Personal Development Careers are sometimes as fleeting as the dreams that encompass them. Often, individuals, in search of a career dream of financial security, the ability to purchase a dream home, or obtaining material possessions that may showcase their wealth or status. There is no lack of ambition and fortitude within individuals in this regard. We all want to achieve success is some form or another. We all aspire for greatness, albeit in varying degrees and capacities (Maslow, 1996). What is lacking however is a concrete method in which to achieve ones desired financial and career goals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in recent report indicated that individuals change careers approximately 11 times during their lifetime. Many jobs are becoming obsolete as they are either replaced or outsourced overseas. Many jobs are cyclical in nature and thus are only needed during periods of economic euphoria. No matter what the theory is however, one constant will always remain. Individuals need to utilize their talents and skillsets to maximize their earnings potential (Druker, 1999). In order to achieve this success, I believe it prudent to develop a personal development plan outlining an individual's goals and objectives. This resource is very important as it provides the foundation for the individual's future objectives. Personal development is of particular interest in the midst of our current economic turmoil (Ibarra, 2003). Now, perhaps more than any other period in history, development of individual skills will determine financial success. As such, I personally have made significant strides in my development with respect to my work and individual life. Currently, as is the case with many recessions, companies have a tendency to lay off mass amounts of labor. This has occurred throughout many of the developed nations including, but not limited to, America, Europe,...

This requires a renewed emphasis on skill development on the part of individuals. Mass lay offs only create an environment of mass competition in regards to skilled and highly caveated positions. To better position myself in this environment, I have now obtained a renewed focus in developing attributes I believe will be high desirable in the forthcoming years. This transition has no been without its setbacks however. As I will explain in the pages that follow, I have obtained a better understanding of the merits behind my experience, and how I can leverage those experiences to prosper in a more competitive environment.
What makes the personal development plan such a unique tool in regards to job or career searching is its flexibility (Ghoshal, 1997). A quick glance at my personal development table indicates how flexible the document is in regards to planning. This flexibility provides two benefits in regards to individual progression. First, it allows the individual to customize and cater the document to their own specific needs. Individuals are all different in their skills and abilities. In addition, individuals can enhance their skills while mitigating the weaknesses. Second, and more important, it provides a contingency plan in the event of change. What happens if the plan doesn't go as scheduled? What happens if an unexpected event occurs? The plan is flexible enough to be altered in response to change. This allows the individual to maintain focus within the job search process. This focus provides a means to accurately identifying a prospective candidate's goals and objectives (Hewlett, 2007).

To begin, I would like to start with my opportunities in regards to the travel and tourism industry. This industry is predicated on communication, both written and orally. Written communication has been a particular weakness for me prior to my courses in the travel and tourism industry. I have subsequently focused the bulk of my efforts to this opportunity with my writing becoming better each day. I particularly had problems with the various structures of memos, email and reports. These forms of communication are vital to the success of any business operation. A manager, especially one in the capacity that I am in, should have a strong ability to communicate well with others. My emails and other forms of correspondence prior to this course has been…