It can be helpful to create an outline ahead of time.
Completing a self-evaluation will show you if you are on-track to meet your career expectations because you can see if all of the hard work you are doing connects back to your goals. Keep in mind that it’s easier to stick to short-term goals that connect clearly to the bigger picture of what you ultimately want in life and who you want to become. [3] X Expert Source Michael SternLife Coach Expert Interview. 1 July 2020.
Assess your work materials, such as emails and reports, for examples of your work and support for your accomplishments. [5] X Research source These can help refresh your memory, and you could even pull quotes from these announcements. As you write down your accomplishments, think about how they fit in with your goals and use that to help with wording. For example, if your goal is to increase sales, and you have been calling potential clients, then you could say that you “initiated sales” or “increased point-of-sale opportunities” rather than “made cold calls. "
Think about what is working well, and get as clear and concrete as you can about it. [6] X Expert Source Michael SternLife Coach Expert Interview. 1 July 2020.
Think about times you’ve fallen behind in your work, needed assistance, or were unsure that you completed a task correctly. Provide examples. Just as with your successes, include concrete examples to support your need for professional growth opportunities. [8] X Research source If you’re struggling to identify your weaknesses, talk to a trusted colleague, a mentor, or your supervisor before the evaluation. This will give you time to work on your weaknesses and demonstrate your progress in the evaluation.
Include professional growth activities you’ve completed in your own time as well as those you did as part of your job.
What makes you different as an employee? Ask yourself what characteristics you bring to the job that go beyond the job description. Since this evaluation is focused on your performance, incorporate details that demonstrate how you contribute as an individual. Note how your efforts have helped your team achieve or surpass company goals, if applicable.
Action verbs show what you did in concrete terms. For example, state that you evaluated survey results, trained a new hire, or initiated a new project. Be honest. While you want to word your accomplishments in a way that reflects well on you, make sure that you are being accurate. For example, don’t record your independent work as managerial experience because you managed yourself.
Qualitative examples are great support when taking an action is meaningful, regardless of its success. For example, if you are in charge of a program to prevent teen drinking, any action you take is useful, even if you only stop one teen from drinking.
As you set your goals, remember that you’ll need to show support for your accomplishment of the goals and that you will need to be able to take growth initiatives. Write your goals in a way that allows for you to meet those demands. Avoid setting lofty goals that will be difficult to achieve. Choose goals that you will be able to meet by the next review or evaluation.
Be sure to keep a copy of the evaluation so you can refer back to it as needed.
