Preparing For Performance Review Season

Performance review season is right around the corner! Many people dread performance reviews but there is no need to if you have been preparing all year long. At the beginning of each year, it is important to sit down with your manager and schedule a recurring meeting time to discuss your performance objectives and your progress on reaching or exceeding those objectives. I always request my performance objectives in writing so I can reference them throughout the year to gauge my progress and the areas I need to focus on.

Check out my best practices below to know how to prepare for your performance review, what to do during your performance review, and best practices for after your performance review.

Preparing for the Performance Review: Chart Your Progress

• Write down everything you accomplished at the end of each week and keep it on one consolidated document.

• Print and save any positive feedback you have received from managers, co-workers, and key stakeholders.

• Check to see how you're progressing with your performance metrics

  • Are you reaching your objectives?

  • Are you exceeding your objectives? If so, by how much?

  • If you’re not, what are you doing to address them?

• Create a performance review objective document (if your company doesn't already have a form for you to submit your feedback) with information about how you reached your metrics, projects you led, and your strengths and areas of opportunity.

During the Performance Review: Articulate your accomplishments & be receptive to feedback

• Come prepared to discuss all you have accomplished in the past year. Clearly articulate your value by referencing major projects you led, metrics you have reached, and workplace accomplishments.

• Listen to the feedback your manager gives you!

• Ask clarifying questions:“I know you mentioned communication is an area of improvement for me. What specifically in communication should I work on?”

After the Performance Review: Review feedback and set goals!

After you finish your formal performance review with your manager, thank him or her for providing you feedback and ask any clarifying questions. I recommend reviewing the feedback privately and determine actionable steps to address the areas of opportunity your manager mentioned.

It is time to stop dreading performance reviews and instead looking at them as career conversations. A great manager will make performance reviews a two-way conversation with balanced feedback. After your performance review you should be able to clearly articulate what your manager thinks you're doing well, where you're falling short, and what actionable steps you need to take during Q1!

Stay Creative,

Lauren