Considerations of Career Direction - Coursework Example

?A Reflective Report Based Upon the Considerations of Career Direction Table of Contents Introduction 3 An Outline of an Appropriate Structure for Developing a Career Plan 3 Knowing Yourself 3 Understanding the Job Market 4 Procedure to Make Employable in the Job Position of Hotel Manager 5 A Reflection of Own Approach to Career 5 Identification of Career Goals and Ambitions 5 Intended Procedures towards Identifying Career Goals and Ambitions 6 Identification of Strengths and Weaknesses and Addressing the Identified Weaknesses 6 References 9 Introduction An effective career plan generally aids in determining the skills along with the interests of the individuals. Moreover, a dynamic career plan also demonstrates what sort of training would be required by the people in accordance with their chosen career (Mapping Your Future, Inc., 2013). It has been apparently observed that career planning is an ongoing procedure, which involves the aspects like knowing oneself, making effective decisions and adopting relevant actions. It is worth mentioning that a better career plan might support individuals in managing along with organising their respective learning and development procedures (Department of Training and Workforce Development, 2011). With this concern, the essay intends to produce a reflective report based upon the considerations of career direction. Various aspects, such as an outline of a relevant structure for developing a career plan, identification of career goals and recognition of strengths along with weaknesses will also be discussed in the following discussion. An Outline of an Appropriate Structure for Developing a Career Plan Knowing Yourself Prior to forming and developing an appropriate structure for developing a career plan, I would like to share my education qualifications and the capabilities that would help me to attain my career goal. I am an undergraduate in the field of business management, having specialisation in Finance. I successfully studied from York St. John University, wherein I creatively developed my capabilities towards new and diverse environments. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the undergraduate program was segregated into dissimilar modules comprising marketing, globalisation, finance and financial management dimensions among others. As the undergraduate program encompassed the aforementioned modules, it made me possible to obtain an in-depth understanding about the conditions prevailing in the modern day business scenario. Apart from these educational qualifications and the capabilities that I possess, I believe my linguistic skills can assist me to attain my predetermined career goal i.e. to become a hotel manager. For instance, my fluency in English language and breakthrough Japanese language would provide active support towards the accomplishment of my career objective. Specially mentioning, I had taken an initiative of self-funding an evening course in language, which I had completed during my first and second years of the program. This initiative eventually raised my capability in planning ahead towards the attainment of my career objective. Understanding the Job Market Prior to provide a brief understanding about the job market, it is quite indispensable to identify my career goal. In this similar concern, my career goal is to become a hotel manager in the UK. It can be apparently observed in this context that the job market in the UK is quite promising and the job opportunity relating to the position of a hotel manager in the region is also likely to be rising in future. With regard to acquire an in-depth understanding about the job market of a hotel manager in the UK, it can be viewed that there prevails nearly 12,000 hotel establishments, engaging a substantial proportion of the entire labour force. The presence of wider range of hotel establishments in the UK can also be observed, ranging from smaller to bigger multinational chains that are engaged in offering quality along with soothing services to the guests or the visitors. As previously mentioned, the job opportunity regarding the position of a hotel manager in the UK is augmenting and is expected to be rising in future due to the planned occurrence of the Commonwealth Games for the year 2014 and also the Rugby World Cup in the year 2015 (Graduate Prospects Ltd., 2013). Procedure to Make Employable in the Job Position of Hotel Manager In order to attain my career objective i.e. to become a hotel manager, it is quite necessary to make myself employable in the job position of a hotel manager, especially in a large multinational hotel chain. In this regard, one of the ways making myself employable in the respective job position might be having the capabilities to perform various operational functions effectively. In general, a particular hotel manager is mainly liable for managing various sorts of hotel based operational functions on a daily basis along with the staff members which constitute of human resources in an efficient manner. Furthermore, the other way of making myself employable in the respective job position i.e. hotel manager can be by performing various professional activities that encompass planning, catering, accommodation management along with other hotel based services, managing budgets and ensuring effective security among others (Graduate Prospects Ltd., 2013). A Reflection of Own Approach to Career Identification of Career Goals and Ambitions The recognition of career goals is regarded as one of the imperative aspects in formulating an effective care plan. The identification of my career goal i.e. becoming a hotel manager in any big multinational hotel chain in the UK would certainly require certain important factors. These factors comprise acquiring a brief idea about the knowledge, capabilities along with expertise associated with the job position of hotel manager and advancing self-marketing skills among others. I believe that these factors would certainly help me in identifying along with executing my career objectives effectively in the near future (Penn State University, n.d.). Intended Procedures towards Identifying Career Goals and Ambitions There exist certain procedures that can eventually aid me towards identifying or implementing my career goal or ambition. In this context, I have aimed at gaining adequate experience in the hospitality industry. The experience shall demonstrate better teamwork skills, particularly in a busy environment in terms of my enhanced capability to follow instructions, perform managerial roles better, understand the expectations of a hospitality organisation towards better productivity more efficiently and work in collaboration by supporting peers or colleagues. In addition, the work experience will also develop my leadership or management skills to a considerable extent. These skills have certainly enabled me to possess better managerial skills in formulating plans and developing appropriate work planning. Identification of Strengths and Weaknesses and Addressing the Identified Weaknesses One of my greatest strengths, which I believe would facilitate me to acquire my career objective i.e. to become a hotel manager in a big multinational hotel chain in the UK, is my work experience. For instance, the experience that I have gained till date has enabled me to attain a better understanding about how to perform various operational functions in a team, how to manage employees in busy environments and most vitally how to comply with the requirements of the colleagues. It can be affirmed from a broader concern that the aforementioned aspects require to be paid utmost attention, as these are generally viewed to be the prime functions of a hotel manager. The above mentioned strengths in the form of work experience would enable me to fulfil my career objective to become an efficient hotel manager. Apart from this, the other strengths of mine can be recognised as my linguistic skills. I can speak in English fluently, which could support me to deal with the customers visiting the hotel wherein I would serve as a hotel manager. Apart from the above discussed strengths, there are also certain weaknesses that might hinder my chances of attaining my career objectives. One of these weaknesses, in this regard can be the shortage of training concerning the job position of a hotel manager in big hotels. Though the hotel work experience provided me with the knowledge of management and teamwork skills, I still require support in terms of adequate training, so that I can perform the functions of a hotel manager effectively. For instance, the training program can be related with various operational functions of a hotel manager that I require to perform while getting engaged in a renowned hotel of the UK. These functions might comprise making relevant budgets, effectively allocating the accessible resources and smoothly executing advanced technologies among others (Whitelaw & et. al., 2009). The other weaknesses of mine can be viewed as limited language ability. Though I am much fluent in English, I still need to be proficient in other languages, as the customers who would visit the hotel wherein I would be employed, shall most probably belong to various nations throughout a culturally diverse marketplace. I believe that this particular weakness, associated with language my linguistic ability can be addressed by joining any institution, wherein different languages are taught. This might be quiet time consuming, but I would take it into concern with due importance, as this will play an imperative role in dealing with the clients visiting any hotel (Gannon, 2008). Conclusion From the above study, it can be affirmed that an effective outline of an appropriate structure for developing a career plan is essential for attaining career objectives. My career objective is to become a hotel manager in any of the big multinational hotel chains in the UK. I intended to acquire a brief idea about the experiences and the capabilities associated with the job position of a hotel manager in order to attain my career objective. In this regard, one of my strengths, which would make me successful in attaining my career objective, is my work experience in the hospitality industry. On the other hand, I also possess certain weaknesses that include deficiency in training and my ability to speak in other languages apart from English and Japanese could be addressed by attaining effective training programs and joining any institution regularly, wherein different languages are taught. References Department of Training and Workforce Development, 2011. Career Planning. Career Centre. [Online] Available at: http://www.careercentre.dtwd.wa.gov.au/careerplanning/Pages/CareerPlanning-4StepPlanningProcess.aspx [Accessed November 27, 2013]. Graduate Prospects Ltd., 2013. Hotel Manager. Hospitality and Events Management. [Online] Available at: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/hotel_manager_vacancy_sources.htm [Accessed November 27, 2013]. Graduate Prospects Ltd., 2013. Job Description. Hospitality and Events Management. [Online] Available at: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/hotel_manager_job_description.htm [Accessed November 27, 2013]. Gannon, J., 2008. Developing Intercultural Skills for International Industries: The Role of Industry and Educators. The Enhancing Series Case Studies: International Learning Experience, pp. 1-14. Mapping Your Future, Inc., 2013. Develop a Career Plan. Explore Career. [Online] Available at: http://mappingyourfuture.org/planyourcareer/plan.htm [Accessed November 27, 2013]. Penn State University, No Date. The Career Planning Process: Developing Your Career Goals. Career, pp. 1-4. Whitelaw, P. A. & et. al., 2009. Characteristics of Hospitality Management. Training Needs of the Hospitality Industry, pp. 1-22. Read More