p*****2
发帖数: 21240 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 JobHunting 讨论区 】
发信人: peking2 (myfacebook), 信区: JobHunting
标 题: Got a 4? You Were Just Fired from Microsoft
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sun Sep 2 11:33:06 2012, 美东)
The way Microsoft’s review system works, a whole bunch of Microsoft
employees just got their annual performance reviews. The September 15
paystub will reflect their new “numbers”. If they got a merit increase
the paystub will show it. If they got a bonus, it will show up there too.
This post is for those Microsoft employees who are not happy with their
review…
That September 15 date is what motivates managers to finally get busy
delivering the bad news to employees who didn’t fare so well in stack
ranking. As an employee you get ranked as one of the following:
1 You walk on water. We love you. We want to love you long time. Here’s an
absurd amount of stock, an up-to 100% bonus, and a huge pat on the back. If
we’re not promoting you right now, it’s probably because we just promoted
you; we’ll get to it again RSN.
2 Stud/Studette! You are awesome in our eyes and we wish everyone else was
just like you. You also get a nice healthy stock grant, a bonus that will
make your spouse grin ear-to-ear, and a raise. Please, please, please
continue what you’ve been doing.
3 Thank you. You did a fine job. We’d love to keep you around as you are
clearly an asset to the company. Keep up the great work! Oh, and if you just
do a bit more you could get a “2” next time. But also be careful because
you were also close to getting a “4”.
4 I know it stings to hear this, but we are telling you Microsoft really
doesn’t care about you anymore and would be just as happy having you work
somewhere else. Yea, yea, you might still get a bonus, and there might be
small raise involved, but promotion? Forget about it. And stock? Why would
we give stock to someone who’s likely not going to be here next year? Ok,
ok, maybe you can climb out of this hole over the next year. If you want to
try, we’ll let you.
5 Don’t let the door hit you on the butt on the way out. We’d fire you,
but that’s just so messy. It’s far easier for us to make you feel unwanted
and hope you leave.
Back in the day, the rating scale at Microsoft was inverted and had decimal
points (5.0 was best; 1.0 was worst). NO ONE got a 1.0 and a 2.0 was
exceedingly rare. 5.0s were given only to those who truly walked on water. A
3.0 was equivalent of a “4” and a 2.5 was a “5”. I got a 3.0 once.
Stung like hell. I was still relatively junior and had a phenomenal support
network of mentors (you know who you are; thank you) and was able to ‘turn
my career around’ and quickly get a few more “3.5” – “4.5” scores to
suppress that all damaging “3.0”. It wasn’t easy.
While the new “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” scale is different, the tiers and messages
that go along with them are the same. If you got a “4” this time you are
generally in a world of hurt, especially at the higher levels (Level 64+).
If you are a Level 64+ with a “4” you have the following options:
If you know (for sure!) that your manager (and his/her peers) really, really
like you and then absolutely kick ass in FY13. Work. Your. Ass. Off. If, by
next Marchyou are not getting clear signals that you are on track for a “2
” or “3”, polish that résumé and start looking elsewhere…
Take the message to heart that your current organization would be happier
hiring someone else in your place. Seek out other roles in the Company and
find a new home. This will only really work if you have a strong network and
there are people in other groups in the company who really, really already
know you and have faith in you. Consider this: Why would a hiring manager
hire someone with a “4” when there are other candidates (external!) who
don’t have such a black mark?
Join another company. You are likely not an idiot. In fact, you are likely
quite skilled and capable in whatever job it is you like to do. Software
developers are in huge demand, especially those with proven experience.
Amazon and Google are hiring like crazy. I know of a bunch of startups that
are looking for senior software developers (especially those that are .NET
savvy!).
If you are a lower level than L64, don’t sweat it as much. Just buckle down
and do more, faster, smarter. But do understand more than one “4” in a
row and it’s game over for you at Microsoft.
Did you notice I said “software developer” above? This advice is really
targeted at people who are good at and love actually writing software. It
somewhat applies to program managers, product managers, and so forth, but
hey, we work in the SOFTWARE industry. The only clear-cut jobs are for those
who actually write the shit. Everyone else just helps. Frankly, in my
experience, it is just harder for higher-level non-technical people.
I want to make clear that this post is in no way intended to be an
indictment of Microsoft’s review system or how it compensates its employees
. While I do have some pretty harsh feelings about how Microsoft is run, I
have no experience being responsible for defining and executing a review and
compensation system for a $74B company with 100,000 employees. I doubt you
do either. This post is not about Microsoft. It is about Microsoft employees
who got less than stellar reviews.
If you got a 4 this time around you need to ask yourself this one, very hard
-core question, and you have to be completely intellectually honest with
yourself:
Did you deserve it?
As you think about that question, consider the following:
Microsoft’s compensation package is phenomenally good.Base salary plus
bonus plus stock plus fantastic healthcare (even with last year’s changes)
plus facilities plus plus plus. You are extraordinarily well paid.
Especially in this economy.
How hard do you actually work? Do the people around you read Hackernews
multiple times a day like you do? Do they go home at 9pm while you check out
at 5? Do they sorta/kinda finish things, or do they nailthem? What about
you?
Are you really in the right job? Are you doing what makes you happy? Are you
a Red/Yellow in a Blue job? Or a Blue in a Green job? (You know what I’m
talking about).
Did you actively sell yourself? Hello, if at the level you are at, you have
not learned It’s All Politicsthen you are naive and doomed. Do know your
manager’s peers opinion of you? What did you do for THEM? If you scoff at
this, stop reading now; nothing I write will help you.
Are you motivated by the right things?At any big company it is hard to avoid
a plateau without managing people, and taking on all that goes along with
that. This is particularly true at Microsoft. Do you want “more scope and
responsibility” because you’ll be paid more or because it is your passion?
If it’s about the money (or “becoming Partner”), then recognize that you
set yourself up for this, and maybe you’re not so good at it. Would you
rather be writing code? Then find a job where you can actually do that!
Are you thinking about your Career Trajectory wrong? Most people are.
My Job Decision Matrix tool might help you sort some of these things out. I
know it has helped others.
If, after considering the above, you really, really believe you deserved a
better rating and that the system (or manager or someone else) is at fault
then…that sucks. I’m sorry. I personally witnessed people getting
undeserved ratings, so I know it can happen. If you got screwed, you likely
have even more motivation to seek out a job elsewhere. Everything above
applies.
In the majority of the cases, though, I think you’ll find people got what
they actually deserved. If, after soul-searching, you recognize you could
have done better or you are not in the right job, then do something about it
. There is no magic-bullet; it usually involves hard work and tough
decisions.
Either way, all is not lost. As I mentioned above, there are lots of great
jobs available out there. The startup world is full of them. You’ll have to
scale back your expectations on cash-flow and benefits though. Big time.
But you might end up being happier.
Or, you can fight on and continue to earn the great package Microsoft
provides. But remember, it’s your choice.
As usual, keep the comments coming, but keep ‘em nice. | l*****k
发帖数: 1059 | 2 戏班真的变了。要是搁三年前，这里KUQ＋BSO都满大街了。现在一个回帖的都没有。 | G***o
发帖数: 5158 | | w*****g
发帖数: 4298 | 4 Steve Jobs got fired from Apple before, so he must have asked himself the
following questions:
How hard do I actually work? Do the people around ME read Hackernews
multiple times a day like i do? Do they go home at 9pm while i check out at
5? Do they sorta/kinda finish things, or do they nailthem? What about me?
AmI really in the right job? Am I doing what makes you happy? Am I a Red/
Yellow in a Blue job? Or a Blue in a Green job? Did I actively sell myself? | G*****h
发帖数: 33134 | 5 谁给 SB 打分。。。打了多少？
at
myself?
【在 w*****g 的大作中提到】
: Steve Jobs got fired from Apple before, so he must have asked himself the
: following questions:
: How hard do I actually work? Do the people around ME read Hackernews
: multiple times a day like i do? Do they go home at 9pm while i check out at
: 5? Do they sorta/kinda finish things, or do they nailthem? What about me?
: AmI really in the right job? Am I doing what makes you happy? Am I a Red/
: Yellow in a Blue job? Or a Blue in a Green job? Did I actively sell myself?
| l*****k
发帖数: 1059 | |
|
