The key to every self-performance appraisal, resume,and interview is capturing our accomplishments. Many of us don’t feel we have any because we just come in and do our jobs. Others of us believe that our good work will get noticed by others and we don’t have to remind them. We are carefully taught not to brag or boast.
Over the year, does your boss remember your contributions to the team or organization? With 5 or more other peoples’ reviews to write, probably not. Your boss needs a gentle reminder of what you do and how it helps to meet the goals of the unit.
For job applications and interviews, people don’t know if you don’t tell them. We will not get the job if we don’t distinguish how and, more importantly, why we do certain tasks better than our competition.
Too often we just list the activities or duties that can be found on a job description. We also to include the context or challenge, and the results. The context supplies the scope – why the activity is needed, how often, how many, etc. Our actions need to call out the expertise, knowledge and skills we have to do this well. The result answers the question, “So what?”
This week I was helping a team of people identify and write their accomplishments. This was not just for self-appraisals, but to jump-start thinking about what actions the team could be doing to improve and further their goal. Too often we only view our jobs as the mundane tasks to satisfy boring metrics, such as weekly reports. We have to step back and remember what happens with the work we produce: What decisions are made based on the things we produce? What would happen if we didn’t do these tasks? [This could also be an exercise to streamline work processes.]
In the case of this team, their work not only raises awareness of diversity and inclusiveness, but illustrates and recognizes the success of others. This team supplies data and trends (aka weekly reports) which drive the ability of highly talented people to have the opportunity to contribute to answering the most important questions of our lives. Where would we be without Stephen Hawkings, Richard Pimentel, Percy Lavon Julian, Bath, Patricia and so many others? Suddenly they remembered that this job wasn’t just about the money.
Do your tasks align with and further the accomplishments of the goal of your department? What would happen if you didn’t do them? If you don’t care, find a new job or encourage your team to create meaningful goals so you can contribute to something you care about.
I have the honor of helping people discover why their work matters. That’s enough to keep me going every day. And you won’t find it in the job description.