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:
Employment opportunities  Department of Taxation and Finance

Careers and Jobs at CRS  Catholic Relief Services


Your career level  Continental




Careers  UNCO News Central

Jobs- Legacy  Energy.gov




Careers | Career Opportunities  West Virginia University


Working for ICE  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom

Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University

Jobs  City of Rochester (.gov)




Careers | Home  USDA.gov








Careers at Willamette  Willamette University






Careers  Washington State University


Nursing jobs  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs

Work At Chess.com  Chess.com

Work at DHS: Career Opportunities  Wisconsin Department of Health Services


Careers at Prairie View A&M University  Prairie View A&M University



UF Health Careers  UF Health - University of Florida Health


Careers with Lexington Police Department  City of Lexington, Kentucky (.gov)



Job Opportunities  Bellevue School District

Careers  Medline


Careers  S&P Global


Internship Opportunities | BCG  Boston Consulting Group



Student Resources  American Physical Society




Careers at Air Liquide  Air Liquide



Job vacancies at the EUDA  European Union

Students and graduates  JPMorgan Chase


Careers  Freedom of the Press Foundation



Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024  University of North Dakota




Mental health at work  World Health Organization


Careers  Gwinnett County Public Schools



Current opportunities  Turner & Townsend


Careers  City of Norfolk (.gov)

JobFeed  NSW Department of Education

Careers at King County  King County



Apply for a Job -  The City of Vancouver, WA

Careers  City of Somerville

Careers  Penn State University


Careers  UTSA Today

Careers  City of Fort Worth

Employment  University of South Carolina

Careers @ UO  University of Oregon

ADM Job Openings  Unlocking Nature. Enriching Life. | ADM

Careers at the ICR  The Institute of Cancer Research

Career Opportunities  University of Houston


Jobs | DCU People  Dublin City University

UH Careers  University of Houston

Career Services  Wake Tech Newsroom

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

tumblr visit counter