How to Navigate Your Next Review
Photo Credit: adweek.com
By: Emilie Moy
You may've had your review on your mind since you started your job, or it could have never crossed your mind until your employer sent you that calendar invite. Either way, your review will sneak up on you quicker than you think, and as industry lifers will tell you they can be tricky terrain to navigate. Although you already got the job, reviews act much like a second interview that evaluates how well you're doing that job. This time, it’s no longer just your boss asking you to talk about your resume, it’s a candid discussion about your performance and your potential for growth at the company. So even if you’ve just started your position a few weeks ago, store these tips in the back of your mind so you can walk into that review with ease.
On saying thank you
If you remember one thing, use this time to thank your boss for well, being your boss, and also teaching you how to stand on your two feet in this industry. Even though you may not like them enough to get drinks after work, they are the ones that put up with your silly mistakes. Plus, they’ll really appreciate you pointing out how they've helped you grow. Remember, they probably also have a boss to report to, so it's not something they hear every day.
A lesson in bragging
Have an article that went viral last month? Save the link. Got a thousand retweets and shares on a post you curated one day? Take note. These are achievements that show how your hard work has benefitted the company. Not only are you a valuable employee but it shows your potential to do even bigger and better things in the future. Of course, make sure not to bring up your achievements in a way that comes off as arrogant, but put it in a way that reads along the same lines of a response to an interviewer asking you to, “tell me about yourself.” Bragging rights are granted if you've earned it so there's no shame in giving it some attention.
Preparation
A full blown powerpoint presentation may be going a bit overboard, but if you want to impress your boss and show them that you’ve put in a solid amount of thought into your future within the company, it’s a good idea to walk in knowing what you want to say or at the very least have a list of items you want to discuss. Also, be prepared to answer any questions she may bring up about specific projects you've worked on etc.
Money talk
This can be one of the trickiest part of a review and should only come up at the end or nearing the end of the discussion after you’ve discussed your contributions to the company and taken note of where you need to approve. A good strategy to use is to go into the meeting with a dollar amount in mind, as well as a dollar range that you’d be willing to go for. The main thing to remember is that it is a discussion so you should be as candid with your boss without seeming pushy. You should also keep in mind that not every review means a salary raise, and some companies may not have the budget to for a raise, so that’s also important to keep in mind while you think about your next career move.
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