Your Role

Use a performance appraisal form to inventory your strong and weak areas.

Are you knowledgeable of your value? Use the performance review (also known as appraisal or evaluation) to help you become aware of both your strengths and weaknesses. Think of performance reviews as opportunities to improve your relationship with your boss and your position within the company. Your boss is a source of information vital for the success of your career. If  he or she has negative things to say about your performance, try to view what you're hearing as helpful input rather than criticism of you personally.

1. Before the review, ask for a copy of the performance appraisal form.
2. Use the form to inventory both your strong and weak performance areas.
3. At the actual appraisal, listen carefully to what your boss says.
4. After your boss has finished talking, ask questions in a non-defensive manner until you understand your problem areas, then discuss how to correct them.
5. What new goals and objectives were set for you?
6. What problems were you asked to correct?
7. After the review, start keeping a log of goals and objectives met and problems corrected. Review this log before your next appraisal. You will be amazed at how prepared you feel.

Do you take your present job, your future with the company and the company's priorities seriously? Do you make it clear every day, both with words and actions, that you expect to get ahead - either with this company or another? If you're not seen as an asset to your company, you're likely to soon be thought of as a liability.

Note: If you are not employed, use an Internet search engine to find information on and examples of performance reviews (also known as performance appraisal, performance evaluation).