Post by knownuthin on Mar 5, 2010 11:20:35 GMT -5
In a previous life, I was an Air Force officer. One of the duties of being an officer is to endorse or write annual evaluation/performance reports on subordinate officers or enlisted members. Over the years, I read or wrote hundreds of them. Like the AR, performance reports stand and/or fall depending on the use of “magic buzz words” with a bit of exaggeration just this side of a lie.
When I saw the AR, with its limited space to state how all of my skills and experiences satisfied each question, I immediately thought I was writing another performance report. During my time in the service, enlisted members were rated on a scale of 1 to 9 (9 was the best rating) and officers were rated from 1 to 3 (1 was the best rating). It may have changed by now. The Air Force tradition is that it has no tradition. Anyway, almost everyone who did a satisfactory job got the highest numerical rating in the different categories, such as how they performed their primary duty, additional duty, standards, conduct, character, leadership, military bearing, etc. It was the brief written summary that accompanied the numerical rating that separated the average from the outstanding. Everyone walked on water, so the real question was did they get their feet wet. A strong performance report had all of the right words (magic buzz words) and it completely filled the allotted space. Available space that was left empty was just like shouting that this person hasn’t done much. Like you mother probably taught you as a child, if you can’t say something nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all. Get the picture.
So if you were not selected to proceed to the WD and SI, you might want to work on your AR for the next time. I looked online to see what information is available about writing Air Force performance reports. I think you can translate it into writing an outstanding AR. Here is an example of some tips I found:
Don't be modest! One of the most common obstacles for first-time EPR writers is modesty. Most of us don't want to appear as if we're bragging (or worse -lying) about our performance and that's understandable. But when it comes to EPRs, your goal is to make it sound as if you're the best Airman ever! In Air Force evaluations, we always write to make it sound as if we walk on water, invented the alphabet, and killed more communists than Rambo! We always exaggerate. That's just the way it's done and you have to get in that mode! When you get used to it, it can actually be kind of fun.
Claim everything! If you're new to EPRs, you might be reluctant to claim credit for any achievement that you weren't 100% responsible for. Don't be! Most work center accomplishments require the efforts of many people working as a team. If you had any part in the overall process, you are allowed to claim it and list it as one of your bullet statements. As a rule of thumb, if you had any part in an achievement, from physically turning a wrench to being on the team that did it, you can claim it. So claim everything and let your supervisor sort it out. And don't be concerned that your supervisor will scrutinize your inputs and dispute your claims. A supervisor is much more concerned with getting enough good material for your EPR than with analyzing which person contributed the most to which project.
You should also use action words such as: Initiated, Established, Revised, Led, Implemented, Reduced, Organized, Managed, Decreased, Coordinated, Developed, Provided, Spearheaded, Planned, Devised. Don’t’ be afraid to throw in adjectives or adverbs to add a bit of spice to the action words.
Finally, here are some examples of performance rating comments that I found on line that you should NOT use as a guide:
1. Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.
2. His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity.
3. I would not allow this employee to breed.
4. This associate is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't be.
5. Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.
6. When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there.
7. He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.
8. This young lady has delusions of adequacy.
9. He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.
10. This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.
11. This employee should go far-and the sooner he starts, the better.
12. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
13. Got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn't watching.
14. A room temperature IQ.
15. Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together.
16. A gross ignoramus -- 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus.
17. A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on.
18. A prime candidate for natural deselection.
19. Bright as Alaska in December.
20. One-celled organisms out score him in IQ tests.
21. Donated his body to science before he was done using it.
22. Fell out of the family tree.
23. Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.
24. Has two brains; one is lost and the other is out looking for it.
25. He's so dense, light bends around him.
26. If brains were taxed, he'd get a rebate.
27. If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.
28. If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change.
29. If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean.
30. It's hard to believe that he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm.
31. One neuron short of a synapse.
32. Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled.
33. Takes him 1 1/2 hours to watch 60 minutes.
34. Wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead.
When I saw the AR, with its limited space to state how all of my skills and experiences satisfied each question, I immediately thought I was writing another performance report. During my time in the service, enlisted members were rated on a scale of 1 to 9 (9 was the best rating) and officers were rated from 1 to 3 (1 was the best rating). It may have changed by now. The Air Force tradition is that it has no tradition. Anyway, almost everyone who did a satisfactory job got the highest numerical rating in the different categories, such as how they performed their primary duty, additional duty, standards, conduct, character, leadership, military bearing, etc. It was the brief written summary that accompanied the numerical rating that separated the average from the outstanding. Everyone walked on water, so the real question was did they get their feet wet. A strong performance report had all of the right words (magic buzz words) and it completely filled the allotted space. Available space that was left empty was just like shouting that this person hasn’t done much. Like you mother probably taught you as a child, if you can’t say something nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all. Get the picture.
So if you were not selected to proceed to the WD and SI, you might want to work on your AR for the next time. I looked online to see what information is available about writing Air Force performance reports. I think you can translate it into writing an outstanding AR. Here is an example of some tips I found:
Don't be modest! One of the most common obstacles for first-time EPR writers is modesty. Most of us don't want to appear as if we're bragging (or worse -lying) about our performance and that's understandable. But when it comes to EPRs, your goal is to make it sound as if you're the best Airman ever! In Air Force evaluations, we always write to make it sound as if we walk on water, invented the alphabet, and killed more communists than Rambo! We always exaggerate. That's just the way it's done and you have to get in that mode! When you get used to it, it can actually be kind of fun.
Claim everything! If you're new to EPRs, you might be reluctant to claim credit for any achievement that you weren't 100% responsible for. Don't be! Most work center accomplishments require the efforts of many people working as a team. If you had any part in the overall process, you are allowed to claim it and list it as one of your bullet statements. As a rule of thumb, if you had any part in an achievement, from physically turning a wrench to being on the team that did it, you can claim it. So claim everything and let your supervisor sort it out. And don't be concerned that your supervisor will scrutinize your inputs and dispute your claims. A supervisor is much more concerned with getting enough good material for your EPR than with analyzing which person contributed the most to which project.
You should also use action words such as: Initiated, Established, Revised, Led, Implemented, Reduced, Organized, Managed, Decreased, Coordinated, Developed, Provided, Spearheaded, Planned, Devised. Don’t’ be afraid to throw in adjectives or adverbs to add a bit of spice to the action words.
Finally, here are some examples of performance rating comments that I found on line that you should NOT use as a guide:
1. Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.
2. His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity.
3. I would not allow this employee to breed.
4. This associate is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't be.
5. Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.
6. When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in there.
7. He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.
8. This young lady has delusions of adequacy.
9. He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.
10. This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.
11. This employee should go far-and the sooner he starts, the better.
12. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
13. Got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn't watching.
14. A room temperature IQ.
15. Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together.
16. A gross ignoramus -- 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus.
17. A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on.
18. A prime candidate for natural deselection.
19. Bright as Alaska in December.
20. One-celled organisms out score him in IQ tests.
21. Donated his body to science before he was done using it.
22. Fell out of the family tree.
23. Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.
24. Has two brains; one is lost and the other is out looking for it.
25. He's so dense, light bends around him.
26. If brains were taxed, he'd get a rebate.
27. If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.
28. If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change.
29. If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean.
30. It's hard to believe that he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm.
31. One neuron short of a synapse.
32. Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled.
33. Takes him 1 1/2 hours to watch 60 minutes.
34. Wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead.
Believe it or not, know nothing is right. I talked to a few that I knew would get vouchers on me, and told them not to go over board, and make me look like Cardoza. They did anyway, as did many others. I got on the register, got selected and spent 30 years as an ALJ. Don't know how it is now, different back then. I have gotten vouchers on several applicants over the years, and the last few I could not decipher, tried to be objective, and hope I helped them. I know at least two were selected.