Annual performance reviews are the dread of many. No one wants to hear about their weaknesses and what they could be doing better at your job. Unfortunately, discussing our weaknesses are the only way to overcome them. Before your next review, follow these steps to ensure you get the most out of your review and make it as enjoyable as possible
Have the right attitude
Don’t approach your review as something you need to get over with quickly. Prepare for your review the same way you would for an important interview. Use it as a time to approach your boss with any questions or concerns about your role, as well as a chance to receive honest feedback on your performance. While you want to go into the meeting confident about your position, don’t be arrogant and demand acknowledgment of your hard work. Try to think of yourself as an equal to your boss and sell them on the service you provide.
Keep a running list of your accomplishments
Over the course of a year, there are numerous important deals and projects that you’ve had a hand in achieving success on. But, if you have to think of them all of the top of your head, you may not be able to list them all. To avoid forgetting to discuss an important project, keep a running list of your accomplishments that you update as soon as something has finished. This way, you don’t forget any of the important tasks that you’ve done for the company. Also keep note of what impact this had on the company, including quantitative data, internal reports, and your boss’s previous feedback.
Have solutions for your weaknesses
Most likely, your boss will bring up areas that you previously identified as weaknesses and will want to know how you’ve been working on improving them. Make sure you have an answer. You should be able to provide your boss with concrete steps you’ve taken to become better at your weaknesses, and what you plan to do in the future to continue working on improving them.
Listen closely and follow up
Because everyone makes mistakes, your boss will probably discuss some areas where you could improve your performance. Listen to this and take it to heart. Your boss is telling you this because they want you to do better, not because they want you to fail. Once you’ve had a chance to absorb these areas, request a follow-up meeting where you can discuss a plan to tackle and improve on those areas.