Preparing For a Performance Review

Posted June 20, 2022

Performance reviews are a great way for you to learn more about yourself and a chance for you to prove your worth and further your career. However, before a review, it’s best to do some homework since they are meant to be a two-sided conversation. While your manager will likely provide feedback and suggestions for your work, it’s also an opportunity for you to highlight your accomplishments and communicate what you’d like to achieve at work. As stated in an article in the Wall Street Journal, “Keep in mind that it’s your 45 minutes or hour with your manager to talk about where you think you’re doing things well, where you think you have some things you’d still like to learn and where you can improve.” Before a performance review, it’s important to get organized and collect everything you’d like to discuss during your meeting. Here are a few ways to prepare to maximize your meeting time…

Catalog Your Achievements

It’s important to discuss the value you uniquely bring to the company, so think about what your recent work achievements and contributions have been. This is especially important if you would like to receive a raise. For your list of accomplishments, think about measurable results such as ways you cut costs and saved the company money, how you increased revenue, projects you’ve completed, or skills you’ve learned. Take this meeting as an opportunity to highlight how you go above and beyond and the value you bring to the company. 

Discuss Your Goals

Think about where you’d like to be in the next six months to a year. For instance, are there skills you’d like to develop, responsibilities you’d like to take on, projects you’d like to pursue, etc. Write down your goals and, what if any, barriers there are keeping you from achieving those goals. You’ll want to bring a few of these goals to your manager so they can give their recommendations on how you can go about achieving them. By getting your manager’s thoughts and input, you can walk away from the meeting with a clear understanding of your next steps.

Ask Questions

Performance reviews are also a great opportunity for you to get some of your burning questions answered. You may want to know what plans the company has for your team, what goals they have for you, the outlook for the company, etc. You don’t want to treat a performance review passively, so have a list of questions to bring to your manager. CNBC has a helpful list of 10 questions you can ask during your review to make the most of this one-on-one time with your manager.