Performance Review

I had my performance review yesterday. Short version: Everybody Loves Velvet. Seriously. One person actually wrote, "Velvet is a gift!" That same person, as it turns out, was the one who gave me the $500 in gift checks for my help with special projects during the year. The worst anyone could say about me in my "Areas of Improvement" section was that they all noticed I've done an even better job this year than last and to keep it up. I'm serious.

All this praise and love earned me an "average" classification in the grand matrix of boxes the firm puts people into. The official line was that I'm at the highest level for administrative assistants for the firm, so my fantastic performance was expected. The real reason is that if they classified me higher, there would have been a possibility for me to get a higher raise. Actually, assuming if there were planning on giving me one. Word on the curb is that the-powers-that-be are trying really hard to keep raises to a bare minimum, if anyone is getting a raise at all.

So after my review, I asked my manager if my "meets expectations" classification means I won't be getting a raise. Turns out I will be getting a raise, and while it hasn't been finalized, it will be somewhere between 2 and 3%. It's a far cry from the 10% I got last year, but I look at it this way: I still have a job. In this market, I'm lucky to get an increase at all. I have close friends what will be out of a job come Jan. 1. I'll have coworkers that won't be getting an increase at all. I don't have to tell you these are serious times.

So right now I actually feel very grateful. I'm positively thrilled that the people I support, as well as my peers, have confidence and respect for my work. I feel lucky that I have a great, supportive manager. I work in a location where I can take public transportation. My cube is the closest one to the bathroom. There are three Chipotle's within walking distance of my office. Seriously though, with all that's going on in my life, I'm just glad that I still have my job (for now).