Professional Development Plan: Skills and Competences at Hilton Hotels

This report presents a comprehensive professional development plan, focusing on the skills and competencies required for a marketing manager at Hilton Hotels & Resorts. The report begins with an introduction to the importance of ongoing professional development for career advancement, partic...Read More

Individual written report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.......................................................................................................................................3
Key Benefits of on going professional development for different stakeholders.............................3
Investigating skills and competences...............................................................................................4
Assessing own abilities, skills and competences for specific job role.............................................4
Different learning theories and approaches as used for personal and professional development
processes..........................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
For every individual academic, career and professional development is considered as one of the
most important aspects which can help them in attainment of more profitable and respectful job
profile. The present report is based on designing of the Professional Development plan for the
enhancement of individual capability and future growth. It will explain the importance of on going
professional development along with self directed learning so as to enhance and develop
professional identity for seeking more and better career opportunities. Furthermore, the report will
shed light on identifying own personality for making improvement in required areas to perform
more better. The present report is on Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Report will define that by using
SWOT, analysis of skills of Marketing Manager can be done. It will focus on determining
individual skills, competences with the help of which it can acquire future growth in short time
frame. It will define the different learning and development approaches with the use of which an
Individual can make plans and strategies for developing its professional life.
MAIN BODY
Key Benefits of on going professional development for different stakeholders.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of the American multinational company engaged in the
hospitality business. It is operating in 85 countries across six continents with large market and
customer base.
Being a marketing manager, having updated knowledge and information about the current
marketing and prevailing trends can help Hilton in gaining competitive advantage. If company is
performing better it will yield better return to its stakeholders resulting in wealth creation. For
marketing manager, development on the on going basis will help in improving own performance
and productivity level. It can be done in following manner:
1. With continuous professional development, Marketing manager can remain in touch with all
the latest and new technological developments with the use of which it can enhance the
customer base of Hilton. It will help shareholders in form of monetary return in lieu of
money invested in company (Grant, 2017).
2. Helps Hilton in performing much better and remain ahead of its competitor as manager will
know all tactics as use by its competitors (Rhode, Richter and Miller, 2017). This will
increase brand value and creates image in mindset of shareholders as well.
3. By having updated knowledge base of market and customer demand, employer can provide
maximum benefits to its own business enterprises where it is rendering its own services
(Silbiger, 2016).

4. With on going professional development, one can achieve personal satisfaction in respect of
job, growth etc. which can help in increasing motivation level and in turn improves overall
productivity and profitability level.
Another role is of Waiter which is engaged in the business of serving its guests, clients with
full respect and courtesy. Being a Waiter, it is duty to perform services in ethical and well behaved
manner thereby adhering to all the norms and features which a waiter should have for rendering
good services which in turn provides satisfaction to customer at large (Dimitriadis, Ney and
Dimitriadis, 2018).
Investigating skills and competences.
Having strong and effective marketing skill with the marketing manager can help Hilton in
attaining competitive edge as it will be able to employ all the professional and updated knowledge
as gained during research or survey conducted.
1. Leadership – Under the guidance of senior and experienced managers, good leadership
qualities has been developed (Holloway, 2016). Thus, it helps in better attainment of
business goals and objectives thereby making proper and effective allocation and directing
process.
2. Time management & Communication – For making aims achieved in timely manner,
allocation of available time to project activities should be done. I am able to manage time of
owns as well as of others which has resulted in high productivity and profitability aspect.
With strong and effective communication skills it supports in smooth functioning of project
work as per the strategies formulated (Perry, 2017).
3. Research & development – By undertaking market research and survey, one can acquire
deep insight about strengths and concepts which has been used by other competitor
companies in gaining market share and competitive advantage as well. Thus, research is one
of the best tool which accompanies companies in designing its business strategies and plans
for future business operations.
Being a waiter, one should possess following skills:
1. Knowledge and manner of behaving in front of customers and guest.
2. Listening to them first carefully before speaking (Cosenza and Taylor, 2015).
3. Providing guest with better and full information related to their queries if any.
4. Showing respect and courtesy while serving them with products and services they required
(Block, 2016).

Importance of on-going professional development and skills requirements.
1. It helps in improving level of production for both the marketing manager and company as
well. This results in increased in efficiency of business project success thereby improving
Hilton's turnover and market share (EBRAHIM, 2017).
2. Leads to more creativity and innovative ideas in context of business processes and
procedures because of ongoing training and development which can help Hilton in
enhancing of brand image and reputation.
Assessing own abilities, skills and competences for specific job role.
Following are the skills and competences which is possessed by me:
1. Good Teamwork – I am capable of handling team in an effective manner for better
performing of a particular task. By taking into consideration every member thoughts I am
able to achieve goals in proper time frame as coordination and proper communication are
essential for conducting good team work.
2. Flexibility – Being a Marketing manager, I am having feature of flexibility i.e. I am flexible
enough to change and adopt plans and policies as recommended by other as beneficial from
the business perspective. Unwillingness to change can hamper business performance and
productivity as well (Mazzotti and et.al., 2018).
3. Creativity and innovative skill – One of the best skill, I possess is creative and innovative
thinking which has assisted in smooth completion of business project of Hilton in a cost
effective manner.
4. Commercial awareness – I am having commercial as well as market awareness as a result
it helps Hilton in grabbing of current market opportunities and using in business operations
for seeking advantage out of it (Koenig and Gill, 2015).
SWOT Analysis – a mechanism with the help of which one can identify own strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
1. Strengths – Because of positive and optimism attitude towards market knowledge, Hilton
has achieved increased customer base. Due to effective marketing and promotional
activities undertaken by me, customers likes to prefer services of our companies against
competitors. Also, with the help of good decision-making and responsible quality it has
increases productivity and profitability index as well. Being capable of setting sound and
effective business related strategies and plans, it has assisted company in better allocation of
available and limited business resources.

2. Weaknesses – Because of weak side of company, competitors are able to seek competitive
advantages in the market. Due to poor time management skill, non ability of managing time
has resulted in delay in important projects completion. Lack of confidence makes feel
nervous at presentation and discussion time when important business topic related to
attainment of objectives and aims are happening. Due to lack of experience I am having low
knowledge about industrial functions & its business operations which can hamper to a little
extent (Phadermrod, Crowder and Wills, 2019).
3. Opportunities – By identifying market opportunities, its timely acquisition for business use
has help both in gaining competitive edge. Assessment has been made by making self
evaluation that I can adopt self-control mechanism for overcoming weakness thereby
turning into better opportunities. By having control over emotional characteristics, better
plans and frameworks can be made by considering view points of other members as well.
Various seminars and workshops taking participation in group discussion and other activities
low confidence level and nervousness has been declined to a certain level which improved
communication skills. It has helped me in improving my performance and productivity
level.
4. Threats – Because of threats performance of business as well as own gets hampered
resulting in lowering of profitability. By having better and well skilled managerial personnel
in the same hotel industry it can become one of the competitor for me (Koenig and Gill,
2015). My lack of knowledge has become one of the major threat which has to be overcome
by attending meetings, workshops and seminars on regular basis for improving own
performance level.
Different learning theories and approaches as used for personal and professional development
processes.
By using various learning theories and approaches the personal and professional development
process can be there:
1. Honey & Mumford theory – This theory is associated with different set of activities with
the help of which learning can be done by an individual. It defines that different persons are
having particular learning style. There are four types of approaches for learning:
 Activist – Are of open mind which gets involved by immersing themselves in the learning
situation. Being a marketing manager, I always like to try new things without having pre-
judgemental thinking. It helps in increasing creativity level which in turn helps in
developing more new and innovative ideas and thoughts related to marketing concept.

 Theorist – Always have habit of thinking with full care and logically. Prefer to work with
given model system and not get influenced by emotions while making conclusion. No
assumptions are allowed unless thorough research is conduct (Lewis and et.al., 2016). By
making use of logical thinking, awareness related to commercial products and services can
be created by promoting it on different social media websites such as Tableau, Instagram,
Facebook etc. considering cost factors associated with it as well.
 Pragmatist – Are people which like to apply their practical knowledge and theories for
making experiment and solving problems. Would always like to apply in practical manner
what they had learnt. With the help of regular tracking and monitoring functions, strategies
implemented are assessed for evaluating any changes or modification required if any.
 Reflector – Like to remain out of situation and prefer observation rather than taking active
participation in such problem and decision-making process. Prefer participation in activities
allowing thinking before making any action. After considering which strategies to be
implemented, focus is made on making teamwork more effective and efficient for
betterment of company as a whole.
2. VAK learning theory style – Defines that most people can be bifurcated into three most
preferred learning styles viz.
 Visual – Are categorized as those learners which makes use of visual means for learning. It
includes pictures, slides, power point presentation, diagrams etc. It provides better
understanding to learner and help in retention for long time period. With the help of market
study and research, campaigns, Tableau software fluctuations pertaining to customer
demands and needs are studied and analysed which helps in better decision making process.
 Auditory – Can undertake their learning activities by listening to lectures, seminars,
discussions and meeting for gaining information and knowledge about a particular subject
matter (Meredith, 2016). By making of use of YouTube videos, one can get clear
understanding about which business aspect needs to be considered on top priority for
improving overall performance and profitability situation of the company.
 Kinesthetic – It includes those learners which wants to learn via having some experience
and feeling. Kinesthetic learning can be done by moving, touching and exploring world,
project, experiment and task. Learner can also learn by doing a particular experiment by its
own. From time to time, modification is done related to publication of advertisement and
audience to whom it has to be targetted. It helps in controlling cost associated with
unnecessary business operations and thus increases overall business revenues.

For overcoming weaknesses as identified in with the help of SWOT Analysis, the best
learning theory can be Honey and Mumford one as it relates with different set of activities which
are undertaken by different categories of person under several situations. Weakness of lack of
experience as well as knowledge of Manager can be eradicated with the help of Activist learning
style as it is related with ability of manager to grasp new and better market opportunities which can
adds to profitability level of company.
CONCLUSION
It can be summarized that professional development is considered essential from perspective of
every individual and business firm as it helps in achieving set defined business goals and objectives
in better effective manner. By having sound and effective decision making, responsible and flexible
quality, marketing manager has supported Hilton in attracting more customer base and thus results
in increasing their productivity as well as profitability. With the help of ongoing professional
development programmes, marketing manager is able to have all current market as well as skill
updates which has resulted in increase in profitability as well as production level. Also, it has
resulted in making Hilton capable in acquiring large market as well as customer share as compared
to its competitors with the help of implementation of better improved , creative and innovative
business techniques.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Block, P., 2016. The empowered manager: Positive political skills at work. John Wiley & Sons.
Choy, W. K. and Chua, P. M., 2019. Professional development. In School Leadership and
Educational Change in Singapore (pp. 69-86). Springer, Cham.
Cosenza, R. M. and Taylor, S.L., 2015. Determinant Skills for Developing Effective Marketing
Curriculum. In New Meanings for Marketing in a New Millennium (pp. 7-11). Springer, Cham.
Dimitriadis, N., Ney, J. and Dimitriadis, N. J., 2018. Advanced Marketing Management: Principles,
Skills and Tools. Kogan Page Publishers.
EBRAHIM, M. S. A., 2017. Marketing manager, role development and operations.
Foucault, M. L. and et.al., 2018. Utilisation of an electronic portfolio to engage rehabilitation
professionals in continuing professional development: results of a provincial survey. Disability
and rehabilitation. 40(13). pp.1591-1599.
Grant, J., 2017. The good CPD guide: A practical guide to managed continuing professional
development in medicine. CRC Press.
Holloway, J., 2016. What stakeholder management should learn from sales and marketing. Further
Advances in Project Management: Guided Exploration in Unfamiliar Landscapes (1st. Ed).
New York: Gower Book. p.236.
Koenig, S. P. and Gill, J., 2015. Investigating the uncertainty of new international ventures via
micro marketing discourse research: a case of mixed e-commerce and physical channels.
Lewis, T. J. and et.al., 2016. Training and professional development blueprint for positive
behavioral interventions and supports. National Technical Assistance Center on Positive
Behavior Interventions and Support.
Mazzotti, V. L. and et.al., 2018. Steps for implementing a state-level professional development plan
for secondary transition. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.
41(1). pp.56-62.
Meredith, L., 2016. Multiple marketing plans: an analytical template. Journal of Business &
Industrial Marketing. 31(4). pp.519-530.
Perry, M., 2017. Personal Professional Development Plans. Canadian Journal of Medical
Laboratory Science. 79(1). p.8.

Phadermrod, B., Crowder, R. M. and Wills, G. B., 2019. Importance-performance analysis based
SWOT analysis. International Journal of Information Management. 44. pp.194-203.
Rhode, J., Richter, S. and Miller, T., 2017. Designing personalized online teaching professional
development through self-assessment. TechTrends. 61(5). pp.444-451.
Silbiger, S., 2016. The 10-day MBA: a step-by-step guide to mastering the skills taught in top
business schools. Hachette UK.
Online
Learning styles. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<http://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/preferences/learning-
styles/>.
Marketing Manager Skills, Qualifications & Responsibilities. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.businessphrases.net/marketing-manager-skills/>.