Important Tips to Get the Most From Your Performance Review

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Do you remember the feeling you got in the pit of your stomach when it came time for your teacher to hand out report cards? It did not matter whether you were hoping a good one or a bad one. You just could not be entirely sure of what he or she thought of your work until you saw it. The same is true of your annual performance review from your interviewer. Even if you are confident you are doing a good job, it may still stress you out.

After all, it can evaluate the future of your job.

Employers often base their decisions about raises and promotions on performance reviews which are also called employee evaluations and performance appraisals. Sometimes they even use them to decide whether or not to fire someone. To let you in on a little secret, many managers dislike performance reviews as much as their subordinates do. They would much prefer to offer feedback on a more regular basis, but yet their employers require they do them.

When it comes to a performance review, you might feel helpless. The person who’ll write it wields a lot of power. His or her opinion of what you have done over the past year—not necessarily an unbiased account—goes into the report and therefore into your permanent file. While you don’t have a lot of control over this situation, you do have some. You need a strategy for dealing with your performance review that will help alleviate some of your stress and could even improve the outcome.

Here are some things you should do:

First, Become Familiar With the Procedure

Sometimes the fear of the unknown is the worst part of the whole review procedure. If you familiarize yourself with how it all works, you might feel more in control. If you haven’t been evaluated yet at your current job, ask your coworkers what to expect.

It is also necessary to understand why many employers use performance evaluations as a way to evaluate their workers. Theoretically, their goal is to provide feedback, clearly communicate expectations, and open up a dialogue with employees. In an ideal world, this would be done more frequently than once a year. Sadly, far too often, it doesn’t happen that way.

Next, Prepare a Self-Review

Before your manager reviews you, evaluate your own performance. Make a list of all your achievements and accomplishments over the last year. If you’ve kept track of them regularly, this should be relatively simple to do. If you have not, this task will be much more arduous. You will have to spend some time figuring out what you accomplished over the year. Then note ways your employer benefitted from your efforts, for example, increased profits, a bigger client roster, or retention of older clients.

Be very specific. For instance, how much did profits increase? How many clients did you bring on board or get to stay? How much did they spend? Highlight everything you need to discuss during the performance review. Gather any documentation that will back up your claims. Look over your self-review the night before you meet with your boss so you will be prepared to discuss it the next day.

Decide How You’ll Respond to a Bad Performance Review

Thinking about what to do if things do not go well with your evaluation isn’t going to make you less nervous, but it will permit you to respond to a bad review effectively if you have to. By establishing a plan in advance of needing one, you will be able to do all the right things and none of the wrong ones.

Resist the temptation to react instantly after your performance review. Instead inquire to meet with your boss in a couple of days, after you have had the opportunity to look at it objectively and calm down. One of two things will happen: you may realize the negative feedback wasn’t really as off the mark as you first thought or you may conclude the review was indeed unjust.

In the event that you agree with your boss on some of the points he or she made, keep your appointment and use it to go over ways to improve your performance.

You should also meet with your boss to present your case about a review you sincerely feel is unfair. Use clear examples that counter the criticisms he or she made. If you were too overwhelmed during the initial performance review to discuss your achievements and accomplishments, do it during this follow up meeting.

After Your Performance Review: Take-Aways

Regardless of the outcomes of your performance review, think of it as a learning opportunity. You should be able to take away valuable information, whether it is about yourself or your reviewer. If you received valid criticism, figure out how to make improvements over the next year. Do you need to update your skills, manage your time better, or get to work on time more regularly?

Did you realize your boss simply was not aware of your accomplishments? Make a point of arranging meetings throughout the year instead of just at review time so you can keep him or her informed.

Even glowing feedback presents you with a chance. It will inform you of what you need to keep doing and what extra things you need to do to make next year’s review even better.

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