Mid-Year Performance Review: A Guide to Effective Preparation
By Advice

Preparing for your mid-year performance review requires a thoughtful approach and thorough self-assessment. By evaluating your progress, sorting what are unnecessary tasks, reviewing your professional growth needs, and resetting your goals, you can maximise the value of your performance review. Remember, this is an opportunity for growth, reflection, and alignment, so embrace it as a chance to excel and drive your professional development forward. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for your review.

Evaluate Your Progress

A crucial aspect of your performance review is evaluating your progress. Instead of fixating on unachieved goals, focus on what you have accomplished and to what extent. 

To prepare effectively, consider the following:

  • Identify goals you have achieved and determine if there are any metrics to showcase your accomplishments.
  • Reflect on processes or systems you have reviewed or implemented, highlighting any efficiencies gained.
  • Assess how you feel about your work compared to the previous year. Are you more positive and in control?
  • Make a list of tasks completed that were outside the scope but demonstrated your flexibility and adaptability.

Re-Evaluate Your Goals

At times, we set too many goals at the beginning of the year, making it impossible to achieve everything we intended. Additionally, some goals may have become irrelevant to your job as time went on. Use your performance review as an opportunity to re-evaluate unnecessary projects and refocus on what truly matters.

Prior To Your Review, Consider The Following

  • Reflect on goals that were set but not addressed and analyse their necessity. Why did they fall off the radar?
  • Identify tasks or projects that have been deprioritised. Should they continue to be low or not a priority?

Review Your Professional Growth Needs

At the start of each year, we often set ambitious goals for professional development, such as attending training sessions, reading books, or listening to podcasts to enhance our skills and knowledge. Despite the continual challenges posed by COVID-19 and remote work, it is essential not to neglect investing in your professional growth.

Before Your Review, Reflect On The Following

  • Assess the training you have undertaken and the value it has brought to your work.
  • Identify podcasts or books you have engaged with and highlight key takeaways. 
  • Recognise any weaknesses you have identified and consider the professional development opportunities available to address skill gaps. 
  • We have a free list of helpful resources HERE.

Reset Your Goals

If you set goals that were abandoned or ignored, the performance review serves as an opportunity to reinvigorate your motivation and realign your focus for the coming year.

Prior To Your Review, Contemplate The Following

  • Determine which goals should carry over and establish measurable criteria for their success in the following months.
  • Consider new professional goals you would like to achieve and how they align with your work, team, and manager.
  • Reflect on personal goals you have set and explore ways in which your manager can support you in achieving them.
  • Ensure you use any Learning & Development (L&D) budget you are allocated. This is an investment in you and your growth as a career admin.
  • Find more tips via our free membership platform HERE.

Good luck!

Some Other Great Articles And Blog Posts To Check Out:

Performance Review for Assistants (Practically Perfect PA)

Giving feedback to your boss (Harvard Business Review)

Giving feedback to your boss, like a boss (The Muse)

Difficult Workplace Conversations (Balanced Career)

31 tips on how to give and receive feedback at work (ThriveYard)

The Art And Science Of Giving And Receiving Criticism At Work (Fast Company)