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Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 01:48 PM   #1
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Annual Review time

So I have to write my annual review (it's actually six weeks late) self evaluation/whatever. Anybody have any last minute advice on what to say? Part of me says I'm just checking a box to recieve a raise that's already been determined, but I am still naive enough to think there is a small chance I can influence the outcome....I hate these things.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 03:33 PM   #2
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Re: Annual Review time

Chances are you ARE checking a box, but more likely for your boss to get HIS raise.

I don't think its a matter of being naive at all.....its still a potential oppourtunity to document your past accomplishments and forecast more greatness to come. If a train wreck should come along it could be valuable for cya. Its also just a good habit to document in a continuous fashion. At least for me, if I dont write down what I did last year, I may forget by the next year or if I need to update a resume, interview for another job, promotion, etc.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 03:46 PM   #3
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Re: Annual Review time

My time of year, too.

From back in my service days, I learned a low maintenance way to do this, that works well. Always keep an "I love me" file all year long, to keep evidence of project completion, letters of commendation, thank yous from other departments, basically, any sort of externally generated PR. So when review time comes, you just scan the individual events, pick the most significant ones, see if they form a theme consistent with the goals your boss gave you at the beginning of the year, and arrange them into logical order.

If you find nothing you did that got recognition which matches those goals, or that your "I love me file is pretty much empty".... hmmmm.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 06:05 PM   #4
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Re: Annual Review time

I got my review and bonus. A little more towards FIRE
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 09:58 PM   #5
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Re: Annual Review time

I actually prefer to write my own annual review. It's an opportunity for me to remind my management team exactly why I am so valuable to them. (It doesn't hurt that it also helps me keep my resume up to date.)

Must be working. I get raises and stock options almost every year, even during the down years.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 10:11 PM   #6
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Re: Annual Review time

If you are at a job for the long haul I think it is worth the effort to try and put down something meaningful.

I did mine this week, took me all of 30 seconds. I know that I am not getting promoted or a raise as I got both in late 2005 and figure I will be gone by mid 2008 so not really that bothered by the whole process. I figure I am going to put all my efforts into trying to increase my 2007 bonus.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 10:16 PM   #7
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Re: Annual Review time

Quote:
Originally Posted by Laurence
So I have to write my annual review (it's actually six weeks late) self evaluation/whatever. Anybody have any last minute advice on what to say? Part of me says I'm just checking a box to recieve a raise that's already been determined, but I am still naive enough to think there is a small chance I can influence the outcome....I hate these things.
Back when I had to go through the ordeal I felt like what my review said would never be used to help me. On the other hand, I saw cases where the review was used to rationalize getting rid of people or giving them a substandard raise. I wanted to make sure that nothing negative or even neutral appeared in my review.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-25-2007, 10:24 PM   #8
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Re: Annual Review time

I did an o.k. review, my manager actually gave me some spark of hope because he had me add a couple of "objectives" regarding some last minute projects I did that worked out well, said they would be "useful" to include. We will see. People like me at work, I can't gripe to much on that front.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-27-2007, 04:03 PM   #9
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Re: Annual Review time

Most managers I have had or have know over the past three decades seem to already have your review in the back of their heads. You might be able to add some details they are willing to add as long as it does not conflict with their own opinion. It usually takes a ton of above average results to offset one negative one with most managers. Most tend to form an early opinion of you relative to their other subordinates and it takes a lot to move up that pecking order. Unfortunately the ranking seldom is related to true skill or job performance; but is more likely related to how will they kiss a** and play the game.

I don't care about my performance this year because I won't be there to collect. My goal is to get a replacement trained for my boss (they wanted me to take it but my career path is ER not a promotion) so I can then get a consultancy to train my replacement after I ER. Worth a try anyway if not then it is their loss and not mine.

Good luck with the reviews. If done correctly they can actually be a good tool for personal developement for the next rung in your ladder; most of the time they are just too vanilla to meet the boss's predetermined grading.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-27-2007, 04:52 PM   #10
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Re: Annual Review time

It's weird at my work, they just take a good engineer and make him a "functional lead" and make him do reviews. My "functional lead" is a truly nice guy, as in, if me and DW died and he were to raise our kids, I would be o.k. with that. Idealistic liberal type, great sense of humor. The thing is, he didn't want to be a manager, but his genius got him promoted past what he wanted. If I'm lucky, he'll be able to get me a great decent raise, I'm hoping for 5%.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-27-2007, 06:12 PM   #11
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Re: Annual Review time

I passed my annual review with flying colors. DW says that I can stay here another year if I continue to get over 12% return on our stash.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 10:44 AM   #12
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Re: Annual Review time

I'm in the review time as well, although I'm giving them out :

From what I've seen at our company, the self-evaluations are used for 2 things.

1. If there is a serious problem with a manager, supposedly the self-evaluations can be compared to the real evaluation, and then someone else can see which seems more accurate. Never heard of this happening.

2. It helps remind a manager of what happened 9 months ago.. really just putting the burden on the employee to remind the manager of what cool things they did earlier in the year.

So in our case, it really is nothing but a chance for someone to remind me of what they did. I have actually changed a part of the review in the past when I was reminded of something big that happened the first few months of the previous year. The last few months hadn't been very impressive, but they'd kicked some serious buttocks earlier in the year, so I bumped them up a bit.

Now what's funny is that everyone up the tree above me demands that I do these on time, yet I haven't had a review in years.

Oh, and I view them as a bit of a waste of time with both "really good" employees, and "really bad" employees. For the good ones, I have a tough time saying anything other than "Please please don't quit, you're the reason our team doesn't perish in flames". For the bad ones, I have a tough time being positive, because saying something like "You'll never be a good programmer no matter how hard you try, though if you work really hard we might keep you around." just doesn't inspire people.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 10:51 AM   #13
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Re: Annual Review time

A buddy got into senior management, and had the same problem. Bad employees he would just sit down with and say, "well, I'd like you to have an opportunity to give me feedback, any questions?" - they usually had such an axe to grind they would spout for 20 minutes non stop and never noticed they never got "reviewed" themselves.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 11:41 AM   #14
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Re: Annual Review time

Quote:
Originally Posted by Laurence
... and never noticed they never got "reviewed" themselves.
If they did notice, they'd argue about why the reviewer is wrong!
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 11:48 AM   #15
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Re: Annual Review time

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords
If they did notice, they'd argue about why the reviewer is wrong!
And that's the tough thing about reviewing some people. Certain people are good, they just need to be motivated. That's the perfect case for a review. I did one of these a year ago, 6 months later he was promoted into management. I loved it.

However, some people just want to make excuses for the mistakes they've been making. Nothing much you can do there, you're just the bad guy.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 02:25 PM   #16
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Re: Annual Review time

Better yet....just put down "self improvement =masterbation" signed Tyler Durden....
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 07:00 PM   #17
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Re: Annual Review time

After last years review, the boss decided not to have me come in for review this year. He "says" that it is because I only have 2 months left. I don't buy that one!

Last year he asked me to offer my perspective on my performance, then he offered his. It was a match! Then he made the mistake of asking me to critique his performance, with him KNOWING full well that I always speak my mind, for good or bad.

Well, there were some good things to say, but over-all he got an "F". Our department has NEVER been so disorganized in the 31 years I've been there. NOTHING gets done completely, unless it's done wrong....or it's never completed. We've been running shorthanded for YEARS, and he won't ask for more manpower. The entire place is an absolute pig-sty, with the exception of my (now former) office/lab area (which I always kept immaculate).

I asked if he wanted my honest opinion, or if he wanted me to lie sugar coat it. He said honest opinion. I told him he was the worst supervisor I had ever worked under, and that I would retire at the first opportunity to leave that disaster area behind.

I'll FIRE in just over 9 weeks!
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 07:20 PM   #18
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Re: Annual Review time

I wonder why there are not too many bosses ask for feedback. They really do not want to hear the truth.
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-29-2007, 08:35 PM   #19
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Re: Annual Review time

laurence, my advice is to just tell the truth. You are a caring, considerate, thoughtful person and a terrific employee. They are lucky to have you!!
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Re: Annual Review time
Old 01-30-2007, 07:37 PM   #20
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Re: Annual Review time

As part of the review process, it looks like our SVP is being transferred to another group. I would like to think that it was because of good performance but you never know.
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