You’re feeling anxious about your upcoming performance review. How can you prepare to ace it?

1 Review your goals and accomplishments

Before your performance review, take some time to review your goals and accomplishments for the past period. Make a list of the projects you completed, the skills you learned, the feedback you received, and the challenges you overcame. Be specific and quantify your results whenever possible. This will help you demonstrate your value and impact to your team and organization.

2 Anticipate questions and prepare answers

Your manager will likely ask you some questions during your performance review, such as how you rate your performance, what are your strengths and weaknesses, what are your career aspirations, and how you handle feedback. Anticipate these questions and prepare some answers in advance. Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to structure your responses and provide concrete examples. Practice your answers out loud or with a friend to gain confidence and clarity.

3 Highlight your achievements and areas of improvement

During your performance review, don't be shy to highlight your achievements and areas of improvement. Share your list of accomplishments and explain how they contributed to your team and organizational goals. Express your gratitude for the opportunities and support you received. Also, acknowledge your areas of improvement and show your willingness to learn and grow. Ask for constructive feedback and suggestions on how to improve your performance and skills.

4 Set SMART goals for the next period

Another important part of your performance review is setting SMART goals for the next period. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. These are the criteria that make your goals clear, realistic, and trackable. Discuss your goals with your manager and align them with your team and organizational objectives. Make sure you understand the expectations and resources available to achieve your goals.

5 Ask questions and listen actively

Your performance review is also an opportunity to ask questions and listen actively to your manager. You can ask questions about your career development, training opportunities, feedback mechanisms, or any other concerns you have. Listen actively to what your manager says and show your interest and engagement. Avoid interrupting, arguing, or getting defensive. Instead, seek to understand, clarify, and collaborate.

6 Follow up and take action

After your performance review, follow up with your manager and thank them for their time and feedback. Summarize the main points of your discussion and the action steps you agreed on. Keep a record of your performance review and refer to it regularly. Take action on the feedback and goals you received and track your progress. Communicate with your manager and update them on your achievements and challenges.