SJAR Objectives?

[JTforever]

Have been told by my first RO that I need to have at least 6 high quality objectives for the forthcoming year on my SJAR.

What on earth do you put in them? Is it only an objective you can achieve in the next year? Or something longer term that'll take more than 12 months?

Anyone have examples of what they used? Especially if you have been promoted recently!

 

[Trusty Adjusty]

I would say 6 is the maximum, although 3 structured, achievable and relevant objectives are better than 6 that you've come up with because you have to.

Look for some short term, medium term and longer term goals that are achievable and record-able, i.e you can prove to your first RO that you've successfully achieved said objective(s).

Education is always a winner - completing the first year of a HNC for example is a good shorter term objective that ties in nicely with the reporting year, is record-able and achievable. Likewise completing Q courses and service/civillian related sports courses etc all show ambition and your personal drive to improve yourself in and out of the workplace.

The only other top tip I can give would be to avoid generic objectives like "I hope to be promoted to Cpl" - things like this are a given for everyone (who wants to progress their career anyway!) and you would be better served using the boxes to show what you're about as an individual. Oh and if you do meet an objective make sure your RO's comment on it!

Best of luck

Trusty

 

[Dilbert]

I'd agree with Trusty... leave the "Be promoted..." type comments in your aspirations.

A recent board member did highlight one thing to me... when the board are reading numerous SJARS, overlong and verbous objectives become rather onerous. General advice seems to be, keep your objectives short and punchy. If you need to elaborate, carry on in the additional text box.

HTH

 

[Drill Bit]

It should be your 1RO who sets your objectives.

 

[Norman the Storeman]

It should be your 1RO who sets your objectives.

Err...incorrect! He can advise you but it is the subject who sets their objectives.

 

[SgtScribbly]

Err...incorrect! He can advise you but it is the subject who sets their objectives.

Bit of both actually. 1st RO can set them as well as the individuals, however, in either case they should be agreed by both parties.

Whilst the advice about not waffling on too much is good advice, you should not just put "do x, y, z " but should should try and include why you are doing it. "do x, y, z to display my managerial ability"

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

After completing the 'how to influence your SJAR' course I set about writing mine. Any courses, work related or not, that I thought would enhance me as an individual and asset to the RAF were put down as an objective. I wrote what, when and why i.e.

I wish to complete course x to gain more experience in x area of my trade and become a more influencial member of my section

or

To gain x qualification to develop my x skills and educational portfolio to the benefit of the RAF and myself when I leave the armed forces

Put a target date of within the next 12 months.

Make them realistic and update them as and when you achieve them. Objectives that are not achieved are not necessarily a negative. Just give a brief explanation why.

Hope this helps.

 

[techie_tubby]

Uphold the Unit’s engineering standards to maximise the sustainability of ***INSERT YOUR UNIT HERE*** outputs through safe working practices.

I got sent this in an email by my FS for my first SJAR. Every year I have it number one. The officers love it!!

 

[monobrow]

I got sent this in an email by my FS for my first SJAR. Every year I have it number one. The officers love it!!

How the f*ck is that measurable? If that's anywhere in your SJAR, it should be under responsibilities and not an objective!

 

[Downsizer]

I got sent this in an email by my FS for my first SJAR. Every year I have it number one. The officers love it!!

You got promoted? Standards must be fcuking low in tg4....

 

[bluetonic]

I think people are getting confused between 'Objectives' and 'Roles and Responsibilities'

 

[Joe_90]

No, they're not.

 

[Craig855s]

After completing the 'how to influence your SJAR' course I set about writing mine. Any courses, work related or not, that I thought would enhance me as an individual and asset to the RAF were put down as an objective. I wrote what, when and why i.e.

I wish to complete course x to gain more experience in x area of my trade and become a more influencial member of my section

or

To gain x qualification to develop my x skills and educational portfolio to the benefit of the RAF and myself when I leave the armed forces

Put a target date of within the next 12 months.

Make them realistic and update them as and when you achieve them. Objectives that are not achieved are not necessarily a negative. Just give a brief explanation why.

Hope this helps.

Since only the objectives that are in the text boxes at the time the SJAR is raised are actually put in the SJAR, surely you could just go onto your JPA a month before SJAR date and put things in that you have acheieved and put the date as the beginning of the year... Instead of putting something in today, and not managing it?

So for instance I could put in next January
"I hoped to complete x course during this reporting period to improve my technical knowledge of the aircraft and become a crucial member of the desk, a goal i achieved in Sept 11" or words to that effect, and date it as april 11 (Im on the course now so its definately achieved)
and also
"I aim to make x,y,z improvements to the station club I am a senior member of and I have suceeded in these goals"

Obviously how many xs,ys, and zs i get done by then will depend on what i write in january...


Oh and a little question, can an SAC(T) be the 2IC of a station club? Or does it have to be an NCO? OIC the club is a SGT.

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

Upon reading the report from the last board in tg1 it clearly stated that unachieved objectives were not a negative. Probably gives the completed ones some sort of credibility as it shows that the individual didn't add them just before the SJAR was written.

 

[MrMasher]

Everyone can bump their gums about punchy little lines for SJARS, most of the lines mean cock all to the board unless it's measurable.

There are SJAR workshops going on all over the RAF at the moment. I highly recommend getting on one. Both for the RO's and subjects. Assessments I've had in the past looked good to me, but compare it to what workshops show you, well it's a wonder how I got promoted!!

 

[FOGHORN LEGHORN]

Everyone can bump their gums about punchy little lines for SJARS, most of the lines mean cock all to the board unless it's measurable.

There are SJAR workshops going on all over the RAF at the moment. I highly recommend getting on one. Both for the RO's and subjects. Assessments I've had in the past looked good to me, but compare it to what workshops show you, well it's a wonder how I got promoted!!

I found the course beneficial. Had a career brief and realised all those spec recs were actually badly written. Having completed the course I was all over my SJAR this year. Got the good news three weeks ago so it paid off.

DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[mad_collie]

Uphold the Unit’s engineering standards to maximise the sustainability of ***INSERT YOUR UNIT HERE*** outputs through safe working practices.

I got sent this in an email by my FS for my first SJAR. Every year I have it number one. The officers love it!!

Yes, you and the other 300+ SACs were all told to put that in as one of your objectives.

The board will be very impressed that you have put what OC TCW told you, rather than setting your own.

 

[IMissLocking]

Uphold the Unit’s engineering standards to maximise the sustainability of ***INSERT YOUR UNIT HERE*** outputs through safe working practices.



Yes, you and the other 300+ SACs were all told to put that in as one of your objectives.

The board will be very impressed that you have put what OC TCW told you, rather than setting your own.

Good to see the TCW brainwashing is still going good and strong. Still, what can you expect from SF?DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[unruly1986]

I've recently been picked up so my input should be relevant.

I have my objectives in chronological order. If they are a continuation of last year (such as secondary duty), I start it 'Continue my secondary as x for y club'.

As someone said earlier, it's worth stating the benefits of the objectives you are doing, so 'do x in order to demonstrate/develop my communication/managerial/organisational skills'.

I've attended the SJAR workshop, and it was beneficial, but the booklet I have here isn't too specific about objectives. It uses the SMART acronym (specific, measurable, agreed, realistic and timebounded) as a guide.

For some reason the seniors at my current unit have been briefed that the first 2 - 3 objectives should be taken out of your roles and responsibilities. Seems like a waste of objectives and duplication, so I'm going to stick to doing them my way.

As for the number of objectives, I normally fill mine up, but make sure that they aren't wishy-washy or unachievable.

 

[mikeoxlong]

I too have just been promoted.
i have only ever had 3 to 4 objectives. I put what i wanted and never got questioned or told what to put.... even when i put 2ys ago that i want to achive my goal of BASE jumping and wingsuit skydiving!!
Put what YOU want and what YOU you think is achievable!