Managing Your Career
Annual reviews provide opportunity for advancement
The new year comes with new opportunities for career advancement. For many CCA facilities, January begins the 2013 cycle for employee reviews using CCA’s Performance Management & Development System (PMDS).
For CCA employees, PMDS — equal parts system and process — serves as a foundation upon which they can build their careers. During performance reviews, all supervisors are required to meet one-on-one with staff. Together, they are expected to discuss the employee’s performance over the previous year. From there, they are to plot a course for development to prepare the employee for future promotions.
“The purpose is to create a dialogue about competencies specific to their job and create a mutual understanding of how the employee has done, and where he or she will improve in the future,” says Steve Kaiser, CCA managing director, Organizational Development and Training.
Future development is the goal of employee reviews at CCA. The system is designed for employees to take a proactive approach to their own careers. According to Kaiser, the main reason to look at the past year is to evaluate where you stand against the standard.
“We want employees to take their careers into their own hands,” says Kaiser. “Look at goals three to five years out. Discuss them with their supervisors. Set plans. Don’t just sit around and wait to be noticed.”
To get the most out of the PMDS experience, Kaiser recommends that employees come prepared with a list that includes:
- Accomplishments
- Known areas for improvement
- Three- to five-year career goals
Formal PMDS reviews happen only once a year for each employee. Nevertheless, staff should regularly talk about their career goals with their supervisors. Professional development should be an ongoing dialog.
“Your career development should not be a one-time, annual event,” says Kaiser. “You should have a good feel for how your PMDS evaluation will look months before it actually happens because you have been regularly talking about your development and job performance.”
This year, as you go through the annual review process, take some time to prepare. Think about where you are and where you want to be. Begin to discuss your goals with your supervisor. Be open to feedback. Then, get ready to make the changes that will push you to the next level.
January 18, 2013
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