Preparing for a Year End Review

Do you want a raise?  A promotion?  A little extra time off?

Acing your annual performance review is a great way to get them!  Your yearly review provides both you and your boss an opportunity to assess your job performance, revisit your goals (and whether or not you’ve accomplished them) and discuss future plans.  If your review goes well, it puts you in a much better position to ask for the things you want.

Make the most of your opportunity by preparing thoroughly.  Before you receive that nerve-wracking email notifying you of your performance review, use these tips from PrideStaff to be proactive, get organized and impress your manager:

• Use your annual calendar to recall your most ambitious projects and biggest accomplishments from the previous year.  Make a list of everything you’ve achieved (including a sentence or two of detail, to aid your memory if you get nervous) and quantify your results when possible.  Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn a little; if you found a way to save time, improve processes or generate revenue, now is the time to make your boss aware.
• Try to anticipate anything negative that may come up in the review.  Preparing to address negative issues will reduce your anxiety.  So if you missed a goal, or had an issue with a co-worker or client, make a few notes as to why the problem occurred.  Be ready to explain what you learned from the mistake, and how you’ll prevent it from happening again.  And if you do receive negative feedback during the review, thank your manager – and ask what he or she would recommend to help you improve in that area.
• Ask customers (both internal and external) or clients for feedback about the service you provide.  When you solicit their opinions, ask for candor.  To grow, you need to know what you’re doing right and what you could improve upon.  Summarize their comments and provide your boss with a few ways you could use the feedback to improve your performance.
• Provide suggestions for new goals.  Consider what you’d like to tackle on the job and what you want for your own professional development.  Make a list of three or four annual goals that are measurable, challenging and in line with your long-term goals.  Coming prepared with a list of potential objectives will show your supervisor that you take your career development and the review process seriously and that you’re committed to improving your performance.

Dreading your performance review?

Maybe you’re in the wrong job!  PrideStaff can help you confidentially search for one that more closely matches your skills, interests and career goals.  From administrative to health care, information technology to distribution, we provide a wide range of employment opportunities for people just like you.  Contact the PrideStaff office in your area to find out more about great local job opportunities.