required to work for achieving goals
and targets. In this respective project, the company which has been selected is Business Travel
Direct which is one of the travel and tourism company. It was founded in the year 1975 by Peter
Reglar who is also the current CEO of the company. It is also connected with Ickenham Travel
Group. Some of the main points that are going to be covered in the report is all about on going
professional development and its benefits for existing shareholders. Also, some of the points that
will be in focused more while preparing the report is related with on going personal
development, various skill considering approaches. In the ending segment, development plan
will be prepared in which transferable skills will also be added in it.
TASK 1
P1) Examine the key benefits of ongoing professional development for different stakeholders
within the organisation
Overview of Business Travel Direct
Business Travel Direct is one of the leading brand in Great Britain when it comes to the
sector of travel and tourism. It's main motto is to deliver the best form of services to the customer
within the sector of tourism (Baker and et. al., 2015). This company is different from other
company because it mainly focuses on delivering the best services at very minimum price which
makes it different from other company and helps to sustain within the marketplace. In future, if
organisation wants to perform much better then they are required to provide professional
development programs to its existing shareholders. The major benefit of conducting professional
development programs are mentioned below:
Benefits for Stakeholders
Continuous Professional Development is explained as the process in which individual
gets the opportunity to read and understand through which overall skills and professional
competencies increases by which additional advantage can be taken at work place. It is more
important because it mainly focuses on past performance of individual through which weak areas
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can be covered by providing additional training sessions. Some of the benefits of it has been
mentioned below:
Increase retention: If continuous improvement plan is conducted by Business Travel
Direct for its employee's then it will be beneficial for the company because they will get proper
training through which they can easily deal with customers and it will also increase the
satisfaction level among them.
Helps to develop successful plans: It is important for Business Travel Direct to consider
the ongoing professional development plan because it will help to create new ideas and plans at
work station through which skills and knowledge of employee's can be enhanced.
Increase Trust: As company is giving more importance upon on going professional
development, the employee's of Business Travel Direct will be benefited if they will try to built
confidence among the employees. For this they can conduct various meetings and training
sessions for workers (Basturkmen, 2014).
Better and fast decision: Professional development program in Business Travel Direct
will help employee's by taking effective and appropriate decisions. In this types of professional
development, staffs do get the opportunity to take better decisions which can be very effective in
context of the company. In this, responsibility for giving training is in the hand of manager that
that will help to enhance the decision making ability among the employee's through which
organisational goals can be easily accomplished.
Personal Satisfaction: It is important for any of the organisation that they must be able
satisfy their employee's as they are the one who helps to accomplish target of a company. In
context of Business Travel Direct, it is necessary they should know that how their employee's
can be satisfied because that is the only way through which best can be bring out of the
employee's (Cruess and et. al., 2015).
Increased Employability: In on going personal development program, it is necessary
that employee's should be able to increase there employability as it will help to add value in the
CV of workers who are connected with Business Travel Direct.
In present scenario, competition is increasing day by day and all the above points are
helpful in context of Business Travel Direct. As, they will be able to take healthy advantage in
the market through which they can hold better position within the marketplace. Even it will
enhance the capability of employees who are connected with Business Travel Direct.
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P2 Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within the
organisation
The present market situation says that any of the company requires much and more from
their employee's so that they can easily take additional advantage from the market. In context of
Business Travel Direct, they have started to show participation on travel and tourism sector so
that profit can earned by providing the better services to the customers. But, all of this is possible
when staff of the company will try to bring better outcome. As there are number of abilities
which are required in the employees of a company through which customer satisfaction level can
be increased such as communication skills, creative thinking and many more. If Business Travel
Direct required to perform exceptionally well in the market, they are required to appoint finest
customer executive who have decent level of skill and knowledge through which he/she can deal
with the customer of a company. Some of the skills which are required in executive of Business
Travel Direct are explained below.
Self-confidence: Any of the executive must have self confidence on themselves because
that plays crucial role within the company and if they do lack that skill then it might create lots
of problem for the organisation. In terms of Business Direct Travel, their appointed customer
executive should have confidence while taking any of the decision for the benefit of a company
(Cruess, Cruess and Steinert, 2016).
Proper Communication: It is important that any of the executive must be able to do
communication with there subordinates and even also with whom who are connected with the
organisation. In context of Business Travel Direct, it will directly help the company to grab the
attention of customer through which revenue of the company can be increased.
Creative thinking: There are number of situation where executive is required to take
decision of own and for that it is important that they must be able to think differently. When it
comes to Business Travel Direct, it is necessary for their executive to have the ability of creative
thinking because it will help to take appropriate decision in tough situation and even it will help
in attract customers with new plans and ideas.
Use of Technology: In any of the organisation, it is necessary that authorised person
should be able to use latest technology so that organisational goal can be achieved easily. Here,
executive manager of Business Travel Direct must be able to deal with advance technologies
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through which data information can be kept of each and every customers who are connected with
the company.
Knowledge about Accounting software: It is necessary that person must be able to deal
with accounting software so that necessary information about day to day transaction can be kept
easily. In context of Business Travel Direct, their executive is required to have detail knowledge
about accounting software for the purpose of maintaining data and records of daily transaction
ans even it will help organisation to know about their daily expenses.
Meeting Customer Needs And Expectations: The executive manager of Business Travel
Direct must have the ability to deal with customer and find what is their actual need and how it
can be provided to them. If this work can be conducted successfully then there is high possibility
that organisation can easily satisfy their customer in future (Valentino and Reardon, 2015).
TASK 2
P3 Assess own abilities, skills and competences for a specific job role
In Business Travel Direct, it will be my be I first job where I am required to hold the
position of Customer executive. Here, I am required to have the knowledge and ability in number
of fields so that I can help organisation to achieve its goal and targets on specific time period. So
as per the requirement of a company, I found that I am one of the best candidate who should get
the opportunity as customer executive in Business Travel Direct. Although, I am capable to hold
this position but still there are some of the area where I do lack knowledge and that need to be
improved as soon as possible. In present scenario, I have found that each and every employee's
required to have various kind of skills through which organisational goal can be easily
accomplished and because of that I need to improve some of the weak areas through which I can
grab the opportunity for longer period of time. While talking about the other employees of the
company, they do have the knowledge of different field and that is the main reason behind their
success in present scenario.
For the purpose of improvement within the company, Business Travel Direct is hiring
customer executive through which level of satisfaction among the employee's can be easily
enhanced. In order to improve, I have conducted skill audit which will help me to identify the
area in which I need to improve in future for the purpose of holding the position of customer
executive in Business Travel Direct.
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S No. Capable in: Score Desired ratings to
fulfill requirements
of Business Travel
Direct
Strength (positive
numbering) & Weakness
(Negative numbering)
1 Creative thinking 6 8 -2 (Weakness)
2 Self-confidence 8 5 3 (Strength)
3 Proper
Communication
8 7 1 (Strength)
4 Use of Technology 5 8 -3 (Weaknesses)
5 Meeting Customer
Needs And
Expectations
9 6 3 (Strength)
P4 Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes
Various learning theories are there through which personal and professional development
processes can be conducted. In terms of Business Travel Direct, detail discription has been
mentioned below: Behaviourism – It is one of the most important learning theories which is related with the
behaviour of employee's which they shows through process. Also, the employee's who
are working with Business Travel Direct, they are required to adopt working style as oper
the demand of situation. Apart from this behaviourist believes that response to
environment stimuli shapes actions of employees
 Social constructivism - It is the situation where people are required to understand the
and develop their mind by trying to interact with other people. Here, each and every
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employee's of Business Travel Direct try to develop the environment where they can do
interaction with other member of the company (Flores, Kleyn and Menken, 2015).
TASK 3
P5 Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context
Development plan is the process in which an individual tries to do planning in order to
resolve the weaknesses that are creating problem for them in achieving the better outcomes
(Professional Development, 2018). As, I want to work with Business Travel Direct so it is
important for me to overcome from all of my weaknesses which have been been mentioned
while conducting skill audit program. After conducting Personal Development Plan I will get
additional benefit through which my goals and objectives can be easily achieved. Even it will be
helpful for Business Travel Direct as appropriate decision can be taken after conducting PDP
program. It has been developed below:
Current Skills and
Competencies used in
personal and
professional plan
Goals Personal /
Professional
Development Plan
ACTIVITY (Use
SMART targets)
Indicate how you have
monitored your
progress,
underpinning
learning and
development theory
Evaluate the
effectiveness of
your personal
development plan
Creative thinking In order to improve
my skills I am
required to focus
more on reading
books, trying to see
more number of
movies inside theatre
as it helps to develop
the capacity of
thinking differently.
This is required to be
monitor by my self and
for that I need to judge
my past performance
with current one. Even
I need to check
whether I am capable
take better decision or
not in present scenario
by thinking creatively.
This will help me
future were I can
be able to sustain
my position within
Business Travel
Direct. Also, I will
be able to take
better decision to
accomplish the
goals of
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organisation by the
process of creative
thinking.
Use of Technology As I want enhance
my knowledge in the
field I must try to join
special classes where
particular topic are
discussed. Even I do
have the option to
read online tutorials
as it is very effective.
It will be judged by
comparing my past
abilities and current
abilities that whether I
am capable of doing in
present scenario or not.
It will help me in
future as it will
enhance my skill
different area
through which I
can easily achieve
my targets.
TASK 4
P6 Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role
Business Travel Direct have conducted the interview for the post of customer executive
so that organisation can obtain its targets which are preplanned (Luft and Roughley, 2016)
(Marañón and Pera, 2015). If I will selected for this particular post, then there is high possibility
that I will get number of opportunities in future tthat will be helpful for me. As, Business Travel
Direct have expanded there business at great platform there is high possibility that I might face
number of problem because in first round they will compare my qualification with other and in
that field. If I will be called up for the next round then there is high possibility that interviewer
can create problem for me as number of tricky question might be asked with me as that areas not
so strong for me. If I will be able to clear second round then there is more chances that I can
clear next round very easily as it is of HR round. Here, I will need to tell about my past
experience and how it will help me in future. Below mention is the overall conversation taken
within interview process:-
Interviewee: Can I come in Sir.
Interviewer: Yes, you can.
Interviewee: Good Morning Sir
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Interviewer: Good Morning.
Interviewee: Thank You sir.
Interviewer: For checking your credential, can you give me your CV?
Interviewee: Defiantly Sir.
Interviewer: Do you have past working experience?
Interviewee: Yes. I was working with Travelodge since last 1 year.
Interviewer: Are you capable of handling this post.
Interviewee: Yes sir I am very much capable to handle this job profile
Interviewer: OK ABCD, please wait outside we will let you know about the results.
Business Travel Direct
Job Description
Job code: XXXXX
Job role: Customer Executive
Report to: General manager
Location: United Kingdom
Date: 12th June, 2019
Summary: Here, candidate is required to know about each and every responsibilities that
require to be fulfilled in for the post of customer executive. This post will help to deal with the
customer who are connected with Business Travel Direct
Duties & Responsibilities:
 Candidate must be able to deal with the situation which arises in front of them.
 Candidate must co-ordinate with other senior employee's of the company about the
problem which has raised in the company
 Manage daily basis work without any conflict between employee's and customer.
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process
Applied Interview process is a process conducted to analyse the knowledge, skill,
capability of candidate and according to that decision is formed. It deliver hiring decision by
evaluation of candidate which contains steps which is to be followed and candidate has to pass
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all the rounds top get selected. Business direct travel also select candidate by using applied
interview process which has following step-
 Preinterview phase- In this phase, information is transferred to the interviewer through
resume, test scores or might be from social networking sites. Through information
interviewer finalised the candidate who will come for the interview (Wald and et. al.,
2015).
 Interview phase- It is the actual phase when interaction between interviewer and
interviewee where interviewer finds out that the candidate is suitable or not by asking
questions and giving hypothetical situation.
 Post Interview phase- This phase comes after the conduction of interview where
interviewer evaluate the qualifications and skills for the required position and examine
that decision of selection is beneficial or not.
Group task-
In this phase, multiple candidates are analysed at the same time. A activity is allocated to
whole group and they have to perform together to check the level of team spirit and ability to
manage with team.
Behaviour job Interview-
It is a type of Interview where interviewer examine the behaviour of a employee
during a given situation to check their suitability in the job . For example, how the candidate will
react to the disruptive customer and so on.
Strengths- It is the benefit received from the applied interview process of business direct
travel are-
 Selection of correct candidate- The problem of productivity or discipline of
business direct travel can be solved by choosing right candidate with right
qualification through effective interview process.
 Time and Cost effective- Through proper use of interview process the chances of
selecting wrong candidates will be less which wastes time and money (Valentino
and Reardon, 2015).
 Exchange and increase of knowledge- When there is a verbal interaction takes
place between interviewers and interviews the ideas are exchanged results in
increase of knowledge of both of them.
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 Flexible – The process of interview is flexible as it can be scheduled according to
the need of company and qualifications require are different for different post
which can be analysed through various method interview.
Weaknesses- This is the drawback received from the applied interview process of business
direct travel are-
 No record- Interview is conducted verbally and there is no written record of that
conversation which leads to greater confusion as no one can remember what exactly they
interacted.
 Incomplete process- As interview is a method to select the candidate but its not the final
method that will examine every detail about the candidate which might result in selection
of wrong candidate.
 Incomplete information- Interview is a tool by which interviewer collect information
but sometimes due to any error, the company may looses the important information.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above file that each and every individual is required to have
various kind of skills so that predetermined targets can be easily accomplish. Personal audit is
one of the platform through which it can be easily found that what are those week area which
can create problem in future. To overcome from weaknesses, it is important to prepare Personal
development plan as it is helpful to enhance the knowledge. Every employer required some of
the skills in there employee's while conducting interview process.
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