Last-minute tips for a good year-end appraisal
The end of the year in all over the world usually signals many things; it signals the start of the monsoon season, the introspective review of last year's completed resolutions (and the subtle amnesia of broken ones), and the arrival of the dreaded appraisal spectre that usually decides whether you'll be traipsing on the beaches of Barbados or wading through knee-deep muddy water in Bangkok for your holidays.
Consistent work throughout the year usually guarantees a decent appraisal score and a well-padded bonus that can buy that next big-ticket item. However, having a few screw-ups during the year also doesn't mean that you'll be getting bad reviews as December rolls around.
Scientists have proven that, in general, most people will remember the first and last items on a list, or the first and last people they meet at events. Similarly, your bosses will remember the first few and the last few mistakes or accomplishments that you made in a year. This phenomenon is called the Serial Position effect.
What are the implications of this? It means that if you've been performing consistently throughout the year but made a really big mistake rather recently, your boss will remember this when he or she is appraising you.
On the flipside, this also means that if your performance has been quite inconsistent throughout the year but pulled a rabbit out of the hat at the end of the year, this work miracle will be fresh in your boss' mind as he or she talks to you about your performance.
Hence, here are some sneaky and not-so-sneaky tips that you can try out to give yourself a slight advantage when you finally go through the appraisal process.
Not-so-sneaky
- Prepare a list of accomplishments
A week before you enter the cauldron's den and face the lion, start writing down what you've accomplished for the company. This can include implementing new procedures that help saved money for the company, doing work that was outside your job scope which you volunteered for, suggesting new measures that increased productivity, etc. The key here is to demonstrate how valuable you've been to the company. After all, an employee who adds value to the company is more valuable than one who just goes through the motions of switching on the computer and doing the bare minimum required.
- Dress better
According to Daniel Hamermesh, an economics professor at the University of Austin, attractive people are more likely to earn an average of 3% to 4% more than a person with below-average looks. Although you might not look like a spitting image of Takeshi Kaneshiro, dressing well does have the effect of making yourself more attractive as well. Start wearing colours that complement your skin tone and wear better-tailored items that suit your body shape. Also, start dressing up on dress-down Fridays so that you will stand out from your colleagues.
- Brainstorm for new ideas
Take advantage of the Serial Position effect by brainstorming for new ideas that benefit the company. This works especially well a few days before your appraisal as your ideas would be fresh in the mind of your boss as he considers the grade to give you. Also, what makes your boss look good to his boss would also mean that it makes you look good to your boss!
Sneaky
- Buy or make a thoughtful Christmas card
A Christmas card is a nice and thoughtful gesture that will put a smile on your boss' face. A store-bought card is easy to achieve and won't strain your pockets too much but if you possess a modicum of creativity and have a bit of time to spare, a handmade card will speak volumes of your admiration for your boss. Just make sure your boss celebrates Christmas. If he or she doesn't, then a Thank You card to tell him or her how much you appreciate the guidance given would do nicely as well.
- Come in to work slightly earlier than usual and stay a bit later
Your boss might raise a few eyebrows and start thinking that you're up to something if you suddenly come much earlier to work and stay in the office much later than usual in the weeks leading to your appraisal. The trick to pulling this off successfully is to choose certain days to work late in the office. Avoid staying in late in the office every single day. Another method to plant the idea that you're working hard after office hours to your boss is to send an email to your boss after work hours. This gesture will demonstrate that you are willing to work late when it comes to the crunch and that you have an incredible work ethic.
- Compliment your boss
Brightening up your boss' day by throwing in a few well-timed compliments will ensure that he or she will be delighted. It also has the knock-on effect of placing your boss in a forgiving mood, which is absolutely essential when you want him or her to forget a few of your mistakes. To avoid raising your boss' suspicions, indirectly compliment your boss by going to his close associates instead and gushing to them how good your boss. In this way, it makes it seem like your compliments are genuine since it's not coming from your mouth but someone else's instead!
Note:
Remember to carry out the above tips as discreetly as possible and we take no responsibility for any possible implications to your work relationships or career track. Likewise, we wish you all the best for your appraisal. Just make sure your boss doesn't read this article!
7 Job Interview Questions You’re Probably Messing Up
That last interview was awesome! Never mind the interviewer’s bad poker face, or the manager making “cut my throat” gestures from across the room. Heck, you were knocking those questions down like intensive care patients in a boxing ring right? How hard can it be, when local companies keep asking the same questions? Well, don’t count on that next pay cheque yet. Because according to the HR managers I spoke to, there are some common questions that applicants keep messing up, and don’t even know it:
The seven questions you’ve probably messed up are:
- Tell us about yourself
- Why did you leave your last company?
- Can you meet deadlines?
- Do you know what we sell?
- Where do you see yourself in X years?
- Are you fine with long work hours?
- Why should we hire you?
1. Tell Us About Yourself
This question is not an opportunity to go Hunter S. Thompson. Don’t talk about meditating in Tibet, or riding camels in Egypt, or any of the emotional upheavals in your life story. Never mind if your life has been the basis of four Indiana Jones movies, leave it out.The interviewer is evaluating two important things here: whether you fit their corporate culture, and whether you lack confidence. It’s true that insecure people tend to “waffle” more, and throw in lots of irrelevant anecdotes. You don’t want to be seen as one of them.
Answer this question directly, by stating what you’re doing now. As in, “I’m a student,” or “I spend all day captioning stock photos”. From there, move on to what your job entails, your educational background, and what your core competencies are. Express personal opinions (e.g. you think all managers should wear ties) only when asked.
2. Why Did You Leave Your Last Company?
Don’t break into a synopsis worthy of a Channel 8 soap opera. If you were fired or retrenched, then simply say so and explain the reason. Don’t start blaming or bad-mouthing people. And don’t degenerate into a tirade about “this economy” or “the market”.Other well received reasons are:
- I want to move into a line of work that better matches what I studied
- My financial needs have changed
- I want to do a job that I have a personal interest in
- I want a work environment with more emphasis on personal initiative
3. Can You Meet Deadlines?
This is a trap question. If you immediately say yes, your interviewer will decide you’re either thoughtless, or contain more horse manure than a turf club stable.Do you usually agree to deadlines you don’t even know yet? What if I ask you to launch a new global telecommunications network by Thursday?
The appropriate response to this question is another question. You could ask: “Well, what are these deadlines, and what is the nature of the project?” Then based on their response, tell them if their expectations are realistic. Throw in your own opinion of how long it will take.
4. Do You Know What We Sell?
This question tests your grasp of branding, and sales people get it all the time. Say you walk into McDoogle’s Fast Food for an interview, and you’re asked “Do you know what McDoogle’s sells?”If your response is “Hamburgers, duh”, then you’re basically saying “I have a keen grasp of the obvious. The only position I’m qualified for is fry cook.” If you want a sales or marketing position, your answer should be: “McDoogle’s sells a culture and a lifestyle. As suggested by our company motto…etc.”
The interviewer is checking whether you know how to sell. Also, that you’re aware of the company’s branding and image.
5. Where Do You See Yourself in X Years?
When the interviewer asks this, they’re looking at confidence and ambition. A common error is to go “off the job track”, and give personal goals. Were those mentioned anywhere in the question?Pay attention: the interviewer wants to know what sort of job advancement you expect. And if you haven’t thought about that, then “Maybe,” thinks the interviewer, ” this guy has all the ambition of a garden slug”. That’s not a flattering trait. So please, have a specific answer prepared. You could say you expect to be a supervisor in three years, or to be heading your own ad campaigns by following June.
6. Are You Fine With Working Long Work Hours?
As with point 3, they’re checking to see if your brain goes into gear before your mouth. Before swearing to work like a nine year old in a Chinese sportswear factory, stop and think about the question.The sensible response is to ask: “What do these long work hours entail ?” Just a long work day? Or does it mean unpaid overtime? Perhaps the company expects you to work a six day week?
Employees with stable families usually mention work-life balance. They can work overtime now and again, but the husband and children are a priority. Or there’s an aged parent who needs tending to. Far from discrediting them, many employers prefer this response; it means the applicant isn’t a stressed time bomb, or an inconsiderate jerk.
7. Why Should We Hire You?
This question tests whether you understand the job description. Also, the interviewer is checking how you respond to “big picture” questions.The most common error is to get all flustered, and not know where to begin. The next most common error is to resort to personal traits. For example, saying they should hire you because you’re hard working, you’re a good person, you never forget to change the toilet paper, etc.
The appropriate response is to explain how your qualifications match the job. So go through the points in the job description, and state how you fulfil each one. You can end by proposing some ideas that might be good for them. For example, “I think if your website were more interactive, you’d have a higher conversion rate. Now I can do that for you by…etc.”
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