A wise employee welcomes his job performance review. It gives him (we’ll use “him” for easy explanation) an opportunity to learn about how he performed against his supervisor’s goals, his current stature in his company’s eyes, and where he can improve. Accepted with the right attitude, the annual employee evaluation will guide him towards career success. And more money!
- The supervisor’s role: Your superior owns a vested investment in making sure you succeed. His performance is based upon how well his employees achieve, whether he motivates employees to raise profit or cut costs, and whether or not he keeps talented staff. He wants you to succeed; and, needs you to hold his job. These performance reviews are his chance to put you in the right direction
- Your role: Your role in this job performance review is to come to jointly agreed upon performance goals you will achieve in the next year, learn where your skill strengths are, and learn about any weaknesses you have that you can overcome. It also allows you a major chance to shine as the bright boy in his department. You can point out achievements you made that he might not be aware of.
- The ideal employee performance review: In progressive companies, you and the supervisor receive the same Performance Review form. Each of you completes it individually. When the two of you compare it, you will easily agree on certain points. But it also brings out into the open the points you disagree on. The resulting discussion can result in you correcting your supervisor’s misconception, or learning from him what extra training, education or changes you have to make to accelerate your career growth. Keep the conversation friendly. You might concede some minor points.
- The less ideal job performance review: Remember that your superior has to go by the company’s employee evaluation format. He might be faced with completing your performance review in isolation. If he is not in constant contact with you – selling in the field, seeing you implementing those new accounting procedures – he might have a false impression of your value. Now is the time to correct this, and strengthen your job position. Here’s how.
- Don’t remain silent: Prepare a list of the accomplishments you’ve made towards your personal department goals in the past year. Also create – throughout that year – a list of extra accomplishments you created without being asked. In this employee performance review is the time to give him facts and figures, in brief, of the new profit you made, new customers you brought in, and cost cuts you made that improved the company’s bottom line. This sheet should go in your file to your future credit when promotions are made.
- Express your career goals: Now, in this job performance review is the time to explain your career ambitions within his company. If you work in customer service but are taking – and paying for – courses in sales and marketing as that’s where you want to be in a year, it shows ambition, motivation, initiative and determination. These are traits successful employees have, and companies want – and want to keep in their work force. Your supervisor might even offer to guide you towards specific courses you should take to succeed. After all, one of his functions is to develop employees. His promotion depends on how well he coaches and manages his employees. People skills are also valued.
- Request quarterly reviews. Ask your supervisor if you can meet for a performance review every three months. Your motivation is to check if your progress towards this year’s goals are being met in his view, and if not, could he give your direction on how you can improve your actions! It’s a valid request, and one that will keep you closer in touch to avoid any misconceptions.
Your employee performance review can be one of the most rewarding meetings you’ll have all year. It’s all a question of attitude. By handling your employee evaluation properly, in a business like manner, with friendliness and maturity, you have eliminated misconceptions, learned which of your strengths are shining through and what weaknesses to overcome. Now you also know your personal company goals for the next year that, if you achieve, will put you one more step up the corporate ladder.
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