In this issue...

• Hope (and Reviews) Spring Eternal. . .

• Preparing for Your Annual Performance Review

• Beefing Up an Anemic Resume.

• It’s Not About the Money, Part One

• Performance Review Guidelines for the Employer

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Hope (and Reviews) Spring Eternal. . .
The winter season is rapidly coming to an end, and believe it or not, spring will soon be here.  Many companies choose to hold their annual performance reviews during this time, so we thought we would devote a portion of this issue of the Animal Science Monitor to how you can get the most from the review process this year, regardless of whether you’re an employee or employer.  If your reviews have already been completed, use the guidelines in the articles below to assess how well they went.  As always, we thank you for being a loyal reader of the ASM.  We hope that you enjoy this issue, and please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

—Dan and Don

Preparing for Your Annual Performance Review
(By Don Hunter)

Spring is just around the corner.  That means many different things—warmer weather, baseball, and of course, annual performance reviews.  For some of you, this may be a dreaded event.  If that’s the case, you’re missing an opportunity to greatly enhance the advancement of your career.  Performance reviews are one of the major ways that company officials determine whether or not employees receive an increase in their annual compensation. . .and how much they’ll receive.  The good news?  You can have a definite impact on their decision.

Preparation prevents . . . well, you know the rest
As with many aspects of your career (and life in general, for that matter), the key is preparation.  You do not want to walk into your review cold.  You should treat your review almost like a mini-interview.  You’re not interviewing for the purpose of being hired, but you are interviewing for the purpose of receiving more compensation.  True, actions speak louder than words, specifically your actions during the past six months or year, but how you conduct yourself in the review is also extremely important.  With that in mind, make sure you give adequate attention to each of the steps below.

• Review yourself first.  Before you step into that room, make sure that you’ve already conducted a self-audit and self-inventory.  It is extremely important, of course, that you remain as impartial as possible when evaluating your performance.  It might be a good idea to make a few lists—one of the goals that you’ve achieved since your last review, one of your strengths, and one of your weaknesses.  When listing your weaknesses, also list ways in which to improve in those areas.

• Follow company procedure.  Perhaps your company has specific forms that are distributed beforehand.  Be sure to complete any forms that are mandatory for the review.  There may also be forms passed out that are optional.  If possible, fill out these forms, as well, and make copies of all completed forms for your own records.

• Discuss your goals in the review.  This refers to both your professional and personal goals.  Your manager should realize that you won’t be truly happy in your job if your personal life is suffering as a result of it.  Discussing your personal life in a performance review shouldn’t be taboo.  In fact, it’s something that should be done.  If you aren’t free to do so, perhaps you should consider employment at another company.

• Prepare a list of questions that you want to ask.  The interview process is a two-way street, and so is your performance review.  You may have pertinent questions to ask about the company’s goals, the direction it wants to take, and how you fit into the overall picture.  Asking these questions will indicate that you’ve thought about your role in the future success of the company.

• Be professional at all times.  You may hear some things in your review that you don’t agree with or that you don’t understand.  Remember to stay calm.  Also remember that this review is about you, so don’t make reference to a co-worker’s performance (or in your opinion, their lack of one).

• Offer solutions, not excuses.  Be prepared to discuss any problems that may have occurred during the past year.  If there are certain things you feel that you need in order to do your job in a better fashion (a new software program, a training course), bring this up.  You’ll impress your manager more by devising solutions to past problems than by saying “It was all Bob’s fault.”  Even if it was Bob’s fault.

• Come to a consensus and keep an open mind.  Communication is always important, but especially so during your performance review.  Make sure that when the review is winding down that you and your manager are on the same page.  Once you’ve done that, keep an open mind about the merit increase you do receive.  If it’s smaller than what you had anticipated, perhaps the company could afford only to give out smaller increases to its employees.  Don’t express anger with what you’ve received (or didn’t receive).  Instead, ask what specific steps you need to take in order to secure a larger increase at your next review.

Seize the day
Career advancement is all about taking advantage of opportunities, and your performance review represents an opportunity that you should seize.  Receiving a positive review (and accompanying financial reward) is a great way to build confidence on the job, as well as momentum and optimism going forward.  So don’t dread the annual review that’s just around the corner.  Prepare for it, and make it the best review you possibly can.

If you have any questions about performance reviews or about the job market in general, feel free to send me an email at brg@charterinternet.com.

Beefing Up an Anemic Resume
(By Don Hunter)

To get the most mileage out of your resume, you’ll want to emphasize certain aspects of your background. By doing so, you’ll present your qualifications in the most favorable light and help give the employer a better understanding of your potential value to his or her organization. To build a stronger case for your candidacy, try highlighting the following areas of interest:

Professional achievements of particular interest. For example, if you’re in sales, the first thing a hiring manager will want to know is your sales volume and how you rank with your peers. If you’ve won awards, reached certain goals, or made your company money, let the employer know.

Educational accomplishments. List your degree(s) and/or relevant course work, thesis or dissertation, or specialized training. Be sure to mention any special honors, scholarships, or awards you may have received, such as Dean’s List, Cum Laude, or Phi Beta Kappa.

Additional areas of competency. These might include computer software fluency, dollar amount of monthly raw materials purchased, or specialized training.

Professional designations that carry weight in your field. If you’re licensed or certified in your chosen profession or belong to a trade organization, by all means let the reader know.

Success indicators. You should definitely include anything in your past that might distinguish you as a leader or achiever. Or, if you worked full time to put yourself through school, you should consider that experience a success indicator, and mention it on your resume.

Related experience. This includes anything that would be relevant to your prospective employer’s needs. For example, if your occupation requires overseas travel or communication, list your knowledge of foreign languages. If you worked as a co-op student in college, especially in the industry you’re currently in, let the reader know.

Military history. If you served in the armed forces, describe your length of service, branch of service, rank, special training, medals, and discharge and/or reserve status. Employers generally react favorably to military service experience.

Security clearances. Some industries require a clearance when it comes to getting hired or being promoted. If you’re targeting an industry such as aerospace or defense, give your current and/or highest clearable status and whether you’ve been specially checked by an investigative agency.

Citizenship or right to work. This should be mentioned if your industry requires it. Dual citizenship should also be mentioned, especially if you think you may be working in a foreign country.

In a competitive market, employers are always on the lookout for traits that distinguish one candidate from another. Not long ago, I worked with an engineering manager who mentioned the fact that he was a three-time national power speedboat champion on his resume. It came as no surprise that several employers warmed up to his resume immediately and wanted to interview him.

It’s Not About the Money, Part One
(By Dan Simmons)

On my way to visit a client recently, I drove by two feed mills, owned by two different yet prominent companies in the feed industry.  The two factories looked nearly identical, save for the different name and logo affixed to the side of the building.  In fact, if the logos were removed, you would be hard pressed to tell the two buildings apart from the highway.

That is often the situation in which top-shelf job candidates often find themselves, trying to determine what is really inside, when they are on the outside.  In today’s market, top candidates are often in the process of receiving comparable offers from two (or more) companies that look nearly identical from a distance.  They have to decide which company would be the best one to work for and for their new employer.  Looks, of course, are deceiving.  The companies are different, even if the differences are not readily apparent, and the candidate will base their final decision upon those differences, provided they can see them.  Savvy employers use the interview process to set their company apart from their competitors and show why someone would want to join their team.

So how do you as am employer set yourself apart from the competition?  How do you convince the very best and brightest employees to work for you and not the other guy if both of you are offering basically the same salary, compensation package, and perks?  In this instance, it’s not about the money, which many companies focus on when trying to woo a candidate.  Both offers are identical.  What are the factors that will sway the talent you need to increase your productivity, market share and bottom line?  Have you explained your corporate culture?  Provided a career path?  Have you shown ways that this person can further develop their skills and or management potential, or at least increase their income?

In order to illustrate this scenario, I’m going to use two fictitious feed mills—Reward Manufacturing and Run-of-the Milling.  These two companies work nearly side-by-side in the same town, and they compete for the same candidates by offering nearly identical compensation packages.  But one of the companies consistently attracts more quality candidates than the other.  Below you’ll find an overview of these two companies starting with Reward Manufacturing, and you’re sure to see why it is more successful attracting top talent.

“The officials at Reward Manufacturing make it a priority to communicate to their employees the direction of company.  This is done through a variety of ways, verbally during interviews before the employees are even hired, during production meetings with key personnel, and during annual performance reviews; and non-verbally through the company newsletter and on the company’s Web site.  Reward Manufacturing has a mission statement and has defined their core values and that mission statement is displayed prominently throughout the company offices.

“Their mission statement and values are more than just plaques hung on the wall and forgotten.  The officials at Reward Manufacturing drive home this culture through their actions and their words.  They’re committed to operating profitably, of course, but profits do not determine every decision.  Reward Manufacturing’s officials are also committed to developing a culture of innovation, to ensuring that the relationships they have with their customers are the best that they can be, to investing in their employees and developing their talents and skills, and to promoting the exchange of ideas.”

Now here is a brief description of Run-of-the-Mill’s mode of operation:

“The officials at Run-of-the-Mill are a focused group, a little too focused, as a matter of fact.  They don’t like to take their eye off the ball long enough to let their employees know what’s happening inside the company, or what will be happening in the future.  Employees are just supposed to do their jobs and not ask a lot of questions.  If Run-of-the-Milling has a mission, it’s not in the company’s employee handbook, because the handbook doesn’t exist.

“Run-of-the-Mill’s number-one, overriding consideration is to turn the biggest profit possible.  All other considerations, whether they involve the employees are not, are secondary.  Run-of-the-Milling doesn’t make many client visits, either.  Once they secure somebody as a client, they usually don’t give them much of a thought—until it’s time to send out invoices.  Investing in employee training is also not something that Run-of-the-Milling does, because it detracts from the bottom line.”

After reading these descriptions, which of these companies do you think candidates would want to work for?  Sure, money and compensation are important, but there are other things that candidates put a lot of stock in, as well.

Remember, if you have a great company culture, make certain prospective employees see it, understand it, and would fit into it.  This will help attract top performers and reduce bad hires.

In the next issue of the ASM, we’ll contrast Reward Manufacturing and Run-of-the-Milling in other areas, as well.  And it would be a good idea to think about how your company stacks up.  Are you more “Reward”, or are you more “Run of the Mill”?

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at dan@consearch.com.

Performance Review Guidelines for the Employer
(By Dan Simmons)

Every time you interact with an employee, you make an impression.  As an employer, you want to leave the best impression possible, and that desire should extend to how you prepare for annual performance reviews.  Performance reviews are an excellent opportunity for you to retain top talent, and not necessarily because raises in salary and compensation are often part of the process.  By handling the reviews in the correct fashion, you can send the message that your employees work for a top-of-the line company or corporation, a place worth working at for a long time.

Create a structured and consistent system

An effective review process starts with a structured and consistent system, one which includes the active participation of your employees and emphasizes communication.  The first step is to give your employees ownership, or input, into the review process.  This starts with some form of self-evaluation prior to the actual review meeting, usually in written format.  There is more than one advantage to engaging in this type of practice:

Advantage #1—The employees will feel as though they are part of the process.  True, it’s still up to you to decide how best to evaluate them, but they’re less likely to feel as though they’re being arbitrarily judged or evaluated in an unfair fashion.

Advantage #2—More information is always better.  Perhaps one of your employees accomplished something since the last review that they consider to be rather significant.  It might have slipped your mind, or you may not hold it in the same esteem that they do.  In any case, a self-evaluation form will provide you with valuable information heading into the review.

Once you’ve collected, read, and analyzed the self-evaluation forms, it’s time to prepare for the actual review meetings.

Create the proper atmosphere
Set a positive tone for the review meetings by initiating some small talk prior to getting down to business.  Chances are good that your employees will initially be a tad bit uncomfortable (which is perfectly normal human behavior, considering the circumstances).  Try to make them feel more at ease before progressing to the next step.

Start first with those things that you believe the employee has done well since their last review.  Be sure to offer sincere compliments if they are merited.  This will help to further create a positive atmosphere and better prepare the employee mentally for the next portion of the review—a discussion of their weaknesses and how they can be improved.

When discussing weaknesses, be sure to cite specific examples.  Don’t rely on vague generalizations.  Then make certain that you offer specific suggestions about how the employee can improve their weaknesses and also ask for feedback, as well.  Ask them what they might need to accomplish more and to do their job more effectively.  Set goals with your top employees for excelling during the next 12 months, and outline specific remedial steps for improvement with under-achievers. Come to a consensus about what should be done.

Most of all, end the review on a high note.  This can be accomplished rather easily, if you’ve followed the steps outlined above and the review itself isn’t a particularly poor one.  Let the person know that they are valued as an employee and that you’re looking forward to working with them in the future.

Be willing to experiment
You just can’t implement an annual performance review system and then not touch it for 15 or 20 years.  As with any system that’s vital to the health and well-being of your company, it must be updated, modified, and tweaked from time to time.  What’s important is that you find the system and the approach that works the best, and that might entail some trial-and-error.

There are a number of different methods you can use for your performance reviews.  These include peer reviews and upward assessments (which allow employees to review their managers).  Keep in mind that you can utilize a combination of different methods or just choose one as your main method of evaluation.  Your business model and the type of employees you hire are two of the determining factors when devising an optimum review system.

Set yourself apart
There are many reasons why companies aren’t able to first attract and then retain the top talent in their industry.  Conducted properly, your annual review process could be an excellent way for you to communicate professionalism and appreciation to your employees, while at the same time establishing, reinforcing and rewarding standards of performance.  People want to work for a company that has set itself apart through every aspect of its operation.

If you have any specific questions about the review process, or any other question concerning employee relations, please send me an email at dan@consearch.com.