Intercontinental Hotel: Professional Identity and Practices Report

This report delves into the realm of professional identity and practices, specifically within the context of the Intercontinental Hotel. It begins by examining the key benefits of ongoing professional development for various stakeholders, including employers and employees, emphasizing the advantages of a skilled workforce and up-to-date knowledge. The report then explores professional employer expectations regarding essential skills and competencies, particularly for a hospitality floor manager role, highlighting communication, delegation, technological proficiency, and interpersonal skills. A self-assessment of the author's abilities, skills, and competencies is presented, identifying strengths and weaknesses, along with an analysis of team characteristics using Belbin team roles. Furthermore, the report reviews various learning theories, such as cognitivism and behaviorism, and learning approaches like Kolb's Learning Cycle and VARK learning styles, to explain personal and professional development processes. The report concludes with a professional development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies within a specific work context and a review of the job interview process, including its strengths and weaknesses.

Professional Identity and Practices

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Examine Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders...3
P2. Professional employer expectation of skills and competencies...........................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Assess own ability, skills and competencies for specific job role........................................5
Abilities:.....................................................................................................................................7
P4. Range of learning theories and approaches used to explain personal and professional
development process...................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5. Construction of a professional development plan to enhance chosen skills and
competences within a specific work context..............................................................................9
P7. Review of key strengths and weaknesses of the job interview process.............................10
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Professional Identity and practices can be defined as a duty that is done by individuals
for developing their own career. There are several skills and capabilities are required by an
individual so as to performing own work perfectly within the firm. In other words, these skills
and capabilities are also required for carrying out the roles and responsibilities in desired way so
that they get retained or sustained at workplace for a long time-frame. Present assignment is
based on Intercontinental Hotel that was established in 1946 and providing services in
Hospitality industry. Present report will discuss about the benefits of professional development
plan for different stakeholders along with range of learning theories which are used for
developing personal and professional career. Project development plan will also prepared that
includes chosen skills and competencies for the specific job role. At Last, a well developed job
interview for a specific job role along with strength and weaknesses of this method will
discussed in this report.
TASK 1
P1 Examine Key benefits of on-going professional development for different stakeholders
Professional development can be defined as one of the important practice that
automatically supports individuals in achieving growth in their career. In addition, this
development plan also provide supports the organisation in achieving their desired goals and
objectives through maintaining high skilled and experienced candidates. Due to which, each
organisation like Intercontinental Hotel organises on-going professional practices such as
training programmes, seminars etc. for improving skills and knowledge of existing workforce.
On-going professional development helps each organisation in ensuring continuous
improvement in products, services as well as systems (Pihl-Thingvad, 2015). This is beneficial
for both employers and employee that can be understood by as below:
Benefits for Employer
Skilled Workforce – Through using on-going professional development plan skills and
efficiencies of employees will automatically increase which will be beneficial for employer in
enhancing productivity and profitability of firm in marketplace.

Up-to-date Knowledge – With the help of on-going professional development,
employees will perform their duties by conducting market research which leads the firm towards
increased productivity.
Competitive edge through human capital – Keeping focus on the market trends and
rival's strategies supports the employer in identifying the ways through which organisation can
build its competitive edge in market. Therefore, it can be said that on-going development plan
not only supports employers in retaining employees but also encourage the employees to work
hard so that competitive edge can be gained by organisation in marketplace.
Benefits for employee
Increased employability – Through using on-going development employees will be able
in improving their skills and efficiencies which automatically supports them in making good
position in workplace.
Personal Satisfaction – On-going professional development raise the working
efficiencies of employees that automatically supports in their daily working. As a result of it,
their satisfaction level at workplace will be increase which indirectly supports them in taking
growth in their professional career.
P2. Professional employer expectation of skills and competencies
It is very important for each employee to acquire some skills and competencies so that
professional growth as well as career growth can be gained by them. Apart from that,
Professional skills and competencies are highly required at workplace because it assist
employees in performing their work effectively so that customer's needs can be satisfied in
effective manner. In context of Intercontinental Hotel, Employees have to communicate with
customers directly on the behalf of organisation therefore if they having not good
communication skills then it will posses wrong impact of firm's services on the mindset of
customers (Zepeda, 2012). As good interpersonal skills always supports the organisation in
building their customer base in market. For job of hospitality floor manager some hard or soft
skills are expected by employer of Intercontinental hotel which are discussed as below:
 Communicational skill:- This skill is most essentially required for the post of floor
managers in Intercontinental Hotel. As it helps individuals as floor manager in
interacting with its subordinates regarding their work which should be performed by

them. Without these skills, floor managers wouldn't able in conveying informations
properly with its subordinates which results in errors in operations.
 Delegation of work:- Floor manager of Intercontinental must have an understanding
about delegation of work to employees as per their skills and capabilities. Mistake in
categorisation of work can create conflicts among employees that may restrict the
organisation in achieving its goals and objectives in pre-specified time-frame.
 Use of technology:- Floor managers of Intercontinental hotel should have proper
knowledge regarding technology so that each tasks should be carried out simply and
effectively. This is because effective knowledge regarding technology supports floor
manager in interacting with employees and conveying necessary informations related
with their work which will automatically leads towards completion of work in less time-
frame.
 Personal presentation and appearance – Employers of Intercontinental expected from
the Floor managers that they should be energetic and self-motivated as it will
automatically support to its teammates in completion of tasks effectively.
 Dress code and appearances – Floor manager must have good knowledge regarding
dressing sense because while working in service industry it is mainly identified that
hotel staff are in proper dress code or not. As a result of it, good impression would be
posses on the mindset of customers while staying in hotel (Bauer, 2010).
 Team leading and development:- For taking maximum contribution from employees
towards achievement of organisational goals, floor managers must have knowledge
regarding the methods of leadership and increasing coordination among them. As a result
of it, employees will perform their work effectively which automatically leads the
organisation towards increased productivity and profitability.
TASK 2
P3. Assess own ability, skills and competencies for specific job role
For determining personal skills along with competencies regarding the job role of floor
manager I have constructed my personal skill audit which helps me in identifying my strength
along with weaknesses or specific area where I have to make improvement as per my job of

floor manager in Intercontinental hotel. There are several tools that can be used by me for
analysing my own performance. Some of them are given as below:
Strength Weakness
 My problem solving skills are much
better that have supported me in
performing each task in given time-
frame.
 Critical thinking is biggest strength of
myself which helps me in determining
situation and solutions accordingly.
 My technological skills are also good
that also supports me in performing my
work effectively without facing any
error (Williams, 2014).
 Communication skills of myself are
average as I not be able in conveying
each information to my subordinates
sometime.
 My decision-making skills are not so
good due to which dilemma is faced by
me in taking decisions.
 My work assigning skills are not good
due to which I have allotted work
beyond the capabilities of employees
but they get fail in performing
perfectly.
Opportunities Threat
 Team Handling skills will be beneficial
for me as it will help me in completing
my given tasks in given time-frame.
 My knowledge regarding technological
equipments will beneficial for me in
performing my task effectively.
 Weak communication skills can
provide threat for my professional
career in future. Therefore, I have to
improve it in small time-frame.
 Ineffective allotment of duties can
create conflicts at workplace.
Identifying team characteristics using Belbin team roles – There are several characteristics
that should be required by me as a floor manager in handling issues or conflicts of my
teammates:
Co-ordinator: As a floor manager in Intercontinental I have to make effective
coordination with my teammates which will automatically supports me in completing my given
work in allotted time-frame.

Teamwork: It is very essential for me as a floor manager to provide support to my team
members so that a team spirit will be builds at workplace which automatically helps me in
achieving pre-determined targets.
Implementer: As a floor manager I have to frame several strategies and plans so that
through implementing them at workplace pre-determined goals of firm will be achieved in given
time period.
Monitor evaluator: I have to increase my monitoring or evaluating skills because
through it I will be able in analysing the needs and wants of my teammates as well as their
performance level (Stenfors-Hayes and et.al., 2010).
Skill Audit
Learning Skills Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
Skills:
Communication skill
Team leading and development
10 7
10 8
Abilities:
Critical thinking
Decision making
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 8
10 7
Competencies:
Delegation of work
Use of technology
Target Proficiency Existing Proficiency
10 6
10 9
From the above self assessment models and skills audit I have identified that my skills
and competencies are average as per the preset standard of proficiency therefore I have to work
on my weaknesses so as to retaining myself as a floor manager in Intercontinental Hotel.

P4. Range of learning theories and approaches used to explain personal and professional
development process
For a specific job role like Hospitality Floor manager, it is very important to review
several learning theories and approaches which plays supportive role in excel the performance of
given job role. Some of these approaches and theories are described as below:
Learning Theories:
 Cognitivism: This learning theory is based on inner brain functions and makes focuses of
individuals on several mental processes like problem-solving, decision-making in
complex situations etc. This is an important theory that should be followed by
Intercontinental because with the help of it, they will be able in increasing productivity of
their employees.
 Behaviourism approach:- This learning theory supports the individuals in studying the
changes in behaviour that are largely based on person's direct experience that have
gained by them by past experience. In addition, this theory is based on the behaviour that
can be modified on the basis of situations. Through providing understanding about
situations to the employees, management of intercontinental can easily improve the
quality of operations (Sharif and Cho, 2015).
Learning Approaches: Kolb’s Learning Cycle: This learning approach works on the basis of four stages of
learning in which first one is related with grabbing knowledge regarding a new field.
After this, In next step learners will be able in observing experience in form of
determining inconsistencies between experience and understanding. Third step is related
with formulation of new ideas or concepts and in last stage, learners have to apply these
framed idea in real situations. By using this learning theory, floor manager of
Intercontinental will be able in increasing experience of their subordinates regarding a
particular situation so that they will be able in providing better support in finding
solution for same situation in future.
 VARK Learning Style: As per this theory, there are several ways to segment learning
styles that will automatically supports learners in learning appropriately and effectively.
This theory is also categorise in four parts i.e. visual learning, audio learning, reading
learning and kinetics. For using this style, learners have to provide answer of

questionnaire and its score provides the idea that which kind of style will be prove
beneficial for learning new ideas or methods. With the help of this theory, floor manager
will be able in identifying most suitable learning style which can be used by them in
order to improving their efficiencies at workplace.
TASK 3
P5. Construction of a professional development plan to enhance chosen skills and competences
within a specific work context
Professional development plan can be defined as a document that describes goals,
objectives required skills and competencies that are required to be accomplish for getting
continuous improvement and career development. By formulating professional development
plan I will be able in determining several ways that can be chose by me for improving my
present skills and capabilities. Additionally, It also supports in scheduling actions that have to
taken by me and what ways should be adopted by me for improving my weaknesses.
Professional development plan of myself along with skills which I have to improve are described
in a table which is given as below:
Skills &
Competencies
Goals Activities for improving skills Effectiveness of PDP
Communication 6 months I will also take participation in
debate and group discussion
programmes as it will help me
in improving my
communication skills.
Through taking part in
seminars, group
discussion and debate
I will be able in
learning different kind
of errors that are
influencing my
communication.
Through improving
my communication
skills I will be able in
interacting with my
subordinates and

reduce the changes of
misinterpretation of
messages.
Decision-making skills 3 months For improving my decision-
making skills I have to conduct
evaluation of situation and then
frame suitable solutions so that
better decisions will be taken in
future for overcoming the
negative impact of situation
from the workplace.
Through improving
my these skills I will
be able in taking quick
decisions which
automatically increase
my capabilities for
getting good decisions.
Delegation of work 6 months In order to improving my work
allotment skills I have to
evaluate the performance level
of my subordinates as it will
help me in allotting work to
them according their
capabilities.
Evaluation of
performance of
subordinates will be
beneficial as through it
I will be able in
justifying their
capability which will
automatically supports
me in allotting works
according to their
capabilities and skills.
TASK 4
P6. Job Interview for Specific Job Interview Role
It is the process which is applied in every single organisation for the purpose of hiring
any new employee within the premisses of company. It is one of the lengthiest process which
requires higher amount of money at the time of recruitment. In context of Intercontinental Hotel,
they are conducting a interview process for the post of Floor Manager in the company. Here,
different candidate will get the opportunity to express there points that why company should
give them the opportunity.

(a) Job specification
It is one of the situation which tells about summary of job that what candidate should
need to do while working within the premisses of organisation. Job specification which is
required for the post of floor manager in Intercontinental Hotel is listed below:
JOB SPECIALISATION
Name of the Company: Intercontinental Hotel
Job Profile: Hospitality Floor manager
Qualification Required: Masters of Business Administration
Selection Criteria:
 Need to prepare the Weekly working schedule of every employee's.
 Must have the quality of managerial skill for the purpose of handling the assigned team.
 Should be capable of strategic planning for the purpose of completing the work
efficiently.
Desired Criteria:
 Experience of minimum of 2 years in the field of hotel industries.
 Should have capabilities of better communication skills.
 Must have the technological knowledge.
(b): CV
It is information of any individual where he/she tells about their past experience and all
other relevant information about themselves through which other people get the opportunities to
know about themselves. It is helpful at the time of interview where organisation try to find that
whether person is suitable or not for the organisation. CV has been submitted by one of the
candidate who wants to apply for the post of floor manager in Intercontinental Hotel is given
below:
CURICULAM VITAE
Name- John Anderson
Address- 28, St. Albans, London, United Kingdom
Contact no.- 2416534753
Job Experience- Experience of three years in Hilton Hotel of the post of Assistant floor

manager. I am looking ahead to work with Intercontinental Hotel as I will get better
opportunities to explore my talent after connecting with the this hotel.
Specialisation-
 Capable of Handling the team
 Good knowledge about technological field
 Able to solve any kind of disputes
Qualification-
 Bachelor in Business Administratative (BBA)
 Master’s in Business administration (MBA) (Marketing)
Declaration- I hereby declare that all the information that are provided above are true and best
of my knowledge.
Date-
Place-
Mentioned beneath is structured interview. Description of interview process between HR
manager of Intercontinental and a candidate who was came for the job role of Hospitality floor
manager is given as below:
Interviewer: Please briefly introduced yourself ?
Interviewee: Sure Sir, Myself John Anderson I am from Albans, London UK. I have completed
my graduation in business administration. Along with it, I have completed my masters in same.
After that, I have also experience of 3 years as an assistant floor manager in Hilton hotel but now
I am looking for opportunity to work with Intercontinental as it will beneficial for me in growing
my career.
Interviewer: What skills are essentially needed in the job role of floor manager ?
Interviewee: As per my opinion, good communication, decision-making, problem-solving,
delegation of roles are the main skills which are needed by individuals while performing duty as
a floor manager within the workplace.
Interviewer: Thank you for giving us your precious time
Interviewee: Sure sir, Have a good day.