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OCTOBER 2025

Preparing for a Performance Review

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 to discuss at your review, 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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

Resources for AISES Members

AISES events, like the National and Regional conferences and Professional Chapter meetings are great opportunities to network. See the list of upcoming events in the Save the Date section below.

 

Have you had a chance to connect with us on ? Check out our posts to get professional development information and more from AISES, our partners, and other members.

 

Online Resources

Get the AISES Nation App Today

The AISES Nation app is a space for AISES members to come together, share their cultural knowledge, celebrate each other's successes, and build community. This virtual hangout is your one-stop-shop to make meaningful connections and easily access all the amazing AISES programs in one place! To download the app, go to the App Store/Google Play store on your phone and type AISES Nation. You can also join the platform online .

 

 

 

 

 

JOB OPENINGS

Allen Institute – Seattle, Wash.

 

Auburn University - Samuel Ginn College of Engineering – Auburn, Ala.

 

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) – San Francisco, Calif.

 

Indian Health Service

– Shiprock, N.M.

– Bemidji, Minn.

 

Mayo Clinic

– Rochester, Minn.

– Rochester, Minn.

– Rochester, Minn.

– Rochester, Minn.

– Rochester, Minn.

– Rochester, Minn.

– Phoenix, Ariz. 

– La Crosse, Wisc.

­– Red Wing, Minn.

– Eau Claire, Wisc.

 

Kyndryl

– Dallas, Texas

– New York, N.Y.

– Dallas, Texas

 

Miami University – Oxford, Ohio

 

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – Minnesota

 

Mississippi State University, Department of Geosciences – Mississippi

 

MIT Sloan School of Management – Cambridge, Mass.

 

National Fuel Gas – Buffalo, N.Y.

 

New York City School Construction Authority – Queens, N.Y.

 

The Ohio State University – Columbus, Ohio

 

Stanford University Civil & Environmental Engineering Department – Stanford, Calif.

 

Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago – Chicago, Ill.

 

OPPORTUNITIES

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education – Various locations

As a participant with the Marine Energy Fellowship: Postgraduate Track, you will advance your experience and skills utilizing the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at DOE laboratories, industry, federal agencies, NGOs, or other approved facilities to accomplish your research goals, all while networking with top scientists in the field. You will enhance your education and training in marine energy, increase your marketability in these disciplines, gain access to top scientists and state-of-the-art equipment, and gain insight into research and career opportunities. You will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from experts researching, developing, and testing emerging technologies in marine energy and/or blue economy. You will conduct research at a host facility. Because you are responsible for finding a host facility and securing a mentor, you will be embedded in a facility whose research aligns with your research goals and who can provide the resources you need for your research. Your mentor may also be a resource for your next career step! Apply by Dec. 12.

 

Northwest Native American Center of Excellence – Portland, Ore.

The Wy'east Nursing Pathway is a 3-month preparatory pathway for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) committed to a nursing career. The Pathway provides a holistic, culturally-aligned framework to prepare scholars to excel as nursing students and throughout their careers. Through a partnership between the OHSU School of Nursing and the Northwest Native American Center of Excellence (NNACOE), the Pathway recruits, educates, and retains AI/ANs into accelerated bachelor’s of nursing (ABS) and three-year bachelor of science in nursing programs to address critical workforce needs. Apply by Jan. 15, 2026.

 

Society for Science – Washington, D.C.

STEM Research Grants provide support to U.S. middle and high school teachers engaging their students in authentic STEM research. Priority is given to schools that lack access to funding for research equipment. Teachers can apply for up to $5,000 in funding to purchase specialized equipment, to receive a set of pre-selected equipment valued at $1,000, or both. If selected, a teacher will receive either funds or kits, not both. Additional special funding is available in 2025 for teachers in Middle Tennessee. For the purposes of this grant, a research project is defined as an independent investigation by a student involving experimentation, engineering design, or invention. The grant is not intended to support whole class sets of materials for traditional classroom instruction. Independent research projects are frequently entered into science fairs and other STEM research competitions. Equipment for large team competitions is not eligible. Apply by Dec. 5.

 

American Physician Scientists Association – Rhode Island

Go beyond application basics — this session dives into strategies for ranking, interviews, and choosing the right PSTP. Register here for free.

 

 
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Paths to Opportunities and Winds of Change are published exclusively by AISES.

AISES works to substantially increase the representation of Indigenous peoples in STEM studies and careers.

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