Are you under the impression that annual reviews are simply a required waste of time? If so, you aren’t alone. Many workers believe that annual or year-end reviews are nothing but a “go through the motions” process that has little impact or reward for them on the other side. But the truth is it doesn’t need to be that way. Annual reviews are your one guaranteed chance to demonstrate your value and provide a real opportunity to climb the career ladder.

Follow this advice to make the most out of your annual performance review …

• Know How the Process Works.
  Whether you are new to the organization or a veteran of the company now is the time to be proactive about your review process. Find out the details about how your company approaches the year-end review process. Ask to see the form(s) that are used so that you have a clear idea of what metrics or measurable items are being utilized to gauge your performance.
• Help Your Boss Help You.
  Remember, annual reviews are another addition to your boss’ “to do” list, and one they didn’t ask for either. That means they may not be keeping meticulous notes on your performance throughout the year. Help them recall your accomplishments by writing them a memo, filling out the review forms yourself ahead of time, or e-mail in a format that is easy to incorporate into your review. This, of course, means you need to be tracking your accomplishments throughout the year. Here are some general items you should address in advance of your review:
  • Honest feedback (diplomatically delivered) for your boss.
  • Your performance throughout the year, focusing on above-and-beyond contributions.
  • Goals and objectives for the next year.
  • Additional training or skills to develop to help accomplish those objectives.
  • Your own assessment of your performance, including strengths and weaknesses.
• Make Yourself Distinguishable.
  In other words, just because you did your job, and did it well over the course of a year, doesn’t make for a compelling reason to hand you a raise or a promotion. Remember, most bosses only have a limited budget to dole out raises so a big increase for you means a smaller raise to your peers. A salary increase or promotion is typically given for performance that is above-and-beyond your usual job duties. When you are gathering your accomplishments, make sure they focus on ways you differentiated yourself from your coworkers, took on additional responsibilities, or particularly challenging projects that were beyond the scope of your job description.
• Start the Process In Advance.
  Although most bosses wait until the very last minute to actually write or submit your review, they may have been required to submit raise recommendations well before then. It is a good rule-of-thumb to actively and objectively communicate your performance highlights throughout the year. Don’t wait until a week before reviews are due. Meet regularly with your supervisor, formally or informally.

The old saying “you get out what you put in” holds true for annual performance reviews. If you don’t actively and regularly communicate with your manager throughout the year, how can you expect them to remember during review time? Communication with your manager regarding job performance should take place frequently and real-time, not just once a year.