The following is part of a series about surviving your first performance review at your entry-level job (or internship, if they do performance reviews). You’ll learn what to expect, what your supervisor expects from you, how to prepare, what to do during the review and how to thrive after a negative review.
You enter the office or conference room and sit down. Now what? Since you’ve never been through a review before, you’re not quite sure what you’re supposed to do during the review, other than hope it’s over soon.
1. Listen. “Listening is crucial because this feedback will emphasize what is important going forward,” said Dustin Dumas Weeks, author of “Lessons from a Recovering Worker Bee.”
2. Ask questions. “By doing so, you not only clarify information, but also you show your manager that you are motivated, interested in his or her feedback, and engaged in the business,” said Barbara Poole, founder of EmployAid.com.
Bruce Tulgan, author of “Not Everyone Gets a Trophy,” adds, “A really good question to have at the ready is, ‘What could I do to improve in that regard?’ You can ask that question whether you are being praised or lambasted about something.”
3. Reframe any negative feedback as a gift. “If you find yourself getting defensive, request a short break. Or, if a break doesn't seem appropriate, in your mind, reframe the feedback as a gift, and put yourself in your boss’ shoes to get a better handle on his or her perspective,” said Diane C. Decker, co-author of “First Job Survival Guide: How to Thrive and Advance in Your New Career.”
4. Take notes. “Write down action steps or take-aways, and review these with your supervisor near the end of the review. It’s important that you leave the review with a clear understanding on what you’re going to focus on throughout the next year,” said Dr. Robert Orndorff, co-author of “The PITA Principle.”
5. Brainstorm and create an action plan. “Brainstorm with the supervisor options to maximize strengths and talents and ways to address to address performance shortfalls that can be addressed through training and skill development. Collectively decide on which to commit to with an action plan,” said Jay Forte, performance consultant and speaker for Humanetrics LLC.
| <-- Part 3: Preparing for the review | Part 5: Thriving after a negative review --> |
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