It’s that time of the year- The appraisal phase

“Sorry, I wish I could do something, but budgets are frozen until the end of the year.”

Sounds like something you dread to hear?

As much as you’d like it being postponed or would want to completely avoid it with the fear of not being able secure a good one taking over, appraisal is, undoubtedly, the most important step in climbing up the corporate ladder.

While it is true that the result of an appraisal is the outcome of your performance throughout the year, it is also a new business pitch. Look at it this way: your potential client knows of the work you do; however, if you mess the pitch deck and the meeting up, you will lose the business. An appraisal is more or less the same. Your management knows of the tasks you have performed throughout the year- and you could be great at what you do! However, if you’re not able to convince them whilst the appraisal phase is on, there’s slim chance of you liking the outcome.

So if you’re dwelling over the possibility of rusting away in the same position at your work place, here are some tips that we swear by. Some personal effort coupled with religious adherence to these will reward you with that long-awaited positive appraisal!

Gather foundational Information

Review the job description of your role, competencies, objectives and goals that were set for you at your last appraisal. Use these to chart all the tasks that were assigned to you and effectively present them to your manager. Don’t forget to highlight your accomplishments, strengths, skills and areas where you have shown development since the last appraisal meeting.

Try gathering the reports, presentations or projects that you have created during this period. This will help you recall all your performance highlights, milestones and challenges. They also prove to be helpful whilst giving insights to your manager on how you’ve grown and developed since the last appraisal.

Prepare a list of your accomplishments

It is important you list all your accomplishments before your appraisal pitch with your manager so as to justify the brilliant appraisal you want, should your manager think otherwise. Don’t be too harsh or self-critical here. Recall all your achievements -even the ones you think are not so impressive – you may be unaware of the positive impact your effort made to your organization.

Make sure you are not just focusing on the last few months but are covering the entire duration since the last appraisal.

Think about what your manager needs to know. Was there anything significant you did without your manager even noticing? Bring it to his/her notice!

Gather any written communication that states your achievements; these could be anything from appreciation emails to certificates of recognition or awards. Also gather any written communication that makes an account of any challenges or problems you faced with regards to knowledge or performance. We will take you through how you can put them to use, keep reading!

Mindfully highlight areas of development

There is no end to learning, which also leads us to believe that certainly no one could have worked perfectly throughout the year. The best as well as morally right thing for you to do here is simply take responsibility of your mistakes and honestly give your manager insights on the areas where you think you may need some polishing. However, this needs to be done carefully with a positive reaffirmation.

Instead of simply saying “I failed at….” try saying “This is what I need to continue working on”.

The positive reaffirmation is the key here and you must tactfully highlight your areas for development in a way that your mistakes do not serve as a convenient tool for your manager to reject you of your promotion.

Showcase qualities of the next level’s JD

Simply put, if you’re gunning for a promotion, you need show that you’re ready for the job.

So once you have made a list of your accomplishments and areas of development review the next level’s job description and highlight how you are already contributing towards it!

For example, a mid-level associate on the team may highlight how he/she has contributed towards people management, training and development or has coached any of their junior or new-comers on the team.

Let your manager know the fact that you’re ready for the jump!

The appraisal phase is a crucial phase for any organization, for both the management and associates. With some prior preparation coupled with passion and commitment towards your organization, we can assure you that the appraisal will be what you want it to be!

Remember that it is you alone that has the power and the responsibility to make sure that your career is the envy of all eyes.