Use These Five Tips to Write Performance Reviews

John Krautzel
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Performance reviews don't have to be dreadful. It gives the manager and teammate a chance to take stock of the employee's value to the company and determine what the employee needs to improve. One aspect of these reviews is an employee self-evaluation. Discover these five tips for writing a self-evaluation ahead of your quarterly or annual review.

1. Remain Honest

Honesty represents the most important aspect of all performance reviews, and the same is true of a self-evaluation. Honesty highlights your best attributes and what you feel needs improvement. Ideally, a self-assessment matches what your manager assesses of your abilities. If not, that's okay, too. A manager is there to help improve your performance rather than get into a point-by-point criticism of your behavior. Your boss should support you during your review. Performance reviews, like job interviews, are two-way conversations. Honesty opens up new ideas and new ways of doing things, and results in better employees overall.

2. Highlight Your Accomplishments

Tout your accomplishments through specific tasks and projects, and show how your actions impacted the company as a whole. For example, list that your analysis of a sales lead generated a 5 percent increase in revenue or how your time-saving techniques increased productivity by 15 percent. These hard numbers point to the value you add to the company. Showing results of how you improved during the past year, whether through performance management software or a careful review of the notes you made, keeps things accurate and real.

3. Track Everything

Take one minute out of each day to write down what you accomplished. Keep this in a document so that when it comes time to write a self-evaluation for performance reviews, you have all of your notes right there in front of you. Search for keywords using the document's find function as you compile notes for a review. These notes can involve metrics, tasks, projects or announcements that highlight what you did on a particular day that helped move the company toward an overall goal.

4. Stay Professional

Performance reviews aren't an open invitation to criticize, lash out or complain. Both you and your manager must remain professional through the whole process. Self-evaluations do not involve bashing your boss, criticizing leaders or complaining about co-workers. Instead, give your review the full attention it deserves. Write a thorough examination of your behavior, edit the copy and memorize major points before talking to your supervisor.

5. Mention Professional Development

As part of performance reviews, you get a chance to mention professional development opportunities. Indicate how any training, conferences, classes or seminars you can attend will take your job to the next level.

Performance reviews are all about honest feedback of your abilities and what you need to improve. A self-evaluation gives you a window into your best traits, how you edify the team and what you can do better. These five tips can help you master writing about yourself.


Photo courtesy of kittijaroon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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