By J. Thompson
Online Career Tips Staff
It’s that time of the year. Holiday decorations are popping up and turning your block into a mini Las Vegas. Photo postcards of distant relatives posing in bright, festive sweaters are piling up in your mailbox. Your “to do” list is reaching the length of Old Saint Nick’s Naughty or Nice list, and to top it off, your company is currently assessing you.
Yup, ‘tis the season for annual performance reviews.
First, let’s pause to thank the original HR guru who decided long ago that the busy end of Q4 was the perfect time for performance reviews sandwiched between open enrollment and mandatory holiday parties.
[American Public University offers degrees for HR professionals.]
Between meeting your project deliverables and choosing your selectable behaviors, you might be experiencing a time crunch and are thinking about breezing through your performance review. Speaking as a former people leader, here is some free advice—don’t skimp.
When you receive that internal email with a link to the performance management system, remember, this is your career we’re talking about. You’re not ordering new shoes from Zappos!
[American Public University offers degrees for logistics management professionals.]
Some people get caught in the trap of looking at their performance review process as an annual check-the-box process. Instead, try looking at it as an opportunity. A professional gut-check if you will. Take the time to think through what you want to be rated on and your long-term goals.
Your manager is probably even busier than you are and may not remember everything that you accomplished this year. So do everyone a favor and put together a list of accomplishments and share it with your manager.
Furthermore, if you’re one of many direct reports, it’s your responsibility to help provide direction for your career path. Don’t sit on the sidelines and wait for your manager to tell you what your goals should be. Get proactive and come prepared with what you envision yourself accomplishing in 2012. Your manager may not agree on every point, but he or she will really appreciate that you’ve provided a useful framework to build upon. In short, tee it up.
Lastly, remember that even if you’re a top performer, you’re going to receive some level of feedback about opportunities for improvement. Don’t take it as criticism. Always remember that it’s just that time of year to drink the spiked eggnog and stay humble.
Maybe that is why performance reviews coincide with the Holiday Season.
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