7 ms·

As near as I can tell, I could write literally anything on a self review and it would make no difference to anyone in any way. My first item has been 'stop doin

by eppp 4y ago

As near as I can tell, I could write literally anything on a self review and it would make no difference to anyone in any way. My first item has been 'stop doing performance reviews' on the 'what can we do to help you' section for years. This is a useless exercise, raises come or not regardless of what is said or done.

droopyEyelids 4y ago
I was rolling my eyes going into the article, but it was actually useful. Your perspective is kind of the starting point for the author- Analyze how the self-review is actually used.
- eppp 4y ago
  I definitely read it. I have never worked at a place where it mattered. Maybe it would be interesting to work at a place where it did.
SpeedilyDamage 4y ago
This is not universally true, and if you're somewhere like this, you can and probably should move if you value being valued. As someone who's in the room when we go over these, if you write "stop doing performance reviews" the whole room rolls their eyes, and is not very kind. Maybe stop shooting yourself in the foot? Give it a shot, for like 5 years, see how it goes. It's about an hour of your time annually, so if even at a 20% chance of success that feels like a wise investment.
- TexanFeller 4y ago
  > It's about an hour of your time annually, so if even at a 20% chance of success that feels like a wise investment. At my place of work it is common for people to spend multiple days on these things, with some people on my team spending a whole week. I'm told the process was substantially more heavy weight before I got here. Maybe you are just blissfully unaware of the true costs? I would give your right arm to waste only an hour every review cycle on this counterproductive insanity! I would happily accept no promotions or raises above inflation to not go through this were it an option.
  - SpeedilyDamage 4y ago
    Where, on the spectrum of time spent per year, do you think your company lies with regard to writing annual self evaluations as compared to other companies?
    - TexanFeller 4y ago
      People that come from big tech companies seem to have no problem with it, and many people I talk to are thrilled with the process so we must be in a somewhat normal ranges. I think I have quite different goals. They are happy to play games and burn a week because it often results in raises and promotions. I'm intrinsically motivated and value happiness, and lack of games and politics above maximizing pay so to me it's misery.
      - SpeedilyDamage 4y ago
        Okay so you think "spend a week, doing nothing else, on your annual performance review" is a normal way of operating at a tech company? Cool, no more questions, thanks for your time.
        type-r 4y ago
        What kind of companies have you worked at?
- brazzledazzle 4y ago
  It’s never only been an hour of my time anywhere I’ve worked. At minimum one day but if you are provided feedback with back and forth (and most of my managers have done that) and you meet about it at least twice a year you’re looking at 2+ days worth of your time. Are sure it only takes your subordinates an hour?
- andelink 4y ago
  An hour of my time? I wish. The fact that the work you’ve done in the cycle is finished regardless, but depending on how you write about it can impact your rating and compensation going forward really stresses me out.
- icedchai 4y ago
  They're not very kind because someone actually told the truth. Many of us roll our eyes when asked to fill out these ridiculous forms. One previous company had everyone rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 5 for various aspects of the corporate culture. How did you drive innovation to achieve corporate synergies over the past 6 months? Most reviews are finely crafted BS. And it generally takes much more than an hour annually. If you have to do a full blown "360 peer review" process (which is very common) it can take at least a day+.
- type-r 4y ago
  I've been through many companies (and many iterations of the process in each of those companies) but have never experienced a case where this takes only an hour annually. Even as an IC you're going to be spending at least half a day on your own self-review. This doesn't even include peer reviews, upward feedback, or talking about the results of this whole process with your manager. In my experience, the process also doesn't just happen a single time per year -- it's usually twice (plus 'check-ins' outside of that). I'm no fan of perf reviews but I have no idea how you could even run a process at all if you were to only give people 1 hour to do the whole thing end-to-end.
- barrkel 4y ago
  It's closer to 4 hours a cycle, not including procrastination and stress, and it's usually at least two cycles a year.
zie 4y ago
I just copy and paste from the previous year.
icedchai 4y ago
This is my experience as well. In 20+ years of employment, in both small and large companies, with positions from junior developer to startup CTO, I've never been anywhere where performance reviews weren't a complete waste of time.
pcurve 4y ago
It's only useless if you do it at the end of the year like the author is suggesting. It's fairly useful to keep track of throughout throughout the year, including communicating to others assuming you're a above average performer.

by eppp 4y ago

droopyEyelids 4y ago

I was rolling my eyes going into the article, but it was actually useful. Your perspective is kind of the starting point for the author- Analyze how the self-review is actually used.

eppp 4y ago
I definitely read it. I have never worked at a place where it mattered. Maybe it would be interesting to work at a place where it did.

SpeedilyDamage 4y ago

This is not universally true, and if you're somewhere like this, you can and probably should move if you value being valued. As someone who's in the room when we go over these, if you write "stop doing performance reviews" the whole room rolls their eyes, and is not very kind. Maybe stop shooting yourself in the foot? Give it a shot, for like 5 years, see how it goes. It's about an hour of your time annually, so if even at a 20% chance of success that feels like a wise investment.

TexanFeller 4y ago
> It's about an hour of your time annually, so if even at a 20% chance of success that feels like a wise investment. At my place of work it is common for people to spend multiple days on these things, with some people on my team spending a whole week. I'm told the process was substantially more heavy weight before I got here. Maybe you are just blissfully unaware of the true costs? I would give your right arm to waste only an hour every review cycle on this counterproductive insanity! I would happily accept no promotions or raises above inflation to not go through this were it an option.
- SpeedilyDamage 4y ago
  Where, on the spectrum of time spent per year, do you think your company lies with regard to writing annual self evaluations as compared to other companies?
  - TexanFeller 4y ago
    People that come from big tech companies seem to have no problem with it, and many people I talk to are thrilled with the process so we must be in a somewhat normal ranges. I think I have quite different goals. They are happy to play games and burn a week because it often results in raises and promotions. I'm intrinsically motivated and value happiness, and lack of games and politics above maximizing pay so to me it's misery.
    - SpeedilyDamage 4y ago
      Okay so you think "spend a week, doing nothing else, on your annual performance review" is a normal way of operating at a tech company? Cool, no more questions, thanks for your time.
      - type-r 4y ago
        What kind of companies have you worked at?
brazzledazzle 4y ago
It’s never only been an hour of my time anywhere I’ve worked. At minimum one day but if you are provided feedback with back and forth (and most of my managers have done that) and you meet about it at least twice a year you’re looking at 2+ days worth of your time. Are sure it only takes your subordinates an hour?
andelink 4y ago
An hour of my time? I wish. The fact that the work you’ve done in the cycle is finished regardless, but depending on how you write about it can impact your rating and compensation going forward really stresses me out.
icedchai 4y ago
They're not very kind because someone actually told the truth. Many of us roll our eyes when asked to fill out these ridiculous forms. One previous company had everyone rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 5 for various aspects of the corporate culture. How did you drive innovation to achieve corporate synergies over the past 6 months? Most reviews are finely crafted BS. And it generally takes much more than an hour annually. If you have to do a full blown "360 peer review" process (which is very common) it can take at least a day+.
type-r 4y ago
I've been through many companies (and many iterations of the process in each of those companies) but have never experienced a case where this takes only an hour annually. Even as an IC you're going to be spending at least half a day on your own self-review. This doesn't even include peer reviews, upward feedback, or talking about the results of this whole process with your manager. In my experience, the process also doesn't just happen a single time per year -- it's usually twice (plus 'check-ins' outside of that). I'm no fan of perf reviews but I have no idea how you could even run a process at all if you were to only give people 1 hour to do the whole thing end-to-end.
barrkel 4y ago
It's closer to 4 hours a cycle, not including procrastination and stress, and it's usually at least two cycles a year.

zie 4y ago

I just copy and paste from the previous year.

icedchai 4y ago

This is my experience as well. In 20+ years of employment, in both small and large companies, with positions from junior developer to startup CTO, I've never been anywhere where performance reviews weren't a complete waste of time.

pcurve 4y ago

It's only useless if you do it at the end of the year like the author is suggesting. It's fairly useful to keep track of throughout throughout the year, including communicating to others assuming you're a above average performer.