Organizational Career Development Proposal

Need for Career Development Programs 

The need that employees have is “to be attracted to organizations that have well-developed mentoring programs, career 

development initiatives, and job enrichment opportunities” (ASTD, 2005).  

Top 20 Retention Drivers

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

Alignment With Mission and Vision:

 Able to act on a development program that brings about the vision and mission of the company

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

Core Competencies:

•  Brings skills and knowledge that are important for individuals to develop to be successful

• Helps the individual to link their job to the mission and vision of the company.

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

Self Assessment:•  Brings self-understanding of abilities, interests, 

values, and goals• Vital foundation of the career development process•  Use of assessment tools such as Now, Discover Your

Strengths by Buckingham & Clifton and Career Anchors by Edgar H. Schein can be used for self-

assessment(Assessment tools will be discussed more in a separate section)

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

 A Variety of Learning Options:

• Develops skills to sell and train• Personal support to improve sales

•  Regional managers support and give guidance• Develops a mentoring culture using existing sales 

personnel

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

Career Options and Available Talent:

• Potential individuals identified can assist, train, and handle local issues for the regional 

manager.  

Characteristics of a Successful Career Development System

On-Going Communication:

•  Keeps communication open • Connected through conference calls 

• Regional manger kept updated on career and product development

Assessment Tools from Now, Discover Your Strengths

• Looks at 34 strengths in an individual and records the top 5

• Builds a strengths-based culture in the corporation

Four Aspects of a Strengths-Based Corporation

• Spend a great deal of time and money selecting people. Helps mitigate the “I don’t think I have the right talent for the role” problem.

• Focus performance by legislating outcomes rather than focusing each person into a stylistic mold. Addresses the “in my role I don’t have any room to express my talents” problem.

• Focus training, time, and money on educating about strengths and figuring out ways to build on strengths. Solves the “I don’t have the skills and knowledge I need” problem, the “I don’t know what I’m best at” problem, and the “my manager doesn’t know what I’m best at” problem.

• Devise ways to help each person grow his career without necessarily promoting him up the corporate ladder and out of his areas of strength (Buckingham & Clifton, 2001, pg.216-217).

Assessment Tools - Eight Career Anchors  (See  “Eight Career Anchors” Handout)

• Technical/Functional Competence• General Managerial Competence• Autonomy/Independence• Security/Stability• Entrepreneurial Creativity• Service/Dedication to a Cause• Pure Challenge• Lifestyle

Benefits for Mentoring and Coaching

• Overcomes performance problems• Helps others that have performance issues and guides them through those issues

• Develops employee skills• Delegates routine activity to others, allowing for more mentoring time

• Increases productivity 

Benefits for Mentoring and Coaching

• Imparts greater know-how and effectiveness• Helps people to work smarter• Creates promotable subordinates• Improves retention• Reduces turnover by building trust and loyalty• Fosters a positive work culture