How to Prepare for Your End of Year Review

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The end of the year may seem far away, but it’s never too early to start planning for your review. Don’t sweat, even though this meeting can be nerve-racking, it’s essential for both your employer and for you! There are many ways you can benefit from a performance review, so it’s crucial to prepare ahead of time in order to get the most out of this meeting. 

Here are some tips to take the initiative when prepping for your end of year review:

Keep a list 

Ideally, you should write down all the big projects and work goals you accomplished throughout the year. If you haven’t been keeping track as you complete these tasks, sit down before your meeting and think back on your accomplishments this past year. Check-in with your team if you’re having trouble remembering all that you worked on. Compile a list of your biggest achievements so you’re prepared to tell your supervisor all your wins this past year!

Determine your goals

Before going into the meeting, you should think about what it is you want to accomplish by this time next year. That way, you can speak with your supervisor about the company’s goals, in what ways you can improve, or what you should continue doing in order to see those goals met by next year. If you don’t know what role you want to have in the company moving forward, prepare some questions for your supervisor to determine what the next step in your career would be. 

If you had a great year, be prepared to showcase that in order to ask for what you want. Whether that be a raise, a promotion, or more responsibility. Don’t be shy when it comes to presenting yourself and your achievements to your employer. Know your worth and make sure your supervisor knows it too! 

Practice out loud

It’s important to speak through what you’ll be saying to get comfortable with your content-especially the part where you ask for a raise. That way, once you get to the meeting you can focus on presenting yourself in the best light, instead of scrambling to figure out what to say. Look back on this past year and craft your story; storytelling will help you better connect with your supervisors.

The looming end-of-year review can be stressful for anyone no matter how confident you feel in your work performance. Be sure to prepare ahead of time in order to curb some of your fear. If you want to bring your best communication skills to the meeting with your employer, book an appointment with me here!