Do you know how you are going in your role? Are you meeting your boss’ expectations? A performance review is designed to provide an indication of how you are going in your role. Your boss can use it as an opportunity to assess your strengths and weaknesses. However, many employees also use it as an opportunity to gain feedback or even to ask for a pay rise or promotion.
So, how do you make the most of your next performance review? How do you give your employer the best impression possible?
According to Indeed, Seek, and Upskilled, here is how to ensure you get the most out of your performance review.
How to prepare for your next performance review
Collect as much information as possible
Find out how you will be assessed in this review. For example, what criteria will you be assessed by? Ask your boss or manager how they would like you to prepare.
Re-read your job description
Look at your accomplishments during the review period and how they align with your original job description. Are there any areas where you have gone above and beyond the job description? If so, make sure you record these.
Consider what matters to your boss
Identify what your boss needs or wants from you most in your role. What does great performance in your workplace look like?
Highlight your accomplishments
Highlight what you have achieved during the review period and how this connects to the company’s goals. Start by looking at the goals you set following your last review. Have you achieved them? If not, what other value have you provided? Above all else, consider what measurable impact your achievements have had on the company. Where possible, try to provide data to support this.
Identify areas for improvement
Note the skills and experience you need to continue growing within your position.
Establish goals
Before the meeting, think about any goals you want to set. Are there any certifications or qualifications that would benefit your career? Are there any skills you know you need to develop further?
What do you want?
While a performance review is an opportunity for an employer to assess where an employee is at, it is also useful for the employee to see where they sit in the company’s future plans. Therefore, thinking about what you want to get out of the review is critical. For example, would you like feedback on a specific area? Would you like further responsibility? A performance review is not a one-way conversation, so prepare some questions you could ask your employer during the meeting.
Be open to feedback
Listen to and take on board any feedback your employer provides. Being open to feedback shows you are adaptive to change and keen to improve.
After the meeting
So, you have completed your performance review meeting. What now?
You must start planning how you will respond while the review is still fresh in your mind. If you received negative feedback, consider consulting with your network on how you can improve. If you don’t get what you want, it is critical not to make any rash decisions. Remember that being denied a pay rise or promotion is temporary.
After your review, consider asking your boss for another meeting to clarify any concerns you may have. Regular informal meetings can often prove more effective at assessing performance than annual meetings.
Even if goals weren’t discussed at the meeting, now is the time to set them.
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