Even the best manager in the world cannot remember or recall every little achievement you would have accomplished in the previous year. This is why you should make a list of your accomplishments in case your boss forgets. The main aim of a performance review is to evaluate and analyse your performance over the course of the year gone by, and therefore, the list of accomplishments will help you avoid any awkward silences during your performance review.

In order to do this, you can start maintaining a weekly log of activities and/or tasks completed along with a list of how your successes have contributed to the company’s growth.

Know your strengths and weaknesses

You should take your time to reflect upon your strengths and weaknesses before your evaluation happens. It has been one year at your present company, and so, you must have a fair idea about your own strengths and weaknesses. You should reflect on the strengths you have brought to the job as well as how you could do it better. If you write notes and show it to your manager before your evaluation, there is a good chance, your evaluation will be the smoothest one at the workplace.

Being honest will go a long way

You should learn how to take everything in your stride. Take your evaluation to the next step and critique yourself. It may be easier to sugar-coat your achievements, but you if you critique yourself or accept the feedback on your goals against the company’s objectives, then you can ease out the tension during the performance evaluation.

As yourself this – did you accomplish your goals? Could you have done better? Were there better ways to achieving the goals?

Self-evaluation will give you a clearer understanding of how you measure yourself or measure your expectations.

Don’t shy away from asking questions

During your evaluation, do not shy away from bringing your own agenda. Managers can forget certain things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions. This can only help you plan better for the next year. Performance reviews bring an opportunity for you to improve in your current role, but you need to ask yourself and your manager how you can get ready for the next position that you must be eyeing for so long.

Leave with an open mind

Leave your ego aside and take every feedback in your stride. Leave the meeting room with the hope and determination that you can outperform yourself. Make sure you listen, take notes, and ask all the necessary questions. Accept your shortcoming and find out ways to overcome them.

Be ready with the next plan

If you feel that hopping job can help you find a new motivation, then go for it. But you need to do proper research before making your next move. Talk to your peers, friends or mentor if you feel you need to change job after your appraisal. Look for jobs in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai or Delhi – the metros, if you are eyeing a better package. Or dig deeper if you want a complete change. If you want to take a sabbatical, then hit the road, write a blog, take pictures and you are a blogger!

So, analyse every possible situation before making a call, starting with preparing well for your performance appraisal.