Introduction
Simon Fletcher, Graduate Manager at leading public service provider Amey, attended an in-house HR Career Conversations programme in 2008. Simon is responsible for the recruitment and development of up to 100 Graduates per year. He also gets involved with the organisation’s flagship talent programme, Talent Tracker, supporting the development of junior to middle managers. Attending the programme had a radical effect on Simon’s approach to helping the people he works with to get the best out of their careers.
Why Career Conversations helped
“Before I went through the HR Career Conversations programme, personally, I found talking to people about their future careers awkward. I didn’t feel like I could really add any value to the conversation and to them through what I was going to say. This was mainly because I didn’t have a toolkit in place so I felt more limited in what I could say to them. I was worried that I was actually not going to be able to help, especially when dealing with people who are in very technical roles or were facing tough circumstances.
Going through the programme really helped me with this. I found the Career Conversations model with the 6 career blocks and questioning strategy particularly helpful, along with the Career Motivation card pack that can be used to help people to clarify what is really important to them in a career.
Result
The first thing I noticed after the workshop was a growth in my confidence to go into these situations and be more enthused and knowledgeable. It helped me to understand more clearly the things that are driving people’s career decisions and what could be holding them back and to use that information to advise them on the best routes they can take to move their career forward. I also had practical tools to work with. Now there are no situations that I go into where it feels difficult. I am thoroughly prepared for the career counseling work that I do.
Before I meet someone, I now get them to complete the Career Issues Questionnaire so I have a lot of useful information in advance. I can use that information to identify what it is that is stopping them from advancing. By then working with them on what is really motivating them I can help them to design their career within the business, and consider a much wider range of options to get what they want. This is very helpful as no two people have the same issues and I can easily flex the advice that I provide to them.
Recently I was working with someone who was struggling to advance her career because she was not able to be mobile and to move around the country. This person is a really ambitious high potential person, who was getting frustrated and demotivated. There was a very real danger that we might lose her to another local business. By using the Career Motivation cards with her, I was able to help her understand her key drivers, and discuss the kind of roles available in her local area that could meet her needs. This resulted in a shift in direction that gained her a new role that broadens her experience and gives her a whole new set of challenges. This individual is now really motivated and contributing well in a very different role that is really adding to her CV.
Things have really changed for me in this area of my work. I now actively seek out opportunities to undertake career counseling sessions. The more difficult, the better!”
