5 Ways to Prepare for your End of Year Review

It’s the time of the year that we either look forward to or dread. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is when evaluations are usually taking place. So it’s important that you get ready for that all important End of Year review. Below are 5 ways to prepare.
1. Schedule a Review Meeting with your Manager
Sometimes your manager might be so busy that they miss scheduling the reviews. There are also times when reviews aren’t due at this time of year. However, it’s still worthwhile to ask your manager for feedback on your work throughout the year as compared to their expectations. It’s important that you prepare well and have a list of your achievements during the year which have either saved the company money, time, or expenses. Don’t take it for granted that your manager remembers all your achievements. More than likely, they don’t so it’s important to remind them of these areas for that all important consideration of a possible promotion or raise. If your manager doesn't schedule the meeting, then you should take the initiative to ask for the end of year review meeting.
2. Know What You Have  Brought to the Table
Evaluate your projects week by week, then month by month. If you didn’t take notes throughout the year, go through your emails and/or texts to try to put it all together. List each project you worked on and your achievements on that project. What was your part of the project? Did it add to the overall team success? Did it save the company money in regards to time or expenses. Did your project add revenue to the company? Did you lead a project? If your work saved the company money or add revenue, does it call for an increase in base or bonus? Do the math and if the answer is “yes”, then ask for the all deserving increase in base or bonus.
3. Practice Your Presentation
It’s always a bit unnerving to toot your own horn but toot you must. Remember your manager supervises an entire team and they can’t possibly remember everything you did throughout the year so it’s up to you to make your case. Play out your presentation in your head, have your notes ready, create a PowerPoint presentation if you need to so you don’t miss any projects. Visuals are always effective. You can even practice your presentation with your trusted friends or family members. Confidence is one of the most important parts of your presentation.
4. Know Areas You Can Improve On
You should also think about areas where you may have missed the point and list how you intend to improve on those areas. You can even ask for a small budget for self-improvement seminars in certain areas. These are all gains as well. Your manager will be impressed that you also understand areas that you need to work on and they will be happy to provide the assistance in that. Ask your manager which areas they feel you can improve on as well and ask for strategies they feel would help in that improvement. As long as they see that you truly want to grow and improve in areas that are important to the overall department/company success, you will have your manager on your side.
5. Make a List of your Goals for the New Year
Not only do you prepare to present your achievements of the current year, but you also want to present your goals for the New Year. The goals you present should be your professional goals. However, you should also know how they pertain to your department/company. Your professional goals should also be to help your supervisor and your team shine and get ahead. Ask your boss what goals they have for you and for the department so you can incorporate those into your overall goals for the New Year and keep those goals handy so you can keep tabs of your progress which will also help in your review for the following year.
When you prepare ahead of time and know your achievements from the current year, strategize how you can improve in the New Year, and list your goals for the New Year, you can go in with confidence to speak with your Manager and present your case for a well-deserved promotion and/or raise. At DCAProSearch, we can coach you through that thought process and be your sounding table in role playing. We Toast to your success with your end of year review!