Career progression is no longer necessarily linear and "up the ladder.

" It can take a variety of forms and can involve: increasing the breadth or depth of responsibilities, using more advanced knowledge or skills, taking on bigger or more challenging projects, and/or supporting or interacting with higher level administrators or faculty.

Who is responsible for an employee's career progression? Career planning is a shared responsibility between an employee and a manager/supervisor. The role of a manager/supervisor is ongoing, and continues throughout the employment relationship. It is an expectation and responsibility of a manager/supervisor in a broadbanded environment to provide leadership in facilitating an employee's career development and progression, salary progression, performance, and skill development. Employees are responsible for identifying their career goals and areas in which they would like to expand their knowledge and skills, then discussing with managers/supervisors how these goals can support the mission of the employing unit.

How is the determination made that an employee is ready for career progression? Employees should be established and meeting department performance standards before beginning the career progression process. If there are performance issues, these should be addressed before a career progression plan is developed. Why encourage employee career progression? It is the role of managers/supervisors to create an environment of learning and professional growth for staff. A learning environment reflects the values of the Ohio State Mission and Values Statement, which encourages continuous learning and opportunities to develop professional growth. Providing career development opportunities assists in creating a motivating environment which can lead to increased job satisfaction. The university, as well as the employee, is the beneficiary when already knowledgeable staff are provided with opportunities to enhance their skills and abilities. Providing opportunities for growth can also be an effective retention strategy. When should career progression discussions occur? The university's Core Performance Management Process includes discussions about employee development as an integral part of the process. During performance planning, managers/supervisors and employees set goals for development. The coaching phase of the core performance management process recognizes that this is an ongoing process that

continues throughout the year. As needs within a unit change, additional opportunities are created for identifying growth and development potential within the unit. What is the relationship between career progression and salary increases? Career progression can encompass both short-term and long-term goals. Sometimes career advancement is significant enough to warrant an increase in salary. At other times, it is an opportunity for learning and growth that will position the employee for possible salary advancement in the future.

Roles and Responsibilities for Career Progression

Who is responsible for an employee's career progression? Career planning is a shared responsibility between an employee and a manager/supervisor. The role of a manager/supervisor is ongoing, and continues throughout the employment relationship. It is an expectation and responsibility of a manager/supervisor in a broadbanded environment to provide leadership in facilitating an employee's career development and progression, salary progression, performance, and skill development. Employees are responsible for identifying their career goals and areas in which they would like to expand their knowledge and skills, then discussing with managers/supervisors how these goals can support the mission of the employing unit. How is the determination made that an employee is ready for career progression? Employees should be established and meeting department performance standards before beginning the career progression process. If there are performance issues, these should be addressed before a career progression plan is developed. Why encourage employee career progression? It is the role of managers/supervisors to create an environment of learning and professional growth for staff. A learning environment reflects the values of the Ohio State Mission and Values Statement, which encourages continuous learning and opportunities to develop professional growth. Providing career development opportunities assists in creating a motivating environment which can lead to increased job satisfaction. The university, as well as the employee, is the beneficiary when already knowledgeable staff are provided with opportunities to enhance their skills and abilities. Providing opportunities for growth can also be an effective retention strategy. When should career progression discussions occur? The university's Core Performance Management Process (http://www.ohr.ohiostate.edu/ohrd/pmmenu.htm) includes discussions about employee development as an integral part of the process. During performance planning, managers/supervisors and employees set goals for development. The coaching phase of the core performance management process recognizes that this is an ongoing process that

continues throughout the year. As needs within a unit change, additional opportunities are created for identifying growth and development potential within the unit. What is the relationship between career progression and salary increases? Career progression can encompass both short-term and long-term goals. Sometimes career advancement is significant enough to warrant an increase in salary. At other times, it is an opportunity for learning and growth that will position the employee for possible salary advancement in the future. Considerations for salary advancement can be found on Page 11. University guidelines for salary administration are contained in Section 3.10 of the Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual

USING THE CAREER PROGRESSION MATRIX

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What is represented in the matrix? The sample career progression matrix on Page 7 represents a basic overview of the core duties of the office associate classification. This sample matrix is intended as a reference tool--not a definitive formula-for career progression and development within the office associate classification. The sample matrix is based upon information gathered by OHR, Employment Services, in a study of office associate positions posted and hired at Ohio State during 1999. Not all office associates are currently performing duties in each area. In addition, not every skill area that an office associate may currently be engaged in is represented in the matrix. However, these areas are representative of office associate positions throughout the university. Why might I use the matrix in my planning process and discussions? Career progression planning can begin by identifying the level at which office associate staff are currently functioning in the range of duties represented by the matrix. Although the major categories of skill are fairly comprehensive for this classification, you may find you want to add to the specific skills listed within each category to customize the matrix to your position. Career progression planning for an employee may involve charting development in an area where the employee has already acquired some skills and knowledge, and is ready for development opportunities. It can also involve adding new areas of expertise that the employee is not currently using. What specific steps should I follow when using this matrix? The steps below outline a process that can be followed in using the career progression matrix. However, each unit should identify the most appropriate uses of the matrix, and consider developing a customized model to support the specific mission and goals of the unit.

Step 1: Assess existing skills and responsibilities As part of the Core Performance Management Process, a dialogue between the manager/supervisor and employee should occur to assess the employee's current duties. Key questions may include: Has the employee successfully mastered the skills to succeed in the current job? In what areas of the matrix, and at what level, is the employee currently engaged? What skills does the employee possess that are not currently being utilized? Step 2: Strategize potential areas for growth and development These questions should be asked during the Core Performance Management Process, and throughout the year. Consider the following: What is the employee currently doing that could be enhanced with additional training and/or the opportunity to take on higher level or a broader range of responsibilities? What additional skills or responsibilities may enhance the employee's ability to further the mission and goals of the unit? What are the employee's interests or goals?

Using the Career Progression Matrix

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Step 3: Identify goals and expectations. Goals and expectations should be clearly defined with a timeframe for completion. Step 4: Identify training, mentoring, or coaching opportunities so that employees can successfully apply new skills and knowledge Mentoring, coaching, and suggestions for training alternatives that will support the career progression process are discussed on Page 14. Employees should be provided with opportunities for adequate training for new and/or existing responsibilities while balancing employee interests with the business needs of the unit. Step 5: Evaluate the career development process and provide the employee with feedback Evaluation is key to the success of the career progression process. Employees who succeed in taking on new responsibilities will continue to look for opportunities for growth. Sometimes it will become evident that development occurred too rapidly, without adequate resources, or beyond the comfort level of the employee. An effective manager/supervisor will continuously evaluate along with the employee, and make appropriate adjustments to the career progression plan as needed. Step 6: Evaluate and manage compensation It is important, as the employee gains new skills and responsibilities, to review compensation and ensure employees are being compensated for attaining value-added skills. There are three instances in which salary might be increased. If the employee has acquired a significantly new set of content knowledge or skills, a salary increase might occur if the nature of the employees position changed. For instance, if the employee began doing HR/ARMS work, then accepted fiscal responsibilities later.

A second example would be if the employee began to manage people or multiple projects or programs. When the position requires an increase in the depth or level of complexity in a particular area of expertise, a salary increase may be warranted. What if an employees career progression plan involves moving to another unit? Appropriate growth and development opportunities should be identified within the employing unit. However, movement from one unit to another and/or to a different classification will sometimes be necessary for continued growth. Units should not be deterred from developing an employee out of fear of the employee securing a position elsewhere.

Step 3: Identify goals and expectations. Goals and expectations should be clearly defined with a timeframe for completion. Step 4: Identify training, mentoring, or coaching opportunities so that employees can successfully apply new skills and knowledge Mentoring, coaching, and suggestions for training alternatives that will support the career progression process are discussed on Page 14. Employees should be provided with opportunities for adequate training for new and/or existing responsibilities while balancing employee interests with the business needs of the unit. Step 5: Evaluate the career development process and provide the employee with feedback Evaluation is key to the success of the career progression process. Employees who succeed in taking on new responsibilities will continue to look for opportunities for growth. Sometimes it will become evident that development occurred too rapidly, without adequate resources, or beyond the comfort level of the employee. An effective manager/supervisor will continuously evaluate along with the employee, and make appropriate adjustments to the career progression plan as needed. Step 6: Evaluate and manage compensation It is important, as the employee gains new skills and responsibilities, to review compensation and ensure employees are being compensated for attaining value-added skills. There are three instances in which salary might be increased. If the employee has acquired a significantly new set of content knowledge or skills, a salary increase might occur if the nature of the employees position changed. For instance, if the employee began doing HR/ARMS work, then accepted fiscal responsibilities later. A second example would be if the employee began to manage people or multiple projects or programs. When the position requires an increase in the depth or level of complexity in a particular area of expertise, a salary increase may be warranted. What if an employees career progression plan involves moving to another unit?

Appropriate growth and development opportunities should be identified within the employing unit. However, movement from one unit to another and/or to a different classification will sometimes be necessary for continued growth. Units should not be deterred from developing an employee out of fear of the employee securing a position elsewhere. The Ohio State University Office of Human Resources, 9/2000

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Introduction Jane Doe is hired as an office associate, with a working title of Department Secretary. She provides general office support and customer service for the Department of Surgery. Her primary duties include typing grants, manuscripts and other documents, responding to inquiries, and reconciling financial statements. She works directly for one physician and provides support to one or two additional physicians. She reports to an Office Staff Coordinator, Ms. I.M. Progressive. What instances would merit consideration of an annual increase, an off-cycle increase, and/or career progression within the classification, or a re-classification for Jane Doe? Scenario 1 Background As part of the units performance management process, Supervisor Progressive notes that Jane has completed a number of training sessions that she and her supervisor had discussed at the beginning of the performance cycle. Additionally Jane has shown the ability to apply many of the skills she learned to her duties as an office associate. Factors to consider Supervisor Progressive considers several factors when contemplating what to do to recognize Janes excellent job proficiency. These factors include the units compensation philosophy and internal equity. The units compensation philosophy includes a desire to provide managers/supervisors the flexibility needed to recruit and retain high quality staff. Additionally the supervisor is considering whether to recognize Janes accomplishments through the annual salary increase process or through an off-cycle salary action. Results Since the supervisor is getting ready to complete Janes performance evaluation for the fiscal year, she decides to utilize the upcoming annual increase process to recognize Jane. A change in classification is not warranted at this time. Scenario 2 Background Supervisor Progressive acknowledges that Jane is proficient at all the basic aspects of her position and has taken on some new and/or expanded duties. These duties include maintaining spreadsheets, generating reports, and assisting with maintaining the department web site. Factors toconsider

Supervisor Progressive looks at the salary levels of other office associate/department secretaries in her unit, department, and college. She determines that Janes pay is a little low compared to other department secretaries with similar responsibility levels. She also wants to consider external market data and local value. Supervisor P. learns that Janes pay is even lower compared to the external data than it was compared to internal data.

The Ohio State University

Office of Human Resources, 9/2000

5 Career Progression- Sample Scenario

Introduction Jane Doe is hired as an office associate, with a working title of Department Secretary. She provides general office support and customer service for the Department of Surgery. Her primary duties include typing grants, manuscripts and other documents, responding to inquiries, and reconciling financial statements. She works directly for one physician and provides support to one or two additional physicians. She reports to an Office Staff Coordinator, Ms. I.M. Progressive. What instances would merit consideration of an annual increase, an off-cycle increase, and/or career progression within the classification, or a re-classification for Jane Doe? Scenario 1 Background As part of the units performance management process, Supervisor Progressive notes that Jane has completed a number of training sessions that she and her supervisor had discussed at the beginning of the performance cycle. Additionally Jane has shown the ability to apply many of the skills she learned to her duties as an office associate. Factors to consider Supervisor Progressive considers several factors when contemplating what to do to recognize Janes excellent job proficiency. These factors include the units compensation philosophy and internal equity. The units compensation philosophy includes a desire to provide managers/supervisors the flexibility needed to recruit and retain high quality staff. Additionally the supervisor is considering whether to recognize Janes accomplishments through the annual salary increase process or through an off-cycle salary action. Results Since the supervisor is getting ready to complete Janes performance evaluation for the fiscal year, she decides to utilize the upcoming annual increase process to recognize Jane. A change in classification is not warranted at this time. Scenario 2 Background Supervisor Progressive acknowledges that Jane is proficient at all the basic aspects of her position and has taken

on some new and/or expanded duties. These duties include maintaining spreadsheets, generating reports, and assisting with maintaining the department web site. Factors to consider Supervisor Progressive looks at the salary levels of other office associate/department secretaries in her unit, department, and college. She determines that Janes pay is a little low compared to other department secretaries with similar responsibility levels. She also wants to consider external market data and local value. Supervisor P. learns that Janes pay is even lower compared to the external data than it was compared to internal data.

Scenario 2 (Continued) Result Supervisor Progressive discusses Janes situation with her department HRP, who indicates the current working title is still appropriate, but the increased responsibilities merit a salary increase. Supervisor Progressive shares the information with Dr. Z, who approves the request and forwards it to the department HRP and the college office for an off-cycle salary increase. Scenario 3 Background Some time later, the department experienced growth and added new positions and support staff. Jane is now providing support for two additional physicians, preparing the department newsletter and coordinating office activities in the supervisors absence. She discusses her increased responsibilities along with her recent training she has attended on ARMS-HR System and desktop publishing with Supervisor Progressive. Supervisor Progressive confers with the department HRP regarding Janes situation and how other departments are dealing with similar issues. Result After discussing Janes increased responsibilities and the recent growth of the department, they both agree on Janes progression within the classification. The HRP recommends that Supervisor Progressive change Janes working title to Department Lead Secretary and increase her pay. Generally this increase would be between 5% to 10%. Scenario 4 Background Approximately one year later, the office staff coordinator moved to a different position and Jane has continued to pick up administrative duties in the department. These additional duties include preparing and maintaining financial records, and assisting with budget preparation and maintenance, including preparing initial budget recommendations and representing the department fiscal officer at meetings. Result

Jane discusses with the supervising physician whether her current title is most appropriate, who concurs that a review of her position is warranted. She updates her position description and forwards it to the department HRP for review. Upon review by the college HRP and OHR, it is recommended that Janes position be reclassified to an office administrative associate. The sample career progression matrix on the following page represents an overview of the various duties an office associate may progress through while employed in the office associate classification. Although the matrix is intended to be read from top to bottom, an office associate is not likely engaged at the same level in all of the skill areas. For example, an office associate may be very advanced in the duties performed with regard to communication, but have no fiscal duties whatsoever. The matrix is intended to stimulate conversation about the opportunities for career progression, and is not a formula for progressing in the office associate

Career Progression Matrix Sample Scenario

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The categories on this planning document can be defined by the unit to match the duties of a particular position. The following table can be used to identify the current status of an office associate in each category, the goals for progression, and a strategy for achieving identified goals.

EXAMPLE:
General Scope/Content Area Current status Goals Training/Mentoring Plan Timeframe Communication Effectively responds to inquiries and requests by identifying appropriate sources of information (faculty or staff member) and relaying information in timely manner to customers Broaden knowledge of sources of information (Web sites, on- and off-campus information sources, information materials) so that greater responsibility can be assumed for researching and providing information to customers Arrange a six week (two hours each week) mentoring plan with content specialist Complete mentoring plan by end of winter quarter

Career Progression Worksheet

Salary Considerations

Where do I begin when considering a salary action? The first factor to evaluate when considering a change in salary is the units compensation philosophy. A compensation philosophy is a set of guiding principles that are based on values that drive compensation decisionmaking. It should describe the desired competitive position (see discussion on local value below) and the critical factors (see discussion below) for moving pay for employees of the unit. The specific factors evaluated in making a pay decision are then filtered through this philosophy. After considering the relevant factors, a unit must determine if it is most appropriate to take action at the time of the annual budget increase or outside of that process. What other factors should be considered when determining pay and how do they specifically apply to the office associate classification? 1. What is internal equity? Internal equity refers to the pay relationships among jobs (taking into consideration skill levels and years of experience within a single organization) and focuses attention on employee and management acceptance of these relationships. It involves establishing equal pay for jobs of equal worth and acceptable pay differentials for positions with greater scope and responsibility. How do I evaluate internal equity? To evaluate internal equity for an office associate position in your work unit, you would first identify any other office associate jobs in the work unit, identify groups of those jobs based on any differences within that group in role and nature of job duties, and note the salary levels of each incumbent in each of those groups. The next step would be to compare the pay levels of the incumbents in the job groups to the position in question and determine if the relative ranking of the salary of the position is logical in the context of the other positions. If it is not, then a further evaluation of skills and experience of all incumbents and/or any other factors would be critical to making an appropriate pay decision. 2. What is relevant market? Relevant market is the competitive geographical, educational and/or occupational area within which the university competes for qualified employees.

What is the relevant market for an office associate position? Generally speaking, the relevant market for an office associate position includes central Ohio employers, both public and private sector. Although there is competition with the State Government of Ohio for some of these positions, standard industry practice for compensation professionals in the local area would suggest that this should be given less weight than all other comparisons since their system is significantly impacted by the decisions of the state legislature, by the collective bargaining process, and generally requires new hires to enter at the salary grade minimum.

Salary Considerations
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3. What is market value? Market value is the result of a process to identify the relative worth of a specific position compared to a broadly applied industry standard. Typically this involves comparing a specific job and salary to similar jobs and their respective salaries in the university, in higher education, and with other local and national employers. The comparison process will typically result in a range of dollars rather than a single dollar point since generally no two jobs are exactly the same in scope and range of duties. What is the market value for an office associate position? For assistance in determining the market value of an office associate position, employees should contact their manager/supervisor who may then consult with OHR, Consulting Services. 4. What is local value? Local value refers to the relative worth of a particular job to a department/unit. Local value should be thought of as a filtering process for broadly applied industry salary data that includes an examination of: availability of funds to pay for the position impact of the position on the units ability to accomplish its mission desired competitive position for the units employees (intentions to lag, meet or lead the market) as it relates to recruitment strategies for the position. Generally speaking: The greater and more direct impact a job has on the organization, the greater the local value. The greater or more complex the skill set required, the greater the local value, assuming that performance is at or above an acceptable level. This filtering process typically will result in a narrowed range of dollars versus a single dollar point. How do I use local value with a position? Once you have obtained a range of market salary data (internal and/or external), you should look at that range and determine exactly where to position the target salary based on the funds you have available, the amount of growth you expect in the position, the recruitment and retention strategy needed to maintain the position, and the criticality of this job to the ability of your group to accomplish its mission.

Example: This position is the only office support position assigned to a newly established academic program. The employee must perform a wide range of duties including support for the HR, purchasing, and student programs functions. A portion of the programs success can be tied to the level of customer service given by this individual. Therefore, a target salary range that is in the mid to upper portion of the range would be appropriate. What situations should be recognized through the annual salary increase process? Annual increases are the primary vehicle for progressing employees toward their competitive market salary and for recognizing and rewarding staff performance. Annual increases are given during the universitys annual salary budget process. On-going normal skill development and gradual increases of responsibility should be addressed through this process. Therefore, it is critical that managers/supervisors review performance of their staff as part of this annual process. The Ohio State University Office of Human Resources, 9/2000

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What should I consider in determining an annual increase amount? Allocations of larger amounts should be made to those whose performance levels separate them positively from the norm and who are further from their competitive market salary. This may mean smaller increases for satisfactory or less than satisfactory performers or for those earning salaries that are substantially above the internal/external market. What situations should be recognized through an off-cycle increase? Off cycle increases are given at a time of the year outside of the annual salary budget process. Generally they are given to recognize substantial changes in scope or organizational structure that affect a position (career progression, situations that would have resulted in a reclassification pre-broadbanding, substantial new responsibility for employee supervision, etc.). However, they may also be given for reasons including improving internal/external equity, recognition of shifts in the market for a given set of skills, performance review cycles and/or funding cycles that require increases to be given at a time other than at the beginning of a new university fiscal year. What factors should I consider in determining an off-cycle increase amount? Factors to be considered include: the degree to which the scope and primary function of the position has changed, the degree the market may have shifted for the particular skill set and level of responsibility, the relative level of performance of this staff member to his or her peers, the proximity of his or her current salary to their competitive market salary, the level of incumbents salary compared to others in department and across university, the employees overall contribution to the organization, and the degree of difficulty to recruit and retain a comparably qualified employee. The fact that Ohio State is a public employer and that salary records are public record should also be considered. This consideration should be made from two perspectives: 1) since these increases are given outside the annual budget

process, other employees in the unit are typically very keenly interested in why an increase of this nature is given to an employee at this time and will likely question or want to vie for a raise for comparable reasons and 2) our ultimate accountability is to the public and we therefore need to be accountable for any expenditure of funds. So how do I use all of this information to form a decision? The most critical first step is to determine if the individuals salary is equitable when compared to other similarly situated staff in the unit. The second tier of the decision making process is to then evaluate the incumbents skills and ability to perform the assigned tasks of their position. If the employee has accomplished the desired skill and experience level for the position, then his or her salary should be equitable to others performing at a similar level. If not, then a development plan and accompanying compensation plan should be established to guide the growth process. The Ohio State University Office of Human Resources, 9/2000

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When employees seek professional development and advancement they often need to increase their knowledge, skills and abilities in various areas. An employee and supervisor can enter into a partnership to assess what kinds of skills are needed to enrich the present position or to facilitate career advancement. The supervisor can recommend and develop a training plan. The manager/supervisor or employee may initiate this process. When should a manager/supervisor and employee discuss training opportunities? Opportunities for discussions about training may naturally occur: during performance planning goal-setting sessions when there is a change or addition of responsibilities when there is a new department vacancy and opportunity to advance when a change in department organization leads to changing roles when an employee desires to learn a new skill to enhance performance. Training can provide individuals with needed skills in areas such as supervision, computer software skills, university policies, payroll, budgeting and ARMS. An example of such a need for training may occur when an employee whose main responsibility has been assisting customers is presented with additional responsibilities such as assisting with payroll and budget, producing a newsletter and/or supervising staff. What formal training does the university offer? The university offers a variety of training to Ohio State employees. Some of the training that would assist in the office associate classification includes: ARMS training (Web site--www.arms.ohio-state.edu/training/train2000.html) Organization and Human Resource Development (OHRD) offers Supervisor Training to Enhance Performance or Certificate Program for Office Administrative Staff--(614) 292-4500 Office of Information Technology (OIT) offers computer training: covers use of several computer software programs including PowerPoint--(614) 688-HELP Continuing Education--more in depth training on some software applications including Microsoft Word and Power Point for a fee--(614) 292-8571

Office of the Controller: Financial Training and Documentation Workshop Series--(614) 292-8411 What other training options are there to consider? While there are various formal training opportunities available at the university, many exist externally as well. For information on possible training opportunities outside the university, you may contact OHRD at (614) 292-4500. They also house a learning resource center, which serves as a lending library of books and videotapes on building workplace skills. Some training options to consider are coaching, mentoring and rotation or cross-training. COACHING What is coaching? Managers/supervisors may serve as coaches to assist individuals in attaining career goals. Coaching consists of a combination of ongoing as well as spontaneous meetings between supervisors and employees to discuss the employee's career goals and professional development. An experienced supervisor works directly with an employee and offers

Training Options and Information

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direction and support. Meetings occur between supervisors and employees to discuss the employee's strengths and areas for improvement and learning, as well as to identify barriers to performance. What are the roles of the supervisor and employee in coaching? The supervisor and employee both have distinct roles in the area of coaching. It is important for the supervisor to provide feedback to the employee and discuss the learning and professional needs as well as the opportunities for career development within the organization. Many of these issues can be explored initially during performance goal setting sessions as well as through ongoing informal discussions. While the supervisor may share ideas that can improve performance, the employee can also provide insight into what motivates him or her and indicate a desire for development opportunities. The employee may indicate that there are additional tasks or responsibilities that they would like to learn. Both the supervisor and employee should work together to identify barriers to successful job performance and discuss strategies to overcome these. MENTORING What is mentoring? Is that similar to coaching? Mentoring is another training option, which consists of a developmentally oriented relationship between a senior and junior colleague or between two peers. Mentoring can occur at all levels of the organization and usually involves advising, role modeling, and assisting with the development of technical and interpersonal skills, as well as relevant job-related competencies. Such a relationship can give individuals an opportunity to learn more about the organization and determine what opportunities they would like to explore. Perhaps an experienced employee is willing to share his

or her knowledge with an individual who is new to the organization or who wishes to explore other types of employment within the department. A mentor can provide another less experienced employee with the opportunity to gain new career insights and to look at other career options. ROTATION/CROSS TRAINING How can a current employee learn new skills and still complete his or her job responsibilities? Rotation, or cross-training, is another training option, which assists employees in learning new skills and understanding the responsibilities of other positions within the organization. An advantage of cross training is that it helps employees to become more flexible in their current jobs and exposes them to other positions that they may consider in their career development plan. Rotation also can assist with maintaining service during an employee's absence. OPTIONS It sounds like there are many options. How is the best training option selected? Consider the type of training that will benefit the employee in his or her present job or that will enhance opportunities for professional development. The training choice may be formal training or a combination of the types of training discussed above. Work as a partner with the employee to develop the training plan, which matches his or her interests and needs. Encourage employees to take an active role in their career development and provide and solicit feedback on performance and development. Use the performance goal setting sessions to begin discussions about career development. The Ohio State University Office of Human Resources, 9/2000

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The information presented in the Guide to Career Progression for the Office Associate emerges from a variety of materials produced by OHR and other sources, and was authored through the partnership of the Compensation, Consulting Services and Employment Services units in the Office of Human Resources. Listed below are some additional sources of information to consider in developing a career progression plan.

The CPG will help ensure that employees develop into managers, supervisors and/or executives capable of handling the future business

The Career Planning Tool (CPT)

This guide is designed to introduce the DON IM/IT & KM employee to the concepts and processes surrounding career development. It is supported by an automated application called the Career Planning Tool (CPT), which is available separately from the Workforce section of the DON CIO website at http://www.doncio.navy.mil/workforce. The CPT

allows a user, based on a selected IM/IT or KM career area and job role (or function), to self-assess their proficiency in the functional competencies for a given role, determine where proficiency gaps exist, and design a tailored development strategy to help achieve proficiency in those competencies. In addition to functional competencies, the user can also perform a similar self-assessment of "Career Foundational Competencies" which are competencies that should be displayed by all DON civilians, regardless of job function. Once these steps are complete, the CPT is used to develop a Career Progression Plan (CPP), which is similar to an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The CPP contains four parts: Career Development Data, a Needs Analysis, a Development Strategy, and Development History. The tool, based on the user's self-assessment of competencies, automatically generates most of the CPP. The CPT is most effectively used in conjunction with the CPG, which contains detailed information about the career development process. The CPG was previously a twovolume set, with the second volume being a detailed listing of competencies associated with each career area and job role. The CPT now replaces Volume II. Instructions on how to use the CPT can be found on the DON CIO Workforce website referenced above. Back to Top

What's in it for Me?

Times are changing. Change often brings about uncertainty, which can be very uncomfortable. However, being prepared for change can help make coping easier. The CPG and CPT are tools to help the IM/IT & KM workforce prepare for future careers by: Framing meaningful and realistic career and life goals and translating them into personal career and life plans; Identifying unique work styles and preferences; Looking beyond job descriptions to identify existing skills and competencies that can be applied in future work assignments while identifying new skills that may be needed to adapt to new directions in the DON; and Helping make informed decisions about professional development opportunities.

Perhaps even more important, however, is the opportunity for the DON to show that it really does care about the IM/IT & KM workforce in these new and uncertain times, and to demonstrate its concern by giving something back. Career development requires a partnership between the employee and the organization. While the employee is ultimately responsible for his own development, the organization plays a major role in providing the appropriate jobrelated training and development to help employees reach professional goals. This relationship is illustrated in the figure to the right. Without a partnership between the organization and employee to ensure that investments in job-

related training and development are provided at the appropriate times in an employee's career, the employee runs the risk of becoming obsolete. While it is incumbent on the employee to make a personal investment in life-long professional development, the organization must also make an investment in terms of job-related training and development. This helps the employee attain ever increasing capabilities while building her value within the organization.

Back to Top

DON IM/IT Strategic Plan

The DON IM/IT Strategic Plan brings a collective vision of the future into clearer focus and communicates the DON's commitment to putting information to work for our Sailors, Marines, and Civilians. The most recent version of the IM/IT Strategic Plan outlines eight specific goals, listed below. Each member of the DON is encouraged to factor these goals and objectives into programmatic and operational plans. 1. Provide an interoperable information technology infrastructure that ensures knowledge superiority. 2. Infuse advanced information technology into warfighting and business processes. 3. Maximize the value and manage the risk associated with information technology investments. 4. Proactively encourage the creation and sharing of knowledge to enable effective, timely, and agile decision-making. 5. Exploit emerging information technologies to achieve information dominance. 6. Ensure information resources and critical infrastructures are secure and protected. 7. Build IM/IT competencies to shape the workforce of the future. 8. Foster and incentivize a technology-enabled and information-rich culture. Back to Top

IM/IT & KM Workforce Strategic Vision

The CPG will provide the foundation to Build IM/IT competencies to shape the workforce of the future. It also offers guidance to the newest community, our Knowledge Management practitioners. Through their expertise the DON will establish KM capabilities for all to employ in pursuit of Knowledge Superiority. The DON IM/IT & KM vision for the future will require a skilled and highly competent workforce. Five main points articulate this vision: Develop a highly-trained and competent DON IM/IT & KM workforce. Recruit and retain qualified IM/IT & KM personnel. Increase efficiency and skill levels of the DON IM/IT & KM workforce through superior technical and professional development opportunities. Produce employees who are qualified to fill high-grade positions. Build a high-performance learning organization. Back to Top

Qualities of the IM/IT & KM Workforce

The DON IM/IT & KM workforce must possess an awareness of both the external and internal environment. The DON has identified the following focus areas that must be developed by the IM/IT &KM workforce of the future; these are called Career Foundational Competencies: Strategic Focus Outcome Oriented Focus Supervisory and Team Focus Interpersonal Focus Mission Focus Personal Mastery Focus Knowledge Focus

While no employee may fully develop all these skills, it is important that each focuses on as many as possible and continues to evolve and grow. The areas feature a number of characteristics that are all inherent in leadership effectiveness, as illustrated in the figure below and defined in Appendix E:

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Core Values

The DON IM/IT & KM workforce commits to achieving the overall workforce strategic vision by: Maximizing the value of IT investments Ensuring the work performed is aligned with the strategic objectives of our organization and the DON Embracing industry and government best practices for recruiting and retention Valuing our IM/IT & KM workforce Recruiting and retaining specifically to fill our core IM/IT & KM functions. Back to Top

Objective of the CPG

This CPG is a tool for determining the career options, professional development opportunities, and competency requirements of DON IM/IT & KM employees. It provides guidance for each IM/IT & KM field (career area) in the DON workforce. Specifically, the CPG and the CPT can be used in developing a Career Progression Plan (CPP). The CPP identifies the career goal, competency requirements and professional development opportunities that are formalized into an execution plan tailored to the individual. The CPP, in turn, aids in the development of an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The ultimate goal of the CPG is to develop a highly competent DON IM/IT & KM workforce. The CPG promotes this goal by: 1. Providing employees with a comprehensive list of competencies needed for performing major tasks in the IM/IT & KM occupations. 2. Providing learning objectives that are established standards of performance and accountability. 3. Providing employees and their supervisors with a reference to assist in determining appropriate training and to prepare employees for more responsible and challenging positions. 4. Assisting supervisors in making effective use of scarce training resources by identifying critical competencies, training opportunities and certifications so that employees can attend the appropriate courses at the appropriate time, while gaining useful on-the-job experience. 5. Enabling employees to plan and sequence appropriate career training and development. 6. Developing and strengthening employees' professional qualifications and leadership abilities. A quick word to managers Although this CPG is written primarily for employees developing their careers, managers play a very important role and are thus strongly encouraged to read this guide. There are several steps employees take when using this CPG that require management assistance, guidance and answers. In addition, managers are essential in communicating the needs of the organization and the types of competencies needed by the organization in the future. Back to Top

Intended Audience
The primary audience for this CPG and CPT is each individual DON IM/IT & KM employee. They have been developed because the DON recognizes the need for comprehensive career planning and management guidance in order to recruit for and retain our valuable IM/IT & KM workforce. It is the responsibility of each individual to take proactive steps in planning his career in the DON. Often, this requires a lot of work and can be daunting without assistance. But, in the long run, this hard work pays off. Think of the CPG and CPT as tools that provides much of the career planning assistance an individual needs, and offers a "head start" in the career planning process. As such, this guide and the CPT are also to be used by managers and mentors in developing an employee's formal training plan. The CPP is most beneficial when it is shared between managers and employees because it helps identify employees' career goals, assess current competencies, and outlines what may be required in target job roles. Additionally, an individual may seek the assistance of a servicing Human Resources (HR) advisor or Employee Development Specialist in developing a formal training plan. These individuals also play an important role in the career development process. Managers may be direct supervisors, and are helpful in assessing skills and job responsibilities. Although mentors are not common, they can be quite helpful. A mentor might be an individual who "takes you under his wing" to help with the various aspects of career development and is an invaluable source of knowledge. Because mentor inputs are so important, everyone is encouraged to get a manager and/or mentor involved early in the career development process. A quick word to mentors Being a mentor doesn't necessarily mean a long term, time-consuming commitment. Here are five easy ways to help someone at work improve their skills: Make a copy of a magazine article that you think they would learn from and find interesting. It doesn't have to be related to your business -- it could be about sports, business, politics, or entertainment. Share information about a professional seminar or workshop coming up. Have lunch with someone you don't normally see outside of work; you can give them advice on work and/or personal matters. Be a mock audience for a presentation or a reader for a report. Teach someone a software package they don't know. If you don't have time, just teach them some short-cuts you know in a software package they use.

SOURCE: "101 Ways to Have a Great Day @ Work," Stephanie Goddard Davidson, 1998.

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Overview of the Career Development Process

The DON IM/IT & KM career development process, illustrated on the next page, depicts all of the steps involved in career development, from the initial steps of formulating a career goal to drafting and implementing a CPP. Please refer to Appendix A for a checklist that summarizes each of these steps. This section provides a high-level overview of the process, broken down into four phases: PREPARE ASSESS VALIDATE EXECUTE

Joining together the first letters of each phase to form the word "PAVE" may aid in remembering the process. Each phase is briefly introduced below, with much more detail provided in The Career Development Process section of the CPG. Sections that discusses the career development process will be shown with symbols, an 'E', 'M', or both in the right hand margin to suggest who is responsible for certain actions ('E' for employee or 'M' for manager/mentor).

PREPARE In the PREPARE phase, the employee takes the requisite steps to ensure that the career planning process is made easier and more productive. The foundation step in this phase is to carefully read the CPG, as this is the guide for developing an individual plan. But an employee also needs to take time to collect information, organize thoughts, and set goals that will help in each stage of the career development process. When finished reviewing the CPG, she moves on to the next phase, ASSESS. ASSESS In the ASSESS phase, an employee evaluates where he wants to be in the future.

This involves setting goals and time frames, determining the proper path to reach goals in a given time frame, and assessing current competencies. Part of this phase involves performing a self-assessment of current skills - using the interactive CPT application. Essentially, one needs a current "snapshot" of competencies to compare against those needed to accomplish a career goal. The employee performs the assessment in concert with her current manager, who can help ensure the validity of the results. When satisfied with the self-assessment, she moves on to the next phase, VALIDATE. VALIDATE The first step in the VALIDATE phase is to compare current and target competencies (with mentor/managers input). Current competencies include knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes that describe an employee now (collected in the ASSESS phase). Target competencies are future competencies needed to fulfill a career goal. These are based on the perspective of the DON organization (i.e., certain organizations will have specific needs), as well as what is understood about future job roles and skill requirements. This results in a "Gap Analysis" that compares the current and target competency information to reveal a possible gap. The gap identifies the competencies that need attainment to help fulfill a career goal. A significant gap may be an indication that a career goal is unrealistic and should be revisited. Managers can help determine this. After completing the Gap Analysis, employees working in conjunction with their managers/mentors will outline a strategy identifying the learning and experience activities required to achieve the target competencies. This information is incorporated into a draft CPP that is subsequently reviewed and finalized. From here, employees proceed to the final phase, EXECUTE. EXECUTE The EXECUTE phase requires taking action on the steps outlined in the CPP. This may involve pursuing developmental opportunities and/or gaining job experience. On a larger scale, it may involve transitioning to another position, a different department, or a higher grade level, for example. Finally, employees and managers need to work together to evaluate progress on a regular basis. A Mid-Stream Evaluation ensures the employee takes the right track in achieving a stated career goal. Back to Top Proceed to "Career Areas and Job Roles"

How Do I Contribute to an Employee's Career Development?

Typical Scenario: You want to enhance an employee's skills to optimize performance and reinforce the employee's ability to take on broader responsibilities; or changes in your organization's functions require your staff to develop new skills. Principle:

An important part of every manager's job is that of continuing the development of the people who work under his/her direction to ensure a productive workforce and the on-going ability to meet changing job requirements. There is a clear strategic value in continuously training and developing employees in order to enhance the organization's ability to meet its mission and to increase the ability of employees to achieve rewarding careers within the organization. As a manager, you have several responsibilities in this area: analyzing organizational needs and identifying specific training requirements, developing training plans for the overall organization and individual employees within it, obtaining and allocating resources effectively to accomplish training needs and produce desired gains in organizational efficiency, and evaluating the impact of training efforts and making necessary adjustments to ensure maximum results. Where Do I Start? You should start your training effort by carefully thinking about the organization's strategic goals and objectives, your unit's goals and objectives, what work is to be performed, and the strengths and weaknesses of your staff. Then think carefully about the knowledge and skills needed to do the job. Knowing what a job requires and how well you want it done will give you data to make training decisions. You should also look at broad performance issues and opportunities needed to change or improve the organization and the individual employee's strength and growth opportunities. An individual "needs assessment" focuses on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required of each employee. (Individual needs should be viewed within the context of strategic goals of the organization in order to ensure professional growth and development of employees within established career paths.) Your servicing human resources office (SHRO) can direct you to resources to help you assess the individual training needs of your employees. Rules and Flexibilities: Managers must consider all employees fairly for training opportunities. Selection of employees for training must ensure that all employees are selected without regard to political preference, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or handicapping condition, and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights as provided by the Merit System Principles. Additionally, merit promotion procedures must be followed in selecting employees for training which is primarily to prepare trainees for advancement and which is not directly related to improving performance in their current positions. Managers have wide flexibility in the training area in choosing training sources, curricula, etc. Depending on your office budget, you can pay all or part of the costs associated with training, including registration fees, books, materials, etc., that will contribute to your office's mission. You should be aware, however, that training requests cannot be funded "after the fact" (after the course has begun). Basic Steps:

Determine training needs by forecasting the direction your organization will take in the next 2-5 years. Determine what skills will be required. Determine whether your employees possess the necessary skills to plan and implement programs and activities required by the anticipated direction.

To determine individual employee needs, examine the difference between projected necessary skills and current skills. You can also meet with employees to discuss career goals and determine what additional capabilities are required for career progression.

Once you've determined your training needs, you will have to decide how best to meet them.

Rather than relying solely on formal classroom training, you should explore all alternatives and select the most effective one.

Alternatives include:

Workplace approaches - formal on-the-job training, mentoring, developmental assignments.

Some university programs offer financial assistance to Government employees (e.g., Cornell's School of Business and Wharton). Some programs last eight weeks, while others last up to two years. Some are part-time; some are full-time. Self-study approaches - self-paced instruction, correspondence courses and independent readings.

Technology-based approaches - computer-based training or distance learning.

Formal classroom courses, seminars, conferences and workshops conducted by colleges and universities, private companies, contractors, Government agencies, professional and scientific organizations, and professional associations. In those cases where a training need exists for a number of employees, an on-site contract course may be the most cost- effective alternative.

Your SHRO can direct you to information on available training courses and seminars.

Good Management Practices:

Be sure that training and career development are related to organizational needs or employee needs in the current position. Look for opportunities to provide career enhancement such as details, job rotations, etc., rather than relying solely on formal training.

Some offices require that you develop an annual Individual Development Plan (IDP) for each employee. When it is not required, it is strongly recommended that you develop an annual IDP for each employee. Your SHRO can assist you in the preparation of an IDP. It should be reviewed periodically during the Year to determine if any changes need to be made because of new priorities, changing budget situations or new organizational goals.

Once training is completed, it is critically important to assess the effect it has had on the organization and/or the employee's performance. You may want to set up a meeting with employees immediately after formal training to "debrief" them. Similarly, you might require a written summary report of what was accomplished or learned and how it will be applied on the job. Often the lessons learned can be passed to other employees in a summary form, thus extending the value of the training without additional cost.

Checklist

Budget and plan for training and development efforts Meet with employees and identify their needs and career goals Identify most effective training resources Develop Individual Development Plans (Optional) Look for opportunities to provide career enhancement

A NOTE ON SES . . .

In recent years, there has been an emphasis on providing mobility opportunities for SES executives to foster a "corporate" perspective. Details and job rotations are excellent ways to increase an executive's exposure to other organizations and management styles.

In certain circumstances, career SES employees may also be eligible for a sabbatical lasting up to 11 months. Appropriate activities for employees on sabbatical may include teaching, study, or research at a university; study or research in a "think tank"; work with a private sector or nonprofit organization; or assignments with State, local or foreign Governments. Regardless of the activity, a sabbatical must clearly benefit the Government as well as the individual.

The Department offers an SES Candidate Development Program (CDP). The SES CDP is a competitive program open to employees serving under career appointments at the GS-15 level or equivalent. The SES CDP is a part-time program, not to exceed two years, that varies in length depending on the candidate's individual developmental needs. At the completion of the

developmental period, each candidate's activities and experiences must be approved by the Departmental. At that time, the candidate must submit a request to OPM for QRB certification.

Career progression: What is it? Career progression: What is it

Career Progression what is it? Career Progression is not the same as Career Developmentwhich is the term most people are accustomed to using. A persons Career Development pathway is likely to be much more broad than just the time spent working in the Australian Meat Industry. It will involve a range of individual choices in managing work, learning and lifestyle activities. Career Progression is more occupation-focused. Its about advancement within a job, within an organisation, or within an industry. As an employer in the Australian Meat Industry, you have an interest in facilitating Career Progression for the people who work for you Facilitating CP-why would u do it People are often attracted to a particular industry, company or job by opportunities for career development through learning and training to match life goals. People are more likely to stay in their jobs when the work is challenging, interesting, meaningful and when they have opportunities to upgrade their skills in the work. People are more likely to stay with a particular company when there is opportunity for career progressionand they know what they need to do, to make that happen. People are more likely to stay in a particular industry when they can take pride in the work that they do and the place that they work. When people: are attracted to you stay with you upgrade their skills and qualifications there are immediate benefits for your business in terms of availability and capabilityand long term benefits through effective workforce planning!

A reputation for career progression will attract people to work for you Opportunities for career progression will encourage people to stay with you Employee career progression gives you flexibility to fill current and future gaps You achieve an available, capable and effective workforce! Staff morale, productivity, skills and qualifications all increase

How to become an employer of choice in an industry of choice:

A practical guide to workforce development for the Australian Meat Industry
Career progression: What is it? Facilitating career progression: Why would you do it?
The key reason people leave a job is because it has failed to meet one or more of their expectationsyet they often don't communicate their dissatisfaction until its too late. Even if the employees began with false expectations, it can benefit you to discover and address the perceived failings. Sometimes, employees themselves don't recognise the reason for their dissatisfaction. They may say theyre happy in the job they haveyet research shows people who stay too long doing the same thing often leave. Generating interest in growthwhether thats within their job or away from itis in the best interests of your employees and your company! Do you actively seek to learn whether employees expectations are being met within your company or the industry? Do you have processes in place to test job satisfaction and identify retraining opportunities for those frustrated in their current roles? Are there opportunities to extend the activities and tasks of people who say they are happy at their current level? Do you display material at your site that promotes Vocational Qualifications and encourages people to take part? Do they know youll help them do that? People need to know where and how they can be promoted to other levels in the company. They need to be clear about the competencies and behaviours that are required for specific jobs and to feel that there are opportunities for them to learn and develop new skills. One way to do this is to have clear written Position Descriptions and Person Specifications available for each job family. These documents will be useful to employees when setting goals for jobs and work levels theyd like to work toward. They will gain a better understanding of the work they think they'd like to doand this reduces the risk of people starting down a pathway which really doesnt suit them. A written record of the skills, attitudes and behaviours already required in their current job also helps people to gain confidence in what they really have to offer. When people find a match between much of what

theyre already doing and what theyd need to do in a new job, it appears much more achievable for themtheyre more likely to try something they had thought was out of reach. Employees career pathway planning and your succession planning can work hand-inhand for mutual benefitif they are aware of your plans. Do you promote within the workplace what your future needs will be? For example, do people know that your 3 year & 5 year growth plans mean you will need more trained Supervisors? Has your workforce planning analysis exposed a particular area of your plant or a specific field of work that is destined for shortages as people retire? Do you take steps to ensure these issues are communicatednot just during inductions, but at regular intervals (capturing those people whose life goals and needs have changed)? Do you regularly promote on-the-job training opportunities? Are people aware they have opportunities to upgrade their skills, even if they don't want to move out of their current job?

How to