Participants' Reactions to Special Assignment Programs: Favorability and Predictors

Career experts have long advocated the use of special assignment programs for spurring the career progress of talented individuals. While these programs have existed for many years in the private sector, within the past two decades they have also emerged in the public domain as well. Although special assignment programs generally receive enthusiastic endorsement from the organizations that employ them, there have been few empirical attempts to examine their effects. This article examines participants' reactions to a special assignment program that had operated in the executive branch of the federal government for twenty years. A survey was sent to all 275 individuals who had participated in the special assignment program during any point in its twenty year existence. A total of 131 participants (48%) completed the survey. Results indicated that participants generally react favorably to their experiences and suggested ways to further increase the favorability of such reactions. The article suggests that program administrators, applicants, and sponsoring agencies be aware of the factors that contribute to the success of special assignment programs.