Personal development plan PDF

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Professional practice for businessPERSONALDEVELOPMENTPLANContent 1. Executive summary.......................................... P 2. Introduction:.................................................... P 3. Methodologies:................................................. P 4. Section 1 P 5. Section 2 P ...

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Professional practice for business

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENTP LAN

Content 1. Executive summary…………………………………... P 2 2. Introduction:……………………………………………. P 2 3. Methodologies:……………………………………..….. P 3 4. Section 1 …………………………………………………. P 4 5. Section 2 ……………………………………………………. P 6 6. Section 3 …………………………………………………… P 7 7. Section 4 …………………………………………………….. P 8 8. Section 5 ……………………………………………………… P 10 9. Section 6 ……………………………………………………. P 11 10. Summary………………………………………………. P 12 11. CV ………………………………………………………. 13 12. Cover letter ……………………………………………. 14

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Introduction

This report is a personal development plan (PDP). This personal development plan aims to addressee the most important points to consider in order to have a successful and memorable professional career. The report will look into subjects such as Reflective Practice, career development, personal development, career aims and objectives. It will also identify the key techniques and methods to be able to write outstanding CVs sand Cover letters.

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Methodologies:

In order to be able to create a proper personal development plan that will be able to help me professionally, I had used three main academic resources in this report. The research methods that I had used in this report are: 1. Academic Books 2. Academic journals 3. Employment websites

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Section 1: future Career aims and objectives

Reflective practice is the ability to review in depth events and actions. It helps individuals to examine, learn, reflect and improve on themselves, their work, and the wider society and culture (Bolton, 2014). One of the most effective method for reflective practice is Graham Gibbs’ reflective cycle. Gibbs’s method offers a framework for examining feelings, thoughts and also a way to plan for future developmental actions (Bolton, 2014). The method is composed of six phases (Husebø, O'Regan and Nestel, 2015) stated below: Description: At this stage the individual should describe what happened exactly the way it did happen with no conclusions. Feelings: The second stage is where the individual should describe how he felt during the event and also what he did think at that moment without analysing. Evaluation: At this stage individual should think of what was good about the event and what was bad about it. Analysis: The fourth stage is where individual should understand the main purpose of the event and search about other people’s experiences and compare the differences (if there are any). Conclusion: The fifth stage is when the individual think of what could’ve done to improve the experience and what can he understand from the analysis and comparisons that have been made at the fourth stage. Action plan: The sixth and last phase is where individual should think of what he can do in the future if a similar event occurs and how differently he will react.

According to Gibbs the method should be used after an experience or event had occurred as he believe that reflection can take place only after events (Husebø, O'Regan and Nestel, 2015). I have an experience with Gibbs’s reflection cycle method. I have used the technique in order to evaluate my academic achievements and also to determine my academic weaknesses (skills, knowledge, abilities). In order to focus and achieve my career aims. I started using the Gibbs’s method and a learning log in order 4

to reflect on my actions, skills and learning. After three weeks of deep and thorough analysis. I realized that I had good communication skills and good planning skills, plus the ability to learn quickly. Following the identification of my strong attributes I started searching what career can suit these skills and attributes. I find out that a career in business consultancy will be the perfect occupation for me.

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Section 2: identifying Needs for skills, knowledge and competence As I’m willing to pursue a career in business consultancy it is crucial to focus on developing skills that are related to the occupation so that I can stand out in a highly competitive job market. According to Prospect UK a specialized graduate career website (Management consultant job profile | Prospects.ac.uk, 2021). One The most important skills that business consultant must have in order to have a successful consulting career are creative thinking, time management and the ability to work in a team (teamwork).

Creative thinking: It is important to have a creative and innovative mindset in order to develop businesses and solve their problems. (8 Key Consulting Skills Valued by Employers and Clients, 2021) Time management: Time management is an important attribute across all jobs and fields of work. It is crucial to have a solid time management skill in order to meet deadlines and prioritize work (8 Key Consulting Skills Valued by Employers and Clients, 2021). Teamwork: A team is a group of people who work together in order to achieve a specific objective or goal. It is crucial for a consultant to have a good teamwork skill and to be able to work within a team. (Management consultant job profile | Prospects.ac.uk, 2021).

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Section 3: Assessing current realities Currently I have started to learn some skills and knowledge that is related to working as a consultant. Thanks to my reading passion I have started to read business development books the thing that gives me the ability to have different perspectives and ideas on how to develop and innovate businesses.

The reflective practice has helped me to assess my weak points. I realized that my teamworking skills and public speaking skills are not enough for the current job market and must be improved. For that I’m planning to get a job during the summer where I can improve my teamwork skills and public speaking skills, I believe that getting a job and working within people is the best way to improve these skills.

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Section 4 : Future actions plan

In order to have a successful and remarkable career. It is vital to make plans for the future and to think of ways that can develop your professional career. One of the most efficient techniques in order to keep up with professional development is the SMART criteria. The technique has been developed in 1981 by George T. Doran who was a consultant and a director of corporate planning Washington (Eby, 2019) SMART stands for: Specific: Clear, detailed and understandable objective. Measurable: The objective has to be able to be monitored and measured. Achievable: Objective must be challenging but doable. Relevant: The objective must be relevant to the career aims. Time Bound: Reaching the objective have to be tighten with a deadline in order stay motivated to work on it.

In order to achieve my career aims, I have set short, medium, and long-term goals using the SMART criteria: Short-term goal: The short- term goal will be mainly focus on improving the skills listed above, the main focus will be around time management and teamworking as I have started to acquire some good knowledge when it comes to creative thinking. The first step that I will take in order to improve my time management skills is creating a daily learning log, to control and monitor my academic progress. Additionally, I will start journaling every day in order to reflect and understand where I waste time. Medium-term goal: Medium-term goal will be mainly focused on improving my analytical skills as it is important for a consultant to analyse and interpret data, according to Joanna Zambas a career expert at CareerADDICT, one of the most effective ways to improve analytical skills is by joining a debate club as defending ideas and getting exposed to new concepts and perceptions can help me boost my analytical skills (Zambas, 2021).

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Long-term Goal: Long term goal is to secure a placement at KPMG consulting. I believe that getting a placement will allow me to have a closer and realistic look onto consulting world. It will also allow me to have a field experience which is crucial to standout on the job market.

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Section 5: Practical skills developments 

Writing a good CV

In order to be able to land an interview a good CV (curriculum vitae) is required. As a recent graduate the only CV that I can write is a chronological CV. To write a good CV we have to do deep and thorough researches about the company that we intend to apply to. To be able stand out in a highly competitive job market, CV should be error free. One of the rules of thumbs when it comes to writing CVs is to always focus on skills that are relevant to the occupation and never include irrelevant skills as companies only like to see relevant skills, it is also important and helpful to include evidence of how skills were developed. Another important point to focus on when writing a CV is to make sure that the CV will look good on black and white paper as some employers might print off the CV for panel members for advice (Cameron, 2016).

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Writing a good cover letter

When sending a CV, it is vital to attach a cover letter with it, in order to maximize the chances of getting shortlisted. Cover letters give the employer impressions on what you are as a person and what are your motivations. In order to write a good and professional cover letter certain rules must be followed. A cover letter must be error free and contain an explanation and justification of the employee motivation to get the job (Cameron, 2016). and demonstrate key strengths and skills relevant to the job applied for. Finally, it is crucial to show to the recruiter that you did understand his needs and requirements for the job (Cameron, 2016). These rules play a massive role when it comes to getting shortlisted as employers tend to prefer shortlisting individuals who are able to demonstrate their skills and motivations.

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Section 6: Summary This report had looked into the most important point in order to have a successful and good career. It had looked on how reflective practice is one of the key points when it comes to professional development as it helps to assess weaknesses and strengths, it also help individuals to overcome their weaknesses and take advantage of their strong attributes and skills.

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References 1. Bolton, G., 2014. Reflective Practice. 4th ed. Sage Publications, PP 1, 48,49 2. Husebø, S., O'Regan, S. and Nestel, D., 2015. Reflective Practice and Its Role in Simulation. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 11(8), pp.368-375. 3. Prospects.ac.uk. 2021. Management consultant job profile | Prospects.ac.uk. [online] Available at: < https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/managementconsultant > [Accessed 4 June 2021]. 4. Indeed.com. 2021. 8 Key Consulting Skills Valued by Employers and Clients. [online] Available at: < https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/careerdevelopment/consulting-skills > [Accessed 4 June 2021]. 5. Eby, K., 2019. The Essential Guide to Writing SMART Goals. [online] Smartsheet. Available at: [Accessed 4 June 2021]. 6. Zambas, J., 2021. 15 Ways to Improve Your Analytical Thinking Skills. [online] Careeraddict.com. Available at: [Accessed 4 June 2021]. 7. Cameron, S., 2016. The business student's handbook. 6th ed. Pearson, p.474.

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NAOUFAL GOUD SLAOUI CREEK ROAD,MCMILLAN STUDENT VILLAGE H-2-17 SE8 3BU [email protected] 07496046476

Education University of Greenwich (2020-2023) BA Hons Business with finance Modules include personal and professional development, introduction to people, work and organizations and financial management.

Skills 

Good teamwork skills: I played in a Moroccan Football club for 5 years

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Quick learner: I managed to learn French in 6 months

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Photographic memory: I have the ability to remember quickly and in details past events

Languages 

English: Fluent

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French: Fluent

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Arabic: Native

Interests In my spare time, I enjoy reading non-fiction business and finance books, I’m currently reading Billion Dollar Whale by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. I also enjoy going to the GYM to exercise, working out help me to sustain a good mental health and also make me feel healthier and happier.

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NAOUFAL GOUD SLAOUI Creek Road, McMillan student village H-2-17 | 07496046476 | [email protected]

Dear Hiring Manager, 1. As a highly motivated and dedicated student with strong interpersonal, time management and teamwork skills I would like to apply for the position of a business consultant.

2. I’m very interested in beginning a career in the consultancy world, as I’ve studied business with finance degree. I believe I’ll be an excellent Business Consultant thanks to a passion for planning and innovating plus the following attributes: 

Great Teamwork ability

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Good multitasking skills

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Good memory

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Problem-solving skills

3. Languages 

English: Fluent

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French: Fluent

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Arabic: Native

4. I am aware that you will receive a large number of applications for this job, but I would very much appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate my capabilities to you in person. I believe that I have a lot to offer. I am keen to develop my professional skills and would be available to start immediately. Please find attached a copy of my cv for your consideration I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best wishes, 14

Naoufal Goud Slaoui

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