Skip to main content
A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
Official website links end with .gov.sg
Secure websites use HTTPS
Look for a lock () or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Leaders Building Leaders

3) Career Development Conversations

Unlocking Your Team's Potential

Last updated 16 June 2026
Three people discussing a path to a target on a strategy map, symbolising career planning steps

Career development conversations are structured, ongoing dialogues between supervisors and employees that focus on professional growth and future aspirations.

These discussions are essential for:

  • Identifying and nurturing employee potential

  • Aligning individual career goals with organisational objectives

  • Exploring development opportunities and learning paths

  • Creating actionable plans for skill enhancement and career progression

Why Investing in Career Development Benefits Everyone

Employee

  • Deeper sense of engagement and job satisfaction

  • Improved career capital and productive longevity

  • Gain broader and deeper competencies to boost performance at work

Supervisor

  • Boost team productivity and work outcomes with motivated, engaged and skilled employees

  • Promote growth and performance-driven team culture by role-modelling desired behaviours

  • Hone your supervisory and leadership capabilities with career coaching skills

Organisation

  • Increase staff retention as employees develop and flourish with range of growth opportunities

  • Stronger employer value proposition; engaged and motivated employees can in turn attract more talents

  • Enhanced agency business outcomes with a skilled and agile workforce

Role of a Supervisor

  • Evaluate your employee's holistic performance based on what they deliver (i.e., work deliverables and outcomes) and how they deliver it (i.e., competencies)

  • Provide feedback on contributions and discuss future developmental plans

  • Support their career development plan by identifying relevant learning opportunities (e.g., Structured Job Rotation (SJR), Talent Attachment Programme (TAP), Short-Term Immersion Programme (STIP), Gig work, and training courses)

  • Provide adequate resources and support while employees participate in external developmental opportunities (e.g., workload prioritisation), while ensuring that performance in core work is not compromised

4-Stage Model to Quality Career Conversations

Understanding and applying this model can help you structure more effective and meaningful career conversations with your team:

  • Stage 1 — Set Up and Prepare: Gather information, reflect, and plan the agenda.

  • Stage 2 — Establish Trust: Set a positive atmosphere for the discussion.

  • Stage 3 — Seek and Share Information: Listen, clarify, and explore career options.

  • Stage 4 — Agree on Action: Conclude the discussion and plan practical follow-ups.

  • Refer to the Career Development Conversation Guide (available under Learning Resources below) for suggested questions and tips for each stage of the process.

Learning Resources

1. CSC Courses

2. LEARN Course

Visit the LEARN Platform to access these resources (www.learn.gov.sg - login required)


Title

Course Provider

Duration

1

Driving Career Fitness for your Organisation (opens in new tab) (For Head of Organisations)

Please contact PSD_In-Emp@psd.gov.sg (opens in new tab) to gain access to this module.

PSD-CSC

30 mins

3. Additional Resources (Intranet-access required)

The following resources are available to support you in facilitating career development conversations as a supervisor:

Public Service Career Coach Network

The Public Service Career Coach Network (PSCCN) provides coaching for all officers, including supervisors, across different career milestones.

Available coaching topics:

  • Adapting to a New Role

  • Building a Learning Mindset

  • Navigating Mid-Career Switches

  • Retiring Purposefully

  • Conducting Effective Career Development Conversation (for supervisors)

  • Building my Team's Capability (for supervisors)

How to book: Officers may book sessions through the Acuity Booking Page (opens in new tab) or via the Workpal App (opens in new tab).