Writing your own review.
Today, my review was due to be turned in. It's such a fine line you have to walk; promote yourself as best as possible, without sounding like you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. I tend to understate my accomplishments...partly because I just can't keep up with everything I do. And partly because, I don't like to brag. I think the whole concept of writing your own review is ridiculous. I understand that more often than not, a person's manager doesn't understand the whole realm of what a person does within any given year. But, it would be nice to have the Manager understand a little! Maybe make it a collaborative effort? But this, would be Utopia - especially in my field as a contractor, where my boss doesn't really know exactly what I do. So, sell...sell...sell is important.
Honestly? This was probably the strongest review of myself I've ever written.
And you know what? I'll probably still only get the same $1.00/hour increase that I would've gotten had I not written a strong review. The corporate office in Ohio already knows well in advance who's getting what for their yearly increase. That's what they have accountants, and budgets for. It's all part of their yearly "big picture". Sure, there may be some flexibility for those who physically work in the corporate office, or on the base at Wright Pat that corporate knows by sight. But for us working folk in Massachusetts whom they barely know - they already have that figured out.
And with that being the case - what's the point of even having a review process?
10 comments:
Better yet... writing your own obituary.. ::shudder:: I had to do that once... it was kind of creepy.
Good luck.. I mean really, what do you say... "I'm fabulous and everybody knows it... including ME"
LOARD...
I think they are getting kids in practice for this self-writing review process. Since about 3rd grade, my daughter has had to conduct her own parent teacher conferences. I should just stay home and ask her about her classes and not waste a night at the school then.
Maybe you should give yourself a raise, declare a month long holiday and tell your boss that you're taking over!
I agree with Dale. Why have others do your work.
I know! I'm so annoyed with it all, but what can you do I suppose. So I guess I'm giving my manager his opinion of me. Which is pretty darn good, if I don't say so myself...oh wait, I DO say so myself! ;)
Hey Anonymous...How did you know I love nail polish. What a savvy spammer you are!
Hey this self evaluation stuff seems silly. I do it too. When I have a good supervisor, it seems I am too hard on myself. With my current boss, it is simply fodder for how he will pick me apart.
Whether it's a resume or a review, I usually tend to curl up in a small ball and lose it. There's something about doing that kind of self-assessment stuff that is just horrid. And I do indeed think bosses who ask you to do a self-review are truly lazy--and somewhat sadistic. They really want to *get* you one way or another...either by telling you your ego's too big or by telling you you don't value yourself enough. it's an annoying catch 22 to say the least...
oh, I did a new resume recently. I never realized I was so academically accomplished, even before I went to college! very weird. and it doesn't make looking for a job any easier.
:-)
T.
Self-evaluations are so hard. Reminds me of when I was a kid and did something wrong, and my parents would ask me what sort of punishment I deserved. Except with self-evaluations hopefully you're doing everything right and telling them what kind of raise you deserve.
Oh, I just LOVE those self evaluations.
Not.
I had give myself a review once. It was very difficult to step outside of yourself and the grade the person, the employee. then i also to recommend how much of a raise I should get. Now that had my stomach in knots. If you reach high, you come off greedy. If you go low, they read it as lack of confidence. I had a weekend to work on it. I probably re-wrote and re-wrote it a dozen times.
In the end, when it was turned in, I received the biggest shock of my life. My boss said that I sold myself short and said she changed the $amount to a more deserving figure. (I almost fainted it five times my figure!) He then changed my 4 ratings to 5's.
Still in shock - he informed me that after 20 years in the business he was leaving, making a career change. He was empowered to name his replacement. He said he chose me before the evaluation was done.
Ironically I went from an assistant office manager at $13k to an Assistant-Vice President of Operations at $65k! 15 years later, I chose my replacement in the same manner.
-Yes, it is difficult to self-evaluate oneself, but all I can say is don't sell yourself short.
Thanks Hale! Appreciate your comments. :)
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