Each month, we bring you “Tori’s Take” featuring a guest post by Market Street Talent’s Operations Coordinator, Tori Leavitt, as she takes a look at popular workplace concepts and trends.
As an employee, you’re probably familiar with the concept of reviews. Many companies are incorporating self-assessments into their review process, asking their employees to reflect on their performance and capabilities on their own in advance of a formal review. How do you go about this process without talking yourself up or selling yourself short? Read on…
Map Out Where You’re Going
Thinking about how you’re doing in your current position should include thinking about your career as a whole. Is your current role helping you get where you want to go? Are there responsibilities you can take on that will add to your experience and build out your resume? Often, there is something new you can add within your position that will benefit your employer as well. Don’t be afraid to talk with your supervisor about your career goals, and ask for additional learning opportunities, whether that means outside training or additional responsibilities that expand your current role.
Get Honest
It’s important to be truthful with yourself when evaluating your skills and capabilities. We all want to believe we are better and more efficient at our jobs than we may actually be. That’s okay – it means we have faith in ourselves. Just be sure that you’re not overselling your capabilities. Doing so sets you up for failure, and doesn’t give you the opportunity to acknowledge areas in which you can strive to do better. Complete your self-assessment with honesty, and show that you understand there is always room for improvement.
Don’t Be Shy
On the other side of the coin, don’t undersell your accomplishments. Chances are good that your supervisor doesn’t get the opportunity to see everything you do on a daily basis. Document projects you complete, ideas you present to your team, and times when you’ve taken initiative for the benefit of the company. Any tangible data or facts you can bring to the table will be evidence of your successes, and you’ll feel good about your progress at your company when you are able to list it all out on paper.
Ask For What You Need
Performance reviews, whether they are conducted by your supervisor or on your own, are great opportunities to communicate openly about how you’re doing in your job and what you need to do it better. Ideally, you’ll have an ongoing open dialogue with your supervisor so that you can give and receive feedback throughout the year, but reviews are a designated time to do so. Both you and your supervisor need the chance to check in and be sure you’re on the same page about any necessary adjustments or improvements. Make sure you’re communicating what you need to.
How do you feel about self-assessments in the workplace? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
