Professional Identity and Practice Report - Skills and Competencies

This report delves into the realm of professional identity and practice, focusing on the hospitality sector, specifically Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts. It begins by exploring the benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders, including employers and employees, highlighting the importance of up-to-date knowledge and intrinsic motivation. The report then investigates the essential skills and competencies expected of managers, such as communication, positive attitude, team building, and delegation. A self-assessment of the author's abilities, skills, and competencies is conducted, followed by a review of learning theories like behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, Kolb's learning cycle, and social learning theory, and their relevance to personal and professional growth. Finally, a personal development plan is constructed to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a work context, alongside a simulated job interview analysis, providing a comprehensive overview of professional development in the service industry. This report is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools and resources for students.

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.................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P3 Assess own abilities, skills and competences for a specific job role.....................................3
P4 Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes................................................................................................................4
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................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Professional Identity is defined as the meaning or even set of meaning that how any of
the individual is required to describe themselves in terms of professional context. It is necessary
because it helps to gain additional benefit in marketplace because of positive work identity. In
this project, chosen organisation is Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts. It was founded in the year
1970 whereas its headquarter is in Denham, United Kingdom. There are number of sections
which will be covered in this file. Starting with on going process development and self directing.
In second task, discussion will be of own skills and competences. Also, Personal development
Plan will also be prepared for the purpose of achieving the targets. In fourth task, there will be
the demonstration on a range of services and skills for job application.
TASK 1
P1) Examine the key benefits of ongoing professional development for different stakeholders
within the organisation
Overview of Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts
It is one of the hospitality sector industry, which is dealing in around 50 different
countries where they have 400 hotels. They main concept of Crown Plaza is to deliver the
services to its customer in different part of the world. It has been one of the most successful
company as it delivers the best form of services to it customers and tries to find the appropriate
way through which they can improve there work performance in future (Crown Plaza Hotels &
Resorts, 2019).
Ongoing Professional Development
It is one of the most important concept for any of the employer as provide the guidelines
to individual that how they are required to work within the organisation. It is necessary because
it helps to learn something new on every single day through which individual is able to achieve
its targets and goals. Here, employee's of Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts get better opportunity to
earn new ideas and skills through which they can easily achieve their milestone. The most
important things in this process is that various skills do get developed which provides additional
benefit to the company. As, on going professional development program is very helpful for both
employee's and employer of Crown Plaza Hotel, so some of the benefits have been discussed
below:
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Benefit for employers: On going development process is one of the most effective
concept for the employer of Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts because it helps them to understand
the situation and take the best alternate decision for the benefit of organisation. Even it is useful
because it helps employer to find best candidate who can help to accomplish the goal of
organisation. In addition, it is also helpful in context of employer because it gives them the idea
regarding the efforts of employee's towards the organisation which helps to retain employee's for
longer period of time.
 Up to date knowledge: Here, employer is willing that any of the employee's who are
working within the company needs to have proper knowledge about each and every field
through which goals and objective of company can be easily accomplished (Cooke,
2012).
Benefit for employees: It is necessary for Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts that they must
provide various kind of benefits to their workers through which they can be motivated. Some of
the benefits for employee's are:
 Intrinsic motivation: It is necessary that organisation must give qualitative working
environment which will help them to perform better for the organisation. Better working
environment Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts will be beneficial for the organisation.
P2 Investigate professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within the
organisation
It is always necessary for any of the employer that their employee's must complete the
task which have been assigned to them but it is never easy to complete them without having
some of the essential skills because they help them to provide guidelines. The role of manager of
Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts is to have knowledge in different filed. Here, manager of the
organisation will have to take responsibility for planning, coordinating and marketing and all
other relevant activity which are required to be conducted within the organisation. Some of the
essential skills and competencies which are required within the manager of the company are
explained below:
 Communication Skills: It is necessary for the manager of Crown Plaza Hotel they must
be able to do proper communication with subordinates and customers who visits the hotel
(Eteläpelto and et. al., 2014). This is one of the main skills through which any of the
issues can be solved which arises among the customers. Communication skills will help
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organisation to implement new changes if it is required. Also, it will help manager to
guide their subordinates that how given responsibilities can be easily fulfilled.
 Positive attitude: Every person should have the positive attitude towards their work as it
helps to achieve any of the predetermined targets on particular time period. In context of
Crown Plaza Hotels, their manager must have positive attitude towards their work
because it will be the key factor to motivate their subordinates. Even if any of the
problem arises among the customer then positive attitude will be very helpful because
better solution will be always available with manager (Johnson, and et. al., 2012).
 Team building: Whenever business is being commenced the most important thing which
is observed is that how best team can be built because that will be the key factor to
achieve the desire goals on time. In terms of manager of Crown Plaza Hotels, their
manager will have the responsibility to built the teams which have proper knowledge to
guide the customer of hotel. It is also important for them because it helps to develop
peaceful relationship among all the member of Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts.
 Delegation of task: When any of the person visit any of the place, it is necessary for the
authorised person to provide all the relevant information to them, so that they accomplish
there targets easily. In context of Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts, it is necessary for the
manager to delegate the task to each and every employee's by considering their
capabilities. It is helpful because roles and responsibility will be known to the employee's
which they are required to perform (Oliver, 2013).
TASK 2
P3 Assess own abilities, skills and competences for a specific job role
For any of the individual, it is important for them to know about themselves because that
will help them to know what are their major skills and where they are required to improve in
future. As, I want to work in Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts, it is necessary for to find what are
those essential skills which might help me and my organisation and how much I am required to
improve. Personal skills audit have been conducted below which will be beneficial for me:
Personal skill audit
Learning Skills
Skills:
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
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Proper Communication
Positive Attitude
Competencies:
Team building
Delegation of task
Abilities:
Problem solving
Leadership
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10
10
10
10
5
7
9
4
3
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From the above mentioned skill audit I have understood and found the actual abilities of
mine and the area where I need to improve in future. The area in which I have the major problem
is Problem solving, Delegating of task and also communication and it is necessary for me to
being some of the changes in this areas.
Some of the strength and weaknesses of mine which are listed below:
Strength Weaknesses
 I am one of the person who is self
motivated after achieving the targets.
 I am good at motivating others and that
can help play crucial role in any of the
organisation.
 I do not have better communication
skill which create lots of problem for
me.
 I am unable to delegate the task among
the subordinates as I do not have proper
communication skills.
 I am unable to resolve the problem
which are creates because of minor
issue.
P4 Review a range of learning theories and approaches used for personal and professional
development processes
Once skill and abilities are judged it is important for me as a manager of Crown Plaza
Hotels and Resorts that I must try to learn some of the learning theories as there is high
possibilities that I can improve myself in many of the areas in upcoming period.
 Behaviourism: This theory is directly connected with the behaviour of individual. It tells
that how person is required to behave with other people (Clark, 2014). As working in the
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capacity of manger in Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts, it is the most important task for me
to improve in many of the sector where I need to improve my skills and ability through
which I can easily helps organisation to achieve its desire goals and targets. In this
particular theory I am required to do the same task again and again through which
chances of mistake will reduce automatically. Even manager will be able to perform its
task easily in future which will enhance the result of company.
 Cognitivism: Here, individual are required to motivate by their own by trying to adopt
changes or learn any of the new content which is helpful. In context of manager of Crown
Plaza Hotels & Resorts, he will be benefited from this theory because skills will be
improved. This will help the company in achieving its target on time (Izadinia, 2013).
 Constructivism: Under Constructivism theory, individual is required to develop new
plans and ideas with the help of past performance. Here, manager of Crown Plaza Hotel
is required to attain various seminar as that will help them to learn new things through
which any of the problem can be solved easily.
 Kolb's learning cycle: In this theory, four different stages are considered for learning
and they are explained below:
◦ Experience: Past experience within the job helps individual to learn new things.
Here, manager is required to have different analysis on the working policies which
they have adopted.
◦ Reflect: In this, past performance is required to be understood in detail.
◦ Conceptualise: Manager of Crown Plaza is required to judge past and present
situation through which better ideas and plans are developed.
◦ Plan: In this, manager of Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts is required to use his all of
experience in present scenario for the purpose of obtaining better results in future
(Trede and McEwen, 2012).
 Social learning theory: It is one of the concept which tells that individual can easily
learn new behaviour by the process of observing relevant facts and information. In
context of Crown Plaza Hotels and Resorts, manager can easily observe other
subordinates that how effectively they are working and if it is relevant then they can
adopt that method within the premisses of hotel.
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TASK 3
P5 Construct a development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific
work context
Personal Development Plan is explained as the structure process through which action
plan of individual's learning, performance and achievement is developed (Professional
Development, 2018). It is essential because it tells that how people need to improve and what
time duration is required in it. Below Personal Development Plan have been prepared which will
help to provide the guidelines that how skills can be improved in future.
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
Communication 3 months (short term
goals)
In this, I need to
improve myself by
reading newspaper, try
to attain more seminars
and also focusing more
on interaction program
with other.
Once, I have
completed my
work period by
involving myself
into different field
I found that I have
improved a lot due
to which I am able
to give guidance to
my subordinates.
Problem solving 6 months (Medium
term goals)
Here, I should try to
understand the main
problem in beginning
as that will help me
more. Also, trying to
focus on case studies
It has helped me
the most as I am
able to solve any of
the issues which
arises within the
company at any
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will help. period of time.
Delegating the task 12 months (Long
Term Goals)
It is one of the most
important
responsibility for any
of the manager and for
that I need to focus on
the decisions which are
being taken by my
seniors. Also, I can
read different articles
related to distribution
of work among the
member of
organisation.
It is helping in
current situation
because now I am
capable of
understanding the
situation and
people and that is
helping me to
delegate the right
work to right
candidate.
TASK 4
P6 Undertake a job interview for a suitable service industry role
It is the situation where number of authorised person is required to do interaction with
applicant for the purpose of finding the best candidate within the organisation. In this, various
rounds are conducted in which different questions are asked with individuals and that is the way
through which it is checked that person is suitable or not (Valentino and Reardon, 2015). There
is a lengthy process that is required to be followed in it. Below, detail description about Job
description and interview process have been mention:
Job Specification
Company: Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts
Job title: Manager
Qualification: Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Location: Denham, United Kingdom
Job Summary:
As company is one of the leading brand in hospitality sector and in order to enhance the
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performance of organisation additional number of manger is required who can handle every
situation in hotel.
Roles: Should have knowledge about hospitality industry
Able to handle the issues in company.
Desirable criteria: Experience of 1 year
Curriculum Vitae
Name: ABC
Address: A402, opposite to civil mall, UK
Phone no: 2597544444
Carrier objective: Wants to explore myself in that organisation which tries to provide different
opportunity.
Academic qualifications: MBA
Experience: Worked for 2 years in Flemings Mayfair
Personal skills:
Able to solve any of the conflicts easily
Declaration: All the above information are true and fair.
By considering all of the above information, ABC had also tried to apply for the
interview in Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts. The conversation between HR manager and ABC is
mentioned below in detail.
Interviewee : May I come I Sir?
Interviewer: Sure
Interviewee: Good afternoon sir.
Interviewer: Good afternoon and take a seat.
Interviewer: Tell me about your self.
Interviewee: Yes sir. I am from the field of commerce where I had completed my MBA with
distinction. I am working with Flemings Mayfair since last 2 years.
Interviewer: Tell me about your strength?
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Interviewee: I am capable of dealing any of the situation and were my positive attitude always
helps my subordinates to perform better.
Interviewer: Thank you for giving the time to our company. Please wait outside, we will inform
you as soon as possible.
Interviewee: Okay sir. Thank you.
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an applied interview process
The interview process which was conducted in Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts was good
but every interview do have some positives and negative. Some of the strength and weaknesses
of that particular interview is explained below:
 Strength: It was one of the better interview process which is being conducted within
Crown Plaza Hotel & Resorts. The process of asking the question were same as other.
There was face to face communication which is one of the must suitable form of
conducting interview (Wald and et. al., 2015). The reason behind its suitability is simple
that company is able to collect various information in it. In addition, the main benefit of
this types of interview is that applicant do feel comfortable to share every single
information that can be helpful.
 Weaknesses: The main drawback of this types of interview is that applicant is able to
change its mindset for short period of time. This types of interview do have strong facts
that the information which has been shared is true or not. The main reason behind all this
problem is impression that non of the applicant want to loose in front of interviewer. In
addition, this types of interview incurred more amount of money as it need to be
conducted for longer period of time (Basturkmen, 2014).
Here, it is can be said that Crown Plaza Hotel & Resort do have the option to change its
plan and policies through which they can reduces the time and cost. Also, they will have better
option to find right candidate for the company.
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CONCLUSION
In the lights of above discussed report, it can be understood that professional
development is one of the crucial topic that need to be understood by any of the individual
through which skills can be improved. Number of learning theories are there through which
person can learn that how they need to cover those area where they are lacking knowledge. PDP
can be one of the great option through which skills can be enhance as targets are set and that
need to be achieved in specific time period. Any of the organisation is required to find the best
possible way through which they can select the best candidates in future with minimum cost.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Basturkmen, H., 2014. Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. Routledge.
Clark, P. G., 2014. Narrative in interprofessional education and practice: implications for
professional identity, provider–patient communication and teamwork. Journal of
Interprofessional Care. 28(1). pp.34-39.
Cooke, N.A., 2012. Professional development 2.0 for librarians: Developing an online personal
learning network (PLN).Library Hi Tech News. 29(3). pp.1-9.
Eteläpelto and et. al., 2014. Identity and agency in professional learning. In International
handbook of research in professional and practice-based learning (pp. 645-672).
Springer, Dordrecht.
Izadinia, M., 2013. A review of research on student teachers' professional identity. British
Educational Research Journal. 39(4), pp.694-713.
Johnson, M., and et.al ., 2012. Professional identity and nursing: contemporary theoretical
developments and future research challenges. International nursing review. 59(4),
pp.562-569.
Oliver, C., 2013. Social workers as boundary spanners: Reframing our professional identity for
interprofessional practice. Social Work Education. 32(6). pp.773-784.
Trede, F. and McEwen, C., 2012. Developing a critical professional identity. In Practice-based
education. (pp. 27-40). SensePublishers, Rotterdam.
Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F., 2015. Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed
to serve English learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency. Educational
Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 37(4). pp.612-637.
Wald, H. S. and et. al., 2015. Professional identity formation in medical education for
humanistic, resilient physicians: pedagogic strategies for bridging theory to practice.
Academic Medicine. 90(6). pp.753-760.
Online
Professional Development, 2018. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.inc.com/joel-
trammell/10-ways-to-maximize-your-professional-development.html >
Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/gb/en/reservation>
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