Career Conversations

Having career conversations with your employees is an expectation of all managers and does not need to happen all at once. Meetings can be spread out and do not necessarily need to last more than 30 minutes. Keep in mind that understanding the goals of your employees and having candid conversations about their current skill level will enable you to be a more effective manager and will lead to employees feeling appreciated, heard and supported. View the meetings as a business priority.  Each of your direct reports needs your input to help them grow and achieve their potential. One discussion can have a lasting impact on your employees’ goals and expectations, and it is part of your responsibilities as a manager to find time for these discussions to happen. 

You don’t have to have all the answers, but you may be able to help them figure out where to find them. You might advise your employees to talk to other people who are experts in different areas, or take training classes, or do some research on their own.

Have an honest discussion with them to find out the reasons for their desire to move. While it is always hard to lose a valued employee to another department, it is your responsibility as a manager to support them in their career goals. It is important, however, that during this time, the employee continues to perform satisfactorily in their current role. If you support them in their search to secure a position that best suits their skills, you will know when they are leaving, and they will leave on the best of terms. This will make it much easier to find and train their replacement. 

While there are no hard and fast rules, it is generally more comfortable for your direct report to have these conversations one-on-one. However, if both managers have a very comfortable relationship with your direct report, it may make sense for the three of you to meet. The easiest way to decide is to ask your direct report. If they prefer the one-on-one option, both managers should meet before the discussion to discuss their feedback and perceptions, and afterwards to share the outcomes of the meeting. 

Career development is an ongoing process. If there are no jobs currently available, work on making yourself as qualified as possible for the next job available or that you aspire to move into. Ask your manager or other department leaders what they would be looking for in a future candidate. Also, there may be future opportunities in departments besides your own. Consider broadening your knowledge and relationships across Penn State to identify additional options that you may not have been aware of. 

Don’t pass up exploring opportunities in other departments. Managers are encouraged to support employees by moving to other departments and your manager’s support can be helpful in this process. If you are concerned about your manager’s support, you may want to talk to your HR Strategic Partner or Consultant for guidance. In addition, if you choose not to discuss this with your manager, you can still explore other opportunities, as no manager’s approval is required to apply for a posted job. 

Your manager’s responsibility is to provide you with helpful feedback and advice about your career goals, and to help connect you with relevant people or resources. The rest is up to you. You need to seek out the training and opportunities that will help you to prepare for your desired position, should it become available.  

Yes. Performance reviews and career conversations, while related, have different purposes. A performance review provides feedback specific to the employee's current job goals and the university's core principles. This is a look back at performance over the prior year. A career conversation is a discussion focused on learning about an individual's strengths, interests, and career aspirations and identifying the skills they need to develop to take on future roles. This is a forward-looking activity which is a separate process. In addition, the best way to develop your skills is to have your manager support your efforts. Therefore, it makes sense to discuss your development areas openly. Finally, it is likely that your manager is already aware of your development areas. But by initiating the discussion, you can show initiative, as well as frame the issue from your perspective. 

It is important that you and your manager understand each other’s perspectives on your skills and development areas. If the two of you disagree, it is critical that you remain objective and open-minded. Ask your manager for additional details and examples to help you understand their perspective. Then do the same for your perspective, and most likely you will uncover the source of your differences.  It may be a case of differing expectations, unclear communication, or not having all the facts.

Your career development plan is for your own benefit. It is also important that you share it with your manager, so they can support you on your goals. You may choose to share it with your HR Strategic Partner or Consultant to get their input and advice. 

There is no requirement for you to have a career development plan. You might be interested in taking on different types of work or learning new skills that will give you greater satisfaction in your current job and help you stay relevant in our ever-evolving workplace, while not required, a career development plan can help you do this.