Career Development: Talk to Me

Nearly two-fifths of employees have no conversations whatsoever with their managers about their careers, according to a survey of 700 employees across North America. Furthermore, fewer than one-third have one or more such conversation with their direct-reports per year, indicates the data, compiled by Right Management, a division of Manpower Inc.

“With so many competing pressures and responsibilities, as well as constant change due to market realities, career management can end up on the back burner for both managers and individuals,” said Melvin Scales, senior vice president of Global Solutions for Right Management, in a press statement.

Indeed, conversations on careers and development are frequently a low priority; among those who participated in the study, only one-third, in fact, say they discuss the matter at least twice per year. ”While managers might express the importance of employees managing their own careers, the research shows that this concept is unsupported by real action,” Scales continued in Right Management’s press statement. “Individuals need to take responsibility for managing their own career. Unfortunately, many are not equipped with the information or opportunity to have meaningful career discussions with their managers.”

Posted by RecruitingTrends.com on March 31, 2010. Filed under Data Watch. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry