Professional development - Essay Example

Assessment Record form and Marking Grid FdA Hospitality Assessment No: Module Level: Module 5 Birte Schmitz/ Linda WaghornModule:Assessment Method: Weighting: Date of submission: Professional DevelopmentPortfolio of Tasks100%See AR1 Length: Task 1: 500 words Task 2: Practical Assessment & 500 word reflectionTask 3: 1500 words Learning outcomes assessed: 1. Negotiate and complete a work based project2. Undertake a placement programme of operational tasks according to company practices and procedures3.

Critically assess the significance of the professional experience in terms of career objectives and reflect on, and evaluate, the experience and personal and professional abilities and skillsSkills Mapped: CognitiveResearchDecision-makingPersonal awareness and career managementFeedback Assessment CriteriaWeight%Actual%StrengthsAreas of ImprovementTask 1: Career Goals Reflection, via Professional Development Blog, of current professional skills and future career goalsLO3 10%Task 2: Practical Assessment Centre -Application for JobCV and covering letter 5%Individual Presentation –Communication skills10%Panel Interview –Preparation, attitude, confidence 15%Group Exercise –Interaction, leadership, diplomacy, negotiation10%Review & Reflection –of Assessment Centre experienceL0310%Task 3: Work based ProjectSuitability of project and quality of research and outcomeLO1,225%Self Presentation – please see hand in guidelines.

Marks will be deducted for poor report format, spelling & grammar, lack of in-text referencing and incorrectly formatted bibliography15%Deductions: Late Submission Total mark out of 100%100%Subject to ratification at the validating University Subject Board Assessment BriefIntroductionThis module prepares you for future career opportunities. It highlights the need to develop employability skills, have a focussed approach to your career objectives, and to gain an understanding of how organisations operate.

The Assessment consists of a portfolio of Tasks to be completed during Year 2TASK1Reflective SummaryTo be completed in Semester 1 – please see AR1 for submission dateWord Count 500 wordsYou are required to write a brief reflective summary, as a contribution to your Professional Development Blog whichDetails your work experience to date Discusses employability skillsAnalyses and evaluates your current level of skillsConsiders your career goals for the next 5 yearsDetermines what skills you need to acquire and/or develop to achieve your career goalsHere are some questions you may wish to ask:How much work experience do you already have?

Is it relevant to what you hope to do in the future?Which areas of work interest you?Which areas of the hospitality/tourism industry interest you?Where you do hope to be working in 3 years/ 5 years/ 10 years?How will you achieve this career plan?How can your present job help you?What are your strengths?What are your weaknesses?Is there a specific organisation for whom you would like to work?Is there a particular country in which you would like to work?TASK 2Take part in an Assessment Centre To be completed in Semester 2 – please see AR1 for dateTo help you prepare for future job interviews, you will take part in a Practical Assessment Centre.

An Assessment Centre is a method of selection which is increasingly used by major employers to recruit suitable candidates for their organisations.The Assessment Centre will be planned and carried out together with industry employers and you will be assessed by teams of lecturers and employers.You will be assessed in five ways:1. Application for a job – the submission of an appropriate CV and covering letter. The job description and job specification will be given to you by your tutor- please note that failure to submit the CV and covering letter will result in you NOT being able to participate in the Assessment Centre.2. An individual 5 minute presentation to a panel of ‘recruiters’ – the topic of the presentation will be given to you a short time beforehand3.

An individual interview with a panel of ‘recruiters’4. Participation in a Group Exercise – the task will be given to you during the Assessment Centre5. A review and reflection of the experience – to be completed as a blog contribution (500 words):What went well?What could be improved?What lessons did you learn?What will you do differently in future?What feedback did you receive?What did you learn about employability skills?What skills and/or attributes do you need to acquire and/or develop?

Your performance at the Assessment Centre will be assessed throughout the day and verbal feedback will be given to you at the end of the session.The criteria for assessing you include:Demonstration that you have prepared for the interview, eg knowledge of the organisation and the jobs/s for which you are being interviewedYour attitude presented throughout the sessionClarity of your professional goalsGroup interactionCommunication skillsPreparation for this task will be covered in your lectures and detailed information about the arrangements for the Assessment Centre will be provided nearer the time.

TASK 3Workplace ProjectTo be completed in Semester 2 – please see AR1 for submission dateWord Count 1500 words (excluding any appendices)You are required to complete a work-based project and submit a report. This is an investigative task which must be discussed and agreed with your employer. The project, which will probably involve an element of problem solving, can relate to any aspect of the organisation so long as it is considered to be of use to the company. It is important that on completion of the project you obtain from your employer a written statement (on official company stationery) which gives his/her opinion of your performance in carrying out the investigation and presenting your conclusions and recommendations.

The statement should comment on the overall benefit to the company of the investigation and any recommendations that you make.The project will be assessed in terms of:The choice of project – the benefit it provides for the organisationThe quality of the research – structure and scope of the investigationThe quality of the findings and the recommendations madeStructure of your report:IntroductionClear aims and objectives of the investigation/task – what is the purpose of the project and how it was negotiated with your employer MethodologyExplanation of how research was carried out in order to complete the project– the primary and secondary research which was undertaken.

FindingsThe results of the investigation/taskConclusionA summary of the key points that you have made in your report RecommendationsThe recommendations you will make, as a result of the findings, and suggestions for implementing your solutions.BibliographyList in the order of Books, Journals and Website the sources you used in the Harvard Style. Remember the information here must relate to the in text referencing that has been included in the Harvard style throughout the main report,AppendicesYou may wish to include appendices if they provide additional relevant information, for example a copy of an interview you may have held as part of your primary research.

You need to submit the following evidence with your report:1. Details of Organisation: name, address and contact details, name of manager2. Dates and hours of employment3. Letter from your employer to confirm your employment, position, etc.4. Letter from your employer which provides feedback on your projectYou may also wish to include other evidence, such as:5. Your current CV6. You job description7. Any correspondence with your employer relating to getting the job or negotiating the work project Hand in Guidelines PRESENTATION OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTThe tasks will use correct paragraphing, formal grammar, tenses and spelling.

The report will be word-processed.The report will be formatted as double-spaced and with a font size of exactly 12.The report pages will be consecutively numbered.The tasks will be submitted online The correct cover sheet must be submitted with your assignmentAccording to Learnthenet.com (2008)  netiquette, a term coined from either network etiquette or Internet etiquette comes in handy. To guide you through your online communications, here are a few pointers:When communicating online through e-mail, discussion forums, wikis, blogs or chat rooms avoid using all capital letters.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOURE SHOUTING! Not only that, its difficult to read.When you talk with someone, the tone of your voice conveys great meaning. To add personality and humour to your messages, use smileys, also known as emoticons, expressions you create from the characters on your keyboard. A few popular ones include: :-)Happy :-e Disappointed:-( Sad :-