Professional Development Report: Thomas Cook and Professional Identity

This report delves into the realm of professional development, examining key aspects within the context of Thomas Cook, a travel company. It begins by outlining the key benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders, emphasizing its role in enhancing efficiency, building confidence, and improving employee retention. The report then analyzes professional employer expectations regarding skills and competencies, particularly focusing on customer service roles. The author evaluates their own abilities, skills, and competencies for a customer executive role, providing a self-assessment. Additionally, the report explores relevant learning theories and approaches, such as cognitive and social learning theories, and concludes with a proposed development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies, incorporating insights from a job interview process. The report references various academic sources to support its findings.

Professional Identity
and Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................4
P1 Key benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders..................4
P2 Analyse professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within a specific
organisation............................................................................................................................6
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................7
P3 Evaluate own abilities, skills and competences for a particular job role..........................7
P4 Learning theories and approaches.....................................................................................8
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................9
P5 Development plan to heighten chosen skills and competencies.......................................9
TASK 4 .........................................................................................................................................10
P6 Undertake a job interview...............................................................................................10
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an interview process......................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1
Learning and Teaching: Theories, Approaches and Models. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304119354_Learning_and_Teaching_Theories_Appr
oaches_and_Models>.......................................................................................................................2

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity is a set of different attitudes, beliefs and understanding about a
person's professional role. It refers to one's self perception in context to the profession. It is the
identity which is created and developed with the help of persons motives, experience and beliefs
as it aid in defining oneself within the society. On the other hand, professional practice is the
application of skills, capabilities and knowledge used by individuals within their profession. It
also refers to the manner where people behave at the workplace. For understanding this in a
deeper manner, Thomas Cook has been chosen in this report, which is a Travel Company (Barley
and Kunda, 2016). The company was established in the year 2007 by merging two companies
which are Thomas Cook AG and MyTravel Group plc. In the present report key benefits of
ongoing professional development for various stakeholders will be discussed. In addition to this,
this report involves one's skills, competencies as well as various learning theories are going to
be covered. At last, this report includes personal development plan with the help of interview
process.
TASK 1
P1 Key benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders
Company's Summary:
In the present report, Thomas Cook has been chosen as the base company. It is a well
known British Travel and Tourism Company, which started its operation in the year 1841.
Company provide range of various types of services to its customers. Thomas Cook travel
company provide its services to customers in UK and Europe and is a public limited company
with the revenue of £ 9548 million. Various products and services offered by the company
includes resort, holiday packages, cruise lines, hotels, charter and many more. According to the
needs and requirements of customers, Thomas Cook provide “ pick and mix” approach to them.
For gaining the competitive advantages at the market place, management team of the company
plan to launch various upgraded services. These services includes, check the availability on both
online and offline mode, and launch express check-in as well as provide online shops so that
customers can customize the package according to their requirements. Thomas Cook mainly
focuses on selling high quality experiences which will aid them in generating high returns. Thus,

for gaining high competitive advantages, it is very essential for the management team of Thomas
Cook to provide regular professional development programmes for their stakeholders.
Different key benefits for stakeholders:
In order to gain competitive advantages within the workplace, continuous professional
development aid the individual of company, by maintaining their overall skills and competencies
related to their professions. It is very essential as this is related with the past experiences of an
individual faced by them and provide training to eliminate their weaknesses. Various key
benefits are discussed below which is related with the development programmes.
 Improve Efficiency- With the help of continuous professional development programmes,
individuals can enhance their skills as well as develop new skills which will aid them in
increasing the efficiency. In addition to this, Thomas Cook provides various opportunities
to their staff members by learning new skills during training sessions. As a result,
improved efficiency helps in enhancing the productivity of the company.
 Build Confidence And Credibility- In reference to the Thomas Cook, regular
development of company is necessary in order to making strong relationships with the
other people in the organisation so that this process enhance the confidence of an
employee's by which they can finish their work within the given period of time in the
company. With the help of this the employee's of Thomas Cook, are able to increase their
knowledge and skills as well as working activities. Therefore, it maximises the firm's
productivity and service quality within the marketplace.
 Increases Retention- In the present world, employee's of any organisation can get lots of
benefits like professional development programmes etc. in reference to the Thomas
Cook, they are applying this strategy for their employee's in order to enhance their
professional development to staying in company for long period of time(Bruss and
Kopala, 2013).
 Easy Succession Planning- The professional developing plan helps a lot of Thomas
Cook, managers in order to make effective successful plan for their workers in the
organisation for their effective development. Thomas Cook developed plan to maximise
their employee's growth which helps to minimise the gap between knowledge and skills
at higher level. It also helps manager in order to conduct training and development
programme in a proper way.

 Reenergizes Staff- In order to conduct training and development programme helps
employee's to learn something with the help of different sessions and topic in the
company. If each employee will get timely training and development process than they
can easily enhance their working value in front of the manager in Thomas Cook.
P2 Analyse professional employer expectations of skills and competencies within a specific
organisation
According to the present scenario, it has been described that lots of organisation have
some kind of expectations from their employee's in order to achieve their effective targeted goals
in an effective manner. In context with the Thomas Cook, as this company comes under the
sector of travel and tourism business which mainly concentrate on their revenue, sales and profit
in order to enhance them in a effective time. But this is only depends upon the employee's of an
organisation because of their performance. This company also communicate directly with their
consumer's as well as employee's in order to motivated them. Therefore, every employee of this
company should have great communication skills with positive attitude to accomplish the needs
of customer's. On the basis of this employee's can be retained for long time in organisation
effectively.
Therefore, this can be said that, with the help of this employee's are able to enhance their
working experience and knowledge in the company. According to the Thomas Cook, their
employee's are needed to have this kind of skills to influence customer's in a positive way. There
are some points in relation with the skills of employee's to convince customer's. Given below:
Positive behaviour: In the profile of customer's executive they should have proper
positive attitude so their can feel free to ask any query and it will solved their problem in a
proper way (Bainbridge, 2016). At the same time, the employer's of Thomas Cook is also
looking for this kind of job profile for their applicant in order to achieve competitive advantages
effectively. Now Thomas Cook have customer executive with the good behaviour so that they
can easily understand their work as well as give positive response to them.
Problem solving skills: As per this skills employers from Thomas Cook are always
expecting from their employee's that they can easily solve their customer's issues and problems
in the travel and tourism context. Along with this, employee's must have the skills to make
effective decision in the competitive environment. On the behalf of customer executive all

individuals should have proper problem solving skills by which they can satisfy their customer's
in the specific time framework.
Proper communication: According to this employee's of Thomas Cook should have
effective communication skills in order to fulfil the task in the organisation. It will increase the
communication of customers executive to achieve effective advantages.
TASK 2
P3 Evaluate own abilities, skills and competences for a particular job role
As per the above discussion job profile which is customers executive for company that is
Thomas Cook. They are needed to have large number of skills, abilities and competencies. On
the time I am able to know that I got selected for the customers executive job profile in the
Thomas Cook. Along with this I can determine my weaknesses in which I have to be improved.
As per the current scenario, I have recognised that each and every individual have effective
communication and problem solving skills as well as they are having positive attitude in order to
change their company scenario for some new changes. During the time of proper analysation I
can find out my differences as per the other people and having expectation from the employers of
Thomas Cook. It will helps me a lot in order to take effective decision for the company and it
also increase my knowledge skills and capabilities to achieve my goals.
Now the Thomas Cook is looking ahead for the customers executive job profile in their
working place to make their company effective. So that I would like to tell that I am going to fill
this applicant space as a customers executive within the Thomas Cook. It will help me a lot to
enhance my skills and knowledge at better way. So that it will be fruitful for an employee's as
well as companies (Chamberlayne and Bornat, 2014). There are some skills and assessment of
skills, are given below:
S No. Capable in: Score Desired ratings to
fulfill requirements
of Thomas Cook
Strength (positive
numbering) & Weakness
(Negative numbering)
1 Problem Solving 7 8 -1 (Weakness)
2 Communication 6 4 2 (Strength)

3 Presentation 5 6 -1 (Weakness)
4 Time Management 5 8 3 (Strength)
5 Interpersonal Skills 6 9 3 (Strength)
P4 Learning theories and approaches
Learning theories and approaches are helpful for improving the professional and personal
skills which is needed to follow in the Thomas Cook, are given below:
Cognitive approach- It is based on the psychological theory which determines the
thinking of the people. In reference to the Thomas Cook, manager of this company opt several
things in order to understood consumer's mind and their views. This selected company always
prefer this theory in order to increase the productivity of firm. On the basis of this employee's
controlled and manage their work for fulfil the consumer's needs and wants to attract them
effectively.
Social learning theory- As per this, persons have ability to learn from other's in the
organisation like positive attitude, problem solving etc. in regards with Thomas Cook, they
always used this theory in order to check their manager's and employee's behaviours and than
this condition will enhance the performance of their workers. Therefore, this is helpful theory for
this company and able to achieve their objectives.
Humanistic learning approach- It reduces the work load from the behaviour of
employee's in the organisation. As per this, Thomas Cook managers are capable to define the
capabilities of their team members as well as employee's that they can easily implemented their
plan in the organisation within will help them to achieve their targeted goals particularly.
Behaviourist approach: This is the another theory which is based on the lots of ideas
and thoughts needed by the each and every employee who are able to perform effectively in
order to learn something in a positive way. In reference to the Thomas Cook, they are applying
this approach on their marketing systems to make their business effectively (Crocket, 2014).

TASK 3
P5 Development plan to heighten chosen skills and competencies
Development plan is the process of making effective plan on the behalf of goals, values,
norms an so on. All these factors concentrate on the developing plan in addition with career,
education as well as self assessment. In order to make effective development plan which can be
prepared by the combination of various strategies, goals, objectives in order to achieve my own
values and norms that will helps me a lot to fix my goals within the given period of time. It will
improve my personal skills and influence people in the Thomas Cook in order to enhance their
sales and revenue in a proper way. There are development plan has been developed ,which is
given below:
Skills Required Activities Resources Time Changes
Required
Communicat
ion Skill
To enhance and increase
my communication
skills it is necessary for
me to interact more and
more with people. Along
with this, I can take
languages classes as
well.
Required resources
are inclusive of
reading different
books, direct
communication
with more and more
individuals and
other necessary
resources.
For
improvement
in
communicate
skills the
time duration
required is 3
months
As I am introvert
in nature, it is
required for me to
increase and
build my level of
confidence so that
I can
communicate
easily.
Time
Managemen
t Skill
Time management skills
are very much essential
so it will be necessary
for me to set time frame
for completion of my
tasks that I might
perform at Thomas
Cook (Edwards and
To increase my
skills it is necessary
for me to
effectively manage
my work along with
this I can use
stopwatch and take
help from others for
To effectively
enhance and
improve this
skill it is
important for
me to do it in
3 business
months.
Changes can take
place with the
help of others and
following idol
individuals as to
know how they
manage their work
and do

Dirette, 2010). completion of
objectives.
accordingly.
Problem
Solving
Skill
To overcome and
increase this skill I can
utilise my own critical
thinking and
interpersonal skills
which can help in
developing favourable
conditions.
To improve my
problem solving
skills case study,
training and
development,
aptitude test,
simulation
reasoning and many
can assist me in
overcoming
solutions to my
problems.
I am required
to improvise
my problem
solving skills
within 5
months of
time period.
I should focus on
effective decision
making in proper
time frame by
ensuring that all
necessary things
are available with
me to find
solutions to my
problems.
TASK 4
P6 Undertake a job interview
Interview is the better way of communication between one or two people in which some
questions arises and answer are given by the employee. Interview process is based on the
different stages of interview effectively. There are different type of stages in the starting time of
interview for customers executives in order to select appropriate candidates in the Thomas Cook
company. In regards with the Manager of this selected organisation conduct interview for the
making opportunities in a proper way (Elman, Illfelder-Kaye and Robiner, 2015). If I got offer
latter from there than it can be possible that I can get large number of opportunities in future.
Because this company operates their business globally with good image in the people's mind.
Some time it might be possible that I can face new challenges and issues in the environment. But
whenever I cracked this I am able to know the lots of things in the company. If I cracked few
rounds of interview so that can be possible that for next round I have to be very prepare and I

also need to improve my skills in which I do not feel good to speak in front of others. Therefore,
all these are necessary aspect for the selection and finally I directly selected for the customers
executive job profile in the Thomas Cook organisation.
Apart from this, my big strength is that I have lots of knowledge about current affairs
which will helps me a lot in order to getting the job of customers executive for the future
opportunities. Before, coming in the interview some questions had been asked to me in order to
check my confidence and confidence in regards with work. Which are given below:
Interview Questions
Q1. Describe yourself in brief ?
Q2. What attracted you to apply for this job position?
Q3. What will you do to make company more successful ?
Q4. Describe a situation where you influenced or motivated people in previous organisation?
Q5. Are you having knowledge about HR policies of the organisation ?
Q6. Which factor influenced you to leave your current job ?
Q7. what package of salary are you looking for ?
Q8. How will you face any adverse situation in case of uncertainties ?
Q9. Are you having any future goals ?
Q10. Share some of your best experiences related to your life ?
P7 Review key strengths and weaknesses of an interview process
Strength of interview process- It is the most attractive or effective skills which is
applied at the time of interview when I was so confident and have good patience level. I was
giving answer at higher level in order to achieve the customer executive profile by which
interviewer can easily check my ability to work in the organisation. This process shoes my
presence in front of the interviewer in a good manner (Grubenmann and Meckel, 2017). Just
because I have applied for the post of customer executive in which interviewer was able to
accept my post in a positive manner. Along with this he was also impressed to me by strong
skills as I gave answer very instantly and develop relationship with him in a proper way all
theses aspects affects positively on their mind. This is all because I have attended few interviews

so that now I am able to give interview without any issues that's why this is my strength which
influence people positively.
Weakness of interview process- As I was already know that there are some fact in
which some questions can be tricky which was asked in the interview process. During the time of
interview I was little bit feel shy and thinking about the future objectives in a proper manner. So
some times, I loose my mind and little bit afraid from the interview process so that influenced
my interview process. Therefore, my weakness is heavily impacted on me and I was not able to
give proper answer in a perfect way (Miller, 2018). Therefore, I need to improve my habits and I
have to develop my more and more skills in a good way so that I can increase my value in front
of others as well as in the organisation in an effective manner.