What do you do if your software engineering performance evaluation opens up new career opportunities?

1 Assess your options

Carefully assessing your options is the first step. Depending on your performance evaluation, you might have opportunities such as taking on more responsibility or leadership in your current role, moving to a different team, applying for a higher-level role, pursuing further education or certification, or starting your own project or business. Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to consider your personal and professional goals, interests, preferences, and values. Additionally, you should think about the current and future market demand, salary potential, and growth prospects for each option.

2 Seek feedback and advice

Before making any decision, it's wise to seek feedback and advice from various sources. This could include your manager, mentor, or coach who can provide insight into your strengths and weaknesses. It could also be your peers, colleagues, or friends who can give their experiences and perspectives on different opportunities. Additionally, you can turn to your network contacts or mentors in the software engineering field or industry for valuable information and referrals. When seeking feedback and advice, be open-minded and curious, but remember to make the final decision yourself. You know best what suits you and what makes you happy.

3 Plan your next steps

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to do next, you need to plan your next steps and take action. Depending on your chosen option, this might involve updating your resume, preparing for interviews, negotiating salary or benefits, learning new skills or tools, managing your time and resources, or communicating your decision to your team. Planning your next steps can be both exciting and challenging. To make it easier, break down your goals into smaller tasks and set realistic deadlines. Track your progress and celebrate your achievements as you go.