Giving Yourself a Performance Review
Tips on Giving Yourself a Performance Review
In order to truly understand where you’re going, once in a while it’s a good idea to take a step back and give yourself a performance review. Reviewing your performance is a great way to assess your career and how well you’re doing at meeting goals set by both yourself and your Manager.
To get a good understanding of where you stand and where you’re headed, read on for this quick guide on how to give yourself an effective performance review.
Achievements
Before you can begin reviewing your progress, you first need understand what you’re measured against and what your purpose is within the company. If it’s been a while since your last performance review, don’t wait to track your results. Consider the following points when working out what you’re accountable for and how you contribute to the business.
Do’s
- Identify what areas you’re accountable for to ensure you’re focusing in the right areas.
- Sit down with your Manager and confirm how you’re measured.
- Listen to feedback and work with your Manager to highlight ways to improve.
Don’ts
- Let modesty get the better of you, showcase what you’re proud about.
- Don’t forget achievements you made early on. Even if your Manager has a good memory, early achievements can easily be forgotten.
- Rush your performance review.
Learning
Learning is a crucial step in any professional’s development. When considering what you want to achieve and what you need to learn to get there, consider the following points:
Do’s
- Set yourself achievable short and long term goals.
- Ask your Manager about career development opportunities.
- Learn from your experiences and mistakes.
Don’t
- Worry too much when not keeping up with goals you’ve set yourself.
- Ignore whether your role is developing at the same rate as you are.
- Put off asking for assistance when you need it.
Job Satisfaction
Your overall satisfaction with your role is an important factor to consider. Are you happy doing what you’re doing? Look at what it is you do each and every day and consider the following points:
Do’s
- Identify what you like and dislike about your role.
- Consider what improvements could be made to improve your satisfaction.
- Create a list of specific actions for improvement. Consider what help you need in implementing these changes. If you need your Manager to make changes within your role, consider any challenges in doing so from their perspective.
- Consider how you could overcome these barriers with viable solutions.
- Talk to your Manager, get their input and suggest specific and objective changes
Don’ts
- Ignore how your role affects your life outside of the work.
- Let your time at work stop you from pursuing personal goals.
- Leave your health and wellbeing as a low priority.
Feedback
Whilst reviewing yourself is important, the feedback of those around you is hugely beneficial in helping you take control of your future. When considering who to ask, why and what to ask, consider the following points:
Do’s
- Gain different perspectives of your progress by asking other people.
- Discover how valuable your contributions are and what you’re like to work with.
- Consider the option of being mentored.
Don’ts
- Focus solely on getting feedback on your current role rather your career progression.
- Ignore the value of annual performance appraisals with your manager.
- Rely only on people you work with.
Once you’ve managed to give yourself a 360-degree view of you, your role and your career, figure out if you should stay where you are or whether it’s time for something new. When you’re giving yourself a performance or career review, expert advice is always a great option.
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