6 helpful tips to write your performance review in less than an hour

6 helpful tips to write your performance review in less than an hour

How to write your performance review when you’re in a rush

TL/DR

1. Focus on Key Achievements
2. Quantify Success
3. Prioritize Leadership Opportunities
4. Highlight Growth
5. Organize by Categories
6. Address Challenges Positively

We’ve all been there before, it’s the week (or day) before your self-review is due and you haven’t even started. What did I actually accomplish this year? You’ll have to search through your email, Slack channels, calendar, notes, Jira, Github, Asana and more trying to find examples of your work. As the self-review deadline rapidly approaches, the urgency to capture and communicate a year's worth of accomplishments intensifies. Your salary, title, position, bonuses, career trajectory and more seem to all hinge on this single document. But don’t fret! Here are a few tips to streamline the process and make your self-review not just quick but compelling.

1. Focus on Key Achievements:

Don’t try to fit in as many examples as possible, just stick to your key achievements. Focus solely on examples directly related to your performance and contributions, reflect on projects or tasks where you made a substantial impact on your team and the business as a whole. Zero in on those that showcase your skills, initiative, and contribution to team goals. 

2. Quantify Success:

Numbers add depth and credibility to your achievements, making them essential in a time crunch. Attach quantifiable metrics wherever possible to showcase the scale of your impact. Quantifying success not only conveys tangible outcomes but also provides a clear picture of your value to the team and company.

3. Prioritize Leadership Opportunities:

Show you are more than just the singular work you do, talk about examples where you took initiative, stepped into a pivotal role or led successful endeavors. By showing off your influence in the company you ensure that your self-review emphasizes the breadth and significance of your contributions.

4. Highlight Growth:

Make sure to showcase your professional growth throughout the year. Discuss how you've developed new skills, taken on challenging responsibilities, or expanded your knowledge rapidly. This not only reinforces your commitment to continuous improvement but also demonstrates your value as an adaptable and growth-oriented team member.

5. Organize by Categories:

If your performance review does not have specific categories or prompts, or even if you’re expected to provide long answers, do your best to organize your accomplishments, challenges, and goals into distinct categories. This creates a structured narrative, making it easier for your manager or reviewer to grasp the key points swiftly. A well-organized review not only saves time but also crafts a more understandable, compelling self-assessment.

6. Address Challenges Positively:

Most likely you’ll be asked to talk about your weaknesses, areas improvement or challenges. These things are inevitable, but how you address them is key. Focus on the positive outcomes and lessons learned. Discuss how you navigated obstacles, collaborated with your team, and ultimately turned challenges into opportunities for growth. This positive approach showcases resilience and problem-solving skills efficiently.

For an even quicker way to collect examples of your work, try Thinksy to automatically summarize what you’ve worked on throughout the year. In a few seconds Thinksy gives you a concise list of your technical quality, collaboration and execution across multiple integrations. Simply add Thinksy to your Slack workspace, connect your apps, and select the time range to review for a self-review in seconds. Get a free trial today at www.thinksy.app!