Harness the Power of Performance Reviews

Every year, your performance review sets the tone for a period of reflection and growth. With a bit of prep beforehand—and taking action after—your performance review can propel you into the next phase of your career.

Before: Prep and Plan

Create a list of your successes from the past year and during your tenure at the company—having a list in front of you avoids the disaster of forgetting what you’ve planned to say. Focus on the entire performance review period, and prepare supporting documents (sales reports, project status reports, etc.) to back up what you have to say. You should also list areas of potential improvement and growth with the company.

During: Listen and Respond

You might be nervous during your performance review, but don’t let anxious feelings shake your strategy. Listen to what your manager or team has to say, and take notes. Do not automatically act defensive in response to a negative point; with an open mind, you can only help your career by listening to these suggestions.

After: Take Action

Your performance review is over, and you can now breathe—whew. Take a few minutes to reflect on what you’ve learned from your review. Make a list of action items based on positive or negative feedback from your manager, and plan on how to proceed. Add to this list when you experience success, and you will have an excellent first draft of notes to use for your next performance review.