Preparing for performance reviews ahead of time
Things you can do for a better performance review, starting months ahead of when this review will happen.
Q: I want to make sure I get a decent – or at least not a disappointing – performance review at the end of the year. What can I do to prepare for it during the months ahead?
Performance reviews are a significant – and sometimes stressful – time for many people at large companies and at some startups. These reviews determine bonuses, eligibility for promotion, and they’re that rare occurrence – within many organizations – of being rated by a quantitative system.
The good news is there is almost always plenty you can do to achieve better performance review results! However, there’s not much you can do at the last minute, so preparing well in advance is a good idea.
Around this time last year, we covered Preparing for promotions ahead of time. Now, let’s jump into those things you can do for a better perf review. We’ll cover:
Start early; gather context and set goals. Things you should do as soon as possible, ideally months before the review.
The power of habit. Low effort activities to do regularly, which can make a big difference in a performance review.
Ahead of the performance review. Weeks before a performance review is due, there are several ways to help make it easier for your manager to prepare for it and for calibration, to ensure you get a fair hearing.
Preparing to receive the rating. Dealing with better – or worse – than expected feedback.
How to not be “that person” who only cares about their own performance. Playing the long game and divorcing your professional and personal growth from performance reviews.
This issue comes with three documents you can use for inspiration, all related to performance reviews, listed at the end of the article and in the subscriber-only documents collection.
Related reading to this article: