Access MBA: Career management and development process

Context Access MBA is composed of two companies Advent Group, based in Paris, with approximately 10 employees, and Atendia, based in Sofia, with approximately 30 employees. The two companies work together on a daily basis to organize international education salons, and some of the departments are split between the two offices. Atendia has grown very quickly since its creation in 2009, and the number of employees has doubled in the past year. Until very recently, there has been no Human Resources department, and it is currently being defined and set up. Career Management and Development At present there are very few opportunities for promotion within the company as most departments are small and not all of them require a manager or supervisor, as much of this continues to be done by the Director. The company also has a limited budget for salaries and is unable to offer significant salary raises. The only departments which have real opportunities for staff development are: The Communications Department Staff enter this department as either Logistics Coordinator or Junior Project Manager. They can then progress to become a Senior Project Manager and, eventually, an Events and Communications Director. The Candidate Management Department Staff enter this department as Call Centre Agents. There is one Senior Call Centre Agent. There are then possibilities to be promoted to the position of Candidate Manager and, eventually, Candidate Management Director. However, most Candidate Managers are currently recruited externally.

There is currently no formalized career management system. The following features are true for all departments: There is an annual performance appraisal, which up until now has been conducted with the Director. Following the meeting, the employee and the Director agree on the areas on which the employee can improve during the next year. Currently there is no official report written after the meeting and no systematic follow-up of the objectives. There are frequent departmental meetings, during which areas for general improvement are discussed. The individuals concerned by this improvement are then encouraged to make the necessary changes in their work.

There is more frequent training and an informal career management process in the Communication and Candidate Management departments, as outlined below: Following meetings between the Events and Communications Directors and the Director, areas for improvement, development and change are identified and then communicated to the relevant employees. During these meetings, individual Project Managers are discussed and those with potential are identified. These individuals are then offered more responsibility in their work and are assigned the task of supervising a Junior Project Manager. In this way these individuals begin to move up the ladder in this department and are eventually

prepared for the position of Events and Communications Director, should the position become vacant. The same process takes place in the Candidate Management Department. Planned Career Management system One feature of the Human Resources department which is currently being set up will be to identify opportunities for staff development and to provide them with more standard and accessible career management opportunities. This system will hopefully be put into place within the next six months.