Mark My Worth | Appraisal aftermath: Will the stars and strugglers both hit the job market?
Summary
Now that appraisals are over, when do you start hunting for a job or do you hunt so soon? Employers need to be aware that both poor and top performers may hit the search buttonThe recruitment industry had been lying low as companies completed their appraisal processes. But now the letters are going out, and in fact, you may have received yours as well. You may be rated above your peers, below them, or even bracketed along with them. But it is done. At least for this year…
Or is it?
If that phone call comes from a recruiter or the HR of a rival firm casually discussing an opportunity, will you not give it a thought? Will you not go for the first coffee meeting?
In the seventh post of our series on appraisal, ‘Mark My Worth’, I discuss whether one should start job hunting right after their appraisal?
Scenario 1
Your appraisal dashed your hopes, and you want to leave—a natural reaction, but it can also be a knee-jerk one.
The working class heroes who will fall into this bucket labelled ‘poor hikes’ are expected to increase as companies tighten their purse strings. Like you, many will be forced to scout the job market, and therefore, applications per vacancy will see an uptick.
Hence, review the job market and the demand for your skillsets. If the hikes were not good on account of a sluggish business scenario, then your firm’s rivals will face a similar challenge. The chances of winning the negotiation battle during job changes and getting a stellar hike are low.
Scenario 2
Your appraisal was the blah ‘ME’
In one of the earlier posts, I had written on how a ‘meets expectations (ME) can be a dampener and the thought of being rated as “average" can bother many of us.
A feeling of despondency sets in and one is pushed to look at other places to validate one’s skill set. This may be an opportunity to look at upskilling opportunities within the firm. If you are a good performer and the ME rating was handed out to squeeze in space in the bell curve, then there is a good chance that you may get some form of recognition in the next few months.
The gap between you and the top performer may be insignificant. This year, getting rated as an ME does not mean that you are at a risk and could be a good opportunity to stay back and see what the firm has to offer.
Scenario 3
Want to go out on a high?
Who said top performers will not test the market after their ratings are in? Ironically, the best lot are more likely to get approached with coveted offers once the recruiters have mapped out the key talent in rival firms.
Despite the clampdown on costs in companies, there is always a budget for the skilled lot, and a move for the top performers will mean a better-than-expected change in salary this year.
But here lies the disclaimer- Your employer today will have a roadmap for you and if the markets slide down, you are safer than most. However, in the new firm, you will be recruited as a key talent but will have to prove your worth from scratch. So weigh in on that call.
Note to the employers: the recruiters will start dialling soon, which is why one must ensure that employees are not threatened by any kind of vagueness within the firm. Poor visibility makes everyone feel skittish, and sometimes the temptation to scuttle is greater than the need to leave their post.
This appraisal cycle, generosity will be in short supply. Companies are tightening costs, and within organisations, some verticals will inevitably outperform others—drawing a bigger share of the limited raise pool.
While senior and mid-level professionals may feel this pinch more, newcomers to India Inc. would do well to understand how their vertical fits into the broader structure. Is your team aligned to a global hub or a regional unit? That often decides how pay decisions roll out.
Remember, there’s rarely a clean one-to-one correlation between your effort and your increment. Appraisals are a complex equation of business performance, cost control, internal politics, and timing. So if your hike disappointed, it’s likely not just about you—but about everything around you.
Blame the geopolitics if it helps. But know that only so much is in your hands.
Read the other stories in our special series here:
Mark My Worth: Who called you a top performer—and then shrunk your hike?
Mark My Worth: You are now reporting to your colleague or your junior!
Mark My Worth: With a productivity uptick, it’s time to ask for that promotion
Mark My Worth: Rulebook on how to choose one high performer over another and retain both
Mark My Worth: How to deal with the dreaded Meets Expectations rating
Mark My Worth: Appraisal and the art of Atmanirbhar Branding
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