Preparing for Your Performance Appraisal

Being well prepared for your performance appraisal will help you and your
supervisor accurately reflect on your performance over the past year and set goals
for the next year.
This collection of resources is designed to help you prepare for your performance
appraisal. First, assess your readiness and then use any additional tools as helpful.

Assess Your Readiness
!ample Performance "og #
$riting Your !elf Assessment %
!ample &escriptions and 'mpact !tatements (
Action )er*s +
,R "earning - &evelopment . 1 . Fall //0
Assess Your Readiness
The following statements descri*e actions you can ta1e to ensure a productive and
constructive performance appraisal process. $hile you don2t need to complete
everything *elow for success, how many of these practices do you currently follow3
Y4! 56
' have a copy of my current 7o* description and have
reviewed it.
' 1eep a performance log and update it fre8uently. 9!ee
sample on the next page.:
' provide my supervisor with regular tas1 and assignment
updates.
' meet with my supervisor formally at least once during
each performance appraisal period.
' 1now my manager and ' share a common understanding
of my 1ey tas1s, priorities and the purpose of my 7o*.
Before a performance appraisal, ' complete a summary of
accomplishments with specific examples.
Before a performance appraisal, ' review my 7o*
description and previous evaluations.
' as1 8uestions when ' don2t understand or a tas1 is
unclear.
' see1 out informal feed*ac1 throughout the appraisal
period.
' 1now what ' need from my supervisor to do a *etter 7o*.
' can articulate what ' need to do to raise a specific
performance rating.
' follow up on areas of concern that come up during
feed*ac1 sessions and appraisal discussions.
' follow up on my development plan and see1 out learning
opportunities.
,R "earning - &evelopment . 2 . Fall //0
!ample Performance "og
;se a performance log to record your ma7or milestones and wor1 pro7ects. <eeping trac1 of
your wor1 over time will help you prepare for your performance evaluation and lin1 your
wor1 to unit and organi=ational goals. 'f you don2t already trac1 your performance, try it
next year.
&ate &escription 'mpact 5ext !teps 9if needed:
,R "earning - &evelopment . 3 . Fall //0
$riting Your !elf Assessment
What is a Self Assessment?
A self assessment is an employee2s narrative description of accomplishments
related to their 7o* o*7ectives.
Purpose
The purpose of an employee self assessment is to assist employees and supervisors
in preparing for performance evaluations. Being as1ed to complete a self
assessment invites you to *e part of a discussion a*out your performance over the
past year. Your self assessment can help you to reflect on your performance in the
past year and to document your accomplishments and their impact on your unit. 't
is also an opportunity to communicate with your supervisor a*out your
understanding of your 7o* duties and responsi*ilities, performance standards and
expectations, and your accomplishments.
Preparation
As you prepare to write your self assessment, *egin *y reviewing
documentation a*out your wor1 such as your 7o* description, wor1
o*7ectives, and department goals and mission.
'f you 1eep a performance log to trac1 ma7or accomplishments and wor1
throughout the year, review your log to help you reconstruct your
performance over the past year. 'f not, ta1e time to review your calendar and
other records of your wor1.
Reflect on the purpose of your 7o* and how it contri*utes to the mission of
your organi=ational unit.
Writing Your Self Assessment
'dentify your wor1 priorities over the past year *ased on your 7o* description.
For each priority, descri*e your wor1 and accomplishments. >uestions to
address include?
o $hat exactly was the wor1 or tas13
o ,ow is success measured3 Possi*ilities include? impact, 8uantity,
8uality, accuracy, timeliness, *udget, client satisfaction and a
com*ination of these or other measures.
o $hat was the impact of your wor1 on your unit and the organi=ation3
o $hat o*stacles did you have to overcome3
Review your 7o* description and wor1 documents again to *e sure you have
addressed all of the items and priorities.
Tips
Be specific. &on2t say, @!upported the Thompson pro7ect.A 'nstead, indicate
what you did specifically and how it supported the overall goals.
Be o*7ective and stay focused on results.
$hile it is important to *e thorough, a self assessment doesn2t have to *e
long to *e effective.
,R "earning - &evelopment . 4 . Fall //0
!ample Accomplishments and 'mpact !tatement
$hen reflecting on your accomplishments, descri*e the tas1, how you were
successful, and the impact of this wor1.
&escription? &esigned and led training of divisional staff on efficiently and
accurately preparing reports.
'mpact? !taff mem*ers were a*le to apply what they learned leading to
more rapid and accurate reports for clients in direct support of our
unit goal to improve customer service.

&escription? !uccessfully hired, coached and mentored two employees who have
recently passed pro*ation.
'mpact? 4mployees are fully integrated into the organi=ation and ma1ing
contri*utions to achieving team goals.
&escription? !uccessfully led annual *udget review for division management.
'mpact? &ivision managers were a*le to ma1e significant financial decisions
*ased on thorough analysis and to achieve cost savings *ased on
recommendations.
&escription? Prepared and distri*uted four effective presentations for P's and
assistants on grant and award management.
'mpact? 'mproved relations with campus personnel and gave accurate
procedural information to P's thus reducing duplicative re8uests
and errors in su*missions.
&escription? After discussing *est practices with the team, ' simplified and
redesigned the process for updating records and implemented this
change.
'mpact? By reducing the time re8uired to update records, our team
accomplished this tas1 in half the time that was re8uired last year.
,R "earning - &evelopment . 5 . Fall //0
Action )er*s
;se these ver*s to help descri*e your wor1.
administered directed improved originated
secured trained upgraded wrote
advised distri*uted indexed performed
analy=ed edited influenced planned
approved eliminated initiated prepared
arranged engineered innovated presented
*uilt enhanced installed presided
strengthened utili=ed solved streamlined
conceived examined invented recommended
conducted executed investigated recruited
consolidated expanded launched systemati=ed
contracted facilitated made rectified
controlled formulated managed redesigned
coordinated generated maintained reduced
counseled governed moderated reorgani=ed
created grouped monitored reshaped
designed guided motivated restructured
developed increased negotiated revised
devised implemented organi=ed scheduled
benefit
universe
diversity
,R "earning - &evelopment . 6 . Fall //0