Reflective Journal: Exploring Skills for Career Development

This reflective journal delves into the significance of personal and professional development, emphasizing the continuous acquisition of skills and knowledge essential for career advancement. The author reflects on their academic experiences, highlighting the practical application of skills such as communication (verbal and written), research, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving. The Kolb's reflective cycle is employed to analyze concrete experiences, reflective observations, abstract conceptualizations, and active experimentation related to project work involving Artificial Intelligence. The journal discusses the importance of communication, research, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving skills. The author reflects on the challenges faced and lessons learned during a team project, particularly in leadership, networking, and time management. The journal also outlines strategies for skill improvement and the importance of applying theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios to enhance personal and professional growth. The conclusion reiterates the value of continuous learning and the practical application of learned skills for future career development, referencing several academic sources to support the analysis.

REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
REFLECTION.................................................................................................................................3
Concrete experience....................................................................................................................4
Reflective observation.................................................................................................................4
Abstract conceptualisation..........................................................................................................5
Active experimentation...............................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is the one which is able to help in managing
someone's own learning along with their growth in whole career. It is important to learn
continuously and develop knowledge and skills which need to up-to-date in relation to work
effectively and safely. Aim of this report is to understand the benefits of continuous professional
development which is there use of different skills and knowledge in life. This can help to learn
new skills which can help to development in own-self. In this there is discussion about different
skills like communication skills, research skills, teamwork and networking, time management
and problem solving skills (Rahman. and Nwagbara, 2020).
REFLECTION
During my academic time I have learned many skills which has been used during my
study as well as it is going to use in my personal professional development. There are many of
the skills like communication skills including verbal and written, research skill, information and
communication technology, teamwork and networking, time and self-management, problem
solving skills etc. These skills are used in my academic time along with this these skills are
necessary for life which is there can be use in professional life. There is use of the Kolb's
reflective cycle which can be used to explain what I have experienced during my academic time
and how these skills and experience is going to help me out in future during profession. In
relation to this there are many of the experience which I have gotten during my academic which I
am going to explain further.
According to CIPD, communication plays an essential par of any business which is there
in professional life. Effective communication can create trust within organisation. Here, written
and verbal both are very important. Research skills are highly used in collecting information
which can help to get better knowledge which is there in personal and professional growth. Team
work and networking is highly recommended for better response of work. Time management and
self management is the one which is highly need to finish work on given time. Along with this,
problem solving skills is needed to solve problem and different issues which are there coming
during performing any task (Knezović and Riđić, 2020).

Concrete experience
During my academic time when I was in my college, I had assigned for project work
which needed more than one people in relation to complete that project work which was based
on Artificial intelligence. In context to complete project there was need to build a team which
needed of 5 members. As I was the team leader, I needed to manage all them in such a manner
that everyone can play their role with their full efficiency. There was high need of different skills
in order to complete project on time with effective manner. Here, decision making skills used to
get over form this problem. And on time, my project got finished due to proper coordination of
my team member and their networking. This project given me a experience of use and
importance of skills which are there used during project work. I have failed to apply some skill
like networking skill which was there done by one of my team member who had a better
network. There was need to improve some skills to use them in proper and effective manner.
There are some of skills which I need to learn in proper manner which can help me out in my
professional and personal growth (Whatmore and Wiklef, 2020).
Reflective observation
I needed my communication skills to motivate them to work as a team and to listen
which was needed to complete project in-time. There was need to listen each and every
instruction which is given by me and to follow those to complete project work on time
effectively. During the whole time there were some conflict within team members which was
regarding now working proper work on time which should be followed by another team member
to take it further. Such type of many conflict was there which I have resolved with my team
members to complete the project. Project needed better written sills that can help to get better
understanding about the topic. Artificial intelligence is highly emerged technology which is
needed to learn about it in depth. Me and my team have researched deathly to understand it better
and to collect different information (Russell and et. al., 2020). For depth research we have used
ICT's (information and communication technology) which is also a broad term and needs high
level of learning. This helped our team so much and due to having team work there was
distribution of each and every task which was needed for project. Each and every team worked
properly and networking helped so much where there was any need of any other member. Time
management played and important role but it was difficult to manage time there was a time when

I got frustrated due to not able to manage time perfectly and due to this there was need to solve
the problem.
Abstract conceptualisation
In this whole scenario, I have learned to operate the team along with this I have learned
that there are many problem which could be faced during any team work. I have communicated
with my team in better manner that I successfully delivered what I wanted to. But there is need
of improvement which is there can help me in future job during my professional growth along
with personal growth (Bastiaansen and et. al., 2020). This can be improved by proper using of
this skill in regular manner. This can help to get better communication over time. There are also
need to improve networking and time management skills which should be enough to manage
things on time and this can also help to get better networking. This networking skill can help to
access to different kinds of people who are specialist in their own filed and can help to get better
deal when it required. In relation to have better research knowledge I have consulted with my
professor for some guidance. This helped me a lot to get idea about how to research well in order
to get better and effective information which is able to lead the research project on next level.
There are different skills which I needed to learn and in relation to perform better in future there
is need to get better understanding of way to research which can help to collect correct and
accurate data about any information about which there is need for research (Kanwal, 2020).
Active experimentation
I have many theoretical knowledge which is there of leadership and networking which is
there can be used to get better understanding about that skill. There are many of the skills which
are there need to use in practical life that can help to learn to apply those skill in life. There is
need to more practice about the teamwork which is there is able to help in future to manage and
work with other team which is normal in personal and professional work. Working with other
helped to learn to work with team and there are many of task which I need to perform with other
in relation to finish work in given period of time I have learned time management which is there
can help to work done on given period of time. Time management is the one which helped to do
my work and different task at same time which is there in given period of time. I am trying to
learn for better learning skill which can help me to get better connection with everyone or with
many people. During my project work I have learned problem solving skill which is there helped
me out in solving different problems which was there due to conflict and during the procedure of

research work. These different skill which is needed to learn for personal along with professional
development for growth in my own life. I need to make a plan in regarding to learn new skills
along with to practice already learned one which I has given me advantage by applying those
skills in my daily life whether in personal life or in professional life (Taipalus, 2020)..
CONCLUSION
From above report, it can be concluded that there is high demand of skills and knowledge
which is going to use in professional development and personal growth. In this, report there is
briefly explained about the value of skills which are learned during academic and different skills
which needs to focus for better personal growth. In this report there is discussion about different
skills like communication skills which includes written and verbal both, team work and
networking along with time and self management, There is also discussion about problem
solving skills. There are many of the skills which are needed to learn for better future use which
is able to help me out in personal and professional development. There is need to learn different
new skills time to time and to repeat learned skills in daily life which is either in personal or
professional life for better growth and development.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Rahman. and Nwagbara, 2020. The role of social media in e-recruitment process: empirical
evidence from developing countries in social network theory. Journal of Enterprise
Information Management.
Knezović and Riđić, 2020. Strategic human resource management in small and medium
enterprises. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management,
20(2), pp.114-139.
Whatmore and Wiklef, 2020. STAFF RETENTION REALITIES AT ZIMBABWE REVENUE
AUTHORITY (ZINARA) MANICALAND REGION, ZIMBABWE. European Journal
of Research and Reflection in Management Sciences Vol, 8(1).
Russell and et. al., 2020. Improving medication adherence and outcomes in adult kidney
transplant patients using a personal systems approach: SystemCHANGE™ results of
the MAGIC randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Transplantation, 20(1),
pp.125-136.
Bastiaansen and et. al., 2020. Time to get personal? The impact of researchers choices on the
selection of treatment targets using the experience sampling methodology. Journal of
psychosomatic research, 137, p.110211.
Kanwal, 2020. Cross‐border analysis of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor development project
and local residence quality of life. Journal of Public Affairs, 20(2), p.e2022.
Taipalus, 2020. Uncertainty in information system development: Causes, effects, and coping
mechanisms. Journal of Systems and Software, 168, p.110655.