In an effort to start digital marketing firm ExactTarget’s Year of Leadership off right and make career development a priority, the Talent Management and Organizational Development (TMOD) team launched the first ExactTarget Career Center in March 2013. The online career portal provides employees with relevant career tools and training and is a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment and investment in its most valuable resources: its employees. ExactTarget believes that careers are employee owned and manager/company supported. The Career Center allows employees to set and achieve their career goals. From training to career pathing, employee success stories to performance management, the Career Center is ExactTarget’s one-stop-shop for all things career related. Employees now have access to:
- Orange University, which includes all classroom and 300-plus e-learning professional development classes, featuring resources for both people managers and individual contributors.
- Job profiles that help employees learn about different roles and what it takes to be successful. These profiles include a spotlight interview with an employee who has been successful in the role, behavioral and technical competencies that lead to such success, and networking contacts who can chat and provide information about the role.
- Leadership Learning Paths that help managers and individual contributors know what development steps to take to advance their careers. ExactTarget believes that successful and rewarding careers require careful planning, introspection, and long-term dedication to personal and professional development. The Plan section of the Career Center helps employees identify and explore their personal career path, while giving them access to the resources and development opportunities they need to plan the next steps of their journey. These Leadership Learning Paths include TMOD facilitated classes such as Leading Orange Foundations (Fierce Conversations) and Career Coaching for people managers and It’s Your Career, Lead From Within (Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People), and Personal Branding for individual contributors.
- Leading Orange Management Tools, including onboarding guides, employee recognition kits, ExactTarget’s management career guide, and more.
- Important information and documents related to funding requests, mentorship, performance management, employee networking groups (ENGs), and more.
Results
Following the Career Center launch, 32 percent of the organization visited the site within the first month. In addition, 127 employees have accessed the Orange University on-demand classes, applying a total of 284 hours and completing 156 classes as of fall 2013. Also, 286 employees have attended classroom training—either virtually or in-person—as a result of the site launch. Overall, the Career Center has helped ExactTarget reach its corporate Be Orange goal to inspire, engage, and develop talent and ultimately increase employee retention by handing them the reins to their own career and providing the support they need.
