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Ditch Performance Review Doldrums

Are you under the impression that annual reviews are simply a required waste of time? 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. An article posted recently on Business Week.com gives some great advice to both manager and employees on how to make the most of the performance review process. I've got a few hints of my own for workers.

Know How the Process Works. Whether you are new to the organization or a veteran of the company, 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 email in a format that is easy to incorporate into your review.

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. Most bosses only have a limited budget to dole out raises so a big increase for you means a smaller raise to your peers. Make sure your yearly accomplishments focus on ways you differentiated yourself from your coworkers or took on additional responsibilities that were beyond the scope of your job description.

Remember, the old saying "you get out what you put in" holds true for annual performance reviews too.