Co-Op Confessions: Employee Evaluations
By Sabrina Safran
No matter how old a person gets, I feel like the anxiety felt regarding employee evaluations never quite goes away. As a matter of fact, it may worsen for some as they grow older, considering that the older a person gets, the higher they begin to move up in the workplace (I’m optimistic of that at least.) But if you haven’t already guessed it, I was lucky enough to be evaluated at my co-op today, but I ‘m not being sarcastic in the least bit. I honestly enjoyed every second of it.
At Viacom (the company that owns the network I work for, Logo TV, as well many other fun networks like MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, etc.), every channel is different. Not just by their own individual brands and content, but also by how each department handles their employee evaluations. One thing I learned today just by having had my mid-semester evaluation at Logo is that no evaluation is the same – anywhere. Sure, if you’re an intern, your boss sits down with you and asks about how you’re liking your experience, discusses what you’re doing right and wrong, and answers any questions you may have. In some cases, you may be evaluated by more than one person and could even learn from it, if they review your resume with you (at least that’s how my experience was while at my previous internship). Though I’ve only ever had one internship and now a co-op, these two experiences have showed me just how important it is to put yourself out there and get these internships and jobs. Not only could they lead to something full-time, but also it’s amazing how much you can learn just from being in different departments and evaluations within those departments are no exception.
Before my evaluation, I had horrible anxiety. I mean, it doesn’t necessarily help that I’m the kind that worries about everything to begin with. However, all I’ve wanted to do over the last six weeks that I’ve been at Logo is impress my boss and my department. Because I’m part of team, I want to make sure that I’m pulling my weight. So although I was nervous, I was almost relieved that the big day had finally arrived. During my evaluation, the first thing my boss asked me was how I was enjoying my experience, which initially threw me for a loop. I definitely expected to be asked about my experience, however, I assumed my boss would tell me what he thought of my work ethic right away. The two of us even chatted for a little while just about the different departments at Logo. It was such an enjoyable conversation and at the end of the day, I’m happy to report that I passed the evaluation with flying colors! Nothing is more fulfilling than knowing you are appreciated and that the only thing you need to do is “keep up the awesome job.” Hearing this come out of my boss’s mouth makes all of the initial unsettling nerves worth it.
If there’s one thing to remember about the real world, it’s that hard work pays off. So no matter the task, take it on with confidence and with a smile, regardless of the circumstance. Are you going to be happy-go-lucky all the time? Of course not – you’re only human. However, if you go into accomplishing a challenging and/or unfamiliar task with a positive attitude, you have no choice but to get positive results as well as a positive evaluation. Remember that you get what you give, so be sure to give it your all if you’re a current intern. For those of you wanting the real world experience (which should be everyone, in my opinion), apply! It’s real life experiences like evaluations in the workplace that will only better prepare you for after graduation.
