Performance reviews, whether quarterly, bi-annually or annually, can be intimidating.
But, with the right preparation, they don’t have to be.
I found these tips to be extremely helpful when preparing for performance reviews and couldn’t help but share.
When getting ready for your next review or feedback meeting, follow the five steps below.
1. Highlight Your Accomplishments
Your performance review is your time to shine, so don’t sell yourself short. Prior to your meeting, gather all the accomplishments you have achieved since your last review so you can highlight them. Some accomplishments to consider including are:
- Kudos from team members or account managers.
- Positive feedback from clients.
- Professional development accomplishments (i.e. books, webinars, local networking events).
- Agency involvement (i.e. contributing to the company blog or planning culture events).
- Client service wins, such as developing strategy documents or high-performing campaigns.
Think of the work that makes you proud and helped you grow as a professional. And, don’t be afraid to toot your own horn!
2. Uncover Areas Where Improvement Is Needed
Let’s face it—nobody is perfect. Even the most experienced agency professionals have areas they need to work on.
When preparing for your review, look for areas that may need some focus, and tender love and care. Showcase to your reviewer that you are aware of challenges specific to your career and lay out how you will overcome them.
For example, if you are looking to improve your writing skills for a certain industry, consider reading relevant articles regularly to obtain more knowledge and expertise.
3. Set Attainable Goals for Yourself
Once you have laid out your successes and challenges, it’s time to set some attainable goals for yourself.
For example, to decrease blog writing time, figure out where you are now and where you want to be in the next few months. Hone in on shaving off time little by little (while still producing high-quality work) until you reach your goal.
Give yourself something to work toward, so when it comes time for your next performance review, you have concrete data to back up your achievements and improvements.
4. Set Up Meetings With Account Managers
Don’t go into your performance review uncertain as to how it will go. Prior to your overarching review, set up mini feedback sessions with your account managers.
Grab a bite to eat or some coffee, and discuss your performance since your last review. This will help you gather insight beforehand and eliminate unwanted surprises.
Plus, it can also help you unveil successes and challenges that you may have overlooked.
5. Be Ready to Embrace Feedback
Feedback is key to getting the most out of your performance review. When going into your review, be open minded to any and all feedback you receive.
Receiving feedback of all kinds is the best way to learn what you are doing well and what you need to work on.
Embrace both positive feedback and constructive criticism to become a better agency professional. Doing so can help boost your confidence and grow in areas of weakness.
Do you have a performance review in the near future? How do you plan to prepare? Share with us in the comments below.
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