HR/5510 Developing Careers 9-1

Challenges Establish a sound process for helping employees develop their careers. Understand how to develop your own career. Identify three stages of career Understand the importance of mentoring Develop a skills inventory and a career path. Understand career planning and EEO issues

Career Planning & Development A career is the pattern of work-related experiences (e.g., job positions, job duties, decisions, and subjective interpretations about work-related events) and activities over the span of the person’s work life.

Career Phases ESTABLISHMENT ADVANCEMENT MAINTENANCE RETIREMENT

Career Development An ongoing and formalized effort that focuses on developing enriched and more capable workers.

The Three Stages of Career Development 30 years old 40 years old 50 years old 60 years old 20 years old younger older Early Career Middle Career Late Career career planning develop career anchors reach career plateau career development programs succession planning preparing for retirement 4

Mentoring: A Four-Stage Process REDEFINITION STAGE (mentors and protégés become friends, treat each other as equals) SEPARATION STAGE (protégés go out on their own) CULTIVATION STAGE (mentor-protégé bond develops) INITIATION STAGE (relationship gets started) Beginning of relationship 6 months to 1 year later 2 to 5 years later Beyond 5 years 3

Individual Career Needs Career Development System: Linking Organizational Needs with Individual Career Needs Organizational Needs Individual Career Needs What are the organization’s major strategic issues over the next two to three years? What are the most critical needs and challenges that the organization will face over the next 2 - 3 years? What critical skills, know- ledge, and experience will be needed to meet these challenges? What staffing levels will be required? Does the organization have the strength necessary to meet the critical challenges? How do I find career opportunities within the organization that: Use my strengths Address my developmental needs Provide challenges Match my interests Match my values Match my personal style Issue: Are employees developing themselves in a way that links personal effective- ness and satisfaction with the achievement of the organization’s strategic objectives? In the 1970s, most organizations instituted career development programs to help meet organizational needs rather than to meet employees’ needs. Today, career development usually involves meeting employee and employer needs. This image shows how organizational and individual career needs can be linked to create a successful career development program.

The Career Development Process Assessment Phase Direction Phase Creating a development program almost always consists of three phases: the assessment phase, the direction phase, and the development phase. Although these phases are presented separately in this illustration, the phases of development often blend together in an actual program. Development Phase

Career Planning and Development: EEO Implications EEO legislation (e.g., Civil Rights Act) Voluntary and involuntary Affirmative Action Plans Presence of a glass ceiling Officially recognized in 1991 by the federal government Artificial barriers blocking upward career advancement Obstacles based on attitudinal and organizational biases White males are concerned about government and corporate orders, directives, and involvement in EEO

The Assessment Phase of Career Development Self-Assessment Self-assessment is increasingly important for companies that want to empower their employees to take control of their careers Whether done through workbooks or workshops, self-assessment usually involves doing skills assessment exercises, completing an interests inventory, and clarifying values. Organizational Assessment Some of the tools traditionally used by organizations in selection are also valuable for career development. Among these are: Assessment centers Psychological testing Performance appraisal Promotability forecasts Succession planning The assessment phase of career development involves activities ranging from self-assessment to organizationally provided assessment. The goal of assessment, whether performed by employees themselves or by the organization, is to identify employees’ strengths and weaknesses.

Common Assessment Tools Self-Assessment Organizational Assessment Career workbooks Career-planning workshops Assessment centers Psychological testing Performance appraisal Promotability forecasts Succession planning There are a number of different tools that can be used for self-assessment and for organizational assessment. This graphic lists some of the more commonly used assessment tools.

Sample Skills Assessment Exercise Use the scales below to rate yourself on each of the following skills. Rate each skill area both for your level of proficiency and for your preference. Proficiency: 1 Still learning 2 OK — competent 3 Proficient Preference: 1 Don’t like to use this skill 2 OK — Don’t particularly like or dislike 3 Really enjoy using this skill Skill Area Proficiency x Preference = Score 1. Problem solving _______ _______ _______ 2. Team presentation _______ _______ _______ 3. Leadership _______ _______ _______ 4. Inventory _______ _______ _______ 5. Negotiation _______ _______ _______ 6. Conflict management _______ _______ _______ 7. Scheduling _______ _______ _______ 8. Delegation _______ _______ _______ 9. Participative management_______ _______ _______ 10. Feedback _______ _______ _______ 11. Planning _______ _______ _______ 12. Computer _______ _______ _______ Skills assessment exercises are designed to identify an employee’s skills. A workbook exercise might ask the employee to compile a brief list of his or her accomplishments, and then identify the skills involved in making each accomplishment a reality. Another skills assessment exercise presents employees with a list of skills they must rate on two dimensions: their level of proficiency at that skill and the degree to which they enjoy using it. A total score is then generated for each skill area. This illustration shows an example of this approach to skills assessment. 9-13

The Direction Phase of Career Development Individual Career Counseling This refers to one-on-one sessions with the goal of helping employees examine their career aspirations. Information Services Information services provide career development information to employees. Job-posting systems Skills inventories Career paths Career resource center The direction phase of career development involves determining the type of career that employees want and the steps they must take to realize their career goals. Unless the direction phase is based on a thorough assessment of the current situation, the goals and steps identified may be inappropriate. This illustration outlines the two major approaches to providing career direction.

A Competency Growth Model for Healthcare Financial Managers: Basis for Career Development Direction Component 1: Understanding the Business Environment Competencies: Strategic thinking—the ability to integrate knowledge of the industry with an understanding of the long range vision of an organization. Systems thinking—an awareness of how one’s role fits within an organization and knowing when and how to take actions that support its effectiveness. Component 2: Making it Happen A Healthcare Financial Management Association task force identified behavioral characteristics having to do with the skill, knowledge, social trait, or motive qualities needed to excel in the profession. These competencies were grouped into the three components shown in this illustration and the next. Competencies: Results orientation—the drive to achieve and the ability to diagnose inefficiencies and judge when to take entrepreneurial risks. Collaborative decision making—actions that involve key stakeholders in the decision-making processes. Action orientation—going beyond the minimum role requirements to boldly drive projects and lead the way to improved services, processes, and products.

A Competency Growth Model for Healthcare Financial Managers: Basis for Career Development Direction (cont.) Component 3: Leading Others Competencies: Championing business thinking—the ability to energize others to understand and achieve business-focused outcomes. Fostering an understanding of issues and challenges through clear articulation and agenda setting. Coaching and mentoring—the ability to release the potential of others by actively promoting responsibility, trust, and recognition. Influence—the ability to communicate a position in a persuasive manner, thus generating support, agreement, or commitment.

Career Path A chart showing the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization; it presents the steps in a possible career and a plausible timetable for accomplishing them.

Alternative Career Paths for a Hotel Employee Waiter/ Waitress Pantry Worker Pastry Cook Sauce Cook Short- Order Cook Sous- Chef Bus- person Host/ Hostess Store- room Clerk Assistant Steward Liquor Store- room Steward Beverage Manager Asst. Banquet Manager Banquet Manager Career paths provide valuable information regarding the possible directions and career opportunities available in an organization. A career path presents the steps in a possible career and a plausible timetable for accomplishing them. This illustration provides an example of alternative career paths that a bus person in the hotel business might follow.

The Development Phase of Career Development Mentoring Mentoring relationships generally involve advising, role modeling, sharing contacts, and giving general support. Coaching Employee coaching consists of ongoing, sometimes spontaneous, meetings between manages and their employees to discuss the employee’s career goals and development. Job Rotation Job rotation involves assigning employees to various jobs so that they acquire a wider base of skills. Tuition Assistance Programs Organizations offer tuition assistance programs to support their employees’ education and development. Meeting the requirements necessary to move up in an organization can require a great deal of growth and self-improvement. The development phase, which involves taking actions to create and increase skills to prepare for future job opportunities, is meant to foster this growth and self-improvement. The most common development programs offered by organizations are outlined here.

Making Career Development an Organizational Priority Stress commitment to career growth and development in formal communications with employees. Make career development a priority at all levels of the organization, starting at the top. Provide managers with the people skills they need to develop their subordinates. Emphasize that career development is a collaborative effort and that the employee must take primary responsibility for his or her own career. Require managers to meet with their subordinates regularly to review personal career goals and objectives. Effective career development is beneficial for an organization and its employees. These next two illustrations highlight steps that can be taken to help make career development an organizational priority.

Making Career Development an Organizational Priority (cont.) Ask managers to outline employee achievements and strengths when conducting an appraisal review session. Encourage managers to collaborate with subordinates to develop a career vision. Emphasize that part of the manager’s job is helping employees develop career action plans. Encourage employees to take advantage of continuing education and other development activities. Require managers to develop collaborative rather than top-down, control-oriented working relationships with their subordinates.

Effective Coaching Techniques Create a Coaching Context Identify your purpose in the coaching role Set parameters Actively Listen to the Person Limit interruptions from others and from yourself Reflect back to the person what you heard Ask Questions View the goal of the interaction as helping the employee to find answers that works best for him or her Don’t give advice; ask questions that explore assumptions Give Useful Feedback Let the employee identify his or her difficulties to overcome. Your input should help clarify what needs to be done. Finding the right time and the right way to be a helpful coach for someone is not easy, but this illustration gives some valuable tips on how to be a helpful coach.

Suggestions for Self-Development Create your own personal mission statement. Take responsibility for your own direction and growth. Make enhancement your priority, rather than advancement. Talk to people in positions to which you aspire and get suggestions on how to proceed. Set reasonable goals. Make investment in yourself a priority. When an employer does not routinely offer development programs, it is essential that employees work out their own development plan. Employees who neglect to do this risk stagnation and obsolescence. Planning for your career should include a consideration of how you can demonstrate that you make a difference to the organization. Shown here are key suggestions for fostering an employee’s self-development.

Advancement Suggestions Remember that performance in your function is important, but interpersonal performance is critical Set the right values and priorities. Provide solutions, not problems. Be a team player. Be customer oriented. Act as if what you’re doing makes a difference. Where self-development focuses on personal growth and direction, advancement focuses on the steps employees can take to improve their promotabiltity in the organization. The suggestions shown here are steps an employee can take to improve their chances of being considered for advancement.