Comments on: How I Survived My Job Probation and Performance Review

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:37:45 +0000

I work in higher education, not the corporate world, so my experience is a bit different. However, my current employer has a mandatory 6-month probationary period for all new hires - basically during that time they need very little cause to fire you. After that, it becomes very difficult to get rid of someone due to HR policies, due process, etc.

I accepted the probation because it was mandatory; however I probably would have thought differently if it were a case-by-case situation. My feeling is they either want me or they don’t - probation is a way of hedging their bets which just doesn’t seem right.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:36:44 +0000

The probation angle is one I’m going to look into at some point, if I have a hard time finding a job based on my formal work experience. Or some type of intern/assistantship like you mentioned in our conversation the other day.

I’d rather be fully accepted, but I’m willing to prove I can do the work.

By: Andy Drish

Andy Drish — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:25:09 +0000

I would do a job probation, given the opportunity.

It’s like the going on a few dates with the company before becoming “official.” (I think “Facebook Offical” is the correct term…)

So yes, I would do it. But I would expect to satisfy my boss. What would you have done if he said, “Well AJ… You did a good job, but not quite as good as I had expected. We’ll keep you on, but you won’t get that raise.”

Then what? I’d be pissed. And curious about when my next review would be. And I feel like a majority of Millennials would feel entitled to the raise, simply because the opportunity was there… Just my thoughts.

Thanks for the link!

By: Corinne

Corinne — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:22:01 +0000

I only stayed at my job for a year due to grad school, but I think it’s safe to say that I was never on true “probation.” Of course, I had extenuating circumstances - there were 2 other people in my department and one was going on vacation and then maternity leave. Sink or swim, miss Corinne.

I don’t think I would have agreed to salary probation because I made so little - and looking back, yes, I got overtime, but they whored me out in a number of ways. Telling me that I physically cannot leave until they make “the number” for the month? Sorry, call me naive and unmotivated, but I really refuse to be at work till 10 p.m. after coming at 7:30 a.m. It would be one thing if my job was easy and cushy (I’m not implying anything - I’m directing this toward a friend’s job where he watches Wedding Crashers all day while flying paper airplanes - seriously.) But it wasn’t, it was very physically and mentally demanding.

Wow, I really didn’t mean to write this much!