A
career coaching article:
Prepare
for your
performance
review
before
you
start the job
by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
When you start a new job,
you probably realize the first
three months are critical to your long-term success. Everybody's eye is
on the "newbie" as you learn the ropes. "Does anybody want to go to
lunch?" is the wrong thing to say in a run-during-lunch or
never-leave-the-desk culture.
You may begin your job by reading a stack of manuals. Or you may dive
right in to fix a crisis or install a much-needed systemd.
Your
first step...
Logical first steps, right? Wrong! Your very first step should be to
set up a meeting with your boss to find out what will count in your new
job.
What You Need to Know
- What does your boss expect: outcomes, budget, and
dates.
Be as specific as possible.
- If you're designing a training program, by
what
date
will you have brochures? Attendees?
- Will participant evaluations of the program
influence
your own evaluation?
- What is the next step in your career path?
- How can you prepare yourself for promotion?
- Does your company evaluate by numbers, e.g., 5 is
outstanding and 3 is average?
- If so, what would you need to demonstrate for
a top
score?
- Is your boss expected to "curve the grades?"
- If the boss is limited to three "outstanding"
ratings
out of ten people, learn whether the top scores have traditionally been
awarded to the same people each year.
- Try to learn how your boss will be evaluated. You
may
not
be able to ask directly but you can expect to be rewarded for helping
your boss score points.
Reality Checks
Begin keeping a record of your activities and accomplishments. Write
entries every week, if not every day. Save evidence of accomplishments
so you can be ready to document your performance.
Finally, as you learn the
ropes, compare formal and
informal
rules.
Tom's boss said, "We want
you to revitalize this product
line." After considerable work, Tom managed to increase sales of a
dying product. He was horrified to receive a "Below Average"
evaluation. His company maintained the line as a loss leader. They
wanted a caretaker, not a manager. Tom was the wrong person for that
job.
Angela was hired "to raise
standards and prominence" of a
private college's new program. She soon realized the school needed
money and she would be rewarded for increasing the number of
tuition-paying students. She turned her efforts from program content to
marketing. If she were uncomfortable in that role, she would have
sought a new job.
The Bottom Line
Don't wait a six months or a year to find out what your boss expects.
You may even be able to lay a foundation for these discussions during
the hiring process.
Regardless, a supportive boss will welcome your initiative. Those who
insist on vague standards ("hey, we all know what we're supposed to
do") or feel insulted by the question ("are you worried I won't give
you a fair shake?") are sending a loud, clear warning: "Danger ahead."
I offer one-to-one consultations
for business and career change.
Click here to download
Cathy's Special Report: How to Survive Your Performance Review (and
move to your dream career)
Click here to check out Cathy's
Highly Irreverent (and totally practical) Job Search Guide.
Click here to check out Cathy's
resume services.