performance appraisal 1

[barbola]

Each year I write up my own self-evaluation. This has resulted in pretty satisfying wage increases over the 7 years I've been employed here.

I outlined my current responsibilities, recent accomplishments and projects, and what I plan for the next year. I'm not quite sure how to approach a certain issue without sounding whiney. Here is a sentence in my cover letter and I'm open to suggestions:

"In addition to discussions about my performance, I listed some other issues and challenges I would like to talk about including my involvement in IT and how the company's technological vision relates to my job. I have a lot of expertise in this area that I feel is being overlooked."

You see, I am presented with requests from all over the company, just from people who think that I can make their jobs easier. There is no central pooling of resources and no approval process for this. I brought this up a year ago, and they since hired someone with zero IT background to kinda sorta take over this responsibility in addition to being the "controller".

There are other people who can help me out, form a team. There are also other projects going on that I don't hear about, where I could be a valuable part of the team. I don't know why I am being excluded, it could be because they think I'm busy, or they don't know I can help, or they are just ignorant or because I'm a woman and it's a man's world.

Okay forget those last two. Any ideas?

thanks!

 

[Sheco]

the "being overlooked" part is not so hot...

Maybe, in the coming year will be looking for even more opportunities to use your experience and expertise to help guide the company's IT strategies?

or something like that.

 

[barbola]

I like that. I will take out the 'overlooked' phrase.
I think most of the impact will be made with what and how I say it in our discussion.

I've been through product evaluations and software conversions before. My boss knows this, but the people involved don't seem know this or don't seem to care. It's not just that I feel snubbed, it's the whole process ... for example when I am working on a project, I don't even know if there is someone in the company who can help me out.

I know we have a new person who took Java, and someone came in for the summer and wrote a C program, which nobody else can support, and I have been focused on learning VB because our software vendor of the system I am in charge of is moving towards .net, and all our office is on Microsoft systems (much to the chagrin of the new IT guy, who used to do VB and is now anti-MS for his own reasons).

There is no consistency, no direction, at least that is how it appears to me and I am losing it, and sometimes feel my work is worthless, or will be if someone decides to switch us to some other software that doesn't work with everything I've developed because "they didn't know" and didn't check.

am i alone?

 

[Sheco]

Wild guesses:
A) there is a severe lack of communication between you and your supervisor or
B) the supervisor is overwhelmed or
C) the supervisor's tolerance for chaos is higher than yours or
D) the supervisor is incompetent


If A or B then you can maybe help to make it better... if C or D then lump it or find a better job. Also those are wild guesses so they could all be wrong.

 

[barbola]

My boss is very much aware of my thoughts, and yet hired this doughbrain accountant instead of the dynamic go-getter he promised me. He is a busy guy, and I don't get to vent my frustrations very often, so I save it for my review.

It's the executive's or maybe it's my boss not pulling for me, or maybe he is and the exec's still don't want me involved. I put these issues in for discussion:

"I would like to be involved in future IT projects including software evaluations where I can offer my valuable expertise in many capacities. I believe my experience in development, consulting, testing, training, and setup will make me an integral part of the Information Technology team."

Jeez you'd think I was applying for my own job!

 

[svanels]

You see, I am presented with requests from all over the company, just from people who think that I can make their jobs easier. There is no central pooling of resources and no approval process for this. I brought this up a year ago, and they since hired someone with zero IT background to kinda sorta take over this responsibility in addition to being the "controller".

Maybe they interpreted that you have too much work, so they hired someone to ease the load.

During the years I learned that it is better to pretend that you have a lot of spare time, off course your work must be in order, that way you are always available when something new comes around.

Steven

 

[barbola]

They brought him into ease the load of the Director of the dept. They also had planned to advertise for an IT manager, but then decided to combine the positions, and they did get my input into the duties of this new person, because we knew there may be some overlap.

You are right, people think I am too busy and they don't want to bother me. I am busy, but I see decisions being made that IMO are dumb and if someone would have even just asked for my input....mind you, it is improving, a bit, but there are times....

I submitted my self-appraisal, so we shall see.

 

[appelq]

My thought is to do one of two things:
1. Don't highlight a problem area and expect anyone else to fix it. Rather, Point out a problem area and outline the solution. Make a specific detailed recommended course of action. i.e. allow me to Develop and lead a Project Management Office concept that would be the clearinghouse for all new IT Projects... Include resouces needed and direct financial costs and benefits (and timeframe).
This approach assumes you are capable of making your proposed solution happen and that you supervisor will appreciate the "go getter" attitude.

2. Alternatively, you subvert the normal process. Identify the people doing these other projects and "volunteer" your help. "Hey Joe, I heard you are workin on a new Imaging Workflow app for Dept XYZ, I've got a lot experience with that platform. Let me know if I can help out in anyway."
Follow up with questions - "Have you considered..." or "The bigest problem I ran into with that was...what I did then was..."
Continue to grow the reliance on you as an expert resource, they will soon be inviting you to be involved.

 

[eyeswideclosed]

Nothing will kill the morale of a good employee better than hiring a doughbrain and letting them stay, or worse yet, not being able to tell the difference.

 

[barbola]

I think they got the message that I want to be fully involved in major software purchase decisions and other IT projects.

I put in my document that I wanted to be an integral part of the "team", and I was told to let them know if I ever "feel" that I wasn't an integral part.

I got a 5% increase. woohooo! It's nice to be appreciated.

 

[Tarwn]

Nothing will kill the morale of a good employee better than hiring a doughbrain and letting them stay, or worse yet, not being able to tell the difference.

I used to agree. After having worked on a large, company-transforming project for a new company we have brought into the fold I can say that working for a company that not only is mostly doughbrained but also realizes this and expects the systems to get around the stupidity at all ranks is much worse for morale than justa doughbrained manager.