Performance Review
Ah, the infamous performance review – you love it. You sit down and await for hopefully constructive criticism from your supervisor. It can go one of two ways: Good or Bad. It’s all about the attitude – yours and your supervisors. The last thing you want to happen is walk into a performance review when your boss is having a bad day.
In order to survive a performance review in today’s economy I’ve come up with some tips to get you thru it without the headache.
Kiss UP F.A.S.T.
Not a huge advocate for this particular tip but in reality you do have to be on top of this. I remember working at a job that I absolutely detested. I was young and could really care less of the job – don’t get me wrong I worked and did my job but going above and beyond the “call of duty” – no thanks. Yet, on the week of the review I would do everything I could to butter up my supervisor.
- More Coffee: What can I do to better serve you with drinks and snack from the common area. Oh, out of your favorite pop? I’ll run out and get it.
- No more shop talk: Find something that THEY like whether it be sports or entertainment and talk about it NON-STOP!
- Hungry? Lunch on me. That’s right offer up to pick up the check when you go to lunch with them.
- Copies? Collated? Office supplies running low: I’m on it. Your supervisor might have an assistant or can do these things themselves but why?
Spreadsheet of Performance
Why have your boss do all the work on trying to evaluate you? Just put together an itemized list of projects and your contribution to it. This takes some time, especially if you’ve slacked off the past 6 months. This is why I go with the first option so far. Nonetheless sometimes you just have to do the work to get by.
Letter of Appreciation
You did well on the last performance review so why not bring it in just in case your boss gets on you about your recent lack of enthusiasm for the job. Maybe you worked with other co-workers or clients and they felt you did an excellent job helping them so why not print out that email.
It shows that you are in fact doing something besides playing solitare.
What have you done to survive a performance review?