When most people hear the words “performance review,” they probably think it involves walking into their boss’ office, and sitting there while they are told all the ways they have been failing at the job. However, it is a two-way discussion for which a lot of preparation is necessary. Let’s see how you can make sure it goes in your favor.
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Once or twice a year, you and your employer are going to have a sit-down to talk about how you have been doing in your role so far. To some, a performance review may feel like you are getting your results at the end of a school year. However, it is simply an opportunity to speak to your employer about your goals in the company for the next year and how you plan to achieve them. The session also allows you to showcase your achievements and contributions in the position while finding out how to set and improve on your goals.
That said, performance reviews can be stressful and many people often feel anxious, while some look forward to the process. However, you can get rid of these feelings of anxiety and boost your confidence with proper preparation before the meeting. It is also advisable to prepare for your performance review throughout the year and not just a couple of weeks before it happens. This means you should always stay on your toes to reduce the chances of any surprises for a productive and successful review.
Here are five beneficial tips to keep in mind when preparing for your performance review:
1. Find out how the review process works
If you have had a performance review in your current workplace before, this tip may be unnecessary. However, it applies if you are working in a new company or there is a new process in place at your current workplace. Contact HR and get to know as much as possible about the review process so you can prepare well. Find out if it is a good time to negotiate compensation or ask for a promotion. Companies usually make decisions on annual raises before conducting performance reviews. If this is not the case at your current workplace, it might not be the right time to ask for a pay raise. Nevertheless, you can lay the foundation for a compensation raise in the future. Understand that the review is a chance to evaluate if your contributions have helped or hurt the company so you can do your best going forward. It helps you see your areas for improvement.
2. Prepare a detailed list of your goals and accomplishments
As you are preparing for the review, think about your future in your career and whether you like the path you’re currently on. Would you like to try your hand at a new role, in a new department, or in a new career? Think about what you want to learn in the new year, whether you’d like to manage a project or a new team? You’ll need to do some self-reflection about your vision for the future and what steps you can take at work to get there. Make a list of goals for the future, experiences to try, and skills you want to learn before the review. Collect and organize all proof of your overall performance and how you have been an asset to your employer.
If you have performance goals that you’ve been working towards (personal or company-assigned), note them down and indicate whether you’ve achieved them, or if you are working on them. You can also use your role responsibilities if you are unsure about the company goals. Have you been hitting your targets performance-wise? You will have to be brutally honest with yourself at this point. Under each responsibility or goal, you will note down what you have done to accomplish it. Go through your calendar, documents, emails, and presentations to get everything you need. Do you see why you need time to prepare thoroughly?
Numbers always work in your favor. This can be the number of projects you’ve completed, deliverables delivered, or money made (as you know, money talks). List down all the skills you have learned on the job during the year, personal accomplishments, and the relationships you’ve established. This step will make you feel proud of yourself if you have truly been putting in the work. A performance review can justify a promotion, additional responsibilities, or a raise depending on how well you have been doing. So you need to have accurate and detailed documentation of your work.
3. Write down any questions you want to ask
Use this opportunity to get a clear picture of what the company expects from you and ask anything you need clarity on. When you know what your boss expects you to achieve on the job going forward, it helps you monitor your progress toward these goals. It also shows why you deserve a promotion or a raise. Some good questions to ask during the review include:
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What metrics can you track to know if you are doing well in the role?
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What are the employer’s goals for you?
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What are the goals for your team? (If you are managing a team)
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What are the company’s goals for the year?
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How can you identify if you have reached these set goals?
4. Plan to request for one thing you want and mention something important to you at work
Your performance review is the best time to ask for feedback from your supervisor and mention any workplace matters important to you. Go back to the goals you had listed and see what you’d like to ask for. Again, if the timing is right, you can ask for a promotion or a raise. You can also tell your employer about some of the things to want out of the upcoming year. Asking for what you want at work can be terrifying but remember, the worst thing they can say is “no.” Your manager might also not give you what you want right away because they may think you need some extra skills first. Your request may also not be a good fit at the moment. Don’t feel discouraged. Instead, ask your employer to help you establish smaller goals to help you get there. Showing you are eager to grow lets the supervisor know to trust you when the timing is right.
5. Prepare for feedback, whether good, bad, or ugly
I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the term “feedback,” my brain automatically jumps to the negative side of things. You should also expect to hear some constructive criticism during your performance review. But look at it this way, your employer is simply showing you areas of your performance that could use some improvement, which helps you grow overall.
Giving or receiving constructive criticism is never comfortable for either party, so you are better off preparing for it ahead of time. Be open-minded during the review session. Learn how to respond professionally to constructive feedback as it is good for your growth, your future in the job, and your relationship with your boss. Prepare for the kind of feedback your boss might give you. This means you’ll need to think about your areas of improvement and be honest with yourself. Keeping this information in your mind before the review prepares you to hear the negative comments from your boss and respond effectively.
During your review, listen carefully to the feedback without making excuses and getting frustrated or defensive. Try not to yell at your boss, even if they are not delivering the news to you kindly. Thank them for being honest and ask them to give you specific examples of issues they’ve mentioned so you can be sure. Ask them to give you suggestions on how to improve. This could be a good time to mention whether you want to think about an internal transfer or if the role does not excite you as much anymore. If something true has been mentioned, own up and appropriately mention how you will improve. If you aren’t sure of how to respond, take the comments away with you for another discussion when everyone is more composed. Write some scripts with prepared responses to help you practice.
Lastly, go over your notes, talking points, and rehearsed answers before the review session. It also helps to get enough rest and layout a nice outfit the night before. Preparation is the best way to handle your performance review successfully and even impress your boss in the process.
