What is in a WorkScore?

Your WorkScore has six parts:

• References. 

  Start by listing five people who know your work well. Include managers, peers, direct reports, and people from outside your organization. These primary references can add secondary references who can quickly help you develop your WorkScore. So long as you maintain at least ten references, you can delete references who don't know your work well. 

• Commendations. Specific thank you notes and detailed recommendations are useful to people who need to understand what you do. Nobody sees them but you. If you get a commendation you don't like, you can delete it. 

• Achievements. You or your references can list specific results you achieved ("Closed two major accounts last quarter, worth an estimated $700,000 of annual revenue"). Then your references confidentially validate your personal contribution to these achievements. The result is independent evidence of your professional track record. If a reference lists an achievement that does not seem accurate or helpful, you can delete it. Employers end up with a list of achievements that your references have verified.

• Skills. It can be hard to prove your strengths or expertise to a potential employer. But your references document your skills using a simple but powerful tool. You don't see their assessments -- and they don't see your WorkScore. We give more weight to the views of references who you tell us are especially fair-minded or knowledgeable. In short, your WorkScore need not suffer if someone adds the office troll to your references. 

• Fit. How fair-minded are you? Would your references hire you again if it were up to them? Are you aware of your weaknesses? How do they rate the quality of their interactions with you? A potential employer wants to know, so we ask.

• Documents and Links. Use this to highlight your work by sharing professional documents, share confidential performance reviews, 360 feedback, news articles, videos of presentations, Meyers-Briggs scores, or anything else that sheds light on who you are, how you work, and what you are really good at. You control this section completely.

How do I get a WorkScore? 

Getting a WorkScore is easy. If your references are responsive, it only takes 2-3 days and your work takes less than ten minutes. .  

• List Your References. Being a reference is not a big job -- it only takes a few minutes. But it is an important job. List people who know your work well and list a variety of people: bosses, direct reports, people outside your organization, etc. Employers can and will contact your references and your references can add additional references who they believe know your work.

• List Your Achievements. Achievements should be specific and quantified where possible -- the sort of thing that you list on your resume ("hired and trained six test engineers in 2006. Three have been promoted and five are still with the company."). Your references will verify that you were personally responsible for these results and a potential employer will have a clear, validated picture of the results that you personally helped achieve.  

• Confirm Your Reviewers. As your references rate your skills, you tell us how well the person knows your work and how fair-minded they are. This determines how much each review counts. 

• Add Documents and Links. This is a chance to enrich your WorkScore by showing instead of telling. Create a portfolio that illustrates your achievements. Share documents you have written or presentations you have made (after removing confidential information). Share copies of performance reviews or 360 feedback you have received. You can link to relevant news articles, blogs, or videos. Help an employer understand what you are really good at and passionate about. 

• Tidy up. Delete inaccurate or badly worded commendations or achievements. Add your picture. Make sure that your WorkScore is 100% complete so that you can share it. Send it to employers, whether they ask for a WorkScore or not (not every employer knows about WorkScore). If you have a solid WorkScore and yours is  the only WorkScore they receive, congratulations -- you have a real advantage. 

Who Sees My WorkScore?

Your WorkScore belongs to you. You are the only person who can see it and you are the only person who can decide to share it. You can control some of the content of your WorkScore from the My WorkScore page on the website. 

You can share your WorkScore with anyone with an email account from the Shared WorkScores page. They view your WorkScore from within the Shared WorkScores page. You decide how long each person has access and you may revoke access at any time. 

You can only share your WorkScore if it is 100% complete. The more complete your WorkScore, the higher its quality and value. If your WorkScore is not yet complete, you should add additional references or follow up with references you have listed and ask them to give you a reference on WorkScore. We calculate completeness as follows:

• 10% for each skill review and for your profile photo.

• 5% for each verified achievement and for each thanks or recommendation.

• 1% for each document or link.

• Potential employers. Your candidacy is much stronger and more credible with a WorkScore. You are also communicating to a potential employer that you take seriously your professional accountability to your teammates.

• Professional search firms. A headhunter can place you much more successfully if they know what potential employers will know. They should review your WorkScore with you.

• Mentors. Share your WorkScore with those who are committed  to helping you to improve your professional performance. Ideally this includes a manager who can create new opportunities for you. It might also include someone you have turned to for professional advice.

Review and improve your workplace

Hiring is a two-way street. Not only does an employer want to make sure that you are the right candidate, you want to make sure that this is the right workplace. To make an informed choice, employers want and need the confidential views of those who know your work best - and you need the confidential views of people who work at your potential workplace. 

WorkScore lets current employees review their workplace, whether it is a company, a nonprofit, or a public agency. The tool is easy to use -- click on the photo on the right to try it out. 

Your review is anonymous, like a vote. The results are public so that managers and job applicants can learn what's working at your workplace -- and what isn't.

• Your review is secret. We use your email address to make sure that only current employees rate your workplace.

• Leave comments about your workplace. What do love about it? What do you wish you had known before taking your job? Tell us which comments you find most helpful and we will feature them more prominently.

• Review your CEO. What should we know about the head of your organization? Does your CEO understand your work and your concerns? Do you have a constructive message for your CEO? Your ratings and comments provide valuable information for managers, potential employees, investors, and business partners. Will your CEO read your message? He or she is very likely to read the messages voted most accurate and helpful by verified employees. So jump in!