Competency-based Career Planning & Development: Best Practice Tools & Processes

Part 6 of 11 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Career Planning & Development 

This is the sixth in an eleven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Career Planning & Development
2. Facts, Figures & Findings
3. Career Planning & Development Defined
4. Key Definitions of Career Planning & Development
5. Framework for Competency-based Career Planning & Development
6. Best Practice Tools & Processes
7. Implementing Career Planning & Development – Part 1
8. Implementing Career Planning & Development – Part 2
9. Implementing Career Planning & Development – Part 3
10. Key Considerations for Software, Part 1
11. Key Considerations for Software, Part 2

Competency-based Tools and Processes
Career Development typically includes a selection of competency-based elements that address the requirements of the job group.  The following information provides a high-level view of some of the types of tools, processes and programs that can be selected to support a highly-targeted Competency-based Career Planning and Development program for Job Families within your organization.

Career information:

• Career path / stream information provided in a number of formats, such as company intranet, orientation programs, guidebooks, or the organization’s talent management system. The benefits of providing this information in the context of a competency-based talent management system is that employees can get the full picture of what is required of the positions along their career path.
• Employee guides and forms to support self-directed development or participation in a planned program.  Using automated tools to support these guides or forms can be particularly useful as it again provides employees with the bigger picture view of the competency requirements for jobs in the organization.

Assessment tools:

• Self-assessment, supervisory and / or multi-source assessment to evaluate progress in development.  These can be delivered through online assessment tools which can provide detailed information on competency gaps for development.

Learning Plans:

• Individual Personal Development Plans to record and track progress in line with planned career development.  These can be “living documents” that are provided through online Talent Management software.  Giving your employees a structured framework to work within, and the tools to easily identify learning solutions will go a long way in contributing to the success of the overall program.
• A form, process or online tool (e.g., passport, or employee inventory) that validates and documents employee competencies.  In this way both the employee and the organization benefit by being able to document and assess the validated skills and competencies possessed by the employee for career, succession and position vacancy management purposes.

Learning resources:

• Learning resource catalogues organized by competency.  These catalogues can be incorporated in competency-based Talent Management software.  The software enables employees and supervisors to pick learning options that are targeted to address specific competency areas and the employee’s preferred learning style;
• Collaborative learning, knowledge sharing, communities of practice – e.g. through social networking tools, wikis, etc.
• Work assignments or action learning exercises aimed at developing competencies.  Once again these can be organized by competency in a database that then can be used by employees wishing to advance their Career Development. 
• Formal development programs that incorporate a variety of training, assessment and learning options designed to support career advancement (job rotation, learning programs, mentoring, tuition reimbursement)

Other support:

• Career resource centers that employees can access to get information and support in advancing their careers.  These can be supported by employee self-help tools and online Career Development software.
• Mentoring (e.g., through more experienced and senior employees) and coaching (e.g., from trained coaches) offered to employees.
• Training for both superiors and employees on how the program works and how to gain the maximum benefit

In summary: Online Competency-based Career Development

Best practice organizations most often have a talent management software system that stores and reports information on employee competencies.  These systems enable some, or all parts of the Career Development process, for example:

• Employee / superior / multi-source competency assessment
• Learning plan development and management
• Catalogued learning resources categorized by competency and proficiency level
• On-line registration for courses / programs
• Job / role matching that compares employee competencies against targeted role / job requirements, and provides job best match list for employees based on their inventory of skills and competencies
• Various reporting capabilities that support developmental programs and succession (e.g., lists of employees ready for targeted positions / role) as well as broader HR Planning.

Learn more about our Competency-based Talent Management system, CompetencyCore^TM 5.

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The next blog in this series draws the competency-based link between Career Development and other HR processes and provides a typical best practice plan for implementation. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in Competency-based Career Planning and Development solutions. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.