I enjoy working with employers who are supportive of staff career development, something that is consistently in the top three of drivers of employee engagement.
I spent some time recently with about 60 employees of the Grand River Conservation Authority (Facebook, Twitter) going through the fundamentals of #careermanagement with a focus on #internalmobility and improving #careerconversations. To grow your career where you are, it is important to:
- Know yourself: your strengths and capabilities, your brand, your value proposition, your SMART career goals (Specific, Meaningful, Aligned, Responsive, Transferrable)
- Know the organization: strategies, current and future needs, capabilities required, problems to be solved, what success looks like and how it’s measured
- Own your development: make a plan to get experience, exposure and education that helps you be excellent in your current role and sets you up for success in your next role.
Doing this homework in advance of a career conversation makes it easier for both you and your manager to align your career aspirations with what the organization needs.
Thanks to Krista Bunn and the leadership team of the GRCA for the invitation!