Take Control of Your Annual Review: 3 Strategies to Make Your Review Work for You

Annual performance evaluations are a reality for most professional workers. While we may question their value, we still have to buckle down and write self-evaluations at the end of the year. Here are 3 strategies we use to ensure our annual reviews work for us:

1. Establish Meaningful Objectives and Key Results  - A primary component of most performance evaluation models is an annual goal setting process. Usually, this is done at the beginning of the year, but don’t worry - most companies allow for goals to be edited throughout the year, so you can apply this advice whenever. Use this time to establish meaningful AND measurable objectives and key results, and set your goal targets in the text of your goal. An example for a project manager might be:

• Objective: Implement enhancements to Inventory Management System by end of Q3 2025

• Key Result: At least 80% of inventory management projects that I manage are completed on time and satisfy initial project requirements/targets

• Meets Expectations - 80%+

• Exceeds Expectations - 90%+

Make sure to set some time with your manager to align on both the goals and the meets/exceeds targets.

2. Establish Your Own Narrative - How do YOU feel about the year you had? If you feel good about it, then make sure you make the strongest case you can for yourself. 

Keep an ongoing win list to capture your accomplishments  - we recommend creating a routine and scheduling time to do this at least once a month. Refer to this win list when writing your self-evaluation so you can highlight each of the major accomplishments and projects that you were a part of and how you directly contributed. Be sure to include how you responded to adversity and setbacks. We often focus on the deliverable itself, but fail to document the how, especially when we experience roadblocks - sometimes articulating your ability to roll with the punches is the difference between a great review and a good one.

Take the time to spell out all the ways that you specifically made a difference. The more thorough you are, the more difficult it will be to argue against the narrative you establish. In addition, this can help you to combat any unconscious recency bias your manager may have when they sit down to write your review - make sure you are reminding them of your earlier accomplishments!

3. Use Numbers - Wherever possible, use numbers to establish the impact of your contributions. How much money or time did you save? Did you improve quality? How much? Statements like “this solution led to a 7% quality improvement” or “87% of the projects I managed met requirements and were completed on time” establish evidence to support your narrative. Providing numbers is one of the most objective ways to back up the value you provided your organization throughout the year.

Use goal setting to set your goal posts, then provide your own narrative and use numbers so that your manager is responding to what you have already established. They may include things you leave out, but they will mostly respond to what is already there - sell yourself! Write a review that matches the rating you feel you deserve.