A Career Development Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A Career Development Portfolio - Essay Example A person in charge of this position bears responsibility of the overall satisfaction of the customers and guests. The primary reason for choosing this as a desired occupation is my experience as a hotel manager. I will be dividing my aspirations into short-term, medium term and long term. Since I already have a degree in aviation along with two years experience as a hotel manager, my short term objective will be to enter the hotel industry as a senior manager, with greater job responsibilities. My immediate learning objective will be to learn skills such as, managing subordinates and important occasions in a hotel like, weddings, birthdays and engagement and business seminars. I will also learn time management as well as team handling skills. My medium term plans will stretch to a period of 3-4 years from now. During this time, my objective will be to accumulate capital for my future investment. Another objective will be to establish contacts with potential investors, customers as well as promoters for my future entrepreneurship plan. During this time, I will also learn how to manage a hotel business by interacting with various hotel owners. My long term plans will be for 4 to 5 years from n ow. On a long term basis, I would like to open a hotel-cum-restaurant of my own. I also plan to include another investor in my business. Skills and competence For establishing a career in hotel management as well as choosing it as a future business, various skills and competencies are required. A person who looks after a hotel is responsible for the daily management of its property as well as its staff. The person will take care of financial management and budgeting, organizing and planning, directing all hotel staffs towards specific daily activities and management of beverages and food operations (Watson 2008, 156). Managing a team is one of the necessities of the current working environment. Management skills will include negotiating with different parties, sharing and listening abilities, creativity and innovation and ability to share responsibilities, tasks and motivation skills (Baum 1990, 5). Sharing skills as well as listening to new ideas. Capability for problem solving. Sh aring tasks and responsibilities. Apart from the above, a hotel manager also requires various skills and competencies. Customer service is one of the important skills which hotel managers as well as hotel entrepreneurs should possess. Since they have to deal with guests and customers on a daily basis, it is imperative that a friendly demeanour and good service will retain customer loyalty. Interpersonal skills are another essential requirement in this carrier. It means remaining calm and directing comfortably in various stressful situations. It also means being able to communicate with different types of individuals. Problem solving skills are essential as they require thinking quickly as well as making decisions as and when needed. Hotel managers need good language skills as they are constantly interacting with employees and customers. Language skills are also needed for reading and interpreting documents as well as writing correspondence, business letters and other routine reports . IT skills are also required, so that they are able to use and implement various software programs as per requirement. Strengths and Weaknesses However, my biggest strengths among the above will be problem solving ski

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay What is the relationship between ethics and critical thinking? Critical thinking and ethics are used in everyday life. I think it best that we define the two terms before we get deep into the discussion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says ethics is â€Å"the discipline dealing with what are good and bad with moral duty and obligation† and Dictionary Reference say critical thinking is â€Å"disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence†. These could both be further defined by saying they are the ability to make good or bad choices and the act of thoroughly thinking through a decision. Critical thinking and ethics decisions are life skills. Critical Thinking There are six levels in the critical thinking process. They are remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. The majority of people use the first four levels in day to day life. The final two levels are probably used in more complex problems and more time will be required in devotion to applying these steps. Critical thinking is used in our day to day lives. We make multiple decisions in a day’s time. Some of these decisions are routine and some require more effort and time. We learn to evaluate things at a young age and most likely pick up most of our problem solving skills from our parents. When you hear the term â€Å"critical thinking† your first thought may be negative but critical thinking should not be thought of as â€Å"being critical† but rather â€Å"think critically†. During our life there will be times when we need to make decisions that can be life altering. A few examples might be buying a new car, choosing courses at your university, or deciding between a two jobs. Everyone can relate to the stress of buying a new car. This is a decision that could  affect you for the next five years and it’s a decision that should not be taken lightly. My decision to buy the car may have a different outcome if I start the process with questions as opposed to making a emotional purchase. Those questions might look something like this, â€Å"What type of car do I want?†, â€Å"What amount of payment can I afford?†, and â€Å"What is the best car make?†. All of these questions will determine the outcome. Answering all these questions will allow me to make an informed decision. Ethics We stated earlier that ethics deals with knowing what is right or wrong. We do the right thing because it is the law, because it is what we were taught, or because we listen to our inner voice. I used a personal evaluation tool earlier this week called the ethical inventory list. This was an activity to help me better understand the values that influence my decisions. This tool produced some shocking results which I was surprised to see. My preferred ethical lens was Reputation. I do care what people think and this has motivated me to excel in all things I do. My blind spot was revealed during this exercise and was identified as â€Å"unrealistic role expectation†. I had to read the definition twice to fully understand it and I still need to do more research. In short, I put too much value in the role (position) a person holds and that can cause you to forget that people make mistakes. My father was a law enforcement officer. I was taught what was right and wrong at a young ag e. My father took this to the extreme at times because he saw more bad than good while assuming his daily duties. I have always been known as the guy that will make the right choice even if that choice is the hard choice. Ethics apply to the professional world and well as the social sector. I work for a large heavy equipment manufacture. Ethics is one of our core values. The company makes ethical choices that affect the entire world. A few examples are promoting safety, recycling, emissions, and renewable resources. Do these topics cross your mind when you think of the largest heavy equipment manufacturers in the world? They may not but it is the professional right, the ethically right thing to do. When I first started working for the company I was surprised at how much emphasis was placed on safety. They require wearing PPE (personal protection equipment) and have mandatory monthly safety training. The company recycles everything. They recycle all metal products, cardboard, plastics, wood, and  even personal trash has to be sorted. Professional companies maintain high ethical standards because it is the right thing to do for their employees and customers. Social ethics is doing what is right for the people around you. When I think of social ethics a couple things come to mind. First is the â€Å"adopt a highway† sign that you see along the roadway when you drive home. Groups of people come together for no apparent reason besides keep the world a cleaner place. Is this the right thing to do? Sure it is. Another example is the groups of people that come together at public parks to do maintenance and clean-up work. Chances are they do not live in the neighborhood, nor do they have children that play there. Why do people strangers come together sacrificing their free time to volunteer for activities like these? There is one answer. They are the ethically right thing to do. Conclusion Ethics are a vital part of survival but we need to be reminded ourselves that ethics change as the world changes. Things that used to be considered in a negative manner is now accepted by society. However, we still need ethical decisions in order for us to thrive as a community, a society, and a civilization. References Ethics [Def. 1]. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster Online. In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from http://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethics Critical Thinking [Def. 2]. (n.d.). Dictionary Reference Online. In Dictionary Reference Online. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from dictionary.reference.com/browse/critical+thinking

Morrisons Bluest Eye Essay: Self-Definition -- Toni Morrison The Blue

In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, the struggle begins in childhood. Two young black girls -- Claudia and Pecola -- illuminate the combined power of externally imposed gender and racial definitions where the black female must not only deal with the black male's female but must contend with the white male's and the white female's black female, a double gender and racial bind. All the male definitions that applied to the white male's female apply, in intensified form, to the black male's, white male's and white female's black female. In addition, where the white male and female are represented as beautiful, the black female is the inverse -- ugly. Self-definition is crucial, not only to being, but to creating. As Gilbert and Gubar so astutely note in The Madwoman in the Attic, "For all literary artists, of course, self-definition necessarily precedes self-assertion: the creative 'I AM' cannot be uttered if the 'I' knows not what it is" (17). One way of describing this work of self-definition is as "learn[ing] to understand what around and about us and what within us must live, and what must die" (Estes, 33). But female definition has not been this sorting out process of self-definition. Instead, it has been a static male definition "by default" or "by intent." If the female is to create herself, she must begin with a process of self-definition whose first step is, of necessity, a negation of the hitherto established male definition of "female." Virginia Woolf calls this "killing The Angel in the House" (PFW 286). Before she can say "yes" by creating a positive form she must first say "no" to the false positive form created by a patriarchal society. Before she can reclaim herself from the negative space of t... ...s vital and true. Â   List of Works Cited Dickinson, Emily. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Ed. Thomas H. Johnson. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1960. Estes, Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run With the Wolves. New York: Ballantine Books, 1992. Gilbert, Sandra M. and Gubar, Susan. The Madwoman in the Attic. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. ---, Playing in the Dark. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992. Portales, Marco. "Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye: Shirley Temple and Cholly." The Centennial Review Fall (1986): 496-506. Rubenstein, Roberta. Boundaries of the Self. Chicago: University of Illinois, 1987. Woolf, Virginia. "Professions for Women." Collected Essays. Vol.2. London: The Hogarth Press, 1966. 284-289. Â  

The Two Different Cases Regarding Capital Punishment :: essays research papers

The Two Different Cases Regarding Capital Punishment Thesis : In principle a case can be made on moral grounds both supporting and opposing capital punishment. Two different cases can be made. One is based on justice and the nature of a moral community. This leads to a defense of capital punishment. The second is based on love and the nature of an ideal spiritual community. This leads to a rejection of capital punishment. JUSTICE AND THE NATURE OF MORAL COMMUNITY A central principal of a just society is that every person has an equal right to "life, liberity, and happiness." Within that, an arguement for capital punishment forms along the following lines: some acts are so evil and so destructive of a community that they void the right of the perpetrator to life. A community founded on moral principals has specific requirements. The right to belong to a community is not unconditional. The privilege of living and pursuing the good life in society is not certain. The essential reason on which community is built requires each citizen to honor the rightful claims of others. The precious live in a moral community must be so highly honored that those who do not honor the life of others void their own right to membership. Those who violate the personhood of others, especially if this is done persistently as a habit must pay the ultimate price. This must be done for the sake of the community which was violated. We can debate whether some non-lethal alternative is a suitable substitute for the death penalty. But the standard of judgment is whether the punishment fits the crime and if it honors the nature of the moral community. LOVE AND AN IDEAL SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY Christian live, is unconditional. It does not depend on the worthiness or value of those to whom it is directed. It is persistent in seeking the good of others regardless of whether they return the favor or even deserve to be treated well on the basis of their own wrongdoing. An ideal community would be made up pf free and equal citizens devoted to a balance between individual needs and the advancement of common good. Communal life would be based on mutual love in which equality of giving and receiving was the social practise. Everyone would contribute to the best of ability. What would a community based on this kind of love do with those who committed brutal acts of terror, violence, and murder? Put negatively, it would not live by the philosophy of "an eye for an eye,a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a

Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman Essay

In the article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power† the author attempts to compare and contrast the convictions and beliefs of Charlotte Gilman and, her great-aunt, Catharine Beecher. One of the most important factors that is seen repeatedly in the article, is the concept that the environment encompassing the home is the center of all commerce for a woman. This thought process continues to build and establishes the idea that what begins in the home continues to radiate out into the lives of the woman and her family. Each female author further attempted to define the roles of a woman directly corresponding with the roles beginning in a woman’s private life and extending into the public life. Although Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Gilman had completely different interpretations of this ideology, the fact that the foundation of the argument was the same purports that the concept, regardless of interpretation, could have some b asis on reality. The author of this article, Valerie Gill, very thoroughly cites from not only Catharine Beecher’s books â€Å"A Treatise on Domestic Economy† and â€Å"American Woman’s Home,† but also from Charlotte Gilman’s book â€Å"Moving the Mountain† and several of her lectures and articles including an article titled â€Å"Applepieville.† Gill (1998) states, that â€Å"Like Catharine Beecher, Gilman links the role of the women to the general health of the social system; the dependent and isolated situation of women in their homes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 2). Gill (1998) goes on to further state that â€Å"In spite of their different strategies for defining and locating women, however, Beecher and Gilman share an interest in the topography of female experience† and that â€Å"Both writers conceptualize the identity of women in spatial as well as socioeconomic terms, assuming that the fulfillment of their own sex can be quite literally mapped o ut.† (p. 2). The article then moves into much greater detail, analyzing each woman’s many forms of printed material. The extent and degree of information and detail written in this article about each represented author and their contributing works can ultimately be  seen as one of the articles main strengths. However, although this article gives a vast amount of information on the women’s opinions and beliefs the article at times seems disassembled and erratic. The flow of the article is somewhat hard to follow, and without an increased measure of concentration, the ability of the reader to comprehend and decipher whom the author is speaking of can be lost. Also, with the extensive amounts of information and detail that each female author contributes to the argument, readers are bombarded with data to interpret and distinguish upon. With the author of the article not decisively choosing the strongest points of argument from each author, the information becomes overwhelming and possibly confusing at times. The article â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power† attempts to give readers two different perspectives of a woman’s role in her home and how this affects her presence in society. Readers are given a multitude of supporting facts from both women’s interpretations on the topic. This fact, in certain circumstances, proves to be not only a strength of the article but also a weakness. Regardless of how each woman author interpreted these ideals, the simple fact remains clear that each assumed the role and presence of a woman becomes clearly defined as beginning in the home. References Gill, V. (1998). â€Å"Catharine Beecher and Charlotte Perking Gilman: Architects of female power†. Journal of American Culture, 21 (2). Retrieved from http://ctcdns02.ctcd.edu:2122/search/multiSearch.do;jsessionid=F6C4B68D9202464AFE8BAF1AC27987B8

Free Essays on Christopher Marlowe

Christopher Marlowe â€Å"Comparisons are odious†, was once said by Christopher Marlowe in Lust’s Dominion, Act iii scene4. Christopher Marlowe has been identified as the most important Shakespeare’s predecessors. He was born in Canterbury, England, on February 6, 1564 and then baptized at St. George’s Church, Canterbury, on February 25, 1564. Marlowe was the eldest son of John Marlowe, a shoemaker and Katherine Arthur, a Dover girl of yeoman stock. Christopher’s intermediate family and extended family had a reputation of getting in trouble with the law. His sister was known for being a selfish person seeking the unjust vexation of her neighbor’s, while his father was always continually engaged in lawsuits containing debts. Christopher Marlowe entered the King’s School at Canterbury in 1579. There he held a scholarship requiring him to study Ministry. The school was a canter of theatrical interests. It contained a large library filled with a number of volumes which have been claimed as sources for Marlowe’s plays. In 1584, Marlowe received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree. Following that, in 1587, he had received a Master of Arts Degree. Shortly after receiving his Master’s degree, Marlowe went to London. There he was part of a circle of young men which were: Rawley, Nashe, and Kyel. By 1587, his first play was â€Å"Tamburlaine the Great†, had been performed on stage. As a result of his first play, Marlowe has started getting known as a dramatist. In September, 1589, Marlowe was imprisoned in Newgate for being suspected in the murder of William Bradley. Marlowe had been accused several times of being an â€Å"atheist† and a â€Å"blasphemer†. One of his friends, named Watson, had once had actually killed a man with a sword. These charges were then led to Marlowe’s arrest in 1593, but then released on October 1, on the bail of 40 pounds. Three years later, in 1592, Marlowe... Free Essays on Christopher Marlowe Free Essays on Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe â€Å"Comparisons are odious†, was once said by Christopher Marlowe in Lust’s Dominion, Act iii scene4. Christopher Marlowe has been identified as the most important Shakespeare’s predecessors. He was born in Canterbury, England, on February 6, 1564 and then baptized at St. George’s Church, Canterbury, on February 25, 1564. Marlowe was the eldest son of John Marlowe, a shoemaker and Katherine Arthur, a Dover girl of yeoman stock. Christopher’s intermediate family and extended family had a reputation of getting in trouble with the law. His sister was known for being a selfish person seeking the unjust vexation of her neighbor’s, while his father was always continually engaged in lawsuits containing debts. Christopher Marlowe entered the King’s School at Canterbury in 1579. There he held a scholarship requiring him to study Ministry. The school was a canter of theatrical interests. It contained a large library filled with a number of volumes which have been claimed as sources for Marlowe’s plays. In 1584, Marlowe received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree. Following that, in 1587, he had received a Master of Arts Degree. Shortly after receiving his Master’s degree, Marlowe went to London. There he was part of a circle of young men which were: Rawley, Nashe, and Kyel. By 1587, his first play was â€Å"Tamburlaine the Great†, had been performed on stage. As a result of his first play, Marlowe has started getting known as a dramatist. In September, 1589, Marlowe was imprisoned in Newgate for being suspected in the murder of William Bradley. Marlowe had been accused several times of being an â€Å"atheist† and a â€Å"blasphemer†. One of his friends, named Watson, had once had actually killed a man with a sword. These charges were then led to Marlowe’s arrest in 1593, but then released on October 1, on the bail of 40 pounds. Three years later, in 1592, Marlowe...

Military Abbreviations Found on US Grave Markers

Military Abbreviations Found on US Grave Markers Many military graves are inscribed with abbreviations that denote the unit of service, ranks, medals, or other information on the military veteran. Others may also be marked with bronze or stone plaques provided by the U.S. Veterans Administration. This list includes some of the most common military abbreviations that may be seen on headstones and grave markers in American ​cemeteries, both in the United States and overseas. Military Rank BBG - Brevet Brigadier GeneralBGEN - Brigadier GeneralBMG - Brevet Major GeneralCOL - ColonelCPL - CorporalCPT - CaptainCSGT - Commissary SergeantGEN - GeneralLGEN - Lieutenant GeneralLT - Lieutenant1 LT - First Lieutenant (2 LT 2nd Lieutenant, and so on)LTC - Lieutenant ColonelMAJ - MajorMGEN - Major GeneralNCO - Noncommissioned OfficerOSGT - Ordinance SergeantPVT - PrivatePVT 1CL - Private First ClassQM - QuartermasterQMSGT - Quartermaster SergeantSGM - Sergeant MajorSGT - SergeantWO - Warrant Officer Military Unit Branch of Service ART - ArtilleryAC or USA - Army Corps; United States ArmyBRIG - BrigadeBTRY - BatteryCAV - CavalryCSA - Confederate States of AmericaCT - Colored Troops; may precede the branch such as CTART for Colored Troops ArtilleryCO or COM - CompanyENG or EM - Engineer; Engineers / MinersFA - Field ArtilleryHA or HART - Heavy ArtilleryINF - InfantryLA or LART - Light ArtilleryMC - Medical CorpsMAR or USMC - Marines; United States Marine CorpsMIL - MilitiaNAVY or USN - Navy; United States NavyREG - RegimentSS - Sharpshooters (or sometimes Silver Star, see below)SC- Signal CorpsTR - TroopUSAF - United States Air ForceVOL or USV - Volunteers; United States VolunteersVRC - Veteran Reserve Military Service Medals Awards AAM - Army Achievement MedalACM - Army Commendation MedalAFAM  - Air Force Achievement MedalAFC  - Air Force CrossAM  - Air MedalAMNM  - Airmans MedalARCOM - Army Commendation MedalBM - Brevet MedalBS or BSM - Bronze Star or Bronze Star MedalCGAM  - Coast Guard Achievement MedalCGCM - Coast Guard Commendation MedalCGM  - Coast Guard MedalCR  - Commendation RibbonCSC - Conspicuous Service Cross (New York)DDSM  - Defense Distinguished Service MedalDFC - Distinguished Flying CrossDMSM  - Defense Meritorious Service MedalDSC  - Distinguished Service CrossDSM  - Distinguished Service MedalDSSM  - Defense Superior Service MedalGS  - Gold Star  (generally appears in conjunction with another award)JSCM  - Joint Service Commendation MedalLM or  LOM - Legion of MeritMH or MOH - Medal of HonorMMDSM  - Merchant Marine Distinguished Service MedalMMMM  - Merchant Marine Mariners MedalMMMSM  - Merchant Marine Meritorious Service MedalMSM  - Meritorious Servic e MedalNMCM  - Navy Marine Corps MedalNAM  - Navy Achievement Medal NC  - Navy CrossNCM  - Navy Commendation MedalOLC - Oak Leaf Cluster (generally appears in conjunction with another award)PH - Purple HeartPOWM  - Prisoner of War MedalSM  - Soldiers MedalSS or SSM - Silver Star or Silver Star Medal These abbreviations generally follow another award to indicate superior achievement or multiple awards: A - AchievementV - ValorOLC - Oak Leaf Cluster (generally follows another award to indicate multiple awards) Military Groups Veterans Organizations DAR - Daughters of the American RevolutionGAR - Grand Army of the RepublicSAR - Sons of the American RevolutionSCV - Sons of Confederate VeteransSSAWV - Sons of Spanish American War VeteransUDC - United Daughters of the ConfederacyUSD 1812 - Daughters of the War of 1812USWV - United Spanish War VeteransVFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars