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Appraisals - Make them work for you If your last appraisal felt more like an inquisition than discussing career development, it may be time you revised your approach. Jo Stuteley, of office support recruiter La Crème gives some pointers on how to get the most out of your appraisal meeting.Firstly, it is important to remember that appraisals are a two-way process. You and your manager should be clear on the purpose of the appraisal and differentiate this meeting from your regular catch-ups. Appraisals are not about employees telling their manager how they feel they are doing followed by the manager dispensing wisdom from on high. Strengths and areas to work on should be clearly addressed by both parties and to achieve this, preparation is key. Before the day of your meeting, draft out your objectives and set future goals in such a way that you will be able to succeed in areas that are important to the company. Prepare an outline of your most significant achievements and match them to the objectives that were set at your last appraisal or in your job specification. Also think about any weaknesses or areas needing further work. Consider the following: * Any problems you have dealt with including people problems, or difficulties such as working with a lack of resources and how you have overcome them * Any part of your job that you feel needs to change and the reasons why * How you see your future – what are your personal goals and aspirations? * What you feel you need to further develop your role and become more effective * What you are really enjoying about your role and on the flip side, which parts of it you may have been avoiding Once in the meeting, set the tone by providing a summary of your performance since your last appraisal. Be positive (without exaggerating) and illustrate your points with tangible examples. Where negative issues are raised, stay calm and remember this is an opportunity to receive feedback and develop. Always ask for examples to back up observations and work with your manager to come up with ways to improve - without a solution, it is still a problem. Your appraisal should end positively but at the very least in mutual agreement with clear objectives and goals set for the future. These should be challenging but achievable and if for any reason you feel that they are not, address them there and then. It is important to leave the meeting with a clear set of actionable steps – it is your career and it is up to you to take control of it. When the appraisal is over, read the agreed objectives through before signing them and keep a copy. Finally, always remember that appraisals are part of an ongoing relationship. Managers want their employees to be successful - if you feel as though you have had an unsatisfactory appraisal, do not see it as a dead end but as a starting point for the future. www.lacremeuk.co.uk |
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