You just got it. The dreaded employee evaluation form. You review it and immediately feel uncertain and overwhelmed. There are so many questions about accomplishments, short-term goals, long terms goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Where do you start?

First, take a deep breath and relax. As a Woodland employment agency, we can tell you that it’s perfectly normal to get anxious about your employee evaluation. After all, your whole year’s work could be riding on what goes on during the evaluation. But stop worrying so much! Instead start preparing so you can build a solid case for yourself – and your job performance.

Tip #1. Think about your goals and accomplishments.

The best place to begin is to review last year’s employee evaluation. Take a look at the goals you and your manager outlined and ask yourself if you met expectations. If you did, what was the result of achieving your goals? For instance, was there a positive result to the company’s bottom line, such as an increase in sales? Or were you able to help your team complete a tough project on time and on budget?

If you didn’t accomplish the objectives your manager set out for you, ask yourself why. Was there a strict deadline in place you were unable to meet? Did you face unforeseen challenges?

Tip #2. Write down your accomplishments.

Even though most employee evaluations come at the end of the year, you should be preparing for them the whole year through. Start a file or a journal where you include all of your accomplishments, even the small ones. Remember that time a customer complimented you on a job well done? Write it down. Or how about that time you were able to save the company money by switching office supply vendors? Write that down too. It might take some extra time during the year to create your performance file, but it will make the process of preparing for your employee evaluation a whole lot easier.

Tip #3. Evaluate yourself objectively.

No employee is perfect and there are going to be times when mistakes are made or results don’t meet expectations. During an employee evaluation, some of these issues are bound to come up and you’ll be in much better shape if you’re prepared to talk about them. So, think about the challenges you faced during the year. What happened and how did you react? What was the outcome? Did you learn anything from the experience? The bottom line is that you want to show your manager that if you faced obstacles on the job, you were able to overcome them.

That said, try not to focus too much on your shortcomings. Instead, focus on what you did achieve and emphasize your strengths and accomplishments.

Tip #4. Be clear about your expectations.

Don’t assume that your manager will automatically offer a reward, like a raise or a promotion, if you think you’ve gone above and beyond consistently. So let your voice be heard. Make the case for yourself by telling your manager what specifically you’ve done to deserve a promotion or raise.

And if you’re looking to get promoted to a new job in Woodland, please contact Pacific Staffing. As an experienced employment agency in Woodland, we can help you take the next step in your career. Contact us today to learn more!