It’s that time of year again…hard on the heels of Christmas, the annual performance review. To get the most out of the process start preparing well in advance. Use this opportunity to remind your boss how fantastic you are and how much you have contributed to the department and the company’s success.
Know your accomplishments
Before your meeting, list your key achievements. This is a great chance for you to promote yourself – remember many bosses are so focused on their own workload that they may not be aware of your specific contribution to the department. If you don’t have quarterly reviews, consider writing a quarterly self assessment and keep a file so that at year end you have a summary of major accomplishments for the year.
The following are some guidelines of what you could include:
· Specific measurements of goal achievements
· Client feedback
· Examples of teamwork and leadership
· Training you’ve attended
· Projects you’ve worked on
Achilles Heel
Your boss will also want to explore goals that you’ve struggled to achieve during the course of the year. Be ready to explain why you fell short of expectations, what you’ve learnt from the process and steps you’ve taken to prevent a recurrence. There’s no point in getting defensive. If you don’t agree with your boss, be patient, listen to their point of view and try to clarify the issues.
Take the initiative
Remember this is a great opportunity for you to discuss your career ambitions and explore what you need to do to achieve them. Why not ask your boss what skills you need to develop in order to be considered for the next promotion? Or ask them what you need to do to help them be more successful in their own job?
The following two questions can also be useful to ask. Their simplicity and directness can provoke interesting responses:
“Tell me one thing I’m doing well and should keep doing.”
“Tell me one thing I should do that will help me become more effective.”
Conclusion:
By taking the annual performance review seriously and preparing for your meeting, you will help position yourself as a committed employee with a strong desire for continuous improvement and development. This will ultimately help secure your future in the company and better position you for future promotional prospects in the firm.
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Laura McGrath is the owner of Interview Techniques, a leading provider of interview coaching services.
Go to: www.interviewtechniques.ie
Email: info@interviewtechniques.ie
Call: 01 231 3003
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