Mastering Your Annual Review Preparation

Week 66: Mastering Your Annual Review Preparation

?

As we enter the performance review season, it's time to proactively shape the narrative of your professional journey over the past year. Crafting a compelling self-assessment is not just a formality; it's your opportunity to influence your manager's evaluation, potentially impacting your career trajectory and compensation.

?

Considering the challenges managers face with numerous direct reports, it's crucial to present a concise yet impactful overview of your accomplishments. Here are five strategic steps to draft a self-assessment that reflects your achievements while showcasing self-awareness and a commitment to improvement:

?

1. Focus on the Entire Year:

?? Acknowledge the tendency to recall recent accomplishments and deliberately extend your reflection to cover the entire year. If you haven't maintained a record, review your calendar to jog your memory about projects, assignments, and significant conversations. Compile a comprehensive list to gain a holistic perspective on your achievements.

?

2. Consider Company and Functional Goals:

?? Distinguish between routine job duties and tasks directly contributing to company and functional objectives. Align your accomplishments with overarching goals. For instance, evaluate the impact of your initiatives not just on day-to-day operations but also on broader organisational objectives, ensuring your efforts are strategically aligned with the company's vision.

?

3. Look for Alignment with Company Values:

?? Beyond what you achieved, consider how you achieved it in alignment with company culture and values. Highlight instances where your actions resonated with key organisational values. If collaboration is a core value, emphasise how you fostered cooperation across departments to achieve common goals, showcasing not just the 'what' but the 'how' of your accomplishments.

?

4. Seek Feedback from Colleagues:

?? Anticipate the feedback your manager might seek from others by proactively reaching out to colleagues. Gather insights on your achievements, focusing on areas that might have been highlighted in previous performance reviews. Incorporate this external perspective into your self-assessment, demonstrating a willingness to learn and adapt based on constructive feedback.

?

5.?Draft a Concise Accomplishment List:

?? Condense your extensive list of achievements into a concise yet impactful self-assessment. Select no more than five of the most significant accomplishments, ensuring each aligns with company goals, reflects adherence to values, and incorporates feedback from colleagues. Utilise the STAR method to clearly articulate the Situation, Task, Action, and Result for each achievement, providing a structured and compelling narrative.

?

Approaching your annual review with a well-crafted self-assessment demonstrates your commitment to reflection, improvement, and contributing meaningfully to organisational success. By strategically presenting your achievements and aligning them with broader company objectives, you position yourself as a proactive and valuable asset to the team. Happy self-reflection and learning!