Annual reviews

[A930Rocket]

Just had my first one here last week. There are no self assessments. My manager is clueless, has no idea what's going on, and no data to back anything up.

When it comes to individual ratings I'm good, but when they rate as a team or cell, it drops. I have no control over that, other than what I do. Most are ignorant, lazy idiots, who don't care and think it's ok to talk as a group, play with their phones rather than work and being productive. And no one gets fired, they are moved or a job is created they can handle.

Management is so scared of the union coming in, they coddle these douchebags to prevent it. Makes me want to puke.

[vash]

i've cut and pasted my last four years. i just change the date..maybe a few adjectives..send it in.

there is no one reading it..apparently. but the bright side? i am a model employee that works well with others, and is a self starter.............

[Scott Douglas]

I guess being RIF'd does have its up side.

[aigel]

Good reviews are very important. Often it is the only thing a senior manager 2 or 3 levels up may know about you. What if your boss leaves or the company is sold? Often the reviews are the only thing the new people have to go by, putting together an organization.

I also think the review takes out the guesswork on how you are doing. I have worked for people that were bad at giving feedback on my work. The reviews often forced them to put together their thoughts in a more meaningful manner than what I'd get from them all year.

On a final note, watch for poor reviews. If you have a couple in a row without improvement, take it as a sign to look for a new job or transfer. In the corporate world nobody will come and flat out tell you to go start looking - they will tell you via your review.

G

[cairns]

At one company I worked at we had 360 degree reviews. These were very helpful. They forced a supervisor and his or her reports to communicate and work with each other. It was a recognition that we all have flaws how do we recognize them, overcome them and improve?

Now I have the same thing most everyone else does...cut and paste, no bearing on renumeration, reward or punishment.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by aigel

Good reviews are very important. Often it is the only thing a senior manager 2 or 3 levels up may know about you. What if your boss leaves or the company is sold? Often the reviews are the only thing the new people have to go by, putting together an organization.

I also think the review takes out the guesswork on how you are doing. I have worked for people that were bad at giving feedback on my work. The reviews often forced them to put together their thoughts in a more meaningful manner than what I'd get from them all year.

On a final note, watch for poor reviews. If you have a couple in a row without improvement, take it as a sign to look for a new job or transfer. In the corporate world nobody will come and flat out tell you to go start looking - they will tell you via your review.

G

With all due respect: GIGO = BS

[aigel]

Originally Posted by KC911

With all due respect: GIGO = BS

Glad you could elaborate your views, so we all understand!

G

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by aigel

Glad you could elaborate your views, so we all understand!

G

Have you read the previous responses before you posted a typical corporate response? And then you expand upon why reviews are so important
I had a very successful career in corporate life with 4 separate corporations. 3 of those were 100+ year old successful entities that were managed right out of existence by the nonsense you spewed...only IBM remains. I was always a star performer, was compensated appropriately, and I assure you every review I had over 25 years was utter and total bs.

G(arbage) I(n) G(argage) O(ut) = B(ull) S(heet)

[aigel]

Yes, I have read everyone's reply. Do I only get to post if I agree with everyone?

I had honest input, reminding folks that these reviews - like them or not - aren't going straight to the shredder. How many small companies have you been in where you find yourself without management from one week to the other and where you are restructured by a new set of people? Maybe you are more brave than I, but it is dangerous if you don't take your reviews seriously in such an environment. Have you been employed in a small tech company during the last 10 years and seen the churn and ups and downs?

If you have been in large companies that were steady - good for you. I have done very well for myself in small companies and none of them have gone out of business due to their performance reviews.

Finally, what is not cool is to answer someone's post with a one-liner including Bull**** and Garbage - in abbreviated form to boot, as it is too much time to respond in detail.

If you are frustrated with corporate culture, knock yourself out, talk to your boss, not me.

G

[Rick Lee]

G, I sort of agree with your explanation that others in the org look at the reviews. However, in a large sales org, even though I know everyone and am pretty close with my boss's boss, you're usually only as good as your last month. Sure, politics and corp. culture play a role. But when they look to cut sales staff, they usually do so by who's consistently underperforming and by how much...if they don't have any bad behavior issues to use in the decision.

Yeah, I'd be the hero for blowing out my goal and it'd get me a goood review. But that would go out the window once the next calendar year was underway and numbers started coming in around mid-Feb. I'd have such a higher goal as a result of blowing it out the previous year, that the much lower next year numbers would suggest I was resting on my laurels or slacking. So again, I'd rather be consistent, year over year than have a blowout year and get a stellar one-time review.

We had an annual company gathering in late March 2008 where a woman got the account manager of the year award for 2007. She blew everyone away. But because her goal was so high for 2008 as a result, three weeks later she was written up on probation for being so far below her new goal, even though her YTD revenue was above where it had been at that time the previous year. When the top sales person is getting put on double secret probation in Q1 of the next year, there's a silly problem in the system.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by aigel

Yes, I have read everyone's reply. Do I only get to post if I agree with everyone?

I had honest input, reminding folks that these reviews - like them or not - aren't going straight to the shredder. How many small companies have you been in where you find yourself without management from one week to the other and where you are restructured by a new set of people? Maybe you are more brave than I, but it is dangerous if you don't take your reviews seriously in such an environment. Have you been employed in a small tech company during the last 10 years and seen the churn and ups and downs?

If you have been in large companies that were steady - good for you. I have done very well for myself in small companies and none of them have gone out of business due to their performance reviews.

Finally, what is not cool is to answer someone's post with a one-liner including Bull**** and Garbage - in abbreviated form to boot, as it is too much time to respond in detail.

If you are frustrated with corporate culture, knock yourself out, talk to your boss, not me.

G

Fair enough G....you have your opinion, the rest of us (both from the huge corporate side and smaller places like Patrick's (Widfifteen) offer a perspective on what a crock they are. I'm not frustrated at all...retired a few years ago at 48 (my time is worth more than more $ at this point) and not looking back . I didn't mean to offend with my abbreviations...be well and Merry Christmas!!!

[widebody911]

Coincidentally, I had mine yesterday. It went "ok" and I got a token increase and a meager bonus.