questions you've asked in an annual review?

Tar.Aldarion

In your annual reviews what do you usually ask about? Although they are reviewing you, it's a chance to change things about your work. Do you set forward goals for the year? I'm only 1.5 years in and I'm thinking about what to say. Would like to hear about your experiences.

BrokenArrows

I generally push for more money. I don't wait until review time to set goals and try and change stuff.

CreepingDeath

When I'm particularly disgruntled about the pay I ask if they will give me a good reference !

When you've earned enough brownie points and add value to the team/company, then you can push them harder.
Eg. personally saving a project, supporting pre-sales, even smaller stuff like pointing more junior members in the right direction every couple of days.
But if you're just an average performer in the team, then there will be pressure on your boss not to give you more than better performers.

Pointing out your value is important and you should arm yourself with all your successes from the last year.
Then push for pay, promotion and/or choice of upcoming projects/assignments.

If the company is strapped for cash, maybe see what else they can offer.
Eg. working from home a day or two a week, extra holidays, partial funding of further education, pay to attend conferences etc.

onemorechance

Where I work they like to hear about how great you did over the year (bearing in mind that my manager has little to no idea what I'm at day-to-day; I'm working at client office full-time) and how you plan to do even better over the next year.

They want to know how you adapted to changes throughout the year, what new tech you have picked up, great things you did, worked extra hours to meet deadline, helped new team members, went above and beyond the call-of-duty etc.

They want to know what you plan to do over the year to come, pick up new tech, make sure you are keeping yourself up-to-date and useful. You could ask what help they can offer with this, such as put you on a training course.

You can ask what you need to do to get senior dev if you are junior, or tech lead if senior etc. i.e. what do I have to do to get a big pay bump!

magooly

I worked with a guy who kept every email all year where someone hinted a thanks, good job, well done etc. He would frequently say 'thats one for January'. When Review week came round he printed them all out and brought them into the room with him.

On my end I hate the idea of self promotion and the whole idea of selling myself to a manger I work with every day who knows exactly what I delivered and more importantly what successes we as a team delivered all year.

So yeah I went in with a blank page.. guess who came out grinning.. it wasnt me.

ChRoMe

magooly wrote: »

I worked with a guy who kept every email all year where someone hinted a thanks, good job, well done etc. He would frequently say 'thats one for January'. When Review week came round he printed them all out and brought them into the room with him.

On my end I hate the idea of self promotion and the whole idea of selling myself to a manger I work with every day who knows exactly what I delivered and more importantly what successes we as a team delivered all year.

So yeah I went in with a blank page.. guess who came out grinning.. it wasnt me.

Thats a very common practice that everyone should do. Whenever I've dealt with someone who has verbally congratulated me. I've asked them would they mind putting it in an email, without fail every single one of them without prompting, have send it to my manager/CEO and cc'd me on it.

TrueDub

ChRoMe wrote: »

Thats a very common practice that everyone should do. Whenever I've dealt with someone who has verbally congratulated me. I've asked them would they mind putting it in an email, without fail every single one of them without prompting, have send it to my manager/CEO and cc'd me on it.

Agree 100%, that's the right thing to do.

Your review is your only chance to promote yourself, and tell your boss why you're so valuable and why he should pay more or promote you. Even if you hate the whole approach (and I do, believe me), you have to play the game.

Tar.Aldarion

Thanks guys, a good read to think about.
It went well.

Manach

Does not get measured, does not exist within the managers mind. Document all the important stuff for proof as the memory is porous.

Tar.Aldarion

I can certainly see how that would be the case in a place bigger than mine or with different people.

How often people find their salary increases in the same job, both minimally and to any greater degree, and I wonder to what amount people have seen?
There seems to be a tendency to not increase it my much staying in the same company. I'm the only graduate the company ever had so I don't think they were expecting me to ask about salary and kind of overlooked it.

ChRoMe

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I can certainly see how that would be the case in a place bigger than mine or with different people.

How often people find their salary increases in the same job, both minimally and to any greater degree, and I wonder to what amount people have seen?
There seems to be a tendency to not increase it my much staying in the same company. I'm the only graduate the company ever had so I don't think they were expecting me to ask about salary and kind of overlooked it.

General rule of thumb is that to get the real big boosts you need to switch jobs.

Tar.Aldarion

ChRoMe wrote: »

general rule of thumb is that to get the real big boosts you need to switch jobs.

Yeah I hear that a lot, they said it themselves, usually jumps are not significant, however I was told I would be adjusted to the correct band, not sure what that is. 1.5 years developing there only, first job.

ChRoMe

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Yeah I hear that a lot, they said it themselves, usually jumps are not significant, however I was told I would be adjusted to the correct band, not sure what that is. 1.5 years developing there only, first job.

You sound happy enough and your threads show that you are working on something interesting. If thats the case get another year or two in there and then start looking.