We have been asked to create a self-assessment sample in both the CCAR and OER formats. Many Army Civilian agencies are using the OER format for self-assessments. Both CCAR and OER are great becuase the structure recommends additional information in the self-assessment examples.Nancy Segal has written this JO and self-assessment sample for you to use as a template. The NSPS book has about 80 more sample JOs and at least 24 Self-Assessment Accomplishments for you to study while you are writing in our Job Objective and Self-Assessment Library.
ASSESSMENTS WITH MORE DETAILS: Some people write just one or two sentences for each accomplishment and that may not be enough for the raters to understand the scope of the accomplishment (context), what you did to achieve it (efforts or actions), what obstacles you overcame (challenge), and what happened (results). If you don’t give write background or detail, they may not understand the example. The more background on the value of your performance to your mission, the better you will be rated.

RECOMMENDED: WRITE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH ONE OF THE FORMATS: C C A R OR O E R

IT’S OKAY TO WRITE ONE EXAMPLE, IF IT IS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT!

This Sample Job Objective in this newsletter will have only ONE Accomplishment, because it is a MAJOR Accomplishment for the year and clearly demonstrate how she exceeded her job objective this year. This works for MAJOR accomplishments. Otherwise, you can write two accomplishments that will average 1,000 characters.

The CCAR format is the original format recommended: Context, Challenge, Action, Results. Most of the samples in the NSPS book are in the CCAR format. They can be changed to OER easily. If you would like to use our Free CCAR Self-Assessment Builder, it could help you focus on your writing – add more details and background on the accomplishment. Then, you can edit back to 1,000 or 1,500 characters.

Supervisors/ Raters, Pay Pool Staff might appreciate the acronyms for easier reading: C C A R or O E R in the paragraphs. They will have a lot of assessments to read and understand about your performance this year.

Count your characters: You can write one, two, or three accomplishments in the 2,000 character space in the PAA 3.0.Make sure you check your self-assessments against the Expected and Enhanced Benchmarks. You can see the benchmarks and keywords from the descriptions at our very popular and free NSPS Keyword Tree. 30,000 DOD employees have accessed the Keyword Tree for writingself-assessments.

Good luck with your writing. If you want to see more JOs and self-assessments, the new book, Writing Your NSPS Self-Assessment, 2nd edition has many more examples.

You can see the Job Objective Library Table of Contents here.You can also practice your self-assessment writing by using the PAA 3.0 Fillable form. Then copy and paste the entire document into My Biz when it is all completed. The PAA fillable form is available here.

You can order the 2nd Edition of the book here – both print book (shipping end of this week), or eBook, available immediately!

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SAMPLE JOB OBJECTIVE IN SMART AND SELF-ASSESSMENT IN C C A R OR O E R
Background Information
Michelle Milton
Budget Officer, YA-560-2
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JOB OBJECTIVES:

S M A R T FORMAT: SPECIFIC, MEASURES, ALIGNED, REALISTIC, TIMED.:

If your JOs are not in SMART this year, just wait until next year … rewrite them in SMART for your next performance year. It’s easier to write accomplishments against the SMART JO format!

Job Objective 1: BUDGET GUIDANCE

S: Budget guidance developed for supported organizations.

M: Guidance from HQ interpreted accurately and applied appropriately for Command. Instructions to supported organizations are clear, concise and timely disseminated and contain examples of expected submissions; at least one follow up to each supported organization is made within 10 days of their receipt of instructions. Questions about instructions are acknowledged within 24 hours of receipt and responded to within 72 hours.

A: Ensures that budget funds for mission accomplishment are appropriately requested and adequately documented.

R: Assumes guidance received from HQ .

T: Guidance drafted and submitted to supervisor within 21 of receipt from HQ; other timeframes as indicated.

Contributing Factor: Critical Thinking

Character count: 778
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C C A R Context, Challenge, Action, Results Format

Self-Assessment for Job Objective 1 – Budget Guidance

I exceeded this job objective, demonstrating my ability to analyze and distil complex instructions, identify relevancy for my command and communicate expectations effectively to my customers.

CONTEXT: I support 8 organizations in my Command; these organizations have more than 600 employees and varying functions but all work on various weapons systems.

CHALLENGE: The budget guidance from HQ was very general and this was my first year in this position. I needed not only to interpret the instructions but demonstrate my understanding of my organizations’ functions so that I could effectively apply the instructions to their varying needs.

ACTION: I researched prior years’ Command budget instructions; I also solicited feedback from my customers about last year’s approach to understand what worked and what did not. Next I drafted instructions and solicited customer feedback on the draft and made adjustments accordingly to address suggestions. Using my critical thinking skills, I ensured that instructions were applicable to my customers and used their language to enhance understanding; I also created specific, relevant examples for each part of their submission. The instructions I issued were timely and complete. I followed up with my customers individually, consistent with the metric and created a 2-hour briefing for my customers to help them understand the instructions and answer questions. I offered the briefing four times over the course of 6 weeks to give my customers opportunity to attend at their convenience.

RESULTS: I had 100% attendance at my briefings and the feedback I received was extremely positive. Typical comments from my customers included, “easiest budget call ever”, “you really explained the process; first time I understood it completely”, and “thanks for your help.” I also received positive feedback on the thoroughness and helpfulness of my responses throughout the budget preparation period.

Character count: 1,938
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O E R Objective, Effort, Results Format

Self-Assessment for Job Objective 1 – Budget Guidance

OBJECTIVE: I exceeded this job objective, demonstrating my ability to analyze and distill complex instructions, identify relevancy for my command and communicate expectations effectively to my customers. I support 8 organizations in my Command; these organizations have more than 600 employees and varying functions but all work on various weapons systems. The budget guidance from HQ was very general and this was my first year in this position. I needed not only to interpret the instructions but demonstrate my understanding of my organizations’ functions so that I could effectively apply the instructions to their varying needs.

EFFORT: I researched prior years’ Command budget instructions; I also solicited feedback from my customers about last year’s approach to understand what worked and what did not. Next I drafted instructions and solicited customer feedback on the draft and made adjustments accordingly to address suggestions. Using my critical thinking skills, I ensured that instructions were applicable to my customers and used their language to enhance understanding; I also created specific, relevant examples for each part of their submission. The instructions I issued were timely and complete. I followed up with my customers individually, consistent with the metric and created a 2-hour briefing for my customers to help them understand the instructions and answer questions. I offered the briefing four times over the course of 6 weeks to give my customers opportunity to attend at their convenience.

RESULT: I had 100% attendance at my briefings and the feedback I received was extremely positive. Typical comments from my customers included, “easiest budget call ever”, “you really explained the process; first time I understood it completely”, and “thanks for your help.” I also received positive feedback on the thoroughness and helpfulness of my responses throughout the budget preparation period.

Character count: 1,925
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Thank you for considering our NSPS self-assessment writing book.
Good luck with being inspired to write your accomplishments!
Sincerely,
Kathryn Troutman
The Resume Place, Inc.

To see how this is done, let’s look at a sample self-assessment, filed by Jeremy Jenkins. Jeremy will write up his last year’s accomplishments with the aim of winning his property accountability and supply management Job Objective.

The entire 2,000 characters he will use will focus on writing about the property book and how he improved the inventory control system despite having no budgeted financial resources for the task. Jeremy overcame obstacles, took initiative and designed an automated system. The new system resulted in a 40 percent reduction in property losses.

Jeremy’s hard work offers a great example of improvement in quality logistics support for the Army Soldier School – an accomplishment that not only makes him look good, but which over time will greatly improve supply readiness and customer services for soldiers.

Strategy – Your strategy for writing accomplishments for each Job Objective is to tell a story. Give one or two examples of the best work you have performed in 2009. Make it easy for your supervisor and pay pool to read by using the “Context-Challenge-Action-Result” (CCAR) model for your accomplishments. Review your Job Objective against the benchmarks for the Contributing Factor – in the case below, Technical Proficiency.

The NSPS Writing Plan – Ask yourself: What have I done this year that helped me meet my mission? Overall, if you write up three to six accomplishments for your entire year, you will be finished with your self-assessment.

The following sample NSPS self-assessment for Performance Appraisal Application V. 3.0 illustrates an example of one Job Objective and one accomplishment that was a major achievement for the year in this objective. It is followed by a CCAR self-assessment.

PART A. Administrative Data

Jeremy Jenkins
YC-2003-1
Supervisory Supply Specialist
Army Soldier School

PART D – Relevant Organizational Mission/Strategic Goals

Deliver responsive, quality logistics support to the Army Soldier School, ensuring training supply readiness, staff development, and quality customer service.

PART G – Job Objectives, Contributing Factors, Assessments

• Job Objective: Property Accountability/Supply Management

S (Specific): Property book is updated; supplies are available to meet mission requirements.
M (Measurable): Army Soldier School Book, turn-in, property receipt and issuances, supervision of Army Soldier School ADP and unit supply is accurate and updated on a daily basis. Appropriate entries into automated system are made consistent with policy. Hand receipts are monitored and tracked accurately with 95 percent accuracy. Provide timely accurate information, advice, and guidance to customers regarding property transactions, investigations, and transfers; responses to customers are made within 24 hours.
A (Aligned): Ensures supply readiness.
R (Realistic/Relevant): N/A
T (Timed): Maintaining customer satisfaction, and customer’s mission accomplishment is met 95 percent of the time.

Character count: 919
Contributing factor: Technical Proficiency

• Job Objective: Property Accountability/Supply Management

CCAR Self-Assessment

Context: As the Manager of the Army Soldier School Academy Property Book, I recognized the need for an improved inventory control system from the current hand receipt transactions and took the lead to collaborate with the IT services department to create an online request for property, turn-in, property receipt, and issue (performed advanced tasks). I interviewed my colleagues to determine their needs; I also researched other agencies that had on-line systems to identify best practices.

Challenge: With no financial resources budgeted (overcame obstacles), I took initiative by collaborating with internal experts and used my creativity in identifying other sources that could be of assistance to design the request forms and post an automated, shared document to improve accountability and inventory control.

Action: Using what I learned from my research, I worked closely with IT to ensure the system developed met user needs. I implemented procedures to ensure a smooth and seamless transition of all hand receipt transactions into the automated system. I also suggested that IT conduct a pilot test of the system to ensure it met expectations. Finally, I developed and presented training and assistance to customers on new system and reminded customers on the procedures for property transactions, investigations, and transfers. On an ongoing daily basis, I ensure that the PBUSE system is current and correct.

Results: I exceeded expectations. More than 500 inventory requests, more than 98 percent, are received annually that are now documented in an automated system with improved inventory control, accountability, and life-cycle planning for senior decision-makers. I have received very positive feedback on the new system and lost property has been reduced by 40 percent.

Character count: 1,762

This job objective and NSPS self-assessment example is published with permission from the co-author and publisher, “Writing Your NSPS Self-Assessment,” 2nd Ed., Kathryn Troutman and The Resume Place, Inc. Get help with best NSPS keywords and a free NSPS NSPS Accomplishment Builder.

More sample NSPS Self-Assessments and Job Objectives in the 2nd edition of Writing Your NSPS Self-Assessment by K. Troutman and N. Segal.

Find your Performance Indicator keywords at the Resume Place’s NSPS Keyword Tree!