Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Bust your ass all year, make significant growth in both professional development and leadership areas, have a stellar performance in the year, get an average review.

"So what specific areas can I work on that would get me to that next level?"

"Well, it's hard to really point to any specific areas. Your big project you had this year was run... Well, it's hard to describe it as anything less than spectacular. You've also shown significant improvement in non-project areas like leadership committees and other groups."

"so... What can I do?"

"Well, I guess most of your projects just kind of went nowhere but none of them were really your fault. They just didn't get the backing from management. And you really didn't have any other highlight projects assigned to you by us."

"So, what I was given was executed 'spectacularly' and I've shown 'significant growth' in every other area?"

"Yes."



This was by far my best year I've had professionally. It's becoming very obvious that the only people who get decent reviews must have Kompromat on their boss.

Time to start looking for a new job if this is the kind of crap I'm going to get after having the year I did.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

They always look for some bad, because of name a reason:

1. Want to push you
2. Don't want to give you the raise you deserve
3. Just because they feel like it


My last review, I was actually told "You need to put the labels on straighter." Yeah.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Bust your ass all year, make significant growth in both professional development and leadership areas, have a stellar performance in the year, get an average review.

"So what specific areas can I work on that would get me to that next level?"

"Well, it's hard to really point to any specific areas. Your big project you had this year was run... Well, it's hard to describe it as anything less than spectacular. You've also shown significant improvement in non-project areas like leadership committees and other groups."

"so... What can I do?"

"Well, I guess most of your projects just kind of went nowhere but none of them were really your fault. They just didn't get the backing from management. And you really didn't have any other highlight projects assigned to you by us."

"So, what I was given was executed 'spectacularly' and I've shown 'significant growth' in every other area?"

"Yes."



This was by far my best year I've had professionally. It's becoming very obvious that the only people who get decent reviews must have Kompromat on their boss.

Time to start looking for a new job if this is the kind of crap I'm going to get after having the year I did.

Translation: "Dx, you didn't kiss enough arse."

Sorry to hear. Maybe you should dump engineering and get into consulting! (seriously - don't).

They always look for some bad, because of name a reason...my last review, I was actually told "You need to put the labels on straighter." Yeah.

I know you generally like the place, but I'd be gone after something like that.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Translation: "Dx, you didn't kiss enough arse."

Sorry to hear. Maybe you should dump engineering and get into consulting! (seriously - don't).



I know you generally like the place, but I'd be gone after something like that.

I just smile, nod, and continue to do what I do. Still get paid, still get my raises (hard to argue with my numbers in a number-based environment). Plus, they generally leave me alone, which is HUGE in my mind.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

I just smile, nod, and continue to do what I do. Still get paid, still get my raises (hard to argue with my numbers in a number-based environment). Plus, they generally leave me alone, which is HUGE in my mind.

If you're getting your expected raises, and money/personal happiness are the main thing, that's your business. Cool. Let them throw in whatever trivial negative for your reviews.

No or very little raise over some nitpick like that? Or denied a promotion? Fck you, I'm looking for my next role.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

If you're getting your expected raises, and money/personal happiness are the main thing, that's your business. Cool. Let them throw in whatever trivial negative for your reviews.

No or very little raise over some nitpick like that? Or denied a promotion? Fck you, I'm looking for my next role.

I agree, that would be different. Not trying to sound arrogant or anything like that, but if THAT'S what you have to find to nitpick me? It's comical.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Sometimes raises are limited by budget even for those that are likely deserving of at least even a small bump. Our company is pretty rigid when it comes to handing out raises even if we're crushing our margins and forecasts for revenues/expenses/gross profits (which we did for the fiscal year 2016). I have 16 managers working for me and realistically 9-10 of them should get at an increase and right now I'm having trouble finding one for more than 7. It sucks but I am somewhat blessed in that we still have monthly and quarterly bonus opportunities as incentive to hang around. Plus working for me is awesome.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Sometimes raises are limited by budget even for those that are likely deserving of at least even a small bump. Our company is pretty rigid when it comes to handing out raises even if we're crushing our margins and forecasts for revenues/expenses/gross profits (which we did for the fiscal year 2016). I have 16 managers working for me and realistically 9-10 of them should get at an increase and right now I'm having trouble finding one for more than 7. It sucks but I am somewhat blessed in that we still have monthly and quarterly bonus opportunities as incentive to hang around. Plus working for me is awesome.

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and left at precisely the right time (though it was a couple years later than I wanted).

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Translation: "Dx, you didn't kiss enough arse."

Sorry to hear. Maybe you should dump engineering and get into consulting! (seriously - don't).

Well, they are capital projects so kissing arse doesn't have much to do with it. It's just whether our customer division management wants to move forward with it. I was jerked around for a year on my other big project and two of the other $1 million+ projects didn't get past the preliminary engineering phase.

I have consulting a try out of college. It was great for the first few years but I almost left the job in the middle of the Great Recession because it was going to kill me.

Sometimes raises are limited by budget even for those that are likely deserving of at least even a small bump. Our company is pretty rigid when it comes to handing out raises even if we're crushing our margins and forecasts for revenues/expenses/gross profits (which we did for the fiscal year 2016). I have 16 managers working for me and realistically 9-10 of them should get at an increase and right now I'm having trouble finding one for more than 7. It sucks but I am somewhat blessed in that we still have monthly and quarterly bonus opportunities as incentive to hang around. Plus working for me is awesome.

Yeah, I get that. But he said he went back and forth on my rating for the year. So I don't think it was because of budget. Maybe it was.

The frustrating part is that I hear about people who get 4s and 5s every single year and their performance is no different than mine. When I try to ask what I can do to get there, I'm given wishy washy answers. I've gotten my fair share of good reviews and don't expect them every year, but if I have a good year I do expect it. And like I said, this was my best year I've had professionally.

Oh well. I do think it's time for me to move on though. I've been in that position for five years with a promotion back in 2014. I don't want to leave the company but I'm not seeing the development opportunities with this division right now.

 

[goldy_331]

Crappy communicators. I'm helping out on a project. A young designer has been on this one from the start. He sends me communications that I inevitably have to send follow up questions on. Every. Goddam. Time. I'm writing the specs and yesterday he sent me a checklist item where all he had to do was include the word "Add" at the start of the phrase. So I wasted time trying to figure out if he was asking a question, or what. Took two more emails to get it out of him.

He's located in Duluth now, which makes it even harder. On the other hand, it keeps me from strangling him.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Crappy communicators. I'm helping out on a project. A young designer has been on this one from the start. He sends me communications that I inevitably have to send follow up questions on. Every. Goddam. Time. I'm writing the specs and yesterday he sent me a checklist item where all he had to do was include the word "Add" at the start of the phrase. So I wasted time trying to figure out if he was asking a question, or what. Took two more emails to get it out of him.

He's located in Duluth now, which makes it even harder. On the other hand, it keeps me from strangling him.

Have you explained these things to him? Politely?

If you just ask questions, that's a pretty passive aggressive way of correcting him. Without feedback, it's pretty difficult to grow.

 

[goldy_331]

Have you explained these things to him? Politely?

If you just ask questions, that's a pretty passive aggressive way of correcting him. Without feedback, it's pretty difficult to grow.

I have. He's not that young, been in the industry for 5+ years. I ask questions so I can keep going.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

I have. He's not that young, been in the industry for 5+ years. I ask questions so I can keep going.

To be fair, five years isn't that long. Five years in most engineers, depending on what the topic is, even some of the better ones, barely know a star valve from a 90degree elbow.

YMMV.

ETA: Though I will admit, five years is about when they should be getting their act in gear.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

dx it sucks what you've experienced there especially given the time (heart and soul?) you've given them to now feel like you're stuck. It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others.

One word of advice that I'm pretty sure you're astute enough to not need - whatever happens burn no bridges. You never know if it will kill an opportunity there or elsewhere in the future. Go out like a champion and in your small circle of talent word like that gets around.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

The frustrating part is that I hear about people who get 4s and 5s every single year and their performance is no different than mine. When I try to ask what I can do to get there, I'm given wishy washy answers. I've gotten my fair share of good reviews and don't expect them every year, but if I have a good year I do expect it. And like I said, this was my best year I've had professionally.

Oh well. I do think it's time for me to move on though. I've been in that position for five years with a promotion back in 2014. I don't want to leave the company but I'm not seeing the development opportunities with this division right now.

I echo the poster who said go out as a pro and burn no bridges. Also, collect all the POC info you can from your co-workers right now while you're still there and in their face. It is remarkably how quickly memory fades and how easy it is to lose touch with even close colleagues. I speak from experience.

If your industry is anything like mine, it's oceans wide but bath tubs deep, and that community will serve you again and again for everything from knowing about positions to knowing the right (and wrong) people to charm / stalk / fellate. You have to be in the slot to do your best work, so job hunting is very much like a political campaign: your dignity can always be retrieved at a later date.

I mean Christ, how else would I have wound up working for Evil Corp.? And, oddly, flourishing, after being miserable and maltreated in far more healthy surroundings.

Also, if you're worried that you got "exceeds" early in your career and have plateaued at "meets," that's likely not really a reflection on your work quality. Your employer is telling you she's not overly concerned that you'll leave. A boss has only so many gold stars, so she uses them strategically on people she's afraid will bolt. In my experience, that is a Sign From Above that it is time to consider leaving.

For example, I have a woman coworker who basically got 55533. She jumped to a competitor then jumped right back to us a few years later, several rungs higher, and guess what? Straights 5s again. Fancy that.

Sometimes the only way up is out.

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

To be fair, five years isn't that long. Five years in most engineers, depending on what the topic is, even some of the better ones, barely know a star valve from a 90degree elbow.

YMMV.

ETA: Though I will admit, five years is about when they should be getting their act in gear.

About the review comments: Having had direct reports while running an engineering department in a Fortune 500, the review is just a paper trail. The numbers are set long before you even think about them. You have to hit the "daily double" to really strike a good salary action: amazing year; budget plan year for bigger increases. Otherwise, they fill in the blanks and nudge you along the "mid-point" slider.

At the five year point an engineer had better be able to show enough development to lane shift from the "entry bands" to the "senior bands". Otherwise, they're in trouble.

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Also, if you're worried that you got "exceeds" early in your career and have plateaued at "meets," that's likely not really a reflection on your work quality.

They run everyone up the "y(t) = 1 - exp(-bt)" varying b slightly person to person (remember where I said "mid-point" slider).

If that doesn't work, find the next curve to rise up.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Crappy communicators. I'm helping out on a project. A young designer has been on this one from the start. He sends me communications that I inevitably have to send follow up questions on. Every. Goddam. Time. I'm writing the specs and yesterday he sent me a checklist item where all he had to do was include the word "Add" at the start of the phrase. So I wasted time trying to figure out if he was asking a question, or what. Took two more emails to get it out of him.

He's located in Duluth now, which makes it even harder. On the other hand, it keeps me from strangling him.

Could be worse. You could have an analyst that constantly re-words what you ask for and thereby losing context, but I'm not allowed to ask myself because I'm some lowly code monkey...

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Someone in this elevator had McDonald's and coffee. Now I'm hungry.

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Gear Grinding 7: Really? This crap again?

Someone in this elevator had McDonald's and coffee. Now I'm hungry.

Smelling McD's and becoming hungry are not two things I normally associate.