Career Discussions at Work, Practical Tips for - CIPD

Cover
Benefits of this
tool
Introduction
Description of the
tool
An introductory
exercise: Reflect
on your own
experiences
The business
case for effective
career discussions
What makes
for an effective
career discussion
The NICEC model
of effective career
discussion
Skills, behaviours
and personal
attributes
Developing
capability in the
business
About the NICEC
research
Sources of
information
How to use this
tool
Tool map
The business case for effective career
discussions
This section focuses on:
• why career discussions are important for employees
• the key impacts of effective career discussions for individuals
• the business payoff of more effective career discussions.
1.1 The importance of career discussions for employees
The CIPD (2003) Managing Employee Careers Survey showed that the majority
of organisations expect employees to take responsibility for their own careers,
but recognise that employees need support and training in order to do this.
Information and advice is part of the support we need as employees to
manage our own careers. This often includes three elements:
1. information on opportunities – the kinds of jobs and careers the
organisation can offer. This information needs to relate to ‘someone like
me’. As employees, we can read job or skill descriptions, but often lack
an overview of career paths (which are frequently implicit) and the kinds
of job moves it is possible to make. We often need information about the
practicalities of making a job move.
2. information and feedback on our skills, performance and how the
organisation views our potential. Such feedback increases self-awareness
– central to effective career development.
3. advice from others can help us explore our career options and plan action.
Some people can do this for themselves, but most of us find it a lot easier
to have someone else to talk to and test our ideas on.
Much of this support is best given through discussions or conversations.
As this tool shows, some discussions may take place in formal settings (such
as appraisal) but far more occur in informal settings. If we focus on effective
career conversations we can help employees get better-quality information
and advice from a wider range of people. We can also help employees feel that
they can help their colleagues by listening to their career concerns and helping
them with appropriate information and advice.
Career discussions at work Practical tips for HR, managers and employees ©CIPD 2005
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