Professional Needs To Develop a Good Carrier Opportunity - Essay Example

Personal and Professional Development Unit Introduction Through this research I would like to focus on my current as well as future professional needs in order to develop a good carrier opportunity. The situation can also be considered when there is an organizational change and the skills I need to develop for getting accustomed to the organizational change. This paper would reflect the time management strategies I adopt in order to achieve the deadlines and manage the workload efficiently. I would also discuss appropriate methods of professional communication within the organization that would be necessary for communicating with the team members in a team and also to take part in the practice of decision making. Since employment becomes a mode of living for an individual hence I would be discussing the employability that acts as a vital tool for my personal and professional development. The communication and interpersonal skills are essential for an individual survive in an organization and this would help me to develop further skills like the leadership skills and experience in dealing with challenges (Calkins and Fox, 2002; Roberts, Caspi and Moffitt, 2003). I would gain relevant experience regarding the strategies to be undertaken in order to face the challenges that comes across the professional carrier of an individual. With my development skills I would be able to deliver well for the welfare of the organization. Task 2 4.1 Evaluation of the Need for professional Skill Development Since skill development is an important issue for being a part of the organization I feel that through this I would be able to enhance my job performance. However according to me the majority of the skills are developed during the on-job activities as well as action learning (Mumford, et al., 2000; McAdams and Olson, 2010). The on job experiences include developing skills related to managing a project, job shadowing and taking up a new responsibility. I can develop my leadership abilities by taking up the responsibility of the manager and I can interact with my team members regarding the projects assigned to them. Further taking up new responsibilities would enhance my problem solving skills. According to me it is the duty of the managers to understand the requirements of the clients and communicate the business requirements to the team members. I can also deliver training as a team leader that would improve my leadership skills and abilities. The organizational culture also plays a key role in improving the level of performance of the organization in the international market. Adjusting with the new work culture would be challenging for me as it will take time to understand the needs of the organization as well as the ability of the team members (McCrae, et al., 2000; Mumford, et al., 2000). As a leader I need to communicate with the client regarding the time allotted for the projects and fix the deadlines accordingly. Changing work environment The changing work environment is an important process that every organization needs to undertake in order to overcome the threats given by the rivals related to the loss of market share (Shiner, 2009; Roberts, 2009). Hence I believe that working in an organization would enhance my efficiency and I would be able to perform well as an employee as well as a team member. Some of the techniques that I would develop working in an organization are the presentation skills, time management skills, conflict management among the employees, stress management, creative thinking about a particular project which would in turn enhance my thinking capacity and leading a meeting (Thorne, 2000). Skills gathered by the employees and the team leaders’ help in business development and also give an idea regarding the tools and techniques used in the management process (Oosterbeek, Van Praag and Ijsselstein, 2010; Ryan and Deci, 2000). According to my study an individual may have the in born capability of being a leader and the person may acquire certain skills by working in an organization. These leadership skills in turn help the person to take valuable decisions for the company. The most desired profession that is suitable for me is that of business consulting and there are a number of skills that are necessary for the profession (Srivastava, 2003; Lewis, 2001). For example in order to be an efficient business consultant I must have some knowledge regarding the business activities and the strategies that are to be undertaken in order to run a flourishing business. I must be confident in dealing with the facts and figures that are to be analyzed in order to measure the performance of the company. Further I need to have interest in the business practices and I need to develop the analytical skills in order to participated in the decision making process. There is a need to have knowledge regarding the rules and regulations related to a business and also to develop the communication skills as business involves communicating with the clients of various cultural backgrounds (Roberts, Walton and Viechtbauer, 2006). I need to have the convincing capability as well as in order to convince the clients regarding the projects assigned and the deadlines set by them. Time Management I believe that I can deliver training to the team members regarding the time management and also motivate them so that they are able to perform well even under pressure. As per my knowledge while working in an organization the employees face challenges related to the work culture as well as the projects assigned to me and motivation is the only tool that helps the employees to utilize their knowledge and skills in dealing with the situation. According to my learning is a process where knowledge is created through the transformation of the experience gained from working in an organization. Further communicating with the high profile clients would also help me to boost up my self confidence and I would find situations easier to deal with. Nonetheless there are several types of workplace learning such as formal as well as informal work place learning. I have the opportunity to enhance my skills through the learning processes. The informal work place learning is the process of learning that is followed everyday and the formal work place learning is the knowledge that is gained through training and education. According to me working in an organization generates a sort of learning process and it is enhanced through the experience gained related to the time management. The continuous learning process enhances the work quality of the employees and they are capable enough to make up their own strategies to carry out their tasks in the organization (Rothbart, 2007; Judge and Ilies, 2002). Effective time management strategies are essential to deal with various types of project simultaneously. As per my knowledge an efficient team leader is able to allocate the time for different tasks to the team members and plan the strategies according to the time allotted. For example if the organization needs to undertake any research the time allotted for the research and the methodology to be used is an important element that the team leaders need to consider. In case if the organization is about to undertake a change it can follow the Kotter’s eight step model for change management (Salanova, Agut and Peiro, 2005). Figure 1: Kotter's eight step Model for Change Management (Source: McAdams and Olson, 2010) According to my knowledge the model begins with the need for identifying the change and then creating a team and ultimately implementing the change. My study suggests that many well known companies such as Samsung and Apple Inc. have undertaken the technological changes and has followed this model in order to implement the change successfully. 4.2 My SWOT Analysis and appropriate methods for Professional Communication Strengths I have the strengths of listening and communicating with people which is very essential in order to participate in the group discussion sessions. I can share my views with my team members and collect feedback from them regarding the projects that are assigned. I have the patience to understand the situation in case the company is facing challenge and take appropriate decision to implement a change within the organization. I have a polite voice as well as helpful character and I feel that I will be able to convince the clients in order to win their trust. Further I have the habit of asking questions that would improve my knowledge related to the subject that is being discussed. Weaknesses However I have certain weaknesses that are I often get nervous in dealing with the challenging situations and pronounce the words incorrectly that deteriorates my presentation skills. Due to my nervousness I even fail to make eye contact while communicating with a person. I even face a bigger challenge related to the time management in an organization which is an important fact that needs to be considered while handling any sort of projects. I have a tendency to commit spelling mistakes that decreases the quality of work that I deliver within the organization. Opportunities I would have a greater opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge by conducting the business. I would even have the opportunity to work as leaders of the teams within the organization and participate in the decision making process. I would develop the skill of self-management as well as take up challenges that are essential from the organizational perspective. The self-confidence gathered by me would help me to survive in the organization and get accustomed to the changing environment. I can improve my communication skills and the spelling and grammar by performing that work that would be assigned to me. Threats Due to my nervousness I may fail to communicate with the clients properly and that may lead to misinterpretation of the words. The challenges that the company faces may be strong enough and I may be unable to resolve these problems. Time management for multiple projects may lead to uncertainty as well as controversies among the employees and the team leaders. Due to the extensive pressure that is created within the organization I may not be able to balance the work life with my personal life and there may be situation when I need to choose any one of these. Further the technical difficulty is an important factor that may cause hindrance to the work process. Action Plan The Action plan involves the objectives that I have set for my personal development and the strategies that I would adopt in order to achieve the target which would in turn contribute to the reputation of the organization. It also specifies the resources that I would need to achieve the target. My development Objectives Priority Strategies I need to undertake Resources I need in order to achieve my objectives Target Date for achieving my objective Actual date for achieving the objective Communication skills Necessary Participate in Group Discussions Group discussion panels in the organization By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Leadership skills Can be developed gradually Leadership training programs, self-help books Teams in an organization By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Sales skills Can be developed gradually Volunteering, join charity organizations Good products to be sold in the international market By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Time Management Necessary Planning and working accordingly Time planner, mobile phone and planner sheets By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Confidence with data Can be developed gradually Undertake financial accounting Online accounting courses By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Entrepreneurial Spirit Necessary for running a business Undertake business research as well as small business development Internet, news paper as well as the journal article By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Influencing Skills Necessary Communicating with the clients in a convincing tone Mentors for providing the Training By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. Analyzing Skills Necessary to carry out analysis Evaluating the data that has been collected Practical exercises involving the application of the analytical tools. By the end of the financial year After completion of one and half years. (Source: Author’s Creation) Appropriate methods of Professional Communication The above skills would help me to run the organization successfully. For example by developing communication skills I can be confident enough to communicate with clients and customers and convince them regarding the products that are manufactured by my company. Further the leadership skills developed by me would help me to be a good team leader who is able to communicate with the team members and understand their requirements. I would be responsible to communicate the needs of my team members to the higher authority as there are multiple levels in the management process. The sales skills developed by me are essential for the organization to increase its reputation and increase the brand awareness. This would in turn help in business expansion. Analyzing the impacts of the strategies and dealing with the data related to the annual sales and profit of the company undertaken by the managers is necessary to understand the performance of the company in the international market (Ellinger, Ellinger and Keller, 2003). Hence this analytical skill is important for me because as a team leader I need to analyze the team performance and also communicate with the stakeholders regarding the investments required for proper functioning. It is expected that I may face challenges in dealing with the higher authority within the organization but my self-confidence would help me to approach to the authority with the issues that I need to discuss. 4.3 Employability and Reflection on Professional Development According to my knowledge I need to develop various employability skills in order to get placed in a right job and there are eight employability skills teamwork, communication, self-management, problem solving, organizing, life-long learning, planning and use of technology. These skills can create good employment opportunities and these would also help me to perform well in the organization by dealing with the challenges (Chen and Francesco, 2003; Chen, Tsui and Farh, 2002). They are developed with the education system and also from the experience gained through working in an organization. Often the HR mangers of an organization recruit the employees based on their personality as well as presentation skills. Further the problem solving skills of an employee are expected to solve complex problems within the organization and in order to deal with the rivals in the international market. I feel that the educational institutions are responsible inculcating the basic skills that are necessary to survive in an organization. According to a study carried out by me many educational institutions follow a Career Edge Model that is related to Graduate Employability. The Model basically deals with the basic elements that ultimately results in employability of an individual. According to the model the basic elements are development learning, experience, subject knowledge and understanding, generic skills and emotional intelligence. These elements would help me to develop self-confidence and that would in turn contribute to my employability. Figure 2: Career Edge Model (Source: McAdams and Olson, 2010) According to me this is the best model that can be used in order to understand the concept of employability because it reflects the basic elements that are necessary to develop employability among the individuals. Therefore I find this model useful to me as I can use this model in order to evaluate the employability at different stages of my development process. My study reveals some key elements of employability that are necessary in order to carry out the business practices such as the team working, problem solving and communicating with the colleagues. I feel most of the organizations carry out their activities in teams and it has become an essential criterion that the employees need to have good communication skills in order to participate in the group discussion as well as the decision making activities. Further the companies generally prepare their balance sheets at the end of the year and so I need to develop my accounting skills in order to deal with large amount based on the annual performance of the organization. Nonetheless, employability level is based on the certain characteristics of the students related to their academic performance, confidence of the individuals, the goal set by them and the awareness of the students regarding the opportunities in the international market. I have studied that there are educational institutions that organizes separate programs for the students in order to make them employable after their graduation program. Further according to me the skill development increases the productivity of the individuals which would in turn enhance the performance of the organization and the individuals would have the scope to shift to a better opportunity. However the communication skills that I need to develop must also include the ethical aspect as the clients and the employees are important assets of the organization and communicating with them with empathy is an important factor. My analyzing skills would also help me to bring in innovation within the organization and also predict the future growth of the company. Figure 3: Behaviour Theory of Leadership (Source: McAdams and Olson, 2010) Further there are several theories related to the leadership skills that I need to develop that is the theory related to the behavioral traits which reflects that the behavior of an individual is important to judge the capability of being a leader (Mumford, et al., 2000; McAdams and Olson, 2010). Often the recruiters in a company evaluate the behavior of an individual before recruiting them for suitable posts. The theory is followed by most of the team leaders in corporate companies in order to maintain a healthy work culture within the organization (Mumford, et al., 2000; McAdams and Olson, 2010). Conclusion My evaluation on the professional skill necessary to survive in an organization helps me understand the importance of various skills and the way to inculcate these. This study has also provided me some knowledge regarding the strategies that are to be undertaken in order to enhance the performance of the organization as well as for the personal development. My SWOT analysis has helped me to understand my capability and the skills that I need to further develop and the challenges I may face while working in an organization. Nonetheless, I have created an action plan in order to undertake several initiates for my skill development that would help me to perform well in an organization. Reference List Calkins, S. D. and Fox, N. A., 2002. 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Appendix Appendix 1 SWOT TABLE Strengths Weakness Listening Communicating Sharing Views Understanding Polite Curious Nervous Fail to make eye contact Fail to meet deadlines Spelling Mistakes Opportunities Threats Develop skills and knowledge Work as a team leader Develop self-management skills Develop Self-confidence Improve spellings and Grammar My nervousness Follow the practice of Time management Extensive work load Technical fault (Source: Author’s Creation) Appendix 2 Figure 4: Key Elements of Employability (Source: McAdams and Olson, 2010) Read More