Preparing for your Performance Review (part 1)

In this series of posts, I will discuss preparing for the standard performance review. I define this as a performance review in which one employee is being reviewed by one or more reviewers, often including one's manager, but not necessarily.

These posts will be geared toward the party being reviewed, rather than the reviewer. I will not be considering 360 degree and related reviews.

A performance review can be referred to by different terms, including review, performance evaluation, performance appraisal, annual review, annual evaluation, annual appraisal, salary review, etc.

Performance reviews are important for various reasons, some more obvious, some less so. Most obviously, they may impact your salary, although there are employers that give you the same salary increase whether you have a good or bad review. One of my previous employers had that policy. The result was employee performance that was mediocre at best.

Also, performance reviews constitute feedback regarding how your performance is perceived by your primary customers. Do you have a future your current department? Are your accomplishments underrated? Is your reviewer so off-track that you question his/her management skills, or even his/her grip on reality? Performance reviews can help you answer these questions.