Performance reviews, whether they occur every six months, annually, or at the end of a project, are crucial ways for managers to assess their team members’ performance. For team members, these reviews are a valuable opportunity to receive feedback and set actionable goals for the future. Yes, these reviews are sometimes tense, even frightening—but with enough preparation and the right mindset, they can be transformed into positive experiences.
More companies are taking a fresh look at how they provide feedback and align their corporate goals with the work professionals do day-to-day. This is especially true within newer tech companies, where managers can often take a more flexible approach and younger workers expect to receive feedback a lot more often than once a year. In large part, the change is being driven by the demands of Millennials and Gen Zers. Whereas Baby Boomers often approach work with an attitude of “tell me what you need to get done,” Millennials want their work life to double as a learning experience.
With all that in mind, here are some tips for preparing effectively for a performance review.
Preparing Psychologically for Your Performance Review
First and foremost, you must prepare psychologically for your performance review. To that end, keep the following tips in mind:
- Shift your mindset: You might get too nervous if you keep thinking of your performance review as a judgment. Instead, see it as a conversation focused on growth and development, as well as your skills. If you think of it as a way to improve yourself, you’ll relax and engage more.
- Self-assess: Before sitting down with your manager, take the time to assess your own performance objectively. Identify your accomplishments in the period since your last review, including projects completed and challenges overcome.
- Set your own goals: Come prepared with a set of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the next period, whether that’s a year or a few weeks.
Other Steps to Prepare for Your Performance Review
Keep these other “basics” in mind when preparing for your performance review. If you do these well in advance, you’ll be relaxed and prepared on the day of your actual review.
- Gather relevant data and materials: Whether performance reports, completed projects, and feedback received throughout the review period, you’ll want to bring anything that will help you frame your performance for the previous period.
- Prepare talking points: Write a list of your achievements and areas to work on.
- Prepare to ask for what you want: At an annual or six-month review, you might have to offer up your goals for the next year; you may also have the opportunity to make a salary request. Make sure you have your “wants” lined up, especially if you’d like your manager to spring for a benefit such as additional training and education.
Understanding Different Performance Review Types
Not all reviews are created equal, especially in tech, where the review format for a giant software company might differ considerably from what you might find at a startup. With that in mind, here are some of the kinds of reviews you might face:
- Introductory Review: This initial review focuses on adjusting to the role and meeting expectations. It’s a good opportunity for new employees to ask lots of questions and figure out if they’re succeeding in the role.
- 6 Month Review: This mid-year check-in assesses progress against goals, identifies any roadblocks, and adjusts plans as needed. It’s a good opportunity to make adjustments to your performance in “midstream.” (Some companies also opt for a quarterly review.)
- Annual Review: This comprehensive review evaluates overall performance, sets goals for the coming year, and discusses career development opportunities. Many companies will tie your raise or bonus into these reviews, so it’s important to bring your best effort. It’s synonymous with the end-of-year review.
Questions to Ask Your Manager
Advice sites (like this one) always like to tell you to come prepared with questions for your manager or interviewer. In that spirit, here are some basic questions you can ask during your review. Pay attention to the answers and think about how you can incorporate those into your current mindset and workflows:
- What were my most significant accomplishments this year?
- What areas do you think I can improve in?
- What resources or support are available to help me achieve my goals?
- What are the opportunities for career advancement in my field?
- What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for my role in the coming year?
How can you succeed in a performance review?
If you want to “win” the performance review, keep the following things in mind:
- Participate: Have opinions about your team, department, and company, and share them during conversations with your manager. Productive conversations aren’t one-sided.
- Take advantage of the process: Whatever type of review program your company puts in place, use it in ways that can truly help you improve. Be proactive about asking your peers or manager for feedback, and don’t limit yourself to those who you think will say nice things; you can learn a lot from someone who disagreed with you on some aspect of a project. On the flip side, when someone asks you to provide feedback, respond in a timely manner.
- Learn to listen: Even in the best of circumstances, listening to feedback can be awkward. Go into conversations with the assumption that your manager intends to share helpful observations, and avoid getting defensive.
The dynamics of performance management are changing to provide more opportunities for professionals to understand and influence their role in the business. As with so many other things in life, your success within performance reviews will hinge on your preparation beforehand. You can never do too little.
