For most professionals, this is the time of year when performance reviews come up. Whether your review takes place once a year or more often, it’s not unusual to have some apprehension about the process and the actual meeting. But instead of stressing over your performance review, look at it as an opportunity to speak directly with management about topics that matter to you. If you prepare thoroughly, you can walk into the meeting with confidence. Here are a few tips for getting there.
Stay Focused All Year
Your review with your supervisor may cover various topics, but the focus will be on your performance. It’s a good idea to be mindful of your performance throughout the year and to document your work. Things happen, but the fewer missed meetings or deadlines you have, the better. With more positive than negative topics, you’ll be off to a good start.
Keep a performance journal of highlights, milestones, and challenges during your performance cycle. This work diary can become a helpful reference as prepare for your review.
Do Your Homework
If your review includes a self-evaluation, give it careful thought before submitting your responses. What you write will play a role in the direction your review takes, so if you want to help steer the conversation toward certain subjects, mention them in your self-evaluation. Whether or not your assessment involves this written step, you should be prepared to talk about your performance in detail. Be ready to point out your accomplishments and strengths as well as acknowledge areas for development.
Be aware of what you contribute to your workplace. Your annual performance review is a good time to talk about achievements, changes, and kinks in the workplace. For example, you might suggest changes that would improve your performance or general productivity. Or perhaps there’s a process you don’t fully understand. This meeting is a chance for frank discussion about what’s going on.
Be Ready to Hear — and Offer — Feedback
The old adage “nobody is perfect” is true, and at some point you’ll likely receive feedback that’s hard to hear. When this happens, it’s important to resist a defensive response. Use phrases that help project self-awareness and a willingness to work on areas that need improvement. Rather than blaming a coworker or circumstance, make constructive statements like, "Thank you for pointing this out. I know it’s something I need to work on."
It’s important to remember that your review is about everybody’s performance, including your supervisor’s, so don’t be surprised if you’re asked for opinions. You should be prepared to provide feedback if asked, including diplomatic observations about how your boss might better support you. For instance, you may ask for more specific direction or expectations. It’s always a good idea to point out aspects about your boss or their approach that you appreciate.
Know What to Say about Your Pay
Talking to your manager about how much you earn can be daunting, but this is the best time to do it. Rather than worrying about what management might say, think about what you want. If you want a raise, you should be clear about why you deserve it and exactly what amount you have in mind. Prior to the meeting, be sure to research salaries for positions similar to yours on sites such as Glassdoor or PayScale to be sure your request is reasonable. Keep in mind that the average salary for a job can vary depending on where you’re located. If you live in Iowa, you may not earn as much as someone doing the same work in Boston, where the cost of living is higher. Start the conversation with a figure you believe reflects your value. Your employer may want to negotiate, and that’s okay. Keep in mind that raises and promotions are dependent on three factors: proven performance at the next level, business need, and budget.
Discuss Your Future and Your Goals
Your manager likely has a full plate, so make the most of this longer one-on-one meeting. They’ll appreciate you coming prepared for the review. If you’re looking for opportunities for advancement, let them know. You should also have personal goals in mind. Whether you’re asked about specific objectives or you raise the subject yourself, it’s important to show you’re committed to growth and strong performance.
Think of your review as a part of your career journey rather than a destination to get the most from the experience. Do your homework, prepare for the discussion, and let your commitment to your job shine through.
On Topic
Performance reviews — whether they’re annual, biannual, or quarterly — are a wonderful chance for both an employee and manager to assess how things are going. While much of the focus is based on completed work, this is also an opportunity to have frank conversations about policies, procedures, and career trajectory. Here are a few tips to keep in mind all year long as they’ll help you prepare for your performance review:
Check in with yourself. Is your current job still a good fit? If it’s not, determine why. Is it the role and responsibilities, or is it your manager? It’s everyone’s responsibility to proactively drive their own career development plan. If you’re not happy, plan to discuss career growth with your manager. There’s a common saying that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. Provide regular, open, and constructive feedback to your manager about what they do well and how else they can support you.
Don’t wait. Performance conversations should be an ongoing part of business. If you’re not already having one-on-one meetings with your manager, request starting them. Track your successes and lessons learned, document them in a file, and share them with your manager during these meetings. When the time comes for your official performance review, you’ll already have information gathered throughout the year, and it will be simple to compile your story.
Solicit regular feedback. We all have blind spots. Make it a habit to ask others to assess your work throughout the year — what do you do well, and what can you do more of? Adjust your performance based on their feedback and include this awareness in your review conversations.
Focus on what matters. You can fill your workday with countless tasks, but what managers want to see is your impact. Differentiate between activity and value during your performance review. Create ways to quantitatively or qualitatively measure the impact of your work so you can relay the results. Consider the following your individual accomplishments that contributed to team, business, or customer results and how you helped others succeed — and show examples. You want to highlight how you challenge yourself and push forward regardless of hurdles.
By establishing regular performance conversations with your manager, the performance review simply becomes one part of that broader discussion. This approach will reduce anxiety around performance reviews, ensure that you and your manager are both on the same page to prevent any surprises during the official performance conversation, and fuel the most thoughtful discussion.
