Professional Development and Skills Assessment at Thomas Cook

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of professional identity and practice within the context of Thomas Cook, a leading travel and tourism company. It begins by discussing the benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders within the organization, emphasizing its role in building confidence, enhancing team contributions, and improving service delivery. The report then explores the skills and competencies expected by Thomas Cook for an Assistant Manager position, highlighting the importance of listening, communication, self-motivation, decision-making, and accountability. The author assesses their own skills and competencies for the Assistant Manager role, identifying strengths in listening and counseling abilities, while acknowledging areas for improvement in communication and decision-making. Furthermore, the report delves into the learning theories and approaches adopted by Thomas Cook, particularly social constructivism and behaviorism, to foster personal and professional development. The report also includes a formulated development plan and job interview questions, and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the applied interview process, providing valuable insights into the candidate's self-assessment and career development strategies.

Professional Identity and
Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1) Discuss the key benefits of ongoing professional development for distinguished
stakeholders within a particular organization........................................................................1
P2) Organization or employer's expectations of skills and competencies within a particular
organizational context............................................................................................................3
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................4
P3) Assess own skills, competences and abilities for Assistant manger post in Thomas Cook.
................................................................................................................................................4
P4) Throw-light on the learning theories and approaches adopted for personal and
professional development processes.......................................................................................6
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................6
P5) Formulate a development plan.........................................................................................6
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................8
P6) Frame job interview questions.........................................................................................8
Proof of Interview are covered in Appendix..........................................................................8
P7) Throw-light on Strengths and weaknesses of applied interview process......................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Professional identity can be defined as value, attitude, motivates, belief and experience
through which particular individual is able to define themselves in both personal and
professional life. Professional identity aids particular person to grow and develop in the open
market. Over the years this can be improved in an individual and accordingly can be nourished
which is a positive sign. This report is based on Thomas Coo which is a successful leading
business in travel and tourism sector. Here, this assignment covers, benefits of ongoing
professional development for various stakeholders. Also, investigate skills and competences of
of professional employer. Moreover, learning theories and approaches are reviewed adopted in
professional development processes. However, design a job interview and focus on strengths and
weaknesses applied in interview process (Broadhead, 2017). Additionally, formulate a
development plan to improve the loop holes prevailing in skills and competences within a
specific work.
LO 1
P1) Discuss the key benefits of ongoing professional development for distinguished stakeholders
within a particular organization.
PPD (personal or professional development) can be defined as formal means through that
individual while working with seniors, teachers and mentor formulate objectives, tactics and
results of learning and training. Here, the set standards, plans and outcomes vary from person to
person. It is important to perform PPD as it aid to grow learning throughout career development.
Thomas Cook is a leading multinational travel and tourism business running successfully
across the boundaries. Business associates work day and night in order to meet the emerging
needs of the customers. Organization focus on coming up with innovative idea in the cut throat
competitive world so that set objectives can be achieved respectively. It's headquarter is in
London United Kingdom and are operating in 70 countries across the globe. Organization is
providing unique tour packages to their potential customers due to which loyal and trustworthy
customers are build for longer time duration. Thomas Cook business is growing at a rapid scale
because of their innovative strategic alliance carried out in the competitive world. The staff
members working in this company are skilled and competent enough in order to gain competitive
1

advantages against rivalry. However, they are working towards milestones for creating huge
employment opportunities so that economy of the nation can be upgraded at a large scale
(Brooks, 2016).
The other name of On-going professional development is continuous professional
development which are related to the process of tracking as well as documenting skills,
experience as well as knowledge which can be gained in both formal and informal way.
However, Thomas Cook provides effective training and development to their workers so that
their existing, competences, skills, abilities, knowledge and capabilities can be enriched
according to the requirement of the competitive environment. Moreover, there are distinguished
benefits of on-going development which are discussed as follows:
 On-going professional development builds confidence in staff members by which they
can easily handle customers, investors, suppliers and so on.
 This assist individual person personnel in order to make meaningful contribution in
working of team. Hence, it result in generating more profits by meeting the emerging
needs of the customers (Cruess and Steinert, 2016).
 On-going development directly or indirectly aid in upgrading Thomas Cook Staff
members capabilities, skills and knowledge in effective manner so that they can deliver
professional services to customers and make them satisfied by their offerings .
Therefore, on-going professional skills proved to be effective or beneficial in perspective of
several stake holders in the open market. Additionally, this results in generating huge revenue
for Thomas Cook by satisfying emerging needs, demands and preferences of the customers.
P2) Organization or employer's expectations of skills and competencies within a particular
organizational context.
While hiring employees in an organization the top level management excepted to have
certain skills and competences in an applicant. The skills and requirements varies from post to
position in the market. Thomas Cook except certain skills and knowledge from their shortlisted
candidate so that right nominee gets selected for the vacant post. Due to which best results and
set objectives are achieved in the cut throat competitive world . If according to skills and
capabilities and knowledge participant is hired then directly it leads to increase in productivity
2

level in the global market. As well as raises firm's goodwill and market value in the eyes of the
customers. Here, the employers excepted skills and competences are explained as follows:
 Applicant should be good listener as person working at the post of Assistant Manger need
to tackle all short of issues from minor to major. So that smooth functioning of the
business can take place. This skills and competences should be there in the candidate so
that workers can easily and clearly share their problems without hesitation. Due to which
potential employees can be retained for longer timer period (Cyrino, 2016).
 Effective communication is another skills and competences which is mandatory for
Assistant Manager post. So that selected participant can easily transfer relevant
information among the staff members working under one roof. By doing so set standards
of Thomas Cook and emerging needs of customers can be full-filled respectively.
 Self motivation skills are necessary to be there in the nominee applied for Assistant
Manger Post in the open market. Holding this skills in an individual directly assist the
individual to motivate workers in order to perform effectively and efficiently in the cut
throat competitive world.
 Decision making capability should be there in nominee applying for the post of Assistant
Manager. Having this skills is a plus mark employees able to take best decision in
adverse conditions results in smooth functioning of the business activities. By doing so
floor activities are handled effectively by the manger.
 Assistant Manager should be accountable and responsible in it's ground. Employee
holding this skills will be beneficial for firm as well. In any conditions weather success or
failure candidate withholds it's responsibility for the assigned work will be a positive sign
for other subordinates working in the firm.
Here, are some of the expected skills and competences which are expected by Thomas Cook
from their applicant applied for the post of Assistant Manger. By doing so the set objectives and
workforce performance can be accomplished in the set time frame in the intense competitive
market.
3

LO 2
P3) Assess own skills, competences and abilities for Assistant manger post in Thomas Cook.
This is my first interview in Thomas Cook for the post of Assistant Manger. I am quite
interested to join the job role of Assistant Manger in leading multinational travel and tourism
firm (Hammond and Moore,2016). The task is to mange all the activities of the management of
Thomas Cook effectively as well as grow and develop the firm accordingly. As I received a call
from Thomas Cook Human Resource department I decided to pursue this job post in this
renowned company. Who is serving it's services across the nation and is capturing huge market
ratio in the competitive market place. This a great opportunity for me to grow my career and
skills in a positive manner in the neck to neck competition prevailing in the market.
The HR of Thomas Cook was quite happy with my credentials and personality which I
have build over the years. Being a part of this leading travel and tourism industry will be a plus
point in my further career growth in the open market. I was very excited for the Assistant
Manger role in Thomas Cook and stared preparing for it so that I can bit the interview process.
But I investigated that I lack in some of the skills, abilities, applicabilities and knowledge which
are mandatory in an individual while being a part of this vacant post. So is examined all the
necessary skills and abilities which I gained during by education time (Ivanova and Skara 2016).
For my long career growth, it is necessary for me to evaluate my own skills, competencies or
ability for which a chart is designed which is discussed as follows:
S. no Skills and
competencies
Rating 1 Rating 2 Rating 3 Rating 4
1 Interventions
skills
a. Conflict
management
x
b. Counselling
skills
x
c. Empathic
Relationship
x
2 Interpersonal
Skills
4

a. Oral
communicatio
n skills
x
b. Listening
ability
x
c. Decision
making
x
d. Problem
solving skills
x
Here, rating 1 classified as very poor, rating 2 is termed as poor, rating 3 is stated as good
and the left over rating 4 is considered as excellent. Candidate having X sign in rating 4 are
considered as very excellent and does not require any improvements. While, X mark having in
rating 1 and 2 refers to as skills need to be improved as they are very weak.
What find positive for me: After examining the chart of own skills and competences I
found that my listening and counselling abilities are quite good enough. This skills, abilities and
capabilities will be helping me growing my career over the years.
The respective skills where I need to improve: Looking at the chart I came to known
that I lack in communication and decision making skills. This are mandatory skills needed for the
post of Assistant Manger in Thomas Cook. In order to overcome this skills there is requirement
to plan a professional development plan. As Through PDP weaknesses in skills can be improved
over the years in the market place. In order to perform effectively in Thomas Cook I need to
upgrade my communication and decision making skills so that best outcomes can be attained.
Additional, to this better understanding of learning theory is important to effectively understand
the recommendation over learning style (Jackson, 2016).
P4) Throw-light on the learning theories and approaches adopted for personal and professional
development processes.
The learning theories and approaches adopted by Thomas Cook in order to uplift
professional and personal development process are explained as follows:
Social Constructivism: Thomas Cook is adopting this theories and approaches in their
working premises so that employees can grow professionally and personally by interacting with
other people socially. The other name of social constructivism is sociological theory of
5

knowledge. According to this aspects workers skills can be nourished by interacting with other
members at a large scale. By doing so employees of Thomas Cook will perform much better
then earlier which will directly or indirectly affect their career growth in the near future. Also,
productivity and profitability volume uplift at a tremendous scale in the open market.
Behaviourism: Here, in this case staff members enrich their skills, competences, abilities
and capabilities by facing situation within the working premises. This is well known by other
name which is behaviour psychology as it is based on behaviour attained within working
environment. The skilled and potential staff members of Thomas Cook upgrade their personal
and professional skill by being a part of tough situation in the premises. Additionally,
behaviourist trust or believes that response to external internal environment assist to configure
action of workers accordingly in the cut throat competitive world (Novakovich and Shaw, 2017).
LO 3
P5) Formulate a development plan
People frame development plan in order to upgrade their weak point in skills and
competences so that chances of mistake can be reduced. This plan is formulated by top
level management who examine closely the necessary skills and improvement area. So that
productivity and career growth can be done parallelly in the market. The personal and
professional development plan are understood as:
What are my
development
objectives?
What activities
do I need to
undertake to
improve my
skills and
competences.
After
improvement
which goals can
I achieve.
Time
duration
needed
Oral
communication
In order to
achieve the set
objectives I will
watch video
related to
upgrading oral
communication
As my weak point
which is oral
communication
will be improved
I will be able to
transfer relevant
information more
8 month
6

skills. As well as
spend time with
seniors and focus
on their
communication
style so that over
the time
improvement can
be done gradually
(Olausson,
2017).
accurately and
clearly to my sun-
ordinates in the
premises. By
doing so chances
or error will be
reduced and best
results will be
achieved
respectively.
Conflict
management
My weak point is
conflict
management
which can be
improved taking
more and more
participation in
debt competition
and group
decision. As this
are the places
where more
conflict occurs
and I can improve
my skills
accordingly.
Here, as I will be
handling my
small team in
By overcoming
this weak point I
will be able to
provide effective
solutions to the
workers so that
they can be made
satisfied
respectively. As
well as smooth
working
environment can
be created in the
premises in order
to raise
productivity and
profitability
(Pennington and
Richards, 2016).
5 month
7

conflict
accordingly I will
be able to tackle
staff members
problems at large
scale.
LO 4
P6) Frame job interview questions
The interview session taken by Thomas Cook human resource department and their
conversation are mentioned below:
Q1) Tell me about yourself?
Q2) Why do you want to join Thomas Cook?
Q3) Why do you think that you are capable for the post of Assistant Manager in Thomas Cook?
Q4) How early you can join the company if you are selected?
Q5) What is your work experience in this field?
Q6) How much salary are you excepting for the post of Assistant Manager?
Proof of Interview are covered in Appendix
Design CV
Curriculum vitae
Personal data:
Name: Popescu Catalin
Address: No4 Ashford Road. ME145BH
Contact number: *****
Date of birth: 08. 09 .1991
Mail Id: ********
Marital status: single
8

Career objective: To secure a responsible career opportunity in a reputed firm in order to
upgrade my skills, knowledge and learning.
Education:
Short-term goals:
 To find a good position in Thomas Cook may be by mid-October 2019
 To acquire development skills so that communicating with clients can be made easily
for balancing the work
Long-term goals:
 To complete my MBA in HR management so that I can embrace with good opportunity
in my career
 To improve my analytical skills that could prove to be effective while managing time
To lead with higher managerial position by 2021 from Assistant manager position by
receiving good merits and
Projects undertaken:
 Six month project on employees retention techniques in small companies
 Importance of building healthy relations with co-workers three month project outside
UK.
Achievement:
 1st prize in debate competition
9
MBA ( April 2017) University of UK 75.00%
B. Com ( April 2015) University of UK 80.00%
Higher education ( April
2012)
Cambridge school UK 82.00%
Secondary education (April
2010)
Cambridge school UK 75.00%

 2nd prize in state quiz competition
IT skills:
 Ms world
 Ms excel
 Tally
Hobbies:
 Reading books related to management
 Solving puzzles
 Listening motivation video
Cover letter:
10