Extended Probation Period

assa96

Dear All Money Savers,

I am a 20-year-old male employed as a Marketing Assistant at a local College.

I have worked there for 6 months and performed to the best of my ability. For example, 15-20 hours overtime a week, constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone and completing tasks as efficiently as possible.

During my probation period, I had 3 probation reviews, which have been a little disappointing. No matter how much effort I put in, I am graded as average in most areas - Excellent > Good > Average > Below Standard. For example, my Ability to Carry the Job, Quality of Work and Relationships, were all graded as Average.

I have really pushed myself these last two months and just had my final probation review, which my manager judged that I had made a minor improvement in my work. Hence, she has decided to extend my probation period by two months. She says this is to give me an opportunity to prove myself, however, I do not want to be fooled. I am aware that she could’ve just made her mind up already and this could just be to show she has taken the correct steps to avoid dismissal (this is a public sector job).

I enjoy working at the College and feel I am being criticised too harshly, considering there are hard stats that I am over-performing.

I can’t try any harder and feel incredibly frustrated and under-appreciated.
Should I just throw in the towel?

elsien

You should have been given specific guidance on the areas of concern, and an improvement plan as to how to address these.
So instead of just saying your quality of work was average, then you should have been told (for example) that you need to meet your deadlines more effectively, or improve your written communication, or whatever it is.
If this hasn't happened, then go back and ask exactly what it is that they are perceiving as being lacking.
Having said that, average isn't great but if you're not below standard, what makes you think you're being managed out? Sometimes extending the probation is as much a kick up the jacskie as anything else. What are the hard stats that show you are over-performing?

ETA - it is possible to be committed and working extremely hard but still be getting it wrong, for any number of reasons from lack of training and support to not being suited to the job, at the other end of the scale.
Which is why if you are genuinely unclear how/where you need to change things, you need to find out.

Bogalot

Why are you working so much overtime, are your colleagues doing the same? It's pretty unusual to do so at your level in the public sector.

Masomnia

Bogalot wrote: »

Why are you working so much overtime, are your colleagues doing the same? It's pretty unusual to do so at your level in the public sector.

In a previous job I was doing quite a lot of extra time, thinking it would help me get ahead, make a good impression and all that. Not public sector. They still sat me down one day and asked why I was doing extra, and could I not manage my work load?

Obviously didn't bother after that. Sometimes you just can't win.

OP your attitude here will be everything. If you're at all difficult or too defensive about this then it's unlikely they'll keep you on. I think you need to speak to your manager and say you enjoy the job, want to pass your probation and perform at a high standard; what do you need to do?

If there is any training you need make sure you say so.

In the job I mentioned they ended up making my life hell until I finally left. I was performing top half of the team in pretty much every area but they would never get off my back. Sometimes your face just doesn't fit.

Not being defeatist, but maybe put some feelers out regarding alternative employment.

jobbingmusician

I appreciate that your post may have specific T & C attached to probationary periods. However, in employment law terms it really doesn't matter that you are still on probation - probationary periods mean nothing at all, and the only important date is a whole TWO YEARS from the date you started, when you finally gain full employment rights.

What are your 'hard stats of overperformance'? If you are referring to hours worked, I'm afraid these are likely to be irrelevant. If however you are (for example) exceeding sales targets, I would be wondering what's going on.... and looking for another job!

Bogalot

Masomnia wrote: »

In a previous job I was doing quite a lot of extra time, thinking it would help me get ahead, make a good impression and all that. Not public sector. They still sat me down one day and asked why I was doing extra, and could I not manage my work load?

Obviously didn't bother after that. Sometimes you just can't win.

OP your attitude here will be everything. If you're at all difficult or too defensive about this then it's unlikely they'll keep you on. I think you need to speak to your manager and say you enjoy the job, want to pass your probation and perform at a high standard; what do you need to do?

If there is any training you need make sure you say so.

In the job I mentioned they ended up making my life hell until I finally left. I was performing top half of the team in pretty much every area but they would never get off my back. Sometimes your face just doesn't fit.

Not being defeatist, but maybe put some feelers out regarding alternative employment.

Yes, this is what I was questioning, if there is not an expectation of overtime then is the OP unable to keep on top of his workload in his normal hours. If so, that is definitely not over performance!

theoretica

Bogalot wrote: »

Yes, this is what I was questioning, if there is not an expectation of overtime then is the OP unable to keep on top of his workload in his normal hours. If so, that is definitely not over performance!

Exactly - and if he does have sales targets (for instance) and is working about 50% overtime but managing to exceed the targets by less than 50% then that is still underachievement, for the hours worked.

Might they be hoping for you to work smarter rather than harder or longer?

assa96

Bogalot wrote: »

Yes, this is what I was questioning, if there is not an expectation of overtime then is the OP unable to keep on top of his workload in his normal hours. If so, that is definitely not over performance!

It's not about keeping on top on things. I am working overtime at home to create a positive impression. I am already hitting deadlines in work time alone. I just decided to exceed this by taking work home with me, as my current effort doesn't seem to be enough.

Hence my manager doesn't know I am working overtime but notices the increased productivity.

Separately, there is no KPIs in my role. However, I have received various positive staff feedback and outstanding key digital metrics (Facebook traffic, etc.).

TELLIT01

assa96 wrote: »

Dear All Money Savers,

I am a 20-year-old male employed as a Marketing Assistant at a local College.

I have worked there for 6 months and performed to the best of my ability. For example, 15-20 hours overtime a week, constantly pushing myself out of my comfort zone and completing tasks as efficiently as possible.

I enjoy working at the College and feel I am being criticised too harshly, considering there are hard stats that I am over-performing.

I can’t try any harder and feel incredibly frustrated and under-appreciated.

Over working yourself by putting in excessive overtime hours is not the same as over performing. In fact it's entirely possible that the additional hours are actually having a detrimental effect on your performance.
If you are having to do the extra hours in order to hit performance targets then there is definitely a problem.
Have you asked your line manager / team leader what you need to do to obtain a higher performance rating.

Bogalot

assa96 wrote: »

It's not about keeping on top on things. I am working overtime at home to create a positive impression. I am already hitting deadlines in work time alone. I just decided to exceed this by taking work home with me, as my current effort doesn't seem to be enough.

Hence my manager doesn't know I am working overtime but notices the increased productivity.

Separately, there is no KPIs in my role. However, I have received various positive staff feedback and outstanding key digital metrics (Facebook traffic, etc.).

Your (excessive) efforts to create a positive impression are failing. What is the feedback your manager is giving you? This is the only person that matters here.

hyubh

assa96 wrote: »

I am working overtime at home to create a positive impression. I am already hitting deadlines in work time alone. I just decided to exceed this by taking work home with me, as my current effort doesn't seem to be enough.

That doesn't sound a good reason to me. Imagine, for the sake of argument, you were a manager, and a subordinate who's a bit of a duffer (picks things up slowly, finds it hard to think on their feet) starts saying they'll take work home to do a bit more. Would you be pleased? Unless you're a sadist, no, because you know the extra effort won't be productive (if such a person is going to get better, it will be in the social environment of the office where they can talk things through and get guidance from others, not alone in the evening). I'm not saying you're the duffer, rather the point is that extra effort, in itself, is not a good thing.

That said, doing unappreciated overtime as a junior isn't necessarily the wrong thing to do, thinking strategically. If it's getting you practical skills and experience you wouldn't be getting so fast 9-5, then once you're looking in a year or so's time to move on and progress your career, it should put you in better stead than otherwise (the broader skills and experience that is, not the willingness to do overtime).

assa96 wrote: »

I can’t try any harder and feel incredibly frustrated and under-appreciated.
Should I just throw in the towel?

If you mean, resign without another job to go to, certainly not. The scoring may just be because good scores attract automatic bonuses or the like, and there's no budget for that. Getting 'average' scores certainly wouldn't imply impending dismissal.