Ace Your Performance Review

No matter how valuable you consider yourself for the company, a performance review is bound to make you feel nervous and anxious. The performance review plays an important role in getting you promoted and also affects your future in the company. Most people do not keep in mind that you have to be prepared for the performance review all year long and panic when the review is just around the corner. The fact is that most of the bosses and the managers keep a tab on your performance all through the year and the performance review is an evaluation based on what they have observed during the time. So even if the next performance review is not nearby, it is advisable that you start preparing for it right now. If you wish to get a promotion or an appraisal, you not only have to work hard for it but also make sure that you are fulfilling your job requirements properly and efficiently. To ensure that you are well prepared for the performance review, follow the simple but effective rules mentioned below:

Get Acquainted With The Process:

The best way to make sure that you do well in your performance review id to get yourself thoroughly acquainted with the evaluation process. If you are new to the company ask your colleagues what the last performance review was like. Different companies have different approaches towards conducting the performance review and it is best to get to know how the managers at your company go about it and prepare for the review accordingly.

Keep Track Of Your Accomplishment:

One of the most important task while preparing for a performance review is to keep track of what goals you have achieved on the specific time period. This will help you build a strong case for yourself during the performance review interview with your boss. You need to be able to articulate the steps you have taken that have resulted in success for the company and how you have managed to achieve the goals on a personal level.

Make A List:

It is best to keep a log book of all the major accomplishments so that you can refer to them at the time of the appraisal interview. You can make a neat and bulleted list which concisely articulates all your achievements and take it with you to be submitted to the boss during the performance review. Make sure that you list just the actual achievements and do not brag about minor goals which anyone else could have achieved just as easily. You need to distinguish yourself from your peers and the best way to do that is by showing what goals you have achieved which the others failed to.

Self Assessment:

You need to constantly keep on assessing yourself in order to make it through the performance review with flying colors. Be honest with yourself and do a candid assessment of your work every month. Evaluate your strengths and your weaknesses and then work on the weaknesses to turn them into strengths. Identify your key assignments and make sure your work is up to the task.

For Self Assessment, You Need To Ask Yourself The Following Questions:

• How I have helped the company by bringing in money?
• How did I help averse a crisis posed to the company?
• What did I contribute to strengthen my company?
• What are my weaknesses and how have they affected my work?
• What more can I do to increase my output?
• Am I indispensable for my company?
• If not, what can I do to make sure that I become indispensable for the company?

Dwell On Specifics:

During a performance review interview with your boss or the manager keep in mind to dwell on the specifics rather than generalizations. When you are building a case for yourself you need to make it clear what specific goals you have achieves and what specific targets you have achieved that resulted in a benefit to the company. If you have contributed to some improvements in the workplace, be sure to bring examples.

Refrain From Claiming Undue Credit:

When going through a performance appraisal review make sure that you do not claim credit for the achievements which are not yours. The managers are well aware of the work done by each individual as they have done their homework. Taking credit for the work done by others will create a bad impression on the managers and will negatively affect your appraisal.

Admit Your Limitations:

Be prepared to accept your limitations as there are certain weaknesses in everyone and no one can be perfect. So when you are being interviewed and some of your limitations are mentioned, be prepared to own them. Be sure to explain what you are doing to rectify the situation and how you are going to make sure that these weaknesses do not create any hurdles in your working capacity.

Be Honest:

It is pertinent to be honest during your performance appraisal. You have to be able to admit any setbacks or shortcomings and make a commitment to improve them without hesitation. If you made a mistake in the course of the time you have worked in the company, be prepared to own it rather than trying to blame it on others. Show some maturity and explain why the mistake happened, what were the consequences and what you measures have you taken to make sure that such mistakes do not occur in the future.

Handle Criticism Well:

If you are given a negative comment about your performance and you leap to defend yourself aggressively, you are committing the gravest mistake of your life and doing the worst thing for your career. You need to be able to listen to criticism and respond appropriately. If you can explain calmly and conclusively, everything is ok, but if you feel that the criticism is unjust it is best to do away with it by uttering a neutral acceptance and giving you reassurance to rectify the problem. It might be that the boss is just criticizing you to see how you react and get all worked up will be the wrong answer. It is very important to stay calm during the entire process. No one wants an employee on the team who loses his calm at the slightest criticism.

Conclusion:

To ace a performance review you cannot take measures for a week and hope to get the best results. You have to work towards the goal all year long, making sure that you are not doing anything to sabotage your career in the long run. Keep working towards the goal and follow the above mentioned suggestions to perform better during the next performance appraisal. And remember! You have to be consistent and work hard all year long as it is impossible to get an appraisal based only on your performance in the last month.