Making your annual review work for you
How far do you prepare for your annual review? It's a superb opportunity
to talk through your career plans with your boss - if you've properly prepared!
Have you considered that preparing an agenda for your boss could be helpful
to both of you?
By – DeskDemon.com
In terms of preparing for your annual review, consider:
- What do you want to achieve next year in your current position or company?
And in the next 3 years? Focusing on your future career will help you
identify what's important to you, and how far your current employer will
help you meet your career ambitions and wishes. Study your organisation
to help you identify possible opportunities. It's also a chance to find
out whether there is anything you can take over from the boss in a major
way to support him further while boosting your own profile, skills and
experience. Now is the perfect time to talk about any new challenges
you want and how you see the role going.
- What support do you need from your boss and managers to meet your career
goals? Should they be looking out for a project to develop your skills
and experience in an area which excites you? For example, if you want
to get more involved in training staff, could you take on a role as helping
with inductions, or giving training? Can you support that by studying
for professional exams the organisation might support you with?
- What new skills do you need to learn to be more effective? Where and
what are the difficulties; do you feel you could do with more help in
making presentations or supervising a team, for example? Let's
do a skills audit will help you identify skills you need training
in. You can save it, download it or print off your personal skills audit
to use in your annual review.
- Once you've identified the training you require, find out which training
providers are appropriate for you needs. Be able to show your boss that
you've checked out several providers and chosen one above all others. 10
hot tips to getting the boss to agree to sponsoring your training and
learning will help.
- Now is the time to talk to your boss about anything which is stopping
you meeting your goals and career ambitions (within reason! If you're
plotting a change of career, then it could be best to keep that to yourself).
It's also a good time to discuss your working conditions, including salary
and perks, your title and anything else which concerns you. If you feel
you deserve a raise, do your homework first and find out what the market
is paying. (See How
to get a raise) If you want greater recognition, think through carefully
before your meeting exactly how you want to receive that recognition.
- If, during your review, it becomes clear that your organisation won't
be able to provide the career you want, you may need to consider whether
it's time to move on. Check out the Recruitment pages
for help and if you're a registered user also see the Interactive How
do I get there? pages.
When your review is over:
- Put your plan where you can see it, take pride in it, and act on it.
- Regularly review your progress
- In these days of cost cutting, if your organisation won't fund any
training you want, consider doing it anyway. 10
hot things to consider when the company won't fund a course will help
you decide what to do.
- Update your CV accordingly with your new skills, projects, courses,
responsibilities
- Let your boss know how things are going well
- Congratulate yourself!
Recommended reading:
Fast Thinking for your Own Appraisal by Richard Templar, Prentice
Hall, 2001 at www.amazon.co.uk