What is your role in your performance review?
Are you passive, giving all the speaking power to your boss?
Do you wait for him to ask the questions and provide his opinion on your past performance, and future goals?
If that describes you, you are not getting everything out of your appraisal that you should be.
These meetings are not just for your manager to review your work, but also for you to be able to get the advice and help you need to thrive not only in your current position, but in your career.
Therefore, you should find the confidence to ask questions during your performance review, such as:
What areas can I grow in?
Even if you are the most hard-working employee, and your manager has had no negative feedback on your performance in your appraisal, this is an imperative question to ask.
First, it could be that your boss simply chose to focus on the positive, and didn’t want to bring up the negative (some managers simply don’t want to create conflict).
However, knowing your limitations, she will never offer you more challenging work, and may not think of you when it comes time to promoting.
Second, even if you are excelling in your current role, you should be thinking forward, and trying to learn the skills needed for a higher position.
Therefore, it is beneficial to ask your manager what you should focus on to reach the next level in employment.
Are there opportunities for me to advance?
In addition to finding out what skills you need to become a better employee, you need to directly ask your boss if there are opportunities for advancement in your company.
While not all leaders will be open about this, and some may not even know the answer themselves, this is a good question to assess your opportunities in the organisation.
For example, if your boss mentions that a position may be opening within the next half a year, you can have a direct conversation about your chances of getting it.
How can I become a better team member?
This is an excellent question to make yourself shine and prove to your manager that you are a true team player.
Most people focus on the duties relevant to their positions, but few take the time to show their enthusiasm to be helpful to their colleagues and managers.
This question can really help you get on your management’s good side, furthering your opportunities for advancement.
Make sure your appraisal meeting provides you with the opportunity to ask the questions you want to ask. If not, tell your manager that you have a few questions of your own, and don’t be afraid to be direct about your areas of improvement and chances for advancement.
Courtesty MTD Tips
