5 ways to prepare for your next performance review

Rachel Nauen

Performance reviews can be intimidating. Sitting down with your manager to discuss your work performance and hear their feedback sends many workers into a panic. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Follow these five steps to prepare for your next performance review.

1. Determine how frequently performance reviews will be held. The majority of employers conduct performance reviews once a year (40 percent), with some employers conducting them once a quarter (19 percent), or once a month (17 percent), according to recent CareerBuilder research.

2. Document your wins. Throughout the year, keep track of the projects you work on and any results you help secure. Bringing in a log of these accomplishments is a great way to refresh your manager’s brain (they might have forgotten some of these wins, especially if your reviews take place once a year!) and back up your work since your last review.

3. Figure out how your work ties back to the greater goals of the company. Workers that can show how their goals impact the company have a greater chance of being tapped to lead an exciting project, a promotion or a bonus.

4. Think about what parts of your job you like the most. Taking the time to identify what areas of your job you like and want to grow in is crucial to your career. Talk through this with your manager and see what new projects or training you can take on to excel in these areas. Employers love when their employees are passionate, as engaged workers often produce better work, so don’t be afraid to share your interests!

5. If you have something to share with your manager about their management style, go for it. Almost a quarter of employers (24 percent) do not ask for feedback on managers, and 8 percent of managers are evaluated less often than once a year – which is a crucial mistake. If you have feedback for your manager on something they do that is directly hindering you from doing your job, think about diplomatic ways to approach it.

When you’re prepared for your performance review, they can be a great place for you and your manager to align on key priorities and goals, and to get constructive feedback that will help you excel in your role.

Want more performance review help? Be sure to ask these 6 questions during your next review.