Mid-Year Reviews
Truthfully, no one in Corporate America is ever really excited to complete their Mid-Year reviews. In fact, it’s a huge burden for most because they simply aren’t prepared for it. Perhaps the best approach for tackling your review would be to just do it! I find that I procrastinate more when I don’t understand the reason why a review like this even exists. In an effort to assist my peers, I decided to be proactive and learn what it is the company is trying to accomplish by having everyone complete this type of review.
There are several factors that the Mid-Year Review uses to assess your progress. Its goal is to measure your growth within your current position, and set goals for you to accomplish by the time your Year End review is due. This review requires you to list the metrics you are currently meeting, and to create a performance plan to improve the metrics you aren’t, before the year ends. In addition to discussing your metrics, be sure to inquire with your Manager what other skills they would like to see you displaying at this time. Make note of their suggestions, as you will be able to capitalize on this by adding these additional skill sets to your Year End Review. Be sure to list all of your accomplishments in your review, and any areas you see that you have potential to grow in.
Although it is likely that you will have a one on one with your Manager for this review, do remember that this is not the time to request a pay increase. This meeting is primarily going to be used to review what you have done so far, and provide tips and strategies on how you should be aligning yourself to meet or exceed your metrics. It is best to walk into the meeting with an open mind and prepared to accept feedback based on your performance thus far. Do not take the constructive criticism personally, as this is business and the bottom line is money. Ultimately, this meeting should be used as a tool to monitor your progress and increase your chances of getting a pay raise at the end of the year.
You want to remain one step ahead, so if you’re smart you will run your own reports to see where you stand to make improvements and call it out before your Manager does. This not only shows that you’re proactive, but your manager will be impressed with the fact that you took the initiative to do a self-assessment before they required you to complete the review.
Seal The Deal
Receiving a phone call, or even an email from a potential employer is a huge step in the right direction of securing a position within a company. At this stage in the process, your resume has already been reviewed, and now the employer would like to gain additional information about you through a more personal approach. The job interview!
For most, the job interview is the most dreaded stage in the hiring process. It requires the perspective employee to meet with the hiring Manager for the position face to face, and also entails you promoting the job capabilities you listed on your resume. This step requires you to speak clearly and confidently about your work habits, and your intentions if the employer decides to move further in the hiring process with you. Understanding your strengths, and being able to identify your areas of improvement would allow you to breathe easier knowing that the questions you will be presented with are usually tailored for you to speak in regards to your accomplishments or setbacks on previous jobs. Try doing several mock interviews with your current Manager (or coworkers) before the actual interview, and this will allow you to have a better understanding of the interview process. This will also enhance your ability to provide clear and concise answers as you will already have an idea of what questions will be asked.
Remember to review the job qualifications and requirements on the job posting before the interview, as this will provide you with the reason they are searching for a candidate and what skills they expect the employee to have prior to entering their workforce. The most important asset you want to take with you on that interview is a relaxed mindset. You want to appear confident in your capabilities, but not arrogant. At this point, you already have one foot in the door, and now it’s up to you to get the next foot in!
Network For Your Net Worth
Many of us do not realize how vital the nature of our relationships are, nor do we realize that just by knowing the wrong person can hinder our growth whether in the workplace, or within the community. For effective networking:
- Limit your interactions with others who are not actively working on achieving their goals
- Create a list of the most reliable associates you have, and explain exactly how they can help you on your journey to success
- Network with people who have similar desires as you, as you may need the same resources they have already tapped into
- Be willing to offer advice from your previous experiences and how you were able to rectify the situation to overcome your obstacles
- Utilize your time spent having fun sparingly. If you are mainly engaging in activities that don’t align with the plans you’ve made to attain your version of success, you may be setting yourself up for failure
- Do not be afraid to engage in conversations with fellow coworkers about their interests outside of the workplace. You would be surprised to know that many people have fulfilling hobbies outside of their career
- Attend workshops in your area that are geared to promote networking
In most cases, the people we have chosen to keep in our circle all serve a purpose. It is imperative that we choose our friends wisely, as they may very well be the key to our success.
Your Business Is Your Business
Someone ever confided in you with a secret that you thought to yourself you would never share with anyone if you were in their shoes? These same people will be the first to argue with everyone about being in their “business” after they are the ones who confided in “everyone.” Learn to keep private matters just that, private! If you aren’t speaking with a trained mental health professional about your situation, one who took an oath to keep your secret a secret, than you are speaking publicly about your “secret.” No one is obliged to hold your secret, especially not your friends and family. Secrets are kept as long as you and the other person are on good terms. And in most cases, even when you are on good terms, people will discuss your life because it is more interesting than theirs. So the next time you want to share a secret, perhaps you should just write it in a journal and keep it hidden. This way you don’t have to embarrass yourself trying to remember who all you told, because no one ever really confesses to stabbing you in the back!
Dress To Impress
Have you ever wondered why you weren’t considered for a position that you applied for? Have you ever looked at your coworkers and wondered why they were chosen instead of you when you were more knowledgeable? Or maybe you even wondered where they thought they were going when they got dressed that morning. Working in the financial industry, I realized early on in my career that the men and women who took a few extra minutes in the morning to prepare themselves, were more successful. Dressing in a professional manner lifts your spirits, and encourages others to address you with respect in the workplace.
Growing up, my elders pounded the notion in my head that I should always dress for the job I am going for, and not the job I am currently working. With this mindset, I always dressed in corporate attire so that my coworkers and Management knew that I meant business when I came to work. I would start the week off strong, and slowly work my way down to casual clothing by the end of the week:
- Monday with a black blazer, a collared blouse, and black pants to match my blazer. On
- Tuesday, I would wear a nice blouse and a pencil skirt, with a solid color heels to match.
- Wednesday, I would wear a one piece dress and kitten heels. Always remember your heels should be no higher than 2 inches in the workplace.
- Thursday and Friday, I would wear a collared polo shirt, with jeans free of holes or tears, which mean no distressed jeans. The jeans should not fit like a glove, but have room for you to breathe in, and move about freely.
You are going to work, not to a nightclub. Wear clothing that your skin can breathe in, but not too loose where it looks like you came to work to relax. Also, do remember that you can wear fitted clothing, but not too tight. For example, you do not want to highlight your flaws by wearing clothing that accentuates your “muffintop.” Not only is it uncomfortable to walk around in for eight hours, but it is also a distraction to others. You don’t want to attract the wrong attention by dressing provocatively, as it is often times hard to escape that stereotype once you are looking to be promoted within the company.
Your Resume Is Your Gateway
When a company is looking to hire an individual to fill a position, they are looking for the best possible candidate, who on paper appear to be self-sufficient and reliable. Employers are seeking loyal employees that will learn their trade, and help them capitalize on the business. The employer’s intent is always to add someone of value, and a proven employment track record to support the reason they are interested in the candidate.
Twenty years ago, most of the initial hiring process took place with a person to person interaction. Candidates were considered hirable by their appearance, and even references from other employees. Today, nearly the entire hiring process is completed via the internet, and applicant doesn’t get to put on their finest attire to impress the employer until you are requested for an interview. Employers can sit in the comfort of their own home, and scan through resumes using sites that will identify certain wording, and narrow their choices of candidates. In most cases, the applicants have resumes that are outdated, or they are using words on their resumes in which the sites would deem too common, and therefore the resumes will be overlooked. Getting hired for a position requires the applicant to be fully prepared from the beginning of the hiring process, right up until they actually receive the Offer Letter from the company. In order to be considered for the position, you first have to present a resume worth reviewing.
There is a formula to resume writing, and although someone may be articulate in their speech, it doesn’t always guarantee they are using the distinct verbiage to get recognized in a pool of hundreds of candidates. Your resume should be as detailed as possible without boring the employer. Too many pages, or long drawn out descriptions of your previous employers procedures could cause your resume to disqualify you from the initial round of the hiring process. You are looking to convince the employer of your abilities using your words and previous employment history. Your previous work experience should speak for itself, but just in case it doesn’t, you should proactively look into hiring someone to effectively communicate your capabilities in writing. I provide personalized, resume writing assistance for a fraction of the cost you would pay with my competitors.