Ask HN: How was your first performance review?

My first review was a total waste of time, but I only learned this after my second review. In my first review I was given an "average" rating, because my technical knowledge was high, but some of my projects were late. Most of this was out of my control, and was down to the fact that I refused to work in my free time to make up for shoddy project management. I was also told that I could apply for a mid-level promotion, despite already being mid-level. I played ball regardless, and got my "promotion" and pay rise.

My second review was "outstanding", and I learned that my job title, at least internally, was now senior-level. While I was a better developer after 12 months, the only thing that had changed was that the manager that did my last review had left and my new manager liked me. The only constant was the managing director, and when I questioned what made the company decide I had gone from junior to senior within the space of a year they couldn't give an answer. Despite being given a nicer job title, more responsibility, and more money, I was annoyed at how stupid the process was.

A day earlier, one of our best developers was given a poor review. The manager didn't like him because his project was grossly behind schedule. This was no fault of his own, and he was being punished because he took on a very hard project and was ignored when he requested that we start from scratch due to the issues with the initial build. His review wasn't a reflection of his skill, because skill-wise he was way above everyone else there. His review was down to how liked he was, and whether he played "the game".

I've been a developer for a decade now, and I can't name a single review that was worth my time, because ultimately the outcome has always been obvious. I always try to be positive and to show empathy where possible, and for around 6+ years that approach has always given me solid reviews. The technical side has always been largely irrelevant, even when working with languages/tools that are new to me.

If you have a good boss/coach it will be constructive and you'll identify areas to improve on and maybe get some training if you want.

If you have a bad one you will get rated on some scales, make some goals nobody will give you room to work on. Just get through it quickly and try to keep the goals remotely realistic so you can still convince them to a raise later..

The mediocre performance review I got helped me realize that I was a poor fit for my team, and it motivated me to transfer to a different team which was a better fit.

My next few performance reviews were much better, but I eventually left the big bank for a startup, and now I am as happy as a clam!

I advise first-timers to make friendships with managers other than the one they report to, and ask their help to interpret the results of the review. It's difficult to interpret the results of a performance review without the benefit of mental separation (the ability to look at it in an impartial way, without being blinded by ego) and experience, both of which an experienced manager should have. If nothing else, having a sympathetic and interested human you trust interpret these results is bound to help a great deal.

For bonus points, identify and cultivate a few older mentors, and keep in touch with them even after you move to new teams and new jobs. For even more bonus points, pick up a mentee or two when you gain a few years of experience.

To avoid this kind of situation, people should be required to take vacation, both to actually get some rest, and to keep a reasonably level playing field for all employees.