January, 2015
Interview with Rebecca Parker
Describe your Career Developer (CD) experience prior to Jabian.
Before coming to Jabian, I worked for a Big 4 Consulting firm. Right when I started, I was assigned a CD based on my practice area and position – at that firm, there were strict requirements on how many levels above you a CD could be. If one of you got promoted, that usually meant you were given a new career developer. I did not get to choose who my CD was, which didn’t bother me at first because I had no previous experience to compare it to. Since I traveled for the company, I never actually met my CD in person. I found my CD relationship to be very impersonal. It was difficult to build a trusting relationship since we usually only spoke around my annual review time. I wouldn’t say it was an extremely beneficial experience.
2. What has your Career Developer experience been like at Jabian?
I was told during the recruiting process what to expect from the CD program which was one of the factors that helped make my decision to join Jabian. I love the freedom to choose your own CD. There aren’t any requirements on position or role of the person you choose. For my first CD, I chose someone who was only one position above me because I found her to be very relatable and had been at Jabian for several years. I have had two CD’s in my time at Jabian so far – I changed when my original one moved on from the firm. I was recently married and trying to figure out the work/life balance so I wanted someone who I admired that had succeeded at being a wife, mother, and successful consultant. It’s been a great and supportive relationship so far.
3. What was the process like for choosing a Career Developer?
You are strongly encouraged to choose a CD within the first month or so of joining the firm. Everyone at Jabian was so inviting when I joined by suggesting people I should go to lunch with and get to know. Everyone had suggestions on people who would be a great career developer for various reasons: similar personal platform, life situation, interests, or backgrounds. Jabian has a “New Joiner” committee that takes you out to lunch and gives you the ‘heads up’ about Jabian. They had great insight into who was available by level and who might be a good fit.
4. What do you find beneficial about Jabian’s Career Developer program?
Because Jabian allows you to choose your CD, you have the opportunity to choose the level of the CD and the dynamic of the relationship. Some people prefer to have a strictly professional relationship and gain guidance only on career and job related topics. Others prefer having a mix of a professional and personal relationship with a CD that allows them to talk through career and non-career related topics. I found it to be extremely helpful to have the guidance of my CD through promotion periods and annual review times as well as those times when I needed help or advice on how to deal with specific client situations or projects. I definitely value my relationship with my CD as well as the other internal mentors I’ve found at Jabian.