Provisional Blog

As one of Coeur d’Alene’s top employment agencies, we know that there are some people in this world that actually look forward to performance reviews. These are the same people who enjoy going to the dentist and proofreading Chinese food menus.

However, if you’re like most people, you fall into the former category, not the latter – and prepping for a performance review can be stressful.

But rather than dreading your review, look at it an opportunity to improve performance and strengthen your position within the company. Here’s how:

Keep an open mind.

Even if you’ve done a great job, you’re not perfect. Therefore, your boss will probably have some constructive feedback to offer you. If he or she does, take it with an open mind. Don’t get defensive and dismissive. Instead, view it as an opportunity to shore up your weaknesses and build on your successes in the future.

Prove your worth.

Before your performance review, put together a summary of accomplishments and goals you’ve met throughout the year. Give specific, concrete examples of how you’ve contributed in a positive way to your company. Toot your own horn a little bit. Your boss may not know about every piece of positive client feedback you’ve gotten, or an instance when you put out a fire with some quick thinking, so now’s the time to show how you’ve gone above and beyond.

Demonstrate growth.

If in your last performance review, your boss pointed out a weak spot, then be prepared to show how you’ve overcome it throughout the course of the year.

Be proactive.

If you know areas where you need to improve, then develop a plan for how to overcome those issues and meet expectations before you go into the meeting. Your boss will be impressed with your proactive nature and likely relieved that you’re already aware of your weaknesses.

Avoid nasty surprises.

As one of Coeur d’Alene’s top employment agencies, we know there’s nothing worse than going into a performance review thinking it will be a positive experience, and then walking away stunned due to all the negative feedback your boss gave you.

To avoid this kind of situation, seek input from your boss throughout the year. Check in with him or her periodically; offer a status report on your progress and ask for thoughts or feedback. Use that as a guide to address – and hopefully overcome – any shortcomings before your performance review.