Arv

Account Executive

Valued Contributor

Annual Review Coming Up - But No One Ever Gets a 5/5!

Hello closers.

My annual review is approaching next week, and I've been with this company for a year. Hit President's Club last year on a shortened ramp and have been overall killing it (in my mind, at least). This was the first time in about 5 years that a sales rep attended President's Club so I've come in and shook things up a bit.

Background for the job is services consulting and software. Small company, 50-ish people. 6-month+ sales cycle. $500k+ TCV average deal size. Enterprise AE title/responsibilities. I have 10-15 years experience in direct bag holding.

I received the paperwork for the annual review and took aside an account manager to get his take on it - and he told me that on the scale of 1-5, no one gets a 5 (because then you wouldn't have anything to strive for and no one is perfect) and that the raise and everything is already calculated by leadership beforehand. Since it seems to be all pretty perfunctory do I push back on the fact that leadership will never give me a 5/5, or do I quietly accept whatever feedback they give (some of which I'm sure is warranted, I always want to get better) and then walk away with the token 2-3% raise?

Basically I need some help deciding if this annual review process is something I should care about and go to bat for, or if I should focus on the token raise (and try to get that up higher), or if I should just slay it again this year and then have a bit more credibility before I rock their precious annual review process?

Thanks kings and queens.

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11

13 comments

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Filth

Politicker

4

Live Filthy or Die Clean

Accept the attaboy along with the raise (debate that up not the 5 rating) and any criticisms. People find issue with everything it doesn't mean it amounts to shit.

I mean cmon people are against Kelce and Swift... some people are just peanut butter and jealous and you just smile and nod.

Arv

Executive

2

Account Executive

Yeah, debating the raise here seems like the smart thing to do.

jefe

Arsonist

2

🍁

Agreed. It's kind of a shitty thing, but this is your best bet.

Arv

Executive

2

Account Executive

I should also mention that I need to keep this job for at least another 2 years+ due to a few covid layoffs I was a part of, so I have to think long term more than anything else.

Beans

Big Shot

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Always put in the effort, but that's a super common sentiment in sales, and stupid as fuck too.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

1

Sales Rep

I would push back but by asking questions like on how to be a 5 or how to prove your value to receive more than the 2-3%.

Arv

Executive

0

Account Executive

It just frustrates me that whatever I score myself on the review doesn't matter, either. After all, they already have their minds made up.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Spot bonuses are much more common that huge raises in sales. Ask what it takes to move up, but go crush and make your own destiny.

Pachacuti

Politicker

0

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Just go with a 4/5, pointing out your accomplishments and your desire to improve.

Arv

Executive

0

Account Executive

Yeah, but does that get me a better raise or a promotion? I think I need to set expectations on what I envision even before I get into the hour long conversation.

Pachacuti

Politicker

0

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Humility and teachability are positive aspects to promote.

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

0

Director, Revenue Enablement

I’ve worked in and conducted reviews in this system. 5s are very rare and should be.

Here is how I articulate the difference between 3, 4, and 5.

3 is you are doing your job. Meeting and possibly even exceeding expectations on your quota.

4 is when you are crushing it, but also added significant value so your team and immediate department (ie sales). This could be coaching new reps, building out frameworks, running a pilot program, etc. not in your job description, but adding value above and beyond to your immediate work circle.

5 comes in when you are making not just and impact to your quota, team, and department, but have made an impact to additional teams and departments. For a sales rep this could be working with SEs on better discover questions. Helping account managers learn how to demo without feature dumping. Working with sales ops to improve various parts of the sales process.

Justatitle

Big Shot

0

Account Executive

best not to rock the boat to hard and push for what actually matters($$$)

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