Ace Your Performance Review!
22 May 2012
Read by 1802 persons
Are you aiming for a promotion or a raise this year? Your best chance of success lies in acing your performance review! Just like job interviews, this meeting needs careful preparation to be fruitful. Here's a checklist to ensure you don't miss anything and maximize your chances during the 'big presentation'...
Know your objectives.
This is essential! Do you want a promotion or a raise? The arguments you present to your supervisor will differ depending on your goal. Sure, you managed to halve office supply costs this year. Great, the company thanks you! But while this achievement could be a strong argument for a bonus, it won't help you get that management position you're aiming for! Before the big day, think about what you'll highlight and how you'll present your arguments to achieve your goal.
Be specific.
"The biggest pitfall in performance reviews, despite safeguards, is that they can quickly become subjective," explains Damien Sachler, a career management consultant in large French companies. It's up to you to do everything to avoid this trap! And what's more specific and objective than factual results? Therefore, precisely measure the cost reduction or the revenue increase generated by your work. Also quantify the changes you implemented that aren't necessarily measured in euros, such as implementing procedures that improved team results.
Your supervisor is probably thinking more about next week than the past weeks. So, even if they're not acting in bad faith, they'll have more difficulty than you remembering the efforts you've made over the past months and the successes they've generated. Being factual will prevent you from having to remind them, or worse, having to prove the extent of your contribution to the company, and it will sound like the truth.
Acknowledge your failures.
There's no use hiding reality. Even if you've been successful in many ways, the 'Whatchamacallit' project you were given at the beginning of last year didn't yield the expected results. Of course, you're not solely responsible for the situation, but that's certainly not the defense you should adopt; you need to take responsibility for your part! What, in your opinion, was missing for the project to succeed? Why did things happen this way, and what wouldn't you do the same way again? Finally, and most importantly, how did you react or what will you implement to improve the situation? Finally, what goals do you hope to achieve on this project in the coming months? In short, show that, while not superhuman, you are clear-sighted, reactive and persevering, and you will transform a potential failure into a hope for success!
A no isn't necessarily a sign of failure!
Budgetary constraints, the elimination of the desired position by higher management... There are many reasons why your supervisor may not grant you what you want, even if they think you deserve it. However, make sure you don't hear this speech endlessly at each performance review, otherwise you risk appearing naive to everyone and losing credibility, which would move you further away from the Holy Grail. You will then have to take responsibility and probably look elsewhere for a company that will recognize your talents.
But if your interlocutor is acting in good faith, tell yourself that by acknowledging the legitimacy of your request without being able to respond favorably, they will be keen to make up for it next time. Because if you are truly performing well, they cannot use the same argument twice in a row without risking a decrease in your motivation, or worse, seeing you go to the competition. So you're in a good position to win next time!
However, if you are not satisfied with such a situation, think ahead about a plan B: failing to receive the reward for your involvement in hard cash, try to get the training you want so much! And if this training gives you the skills required for the position you are aiming for, you will be even better placed to get your promotion at the next meeting!
Monster.fr
Posted online May 22, 2012.
Know your objectives.
This is essential! Do you want a promotion or a raise? The arguments you present to your supervisor will differ depending on your goal. Sure, you managed to halve office supply costs this year. Great, the company thanks you! But while this achievement could be a strong argument for a bonus, it won't help you get that management position you're aiming for! Before the big day, think about what you'll highlight and how you'll present your arguments to achieve your goal.
Be specific.
"The biggest pitfall in performance reviews, despite safeguards, is that they can quickly become subjective," explains Damien Sachler, a career management consultant in large French companies. It's up to you to do everything to avoid this trap! And what's more specific and objective than factual results? Therefore, precisely measure the cost reduction or the revenue increase generated by your work. Also quantify the changes you implemented that aren't necessarily measured in euros, such as implementing procedures that improved team results.
Your supervisor is probably thinking more about next week than the past weeks. So, even if they're not acting in bad faith, they'll have more difficulty than you remembering the efforts you've made over the past months and the successes they've generated. Being factual will prevent you from having to remind them, or worse, having to prove the extent of your contribution to the company, and it will sound like the truth.
Acknowledge your failures.
There's no use hiding reality. Even if you've been successful in many ways, the 'Whatchamacallit' project you were given at the beginning of last year didn't yield the expected results. Of course, you're not solely responsible for the situation, but that's certainly not the defense you should adopt; you need to take responsibility for your part! What, in your opinion, was missing for the project to succeed? Why did things happen this way, and what wouldn't you do the same way again? Finally, and most importantly, how did you react or what will you implement to improve the situation? Finally, what goals do you hope to achieve on this project in the coming months? In short, show that, while not superhuman, you are clear-sighted, reactive and persevering, and you will transform a potential failure into a hope for success!
A no isn't necessarily a sign of failure!
Budgetary constraints, the elimination of the desired position by higher management... There are many reasons why your supervisor may not grant you what you want, even if they think you deserve it. However, make sure you don't hear this speech endlessly at each performance review, otherwise you risk appearing naive to everyone and losing credibility, which would move you further away from the Holy Grail. You will then have to take responsibility and probably look elsewhere for a company that will recognize your talents.
But if your interlocutor is acting in good faith, tell yourself that by acknowledging the legitimacy of your request without being able to respond favorably, they will be keen to make up for it next time. Because if you are truly performing well, they cannot use the same argument twice in a row without risking a decrease in your motivation, or worse, seeing you go to the competition. So you're in a good position to win next time!
However, if you are not satisfied with such a situation, think ahead about a plan B: failing to receive the reward for your involvement in hard cash, try to get the training you want so much! And if this training gives you the skills required for the position you are aiming for, you will be even better placed to get your promotion at the next meeting!
Monster.fr
Posted online May 22, 2012.
