Traditionally, at the end of each year, employees look forward to their much-awaited performance bonus. Prior to being rewarded with an attractive incentive, they must first pass their performance appraisal with flying colours. This also determines their professional growth.
How do you, then, make a good impression and score highly in your annual performance appraisal?
1) Be familiar with your job scope
The first step towards excelling in the workplace is to know your duties and responsibilities like the palm of your hand. Make sure you understand what is expected of you in your job position and meet those expectations.
2) Be positive, proactive, and a team player
Set the bar higher for yourself, and go beyond what is expected of you. This may mean spending more hours to learn a new software at work, volunteering for projects, participating in brand advocacy campaigns, or taking up a professional certification course.
Discover ways to enhance existing organisational practices or tap on potential revenue streams. For example, you may learn of a software that could increase efficiency of your company’s current payroll and benefits system, or recognise an opportunity to sell products to an untapped segment of the market.
Be a team player. Develop active listening skills and learn to be flexible, considerate, and courteous to colleagues while working on a project. Motivate and inspire them to perform at a high level.
3) Communicate with your superior
You should be actively engaged in the performance review process throughout the year, and partake in discussions with your superior regarding your plans to achieve your job objectives.
Never wait for the annual performance appraisal before relaying any important concerns or useful suggestions to your superior. It may be too late to act upon these matters if your superior were to know about them only at the end of the year.
4) Solicit regular feedback and document your accomplishments
Request for regular feedback from your colleagues, superiors, mentors, and customers. File their feedback, including in written note or email, in preparation for the performance appraisal as you could potentially use them to support your hard work the past year. It is also vital that you take note of significant projects, statistics, or figures and document your achievements.
If you receive negative feedback, take it as an opportunity to look into yourself, and assess how you can further improve the way you carry out your duties and how you interact with your colleagues.
5) Be personally accountable for your career development
Periodically, take time to reflect and ask yourself where you want to go from your current job position. Make a plan to get from point A to point B. Acquire the necessary skills needed for the position you are aspiring for. Seek opportunities to work with other departments in order to learn more about the various job functions.
With over 500 academic programmes for higher learning and professional certification courses for skills development, we provide opportunities for you to always stay relevant. To speak to one of our consultants, please call 8613 8989 or email us at [email protected]