In a corporate setting, the annual performance review involves taking stock of the past year and the goals to be achieved in the coming year; it provides an opportunity to evaluate employee performance, review progress with their immediate supervisors, and set goals for the coming year.
A moment that employees sometimes dread… here are a few tips to help ensure that this conversation between manager and employee goes as smoothly as possible.
1. Prepare a factual review of the past year
The annual review typically begins with a summary of the past year
If you’ve been with the company for more than a year, also take a look at your previous annual review, which included your goals for the coming year. The idea is to be “factual and honest about the work you’ve done”; don’t hesitate to highlight the times or projects when you went above and beyond what was expected of you. Be proactive by taking notes throughout the year on your successes and failures.
2. Be clear about your career goals
The second part of the interview usually involves setting goals for the coming year and discussing your career aspirations.
Would you like to take a training course to improve your skills? Work in a different department within the next two years? Become a manager? Now is the time to let us know.
"If you're interested in a new position," explains the article, "outline the skills you have that qualify you for it, the ones you lack, and what steps you could take to acquire them."
3. Prepare your case if you want a raise
Do you think you deserve a raise or a bonus? Prepare your arguments to justify it, especially by highlighting your accomplishments.
"Be sure to check out salary surveys in your industry and region to see if your salary is in line with the market."
4. Be open to discussion
The annual review is a dialogue in which the employee takes stock of their work and the manager provides feedback. Sometimes the employee may face criticism during this discussion, so it’s crucial not to get defensive: “Don’t react on impulse; maintain a certain professional distance, and don’t hesitate to ask what the manager would have liked you to do differently…”
5. Be honest
If you have strained relationships with coworkers for organizational reasons, talk about it but don’t make it personal. “Rather than naming names, talk about roles. You can explain that you’ve tried to implement this and that, that it hasn’t worked out, and that you need advice. The idea is to show that if someone else were in your position, they’d face the same problem. ” Your manager isn’t a great communicator, and you’d prefer not to have to wait a year to find out that he appreciated this but is criticizing you for that? “You can suggest that he hold more regular check-ins—informally, for example, 15–20 minutes every three months.”
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