Assessment at EPAM: What It Means for Your Career Growth

Here at EPAM, employees can work towards their career goals and design their career journeys through many different opportunities. One of the most important is the Assessment process, where employees can identify a new role or title to pursue, compile results and experiences in a narrative presentation that shows their progression, and present their work to a committee panel of experts and peers who recommend promotions based on proven success and development, or work with the candidate to better target their goals.  
 
Through Assessment, EPAMers get the opportunity to reflect on their growth and shape their career goals based on real-life examples from their current projects, as well as taking advantage of complementary EPAM career planning tools like Level Up and consistent Assessment criteria for their primary skills or competencies. 

Assessment also helps EPAM as a company maintain consistent maturity across teams and geographies, engages employees in constant professional development, and highlights a global professional network of EPAMers who help to develop our areas of excellence. Assessment helps to instill a culture where employees hold the keys to their future growth and success.  
 
In her role as Business Analysis Team Lead, Resource Manager and Product Owner at EPAM Romania, Crina Rotaru covers multiple roles in the Assessment process: as an Expert she helps committees check candidates’ skills and growth based on consistent global standards, and as Certified Technical Interviewer for business analysis (BA) roles at EPAM, she helps develop the criteria for levelling up employees within the BA skill set. Here, Crina shares how she guides employees through Assessment to help them meet their career goals and supports their personal growth.

How did you become involved in the Assessment process?  

Since I joined EPAM as a senior business analyst, primarily assigned to a healthcare project, I’ve looked at my own career progression as key to how I could continue to grow in my role and contribute to not only my project, but to EPAM’s learning culture. I discovered a supportive infrastructure and multitude of opportunities that EPAM has to offer, like the opportunity to advance in your career based on peer and expert reviews of your skills through Assessment. I then had privilege of taking on the role of coordinator for the business analysis discipline mentoring program in Romania, which really kickstarted my involvement in helping other meets their career goals. 

What helped you decide to take on a new opportunity and become an assessment expert? 

It was many factors! I was driven by my curiosity and the desire to actively take part in and contribute to the Assessment process, going beyond the role of a participant to that of an Expert. This unique role allowed me to gain profound insights into the challenges my colleagues encountered and the strategies they employed to overcome them, including the tools and techniques they used. In turn, it allowed me to provide valuable input and contribute to their growth during their presentations. 

How difficult is it to be an Assessment expert? 

Becoming an Assessment Expert can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. It really depends on your familiarity with the assessment process, the specific prerequisites of the role and your ability to conduct objective candidate evaluations. Excelling in this role needs meticulous preparation, including a deep understanding of the Assessment process defined within EPAM, a comprehensive grasp of the skills and attributes essential for the candidate's desired role and a thorough review of the candidate's experiences and presentation materials. It's important to note that this role extends beyond merely assessing candidates; it involves ensuring a fair and precise evaluation that aligns seamlessly with the company's requirements. 

What advice would you give to someone at EPAM who wants to pursue levelling up through Assessment? 

Reflecting on my own journey, the advice I would offer is to embrace change with an open heart and mind. Change can be daunting, but it's where some of the most valuable growth happens. Don't fear it; instead, welcome it as an opportunity to learn, adapt and discover your resilience. Through Assessment, the career change you target might seem ambitious, but with the support of Experts, peers, committees and the clearly defined structure, you could be amazed at how quickly you are able to grow and explore new opportunities!

Learn more about #LifeAtEPAM in Romania at: www.epam.com/careers/epam-romania