Reviewing a Customer Service Associate Job Description & Performance Review Form

Written by: Tony Medeiros, Marketing Education Teacher/Coordinator

Externship: JC Penney Dept. Store

Grade Level:

High School-Marketing Classes grades 11 and 12

Goal:

Many students are not aware of what a "Job Description" is. This activity will review one used at JC Penney. Most students with part-time jobs have had "Performance Reviews" or evaluations.

Performance Reviews can vary from company to company. This activity will provide a chance for students who have never seen a top quality Performance Review, to "walk through it".

To enhance the classroom activities, those students who have had Performance Reviews from their current or past employers can share their experiences using that process, thus "cooperative learning" will take place. Students not exposed to Performance Reviews will clearly see that they are a real part of the "World of Work" by hearing from peers.

Objectives:

Students will understand the basic components of a JOB DESCRIPTION. They will understand the concepts of "Basic Function", "Principal Responsibilities and Duties", "Organizational Relationships", and the "Minimum Position Specification Guidelines".

Students will understand the basic components of a PERFORMANCE REVIEW Instrument. (PR) They will understand the various designs of PR's in areas as the number of "Rankings" used which can be as few as TWO (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory) or 4 or 5 or more Ranks. They will understand the ability to suggest "Improvement Steps" and "Action Steps."

Students will understand the difference between "Exempt Employees" and "Non-Exempt Employees."

Competencies/Skills:

	Communications and Literacy
	Problem Solving
	Acting Professionally
	Interacting with Others
	Understanding All Aspects of the Industry

Class Time:

1-2 Class Periods. One part of a Period for Job Descriptions, and Once Part of next day for Performance Review

Materials Needed:

Flip Charts and Markers

Copies of JC PENNEY "Customer Service Associate" Position Description.

Copies of JC PENNEY "Performance Review-Sales Associates" (Non-Exempt)

Copies of any other Job Descriptions or Performance Reviews eg . School Department's

My position has a Job Description.

Procedure & Activity:

Ask students who have or have had jobs of they have ever seen a JOB DESCRIPTION.

Ask students to try to define what it is.

Ask students to suggest what might be key factors of a JOB DESCRIPTION eg. Duties, Who position reports to.

Write down responses from each class on flip charts.

Be sensitive to reactions to answer that are way off base. This might have an impact on other students responding.

Handout copies of JC PENNEY "Customer Service Associate" Position Descriptions

Let students skim over them. Ask them "Why should a Company have a Job Description?"

Why is it important to a worker?

List answers on Flip Charts.

Review EACH "Section" of the Descriptions.

Review EACH "LINE" or Item of it.

Discuss why it was put into the job description.

If instructor has had any experience in preparing job Descriptions, eg. For Grant Proposals etc., discuss the idea of listing as many tasks and duties as possible.

Discuss the idea of a "catch-all phrase" that sometimes exists at the end of the "duties: list that might say, "other tasks as assigned by the Supervisor" or "other tasks as needed." Let students discuss the potential problems with these "open statements."

Next Day.

Handout copies of JC PENNEY "Sales Associates-Performance Review." Let students skim over both sides.

THIS IS GREAT CHANCE TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHY WE TAKE ATTENDANCE and KEEP TRACK OF BEING TARDY, etc. Many of us have heard, "I'll be on time for my job...."

Discuss the number of "rankings" (Does not Meet Requirements, Meet Requirements, Exceeds requirements)

	Ask for opinions on just having TOW. (Satisfactory and Not Satisfactory)
	Ask for opinions of the value of having MORE THAN 3

Discuss the CATEGORIES .Eg. General Characteristics, Job Related Duties

Review and Discuss the ITEMS of REVIEW such as ATTENDANCE, ON-TIME RECORD, USE OF TIME.

Review and Discuss Overall Job Performance Rating.

Review and Discuss the PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.

	Action Steps.
	Training, (ask students who work to share the types of training they have had.

Spend considerable time on MEETING GOALS and MEASURABLE TERMS.

Discuss the importance of taking time to write ASSOCIATE COMMENTS.

These comments could come back and "haunt you" Mention that you can use more space of needed.

Read the NOTATIONS BELOW the SIGNATURE about "AGREEMENT."

Discuss various Employers with and without UNIONS, and the LABOR RELATIONS laws, etc.

Method of Evaluation:

	Develop a Quiz on to Define Terms in parts of the documents reviewed.
	Consider developing a ROLE-PLAY situation. DECA has some available.

Optional Activities:

	Ask students to do some independent research with friends or family about Performance Reviews and RIGHTS of workers in certain areas of Union Representation. Eg. In Education the "WEINGARTEN RIGHTS" (Not required to participate in a meeting with supervisors if one suspects it could be harmful, without a Union Rep present.)
	I'm a Union Rep.-Consider discussing this with YOUR BUILDING REP for resources for MTA or MFT.)
	This is the type of thing that a student might never use, but it might come in handy for someone someday.

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