Critical Reflection and Personal Development Plan for Human Resources Career

1. Description
Inside the critical reflection I am going to use the Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to analyze my characteristics, feelings and thoughts. Also I will mention the reasons of choosing the job and predict what my role at this company will be.Finally, in the conclusion I will finish my critical reflection with an action plan, which will weigh out my purposes by evaluating the consequences that are needed for the application of the job and its appraisal. To begin with, the job that I chose to imitate is a graduate pattern in Virgin Media. The role title is ~People Scheme~, which is a wonderful chance for someone who is on a three-year graduate scheme to have a fast track ticket at their career in all things that HR includes, for example to develop the skills and knowledge they’ll need to become high-level managers and to give a complete understanding of the inner workings of people function. As I read carefully the description of this job I understood that it will help me to gather all the attributes I need to become a very good HR generalist, business partner, or a specialist in a particular area of the People division even also working my way to become a People Director. I will have to be confident, resilient and comfortable using my communication skills. Data is also crucial to the future of the People strategies, so I can use my interest for interpreting information and provide insight to inform decision making. I will also have the chance to practice my characteristics as a coordinator and team worker person.From my point of view, I can sense that this position would be an outstanding opportunity for me, as it offers a package that is connected with two parts managing and human resourcing.
2. Feelings
At this part I am going to analyze the reasons, the thoughts and the feelings that I had when applied for this job. First of all, based on some self-exploring tests that I took have shown that I am a resource investigator and a team worker in business as I am in my personal life and those two characteristics can help me a lot with my role at Virgin Media. With more details for my first characteristic is that I am a team worker person, I can possess a mild and sociable disposition and be supportive and concerned about the others. Also. I have a great capacity for flexibility and adapting to different situations and people. Perspective, diplomatic, caring and a good listener are some of the extras that my personality contains. When there is a difficult decision to be taken, I can create harmony with ease and avoid conflicts within the team. And of course that is the reason I can solve interpersonal problems. As for my second advantage, I am a person who can communicate with people both inside and outside the company. Also, I am a very good negotiator and adept at exploring new opportunities and developing contacts. When it comes to picking up other people’s ideas I can identify which idea is the best and promote it. Another plus is that I am adept at finding out what is available and from whom, that’s why I have an inquisitive sense and a readiness to see the possibilities in anything new. Both of those are related with People Scheme of Virgin Media because first, the company needs a person for this role who can work in specialist areas of HR across different departments like attracting, training and engaging employees. Also it wants to rotate across more different parts as Employee Relations, Reward, and Resourcing or even as a People Business Partner. And secondly, what is also needed is that I can provide an insight to inform decision making or to help the company which constantly evolves, so I will be able to change it in my stride. And that is the way to meet new people so I can start to build my very own network.
3. Evaluation
To evaluate more the role that I have in my company, it is an incredible filling to be one of many members of a highly competitive position where it can be a place to demonstrate my high academic abilities as the entry requirements can be demanding. It will offer me a competitive salary, a stable working environment in a secure position for my training period and I will be on a set training program designed to develop the commercial skills that I need in order to succeed. Because of its duration I will have the opportunity to work in different departments of the business so I will be able to discover what I most enjoy, and what I am best at, enabling me to choose a more specific career path at the end of your training period. Higher positioned employees on graduate schemes are likely to have offices in multiple locations. This can provide me the opportunity to gain experience by working in different office locations and maybe even I will have the option to relocate abroad or to enjoy regular international travel with the company. As Virgin Media is a worldwide known company another plus is that I will have a well-known brand complimenting my CV and this can help my career in the future. Another thing is that I will gain experience in a professional working environment and completed a reputable training programme which will help me when the time is right to move companies.
4. Analysis
Based on some tests that I have taken and specifically the ‘Career Anchors’ and the ‘MBIT’, the results have shown many positive things. First of all, the first test’s results have shown that I am ESFP (Extraverted Sensing, Introverted Feeling, Extraverted Thinking and Introverted Intuition). This means that I am concerned with the reality that is perceived through the senses and I prime directive to examine the tangible through taste, touch, sight, feeling and hearing. I am also focused on collecting information, producing the amiable nature and as perceiver; I do not linger on moral concerns unless it is in service of a Greater Good and a unifying cause. Also, I tend to make decisions in the interest of individual beings, which is auxiliary to sensing. Furthermore, I have a surreal, cryptic, quintessential nature. Usually, I am ready to give definitive answers when the world requires them and I provide a measure of balance, allowing some level of boundary and protection from those who would take advantage. And last but not least, I can be more successful when deducing patterns and see connections only after a thorough examination of the facts. On the second test, the results have shown that the something I would not like to give up is the opportunity to create an organization or enterprise of my own, built on my own abilities and my willingness to take risks and to overcome obstacles. I want to prove to the world that I can create an enterprise that is the result of my own effort. Also, I may be working for others in an organization while I am learning and assessing future opportunities, but I will go out on my own as soon as I feel I can manage it. I want my enterprise to be financially successful as a proof of my abilities.
5. Conclusion
To conclude with, based on my characteristics I think that there is nothing more that the company needs from what I can offer, and if they need something more I am more than ready to learn new things and to apply them in real life occasions. From this experience, I have learned that when you are going to work somewhere, having a good degree is not enough, as it matters to have the willing to learn and make practice the things that some people teach you with wisdom and based in their experience and knowledge. Moreover, if you motivate yourself to have high targets, then your carrier also will go at the highest level.  The thing that I would change if I had a second chance would be to specify more the actual job that I want to do in my life and not to find out during the training so I could give 100% of my powers on this job.  It is a great opportunity, which can lead me to many other roads in my life and at the top of my carrier and even in everyday life, as I will become a better person day by day.

6. Action Plan

7. References

• Hubs, E. and Media, V. (2018). People Scheme. [online] TARGETjobs. Available at: https://targetjobs.co.uk/employer-hubs/virgin-media/751668-people-scheme?fbclid=IwAR1AOLSlpeokVLuyovYErkwHbSkloJQrblDYa6ccWMVuD5oYwMEYtDYt67M [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Humanmetrics.com. (2018). ESFP Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving. [online] Available at: http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/esfp [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Nelacademy.nhs.uk. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.nelacademy.nhs.uk/downloads/602 [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• TARGETjobs. (2018). Graduate jobs in management and business. [online] Available at: https://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs-in-management?fbclid=IwAR0nWws_fFctkCBUbtYvh4R1wAATTBPu8e2Io-aaZzdYg1pArnZAG_1BD28 [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Virgin Media Careers. (2018). Future Careers | Virgin Media Careers. [online] Available at: https://careers.virginmedia.com/early-careers/ [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Virgin Media Careers. (2018). Graduate Schemes | Virgin Media Careers. [online] Available at: https://careers.virginmedia.com/early-careers/graduates-interns/graduate-schemes/?fbclid=IwAR24EiD_wyA9EL7nUkQhKUEjZgxfS8wMQ_nlaimDVMzCNEc27BJmJcpUxz0 [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Virgin Media Careers. (2018). Our History | Virgin Media Careers. [online] Available at: https://careers.virginmedia.com/about-us/our-history/?fbclid=IwAR3UL2UF8ZqqoUjcrRVKhJp6d5ER5ZgIEeacg6HX_7N_gjOPlvQhTHbQz5I [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].
• Virgin Media Careers. (2018). People (HR) | Virgin Media Careers. [online] Available at: https://careers.virginmedia.com/early-careers/graduates-interns/graduate-schemes/people/?fbclid=IwAR1KTlWeE5GZj4u-e_DT9l6WYNl-ZnRNaPnw60V81CZ_ypfiO_0THU7fVbE [Accessed 22 Nov. 2018].