{"id":9819,"date":"2023-12-11T16:50:46","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T16:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/?p=9819"},"modified":"2023-12-20T10:00:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T10:00:18","slug":"how-to-ace-your-annual-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/how-to-ace-your-annual-review\/","title":{"rendered":"How to ace your annual review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you hear the words \u201cannual review\u201d and fill with dread? For many employees, the annual appraisal process can be a source of stress and uncertainty. It&#8217;s the time when employers assess your performance, determine salary adjustments, discuss progression opportunities, and potentially unveil bonuses. If you have aspirations of progression, you need to be prepared. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help, we\u2019ve created the twelve steps to acing your annual review. We&#8217;ll explore effective strategies to navigate your annual review successfully, ensuring it becomes an opportunity for growth, recognition, and strategic planning for the year ahead. You&#8217;ve got this!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What is an annual review?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as an annual performance appraisal or performance review, they&#8217;re an opportunity for managers and team members to meet to discuss and review performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of employers benchmark using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which are quantifiable measures of performance. Some KPI examples include: revenue per month, new customers per quarter, reach of social media accounts, percentage of on-time completion, and cash flow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During your review, your employer will review your KPIs, set you a new set of KPIs, and discuss routes for progression.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You won\u2019t usually find out if you\u2019ve got a bonus, pay rise, or promotion during these meetings, but they are an opportunity for you to discuss what you would like.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What are the ideal outcomes of an annual review?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An annual review shouldn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s just focused on you; you should also have the opportunity to review your team, your manager, and the organization you work for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some outcomes include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A promotion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A roadmap to progression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changes to the scope of your role<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increases to your salary and package based on performance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A set of achievable goals for the next 12 months<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KPIs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the meeting, there should be a follow-up that clearly explains the next steps and any outcomes that have been agreed. Usually, this is written in the form of a document or email.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9828\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Two women having a meeting, sitting with their laptops across a table from one another.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/airfocus-D4D1WzaVpk8-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to ace your annual review<\/h2>\n<h3>Step 1: Create a record of achievement<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the year, keep a record of all your wins in the workplace. This could be anything from hiring and training a new teammate to public speaking to simply getting ahead of your task list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where possible, review these against your KPIs. You can also review them against your job description if KPIs have not been set.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where wins fall outside of your job description, for example, you\u2019re managing more teammates, keep a note of this too. Any successes that fall outside of your job description could be particularly useful if you want to secure a promotion or work towards a new job title.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re regularly getting praise via email or on a channel like Slack or Teams, keep track of these. They\u2019ll help you to showcase your impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 2: Review your job description<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What in your job description fills you with dread, and what do you particularly enjoy? Your annual review should be the perfect time to align your expectations of your job with the expectations of your boss.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re pushing for a promotion, review the job description of what the next rung of the ladder is too. How far off are you? Are you already operating at that level? This information can be really powerful.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 3: Revisit your goals and KPIs from last year<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s face it, most of these goals and KPIs will be long forgotten. Make sure you know what you\u2019ve achieved, what you haven\u2019t and why, and how last year\u2019s plan compared to this year\u2019s reality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t have any goals in writing, or you\u2019re new in your role then creating some should be on the agenda for your annual review.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 4: Choose your top three achievements<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose wisely, focusing on what is important to you and important to your boss too. Back up these achievements with both quantitative and qualitative data if you can. The more specific you can be about your achievements, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 5: Identify three goals for the next year<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps your review of the job description for the job above has highlighted some areas where your knowledge and experience are lacking, or there\u2019s just a career goal you\u2019d like to achieve. Bring some goals to your review.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This could be anything from new responsibilities, leading on a project, or learning and development. As well as keeping you engaged at work, this also shows your manager that you\u2019ve put thought into your review and that you\u2019re an employee who is thinking ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 6: Gather feedback<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your boss will probably do this too, but why not get some feedback yourself? Ask your colleagues and peers but also ask clients too. If you\u2019ve built up a good rapport with some particular clients, ask them if they\u2019d be happy to give you a short paragraph of feedback. You\u2019ll find more people are happy to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bringing this feedback with you to a review meeting (as long as it\u2019s positive) will show that you\u2019ve been objective and make your asks a lot easier.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 7: Write your performance review<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being as prepared as possible is essential. Pull together all the information you\u2019ve gathered into a concise and structured format ready to review. This could be a document or presentation or simply notes that you bring with you into the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By formulating this document, you\u2019ll gain clarity on what outcomes you want from your performance review, and why you should get them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 8: Recognize the strengths of your peers<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the time your review won\u2019t be happening in a vacuum, you\u2019ll be benchmarked against your peers formally or informally.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing the strengths of your peers, how you\u2019d benchmark yourself against them, and how you\u2019d differentiate yourself will make your boss\u2019s job easier.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 9: Know what you\u2019re asking for<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most successful employees know exactly what they\u2019re asking for. Don\u2019t go in with a long list, instead choose a few priorities and make it clear exactly what you want, how that can be achieved, and what your employer needs to do.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose just a few things to focus on. For example, if you\u2019d like a pay rise and a promotion, focus on asking for the latter as a pay rise will come with a promotion anyway. If you want to get chartered, don\u2019t focus on small learning and development opportunities, focus on the learning and development required for that chartership.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whatever your ask is, it should be unique to you &#8211; not just what everyone else is asking for.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 10: Prepare, prepare, prepare<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more prepared you are, the calmer you\u2019ll feel and the more impressed your boss will be. Make sure that you\u2019ve blocked some time out in your calendar beforehand so that you\u2019re not late or in a rush, prepare as much information in advance and share it digitally with your manager ahead of time. You could also propose an agenda if your manager has not done so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By demonstrating that time and thought has gone into your review, you\u2019re showing your boss that this is something you care about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9837\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"A woman sitting in a lecture hall taking notes.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/the-climate-reality-project-Hb6uWq0i4MI-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Step 11: Take notes<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can feel like a blur, especially if you find conversations like this hard. Make sure you take notes so you can reflect on what was said after the meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you struggle to take notes, then don\u2019t hesitate to ask for the meeting to be recorded so you can rewatch or relisten. It may sound a bit cringe, but this is your career and it\u2019s important.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Step 12: Don\u2019t wait for a follow-up<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The meeting\u2019s done, you\u2019ve made some notes, and you\u2019re clear on what the agreed actions are, so make sure you follow up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Send your manager an email that clearly defines your agreed goals and KPIs, what was discussed in the meeting, and any timescales for decisions. This is as much a way of showing your boss you\u2019ve paid attention as it is something for your records.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If deadlines aren\u2019t met, or agreed learning and development aren\u2019t arranged, this written record can be something you can follow up with.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>A final note<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, your annual review is as much a review of your employer as it is of you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-cta-box\">If you don\u2019t get the outcomes you were hoping for and think you could be getting more money or a better job elsewhere then check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/value-my-resume\">ValueMyResume<\/a> tool which will benchmark you and your skills nationally.<\/div>\n<div>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"emoji\" draggable=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/11\/svg\/1f4a1.svg\" alt=\"\" \/>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/how-to-know-if-you-should-change-jobs-in-the-new-year\/\">How to know if you should change jobs in the New Year<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you hear the words \u201cannual review\u201d and fill with dread? For many employees, the annual appraisal process can be a source of stress and uncertainty. It&#8217;s the time when employers assess your performance, determine salary adjustments, discuss progression opportunities, and potentially unveil bonuses. If you have aspirations of progression, you need to be prepared.<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/how-to-ace-your-annual-review\/\"> Continued \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":9831,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,135],"tags":[140],"class_list":["post-9819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-at-work","category-pay-benefits","tag-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9819"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9946,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9819\/revisions\/9946"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}