Tricky Job Performance Review Interview Preparation Guide

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Here are some steps to behave during job performance review:
☛ Have a list of items to talk about ready beforehand.
☛ Be alert, upbeat, and ready to talk.
☛ Be completely open
☛ Be ready to discuss your role in the "big picture
☛ Be honest about what isn't working for you
☛ React to criticism seriously but never angrily

It is easy to feel personally offended by criticism during a job performance review. However, unless your supervisor attacked you personally, you have no reason to be offended. A performance review is meant to be a constructive exercise aimed at improving your work, not one aimed at undermining you or making you feel bad about yourself. The only thing being judged is your work, not you personally.
☛ If you are having a hard time taking your mind off of the criticism you received during a difficult review, try using a technique called "Thought Awareness." As you feel yourself getting angry, sad, or discouraged in the face of criticism, take the opportunity to think about your thoughts. Think about why you feel the way you do and critically observe your own stream of consciousness. By "getting out of your own head," you give yourself a chance to react logically to your criticism, rather than reacting to the way it makes you feel.

If your supervisor has seriously criticized your work, they will be looking for some sort of measurable improvement in the near future. Do not let your hard work go unnoticed. Make a point to bring up your improvement during your next meeting or one-on-one talk and be ready to back up your claim with evidence.
☛ To make a great impression after being criticized during a review, make an effort to start "checking in" with your supervisor to discuss your progress. As soon as you have made some sort of accomplishment that demonstrates your progress, bring it up during your "check in" session. For instance, if your boss originally brought up the fact that your level of output in terms of progress on your projects has been slipping, you will definitely want to mention when you finish your next project early.

Here is a list of some of the benefits you can gain from being that active participation in the reviewing performance:
☛ Learn what is expected from you in specific terms (reduces guessing and helps you steer your own work and job performance.)
☛ Know where you stand (this should be throughout the entire year.)
☛ Receive help from your manager in terms of improving performance (performance reviews are not just about going over the past).
☛ Have your questions answered about your job.
☛ Learn how your specific job tasks and performance fit into the overall function of the work unit or department and how you contribute to the company.
☛ Receive recognition for what you have achieved and done well.

A positive performance review does not necessarily have to be 100% positive. Take note of any criticisms you do receive during your review and give them the same amount of attention you would give the criticisms from a negative review. Supervisors love employees who are not satisfied with "good enough", so look for opportunities to go the extra mile and earn a 100% positive review next time.
☛ In addition, it is worth remembering that, at your next review, your supervisor will probably bring up these past criticisms. It can be very embarrassing to explain to your supervisor that you have not taken any action based on these criticisms, so do not put yourself in this position.

Do not make the mistake of slacking off after you have been given a good review. This signals to your boss that your continued effort at your job is dependent on the level of praise you receive, rather than a result of your personal dedication. Over time, an employee who is content to rely on past achievements to justify their existence can make a prime candidate for downsizing, so never stop setting (and meeting) ambitious goals for yourself.

A positive performance review is something to be very proud about it is a sign that your supervisor is happy with your work and that your position is most likely secure for the near future. A positive review is almost always something you have to work hard to earn, so take the opportunity to feel good about yourself.
☛ You may even want to have a small celebration with your family and friends after a good review. This is a great idea, but be careful not to spread the word about your celebration among your fellow employees, this can hurt the feelings of people who did not get good reviews.

Never stop trying to improve your work. Demonstrate your long term dedication to your job by trying to improve even after you have been told you are doing a good job. Remember that a positive review is not an invitation to take a break, rather, it is a sign that your employer loves the work you are doing and wants more.
☛ Keep in mind that, at most jobs, there are very real rewards to striving for excellence. For instance, if your supervisor only has one promotion to give to their employees, they will probably give it to the person that strove to improve their work, rather than one that was content getting mostly positive reviews.

Here are some steps to respond to a positive performance review:
Take pride in your accomplishment.
Look for opportunities for continued improvement.
Do not neglect any minor criticisms you were given.
Do not rest on your laurels.

Usually, performance reviews are the sort of thing you will want to keep to yourself about. Like your salary, this type of information can lead to jealousy and hurt feelings if you're too open about it. Do not bring up the results of your review in casual conversations. Instead, only consider discussing your review with your family, your friends outside of work, and select coworkers you have a great amount of trust in.
☛ If, for some reason, you do need to discuss your results with others, be tactful. Do not brag or joke about your results, you will never know how they will compare to your fellow coworkers'.

It can be difficult, but try to keep a positive mood after a negative review. Being visibly sad or sullen on the job can reflect poorly on your work, making you look like an under-performer even if you are taking other steps to improve your output. It can also call unnecessary attention to yourself, prompting your coworkers to wonder or ask about your sudden change in mood. Since supervisors know that their employees' morale can affect the business's productivity, this can get you in even more trouble.

Example:
If your boss asks why you did not meet your sales goal for the second quarter, you can mention that supply shortages affected product deliveries during that quarter but that you put in extra time the remainder of the year and exceeded your yearly target. Supporting documents can be helpful when responding to questions. Magazine suggests that you bring a file of accolades and other proof of your accomplishments to the review.

Practice is the key to a confident delivery of your answers. Take a look at the list of questions you compiled and practice your response to each question. Ask a friend to critique your performance, or record yourself and listen to your answers. It is important that you answer each question completely and provide facts, figures or other information that back up your answer, if possible. Pay attention to your tone when you answer questions. Aim for a calm, positive tone, no matter what subject you discuss.

It is possible that the criticism you received during your review was a result of you simply not having the skills necessary to perform well in your job. If your supervisor did not lay out a path for you to get this training, contact the Human Resources Department and ask them for guidance.
☛ If your company is interested in grooming you for more responsibility, take your initial criticism as a hidden compliment, training is expensive and a sign that your company is invested in your growth with them.

Once you have had a chance to calmly and objectively think about the criticism you have received, give yourself a few goals for improvement. These should be challenging, but completely within your grasp. Even more importantly, they should be sustainable the sorts of things you can achieve consistently. They should not be the sorts of things you can achieve once but will not be able to stick to this can leave you looking even worse than when you started.
☛ The best goals are ones with definite, quantifiable goals, not those focused on vague self-improvement. For instance, if you have been criticized for showing up late to work, it is much smarter to say to yourself, "I will go to bed at 11:00 PM and wake up at 7:00 AM every day so that I have plenty of time to make it to work," than it is to say, "I will try much harder to make it to work on time."

Criticism is a very real possibility during your performance review. Nearly everyone has some aspect of their work that they can improve on, so try not to be offended or scared for your job security if you receive some gentle suggestions for improvement. Acknowledge the criticism and move on, do not lose your cool, even if you think your supervisor's criticisms are not particularly true.
☛ There is such a thing as criticism that is too harsh or personal for a job performance review. If, for instance, your supervisor insults you, makes inappropriate remarks about you, your family, or your personal life, or otherwise attacks you for something other than your work, hold your tongue during your review and contact your Human Resources department afterward to discuss your supervisor's behavior.

Here are a few steps to respond to critical job performance review:
☛ Consider your criticism objectively.
☛ Set reasonable goals for improvement.
☛ Get the help or training you need to improve.
☛ Look for opportunities to show your improvement.
☛ Keep the results of your review to yourself.
☛ Move forward.

It can be stomach-churning to talk to a supervisor about problems you have with your job, especially if those problems have to do with their management style. However, since a performance review is likely one of the only times you will be directly asked about these things, it is an opportunity you will not usually want to pass up. Smart supervisors will appreciate polite criticism, they, too, have supervisors and they want to be able to demonstrate that they are doing everything they can to make their employees as happy and productive as possible.
☛ A positive performance review is an especially smart place to bring up things that are making your job harder. A supervisor who considers you a competent, valuable employee is much more likely to take your problems seriously than one who considers your work sub-par.

A job performance review is no place to be shy. Treat your review like a chance to be completely frank about any opinions you have about the job, whether they are positive or negative (without being rude, of course). This includes opinions about your pay, your working conditions, your coworkers and even your managers. You do not get this opportunity very often, normally, employees are expected to be much more guarded. Keep in mind, however, that the supervisor giving the review has the opportunity to be just as frank about you.
☛ If you are naturally shy or have a hard time talking about your closely held opinions, it can help to practice talking about these points beforehand with a close friend or a coworker you trust outside of work. You may also want to try body language-based confidence-boosting techniques, especially straightening your posture, talking slowly, looking the person you are talking to in the eye. These basic tricks can help you loosen up in a wide variety of stressful social situations, including those related to your job.

Most supervisors love when their employees have positive or insightful ideas about how they fit into the company as a whole. All companies want to be as cost-efficient as possible, they are always looking for ways to keep their costs low and get the greatest possible use out of their existing assets. Thus, showing that the work you do plays a role in the company's continued success can help paint yourself as a valuable employee even if your job is not an extremely important one.
☛ This is something you will definitely want to bring up if you are being heavily criticized during your review, showing that you understand what you mean to the company can tell your supervisor that the poor behavior you are being criticized for is not a result of you not taking your duties seriously.

Most reviews are a back and forth dialog between an employee and a supervisor, rather than a simple one-way lecture. You will probably be expected to open up about your feelings about your job, your successes, your struggles and your working relationships with your other employees. For this reason, it is best to show up alert, well-rested and prepared to talk all about your job. Try to stay focused on the conversation during your review your review demands your full attention, so do not let yourself daydream or lose track of the proceedings.
☛ For people who naturally get nervous before performance reviews, it probably will not be hard to muster the energy necessary to give the appearance of being alert and focused. In these cases, however, you may want to take steps to ensure you are not too jittery, avoid coffee, take deep breaths and if you can, get plenty of exercise the day before to keep yourself relaxed.

No matter whether you are given lavish praise or scathing criticism, your supervisor will want to see that you are taking the process seriously. One great way to do this is to have a brief list of talking points prepared beforehand (either written down or memorized). No matter how bad things get, a smart boss will have respect for an employee that puts in the extra effort necessary to get as much as possible from their review.
☛ Two things you will definitely want to be ready to talk about are your biggest accomplishments and your biggest challenges, these topics of conversation can lead to valuable advice from your supervisor.

For example:
You may want to take a database management class to improve your skills and reduce the time you spend addressing database issues. If you can provide a solid argument for how the class would improve your job performance, your boss might be more willing to approve the request.

Goals are usually discussed at the end of performance reviews. Be prepared for questions about your goals by writing a list of things you would like to learn in the coming year or skills you want to improve. Include the reasons you chose these specific goals.

With the right strategies, it is possible to recover from the most brutal negative review or even capitalize on a positive one. Here are some steps to respond to a job performance review:
☛ Behaving During Your Review
☛ Responding to Your Review