Some of you may have had your annual performance review in December. Others may have it near the end of the fiscal year (June 30) in May or June.
No matter when your performance review takes place, read below for some ideas on how to prepare for it.
Many companies now ask their employees to fill out a self-assessment document before meeting with their supervisor. You should take this form seriously and take some time with it. Don’t fill it out the morning of your review. You’ll probably receive it a week or more before your review, so take your time.
As you think back on the past year, aim to quantify how your work contributed to your department’s or company’s bottom line. Did you retain more customers? Close more business? Streamline a process (thus saving money)?
If you can’t show how your work made or saved money for your employer, mention the praise you received from your boss’ supervisor or the employee-of-the-month award you earned back in February, and so on.
The point is to document your value to your company.
Even the greatest employees will not have performed as well as they could have; everyone could improve somewhere. While most of us are tougher on our self-evaluations than our supervisors are on us, be prepared for some criticism and areas of improvement. Listen to them respectively – your supervisor probably is telling you something you already know anyway.
Your boss may have suggestions/requirements for you in the areas in which he or she feels you need to improve, but don’t be shy about offering your own suggestions. This shows that you own your need for improvement and take responsibility for it.
In addition, if you have aspirations for a promotion or pay raise, talk to your supervisor about this. Lay out a plan with him or her. Ask for your supervisor’s feedback. Come up with a plan together.
The point we want to emphasize is that you should look at your performance review more as an opportunity rather than as a critique. Take this opportunity to learn how your boss sees your work and work with him or her to improve. Take the opportunity to state your goals and desires and come up with a plan with your boss to help you get there.
If you’re looking for work in Portland, Anchorage, Chicago, Seattle, Lake Oswego, or Tacoma, contact the recruiters at the Opti Staffing Group. We can help you find terrific temporary and direct-hire opportunities with some of these cities’ top employers. Contact us today.