Career Development Guide

Your Resource to Understanding Career Development at Booz Allen Hamilton

This Career Development Guide is designed to serve as a reference. It provides an overview of the major activities involved in the annual assessment process. It also highlights your role and responsibilities, as well as resources available to you.
Table of Contents
The Assessment Process The Employee Development Cycle Assessment Summary The Employee Development Framework (EDF) Work Assignments and Development Actions Development Plan Status Check Self-Assessment Competency Assessment Career Development Resources Career Development Glossary

Managing Your Career at Booz Allen Hamilton

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The firm provides staff with the personal and professional development opportunities they need to learn and apply new knowledge, skills, and behaviors, and to meet Booz Allens standards for high performance. Our annual 360 assessment process measures current competencies and assists our staff in developing the skills that will improve our business, as well as provide for individual growth. Together, managers and staff members define appropriate assignments and growth opportunities. The Employee Development Framework (EDF) is a key resource, linking our Core Values and associated competencies as the building blocks for success. Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the worlds most highly respected global strategy and technology firms, is the consultant of choice to our clients for one reason: we have the best people. We're committed to helping our people continually grow and develop as experts and leaders.

Career Development Guide

The Employee Development Cycle

The Employee Development Cycle is a year-long process designed to maximize your opportunities for growth and development. Development and constructive feedback are ongoing throughout the year, with the annual competency assessment as the final piece, providing a snapshot of your development. The annual assessment is intended to provide an overall evaluation of: 1) Proficiency in level-specific competencies 2) Proficiency in the firms Core Values.

Assessment Summary
Assessment Action Description

Annual Competency Assessment

The annual assessment process begins with a selfassessment that gives you the opportunity to provide input into your assessment. The assessment focuses on:
Work Assignment Assessment Summary and Development Discussion Debrief assessment to identify areas for development and growth. Review level-specific Development Guide to select specific development and growth goals. Create Personal Development Plan (PDP) to define development actions. Perform work for role, as assigned. Seek additional opportunities, as appropriate. Identify work assignments with opportunity for experiential/stretch activities. Identify additional opportunities for growth, as appropriate. Complete experiential/stretch activities. Complete learning and professional development activities. Review work activities, products, and other jobrelated outputs to evaluate current progress. Review staff performance and nominate, if deserved. Review PDP to evaluate current progress. Adjust PDP, if necessary. Complete self-assessment form using OLA. Identify individuals for participation. Schedule meeting with reviewer to review selfassessment, accomplishments, skills, and abilities. Conduct 360 review process - interviews and data collection. Evaluate individual's progress against PDP and measure current competencies. Write competency assessment in OLA. Review draft assessment and solicit input. Finalize competency assessment. Determine and communicate salary increase, level promotion.

1) Development and building competencies, against a plan, for continued growth. 2) A third-party reviewer collects 360-degree feedback to get well-rounded input and identify development themes. 3) Development actions are recommended for the coming year. 4) OLA, the online assessment tool, incorporates this input into a Summary and Personal Development Plan.

Work Planning

Development Actions

Work Reviews

Recognition and Awards

Development Plan Status Check Self-Assessments

Assessment

Performance and Development Committee Meeting

Career Development Guide

Career Development Guide

The Employee Development Framework (EDF)

Assessors rely on the Employee Development Framework (EDF), which includes individualized guides for staff from administrative professional through principal, to identify solid development actions. Level-specific Development Framework Guides (DFGs) describe competencies, success factors, career derailers, and training programs. Role descriptions of colleagues who can support your development are also included in each guide. The centerpiece of the DFGs is a set of recommendations for experiential work activities and assignments that take place on the job and can help you build and stretch your competencies. The DFGs should be used by managers and staff to identify required competencies and appropriate development opportunities. Each DFG includes information about: Formal Training: courses mapped to competency development Colleagues: formal and informal roles of those who support development activities Career Derailers: universal and level-specific pitfalls to avoid Success Factors: best practices and words of wisdom from successful colleagues Experiential Work/Stretch Activities: task-related activities tailored to specific competencies at every level.

Assessment Summary and Development Discussion

The assessment process begins with a review and discussion of the prior years competency assessment. This helps set the direction for your development actions during the current cycle. Using the appropriate Development Framework Guide (DFG), your reviewer creates an initial Personal Development Plan (PDP). The PDP serves a number of important purposes, including: Structuring a career development meeting Providing a mechanism for monitoring progress Providing a reference for current year development actions. Your reviewer will gve you a debrief of your assessment to identify areas for development and growth. Your reviewer, your manager, and you will discuss the final competency assessment, which can be found on https://ola.bah.com once completed. The goal is to ensure that you understand your strengths, as well as areas for continued growth and development. Ongoing development discussions with your manager should focus on the development actions identified in your PDP: Discuss progress against PDP Determine whether any adjustments to the PDP are needed Document any substantive changes to the PDP.

Work Assignments and Development Actions

A number of activities related to your PDP will be ongoing throughout the year. Remember, your assessment will be based on both your level-specific competencies and your demonstration of the firms Core Values. Work Assignment In addition to performing work for your role as assigned, you should also seek out additional assignment opportunities, as appropriate, to meet your PDP goals. Work Planning During the year, you should continue discussions with your manager to identify upcoming work assignments consistent with your development needs. Competency Development/Career Development Work Reviews Your work activities, products, and other job-related outputs should be periodically evaluated to measure your current progress. Development Actions Your PDP can act as your roadmap for meeting the development actions identified in your assessment. This includes learning and professional development activities, as well as experiential/stretch activities. A wide-variety of learning opportunities and career development resources are available to you on https://learning.bah.com. These resources can assist you in developing your competencies and executing your PDP. Fulfilling the Personal Development Plan On-the-Job Experiences
Client work Special projects Team assignments Cross-functional assignments Career mobility

Training and Education

Core curriculum External training Degree programs Professional associations

Coaching/ Mentoring
Peer Team members Manager Shadowing/ apprenticeship Learning partners

Self-Study

Books/videos CD-ROMs Coursework Self-paced learning

DFGs can be used by reviewers, managers and staff for: 1) Planning and conducting development discussions 2) Identifying appropriate development opportunities 3) Creating a Personal Development Plan (PDP) 4) Assisting in writing assessments. The DFGs can be found on https://learning.bah.com.

Career Development Guide

Career Development Guide

Development Plan Status Check

During the year, it is helpful to meet periodically with your manager to review your progress against your Personal Development Plan (PDP). Although these meetings are informal, they are a valuable component of the overall process and are intended to give you feedback on your performance progress to-date and suggestions on any improvements. You should use your PDP to guide the status discussion. You and your manager should: 1) Review and evaluate current progress against your plan. 2) Discuss and identify any necessary adjustments to your PDP. 3) Document any changes to your PDP, if necessary. When meeting with your manager, be sure to ask for specific feedback on your performance, as well as for specific recommendations on appropriate actions to improve. An important aspect of staff growth and development is recognizing outstanding individual and team achievements. Booz Allen has a number of Recognition and Award Programs that enable staff through Level III to share in the firms success. For more information, logon to http://people.bah.com and review the Award section. Designation Criteria

Starting the Process: Writing a Self-Assessment

The formal assessment process begins with a self-assessment. Although the self-assessment is not required, most staff members choose to complete it. A self-assessment gives you the opportunity to provide input into your competency assessment. It can also provide your reviewer with valuable insight into your work and development accomplishments during the year. Self-assessment data includes: 1) Roles and results 2) Personal Development Plan (PDP) progress 3) Demonstration of Core Values & Competencies 4) Motivations/Frustrations 5) Career Goals 6) PDP (for next year) 7) Assignment Objectives for exempt staff levels A-III (for next year) 8) Suggested sources of input and participants. Booz Allens Online Assessment tool (OLA) is your one-stop resource for access to: All assessment and selfassessment forms Competency and Core Value definitions Assessment writing guidelines. Visit https://ola.bah.com to view the available resources.

Annual Competency Assessment

The formal competency review process takes approximately 1 quarter (3 months) to complete. The following is a high-level overview of the process: 1) A third-party reviewer is assigned to conduct your assessment. 2) Once your self-assessment is submitted via the Online Assessment tool (OLA), the reviewer retrieves a copy and reviews it. 3) You schedule a meeting with the reviewer to discuss your selfassessment and confirm sources of input. 4) The reviewer conducts a 360 review process, using interviews and data collection techniques. 5) The reviewer evaluates your progress against your Personal Development Plan (PDP), and measures current competencies. 6) The reviewer drafts your competency assessment in OLA, which will be reviewed by senior management. 7) The reviewer presents the assessment findings to the appropriate Assessment Committee. 8) If the Assessment Committee requires revisions, the reviewer executes the revisions. 9) The reviewer will debrief the employee with the employees manager and mentor present. 10) The employee and reviewer sign the competency assessment. Once finalized, the reviewer submits the signed assessment to HR via OLA.

High 5 Performance Recognition

Going the extra mile in a particular situation

Exceptional performance on a sustained effort

Team's Appreciation

Sustained effort that results in a tangible benefit to the firm Role model for the firm's core values

VIP (Values in Practice)

OLA Best Practices 1) Complete your self assessment draft in MS Word, run spell check, and then paste it into OLA. 2) Print a PDF version from OLA and then review it with your mentor, and/or a peer, and always your manager. 3) Revise draft in OLA and then submit. 4) Do not submit the selfassessment until it has been reviewed!

Career Development Guide

Career Development Guide

Career Development Resources

Booz Allen is committed to helping you achieve your professional goals. Planning your career takes patience, knowledge, and a solid strategy for success. Booz Allen has developed a step-by-step process that guides employees through the career planning process. Step 1: Assess The first step to career success at Booz Allen is to determine where you are before you begin to figure out where to go and how to get there. Step 2: Explore Now that you know where you are, you can gather information about career options within Booz Allen that appeal to you. Step 3: Decide With your career assessment complete and your courses of interest chosen, the third stage is all about setting goals for yourself. Step 4: Take Action You've identified goals-now it's time to implement your career action plan. Step 5: Grow Career development and growth is an on-going process, requiring you to continuously assess your progress and goals to ensure you stay on the track to success. To learn more about the career planning process and resources, logon to https://learning.bah.com. Look for the Career Development Resources link on the Booz Allen training section of the site.

Resources
Booz Allen Hamilton has been at the forefront of management consulting for businesses and governments for 90 years. Booz Allen, a global strategy and technology consulting firm, works with clients to deliver results that endure. With more than 16,000 employees on six continents, the firm generates annual sales of $3 billion. Booz Allen provides services in strategy, organization, operations, systems, and technology to the world's leading corporations, government and other public agencies, emerging growth companies, and institutions. Booz Allen has been recognized as a consultant and employer of choice. In a recent independent study by Kennedy Information, Booz Allen was rated the industry leader in performance and favorable client perceptions among general management consulting firms. Additionally, for the past six years, Working Mother has ranked the firm among its 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers list. And in 2005, Fortune magazine named Booz Allen one of The 100 Best Companies to Work For. To learn more about the firm, visit the Booz Allen Web site at www.boozallen.com. To learn more about the best ideas in business, visit www.strategy-business.com, the Web site for strategy+business, a quarterly journal sponsored by Booz Allen. https://ola.bah.com Online Assessment tool provides: 1) Access to your self-assessment 2) A copy of your competency assessments 3) Competency and core value definitions 4) Links to the EDF guides and other tools.

Career Development Glossary

CPE The Center for Performance Excellence. Competency Assessment An annual assessment of your performance and competencies. EDF Employee Development Framework, a firmwide approach for identifying required competencies for Booz Allen staff. DFG Development Framework Guide, a level-specific resource for staff which composes the Employee Development Framework. OLA Online Assessment tool, a Web-based application for the creation and management of assessment documents. PDP Personal Development Plan, an annual plan used to guide your career development. Self-Assessment A component of the competency assessment that is completed by you to provide input to your reviewer.

http://people.bah.com People Services Team Homepage: 1) Information on benefits, policies, career management, and recognition programs 2) Access to the EDF guides by level.

Contact Information
If you have specific questions, go to: learning.bah.com Service Center Hours Of Operation Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST) Contact: Kristina Krajca Phone: 703/917-2800 Fax: 703/902-3510 e-mail: training_mailbox@bah.com If you are calling outside of these hours, or if you reach our voicemail, your call will be returned as promptly as possible.

https://learning.bah.com Center for Performance Excellence (CPE) Homepage: 1) Contains internal and external course listings, descriptions, and schedules 2) You can also access the Employee Development Framework Guide by level. Center for Performance Excellence Help Line (703) 917-2800

http://diversity.bah.com

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Career Development Guide