Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited

Return to career-consulting-limited.com
Managing
People
Managing Your Career
CV Examples
Coaching
Cover Letter Examples
Pre-Employment Tests


Prepare for Your Performance Review Before You Start the Job


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 on career strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294


MORE RESOURCES:

Careers  University of Northern Colorado







Careers  City of Phoenix (.gov)



Careers  City of Ontario, California (.gov)





Careers at FEMA  FEMA.gov


Careers | Home  USDA (.gov)



Employment Opportunities  Alabama Department of Public Health (.gov)


Careers and Jobs at CRS  Catholic Relief Services

Careers  UC Santa Cruz


Careers  Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Working for ICE  ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov)





Careers at USCIS  USCIS (.gov)


Job Listings  Fayette County Public Schools

Employment Opportunities | Game Commission  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov)

Explore Store Careers  Target Corporation

Store Hourly Job Areas  Target Corporation


Corporate Career Job Areas  Target Corporation


Work for Us  National Park Service (.gov)

Work With Us  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov)


Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University



Work at the U.S. Department of Energy  Department of Energy (.gov)

Recruitment & Classification  Sonoma County (.gov)

Employment | Department of Corrections  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov)



Water Services Careers  City of Phoenix (.gov)

IOM career gateways  International Organization for Migration


Career Opportunities  Gilead Sciences


Careers  BASF

Jobs  City of Rochester (.gov)

Careers at the IOC  Olympics.com


Jobs at Liberty University  Liberty University




Our Hiring Process  Target Corporation


Co-op & Career Design  Kettering University

Careers  Calgary Board of Education

Career Services  Cornerstone University


MPA Employment Data  USC Price School

Interview Guide and Tips  Target Corporation


Current opportunities  Turner & Townsend

Recorded Video Interviews  Target Corporation


K9 Recruitment Bonuses  United States Secret Service (.gov)

Careers  West Virginia Department of Education


Job Opportunities  Bellevue School District


Careers at Union  Union College

WORK AT LVMH  LVMH


Programs and Internships  Goldman Sachs

Employment Opportunities  Unity Health Toronto

Work with us  JPMorganChase

Careers  City of Norfolk (.gov)


Careers  Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

Work for the City of St. Louis  City of St. Louis, MO (.gov)

Students and graduates  JPMorganChase


Careers and skills  JPMorganChase


Careers  The University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA

Apply for a job -  The City of Vancouver, WA


Career Opportunities  University of Houston

Need More Information?
Site Home | Site Map | Links | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
© Career Consulting Limited.com 2011

tumblr visit counter