| Written by Veronica Rolfes, on 09-07-2007 21:27 |
Where do You Stand?
Want more out of your job? Learn how to determine where you stand, and where you can go, at your company.
How many of you just show up for work and that’s it? Do you only care
about punching the clock and simply getting your job done? For some
people, work is work. You show up on time, do what’s expected and go
home for the day. However, for others it can be more. It is the sense
of accomplishing something, completing a measurable task by the end of
the day. There is a sensation that needs to be filled of worth and
value—the desire to be wanted and needed by your coworkers.
In either case, it is very important to know where you stand in the
company. When using the phrase "where you stand," you can cover quite a
few areas. Have you been in trouble? Do you work well with others? Does
your superior see growth for you? Is a raise in your future, or a pink
slip? Knowing the answers to key questions like these can make all the
difference in your workday, no matter what your philosophy is on
getting the job done.
Important Things to Know
Most organizations complete monthly, quarterly or yearly reviews. These
are not only tools to give you feedback on your work and help improve
your job performance, but can also be used in determining raises AND
whether retribution is needed. The reports should cover basic criteria,
such as:
- Attendance
- Tardies
- Rates
- Percent of sales
Your review should also cover additional comments on:
- Management observations
- Individual goals
- Company goals
- Room for improvements
-
Quality suggestions
Businesses vary on what they “grade” an employee on, but you should
always know the basics. There are many different methods for
performance appraisals, but the most popular is a method known as Goal
Setting, more commonly called management by objectives. There are
several factors and requirements involved, but in a nut shell, the
objective is to set a clear understanding of work to be done by the
employee and establish action plans to achieve the objectives. This of
course needs to be done on a regular basis so that your work and any
other barriers can be discussed between you and a supervisor.
Things You Should Watch Out For
When there isn’t a clear-cut, documented source in front of you, there
are things you can look for to gauge where you stand. It is important
to keep a self-inventory of your own performance even when you aren’t
being reviewed. This can help prepare you for future discussions of
your goals within the company, as well as preventing those accumulated
tardies from sneaking up on you.
Here are five easy tips for keeping tabs on yourself:
- Use an attendance calendar to track any absences, tardies or time
off. Typically, an administrative assistant should have one for the
current year with an easy coding system.
- Take a look around you. Does your desk look unorganized? Are there
stacks of uncompleted work? Having your workload under control not only
shows that you are completing the tasks given to you, but also that you
probably know where everything is — a big plus in great time management
skills. Both of which result in bonus points when proving you are
worthy of that raise.
- Watch who and what you talk about. By doing this, you can maintain
complaints from coworkers and keep foul talk at bay. Knowing you are
ethical and abide by the code of conduct curbs any disciplinary action,
or even worse — a trip to Human Resources.
- Compare yourself to your peers. Do you keep up with work flow and
production? Do you step up to take on projects more than others?
Recognizing your hard work (or lack of) can either set your mind at
ease that you are doing or good job, or light a fire under your rear to
put forth more effort.Remember old reviews, poor marks on your record, disciplinary
actions, etc and simply change your actions! Making self-improvements
keeps you out of trouble, and shows that you took corrective action
(which will more than likely pop up on your next review).
If you are competing for a higher position, or looking for a promotion,
take all the different things the business looks at into consideration.
They can range from many factors including:
-
Seniority
-
Education
-
Skills
-
Experience
-
Age
-
Effort
-
Work historyLevel/difficulty of job
-
Responsibilities
Even if you don’t appear to be qualified by the listed standards, just
showing interest and initiative goes a long way. Just because you have
only been there one year and the other gal has been there ten, it's
always good to let the company know your interests — so (pardon the
cliches here) stick your neck out, go out on a limb or take a shot in
the dark to put your best foot forward!
If there is ever a time where you are concerned about your job, talk to
someone about it. Even though you might not get a straight answer, you
can at least find areas of opportunity. Of course events like layoffs
or business closings are out of your hand, but termination or getting
rejected for that promotion is not. There is always room to improve;
even when we think we are the epitome of perfection, or at least as
close as it comes.
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