Getting Started with the Program

Whether it’s challenging projects, camaraderie with your co-workers, or the feeling that you’re making an impact, everyone has their own reason for being excited to go to work in the morning.
Entreprenuer.com

Steps

The typical career development program steps are provided below but can be modified as appropriate.

1. Self-Assessment

   A number of tools and techniques can help you better understand yourself and your abilities. Simple self-reflection is important too.
   
   Career Values and Interests
   • What projects have you enjoyed most? Why?
   • What part of your ongoing duties do you like most? Why?
   • Do you feel drawn to a leadership (supervisory or managerial) role? Why?
   • What is important to you in a job? Examples: Sense of Accomplishment, Being constantly challenged, Connection with team and manager, Location stability, Insurance and retirement benefits, Work schedule
   • Are there new topics in technology that intrigue you? Ex: Mobile, 3D Printing, Quality Assurance, Commercialization
   • Is there something ASU IT is not currently doing, but might be a valuable role to add?

2. Growing in IT

   The IT leadership team selected a set of Core Competencies that are important for our whole team. The Core Competencies are the set of abilities and behaviors that are necessary for the effective application of skills. Competencies specify the “how” (as opposed to the “what”) of performing job tasks.
   
   Review the Core Competencies and reflect on your best opportunities for growth. Ask yourself, what are my strengths? What are my areas for growth as part of the overall ASU IT team?

3. Career Awareness

   ASU IT contains many different work areas, called Job Families. A “Job Family” is a group of jobs involving similar types of work and requiring similar training, skills, knowledge, and expertise. Each Job Family relies on a different set of skills.
   
   Review the descriptions of all of the Job Families.
   • Review the skills needed for your current job family. Do you have certain skills that you feel you are really strong in that you would like to develop further or use more?
   • Do some of the other job families intrigue you? Review the skills needed for that job family.

4. Goal Setting

   Compare your values and interests to ASU’s needs and growth areas. Working with your supervisor, identify a path or paths where you would like to get more exposure and experience in. Work with your supervisor to review new growth areas and needs of IT.

5. Experiences and Learning

   Experiences are the building blocks of learning and growth. Each individual will have their own set of experiences and learning. Experiences may include a certain role you held within the IT team, such as being a member of the Student Mentorship Committee or a member Project Leader team. Learning may include that you participated and mastered a certain part of ITIL. Through the career development process, Experiences and Learning should continue for each individual.
   
   Continue to develop in the core competencies and skills of your current job family and new interest areas and discuss your growth with your supervisor.

6. Career Management

   Continue to re-evaluate your interests, growth accomplishments and changing needs in the IT environment. Meet with your supervisor regularly to discuss.

---

Additional Resources

Preparing for the Program

How can we help you?

• Career information/education
• Understanding one’s own strengths and weaknesses and needs and wants
• Taster programs and work integrated learning
• Being able to identify relevant opportunities
• Transition services