Secrets of the No-Stress Performance Review

photo credit: Shereen M

It’s happened to many employees (some of us year after year): performance review panic. While you may be confident for eleven months out of the year, as the time for a 360-degree review rolls around, even the most hardworking souls can get a little nervous–I know that’s certainly been true for me. To make sure that your contributions are highlighted, keep this simple exercise in mind.

Create a running list of all your important projects and accomplishments as you work on them. Often, some of your most challenging and helpful suggestions and initiatives are forgotten by the time your review comes–both by yourself and others. By tracking these projects as you complete them, you can be sure that you’re recognized for what you’ve achieved.

Here’s how to start: create a document (a simple Word doc is fine, but a spreadsheet can be helpful as well) and save it in a convenient place. Each time you find yourself working on something that’s a helpful contribution or is truly showcasing your skills, take a few minutes to note the details. Include any hard data you can get your hands on as well.

How to Organize Your List of Achievements

1. List the project’s title, or simply a name that you can remember. If you’ll have no idea what “Surplus Codes Tracking Initiative” will mean in six months, by all means, list “Organizing Extra Codes into a Database.” Of course, note the title the company has given the project, too, and be sure that this is the title you reference in your performance review or appraisal.
2. List the main duties that you’re responsible for. These may range from “Analyzed data” and “Crosschecked figures for accuracy” to “Prepared multimedia presentation” or “Created the press release.” Also list the people you worked with, and a few quick impressions of their work on the project, such as, “Lisa: timely responses kept the data gathering process on track,” or “Mark: clear communication skills ensured the guidelines were implemented effectively by multiple teams.” This way, you’ll present a professional front with provide concise, meaningful feedback on all aspects of the task.
3. Record the time spent on this project and list the positive outcomes. Were you able to save the company money? Did student achievement levels rise in a measurable way? Was the customer service process streamlined? Whatever the beneficial outcomes were, list them and include links to any documentation or presentations. Calculate any increases in terms of percentages with the hard data you gathered.

With a system in place (this one or one of your own), you can be calm and focused when it’s time for on-the-job performance appraisals. Instead of being nervous and freaked out, you can review your file for a quick refresher on the previous year and know that your contributions and highlights will be recognized.

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