Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on completing a good self-appraisal.
Completing a self-appraisal can help
you put your previous year in perspective and plan for the year ahead.
Self-appraisals are important as your
manager won’t see or remember every little thing you did in the past year. By
presenting your manager with a list of accomplishments, developments and
challenges you have overcome, you are reminding them of what an asset you are
to the company. It is also the perfect opportunity to identify and resolve any
discrepancies between the views of your overall performance had by yourself and
your manager.
Too often self-appraisals are overlooked
by employees due to a lack of time and motivation.
Nevertheless, reflecting on your performance
over the past 12 months is a critical component to the annual review process
and to achieving your overall professional development goals. Therefore, making
time for this really a small step in the scheme of greater things!
Being unsure where to start is also a
huge barrier in self-appraisal. The below points mark the steps that should be
taken when evaluating your annual performance. Be fair but tough on yourself,
giving yourself a by-ball won’t get you that promotion....
1.
Share your successes. If you don’t already, start keeping a
performance journal. This makes it easier to keep track of all the projects
you’ve overseen and initiatives you have implemented to benefit the company or
enhance the efficiency of its workforce.
2.
Share what you’ve learnt. What have you learnt in the past
year? Identify ways in which you have developed
your existing skills and how this has improved your performance. Describe the
new skills you have acquired and the impact this has had on your current role.
3.
Share your challenges. It’s not all about self-promotion. Be
candid about the challenges you have faced, how you overcame them and how you
could prevent them in the future. This demonstrates an awareness of the wider
environment.
4.
Be honest. Whilst credit is due where credit is
due, don’t embellish your accomplishments. Your manager will expect to see
written validation of each.
5.
Don’t complete it in one go. A self-appraisal is built up over
time. It is not a task that can be done satisfactorily in one evening, moreover
one that should be revisited with a ‘little and often’ approach. Keeping track
of your highlights throughout the year will make the process much easier.
