Three tips for writing a performance review for yourself and peers

Writing a performance review for yourself or for colleagues can feel daunting and you’re not alone if you feel:

• The writing process itself is difficult. I don’t know exactly what to include or omit. I want it to be easy-to-read, well-organized and concise, but I’m not sure if my writing reflects that.

• Writing about myself is challenging. I want to showcase my contributions and accomplishments without sounding like I’m bragging. I also want to feel confident when I write about past mistakes and areas I’d like to improve.

• Giving valuable feedback to others is hard. I’m not sure if my writing comes across as too direct or not direct enough. Other times, my colleagues are already doing an amazing job and I can’t find any other feedback to include beyond “keep up your amazing work”. I know they would like to receive insightful feedback, but I just don’t know what to write.

It may be tough to get through, but when self-review writing is done well, it’s an opportunity for you to demonstrate the great value you bring to your company and may help you get promoted. Writing reviews for others celebrates their accomplishments and skills, and will also help them understand how to develop professionally, too.

Here are 3 tips to keep in mind when you’re writing performance reviews:

1. Keep your audience in mind to be as clear as possible. Who is going to see your review? Is it only your manager or perhaps a skip manager, too? Do they have a similar technical background as you or should you avoid using overly technical wording? Are they limited on time they can spend reading your review because they have many other reviews to look at? Consider these points and write accordingly. Your writing should be well-organized and as clear as possible so that your reader doesn’t spend additional time connecting dots while missing out on your contributions. Additional tip: Shorter sentences are easier to digest and bullet points are better on the reader’s eyes.

2. Be specific and provide clear examples with metrics whenever possible. When helping clients work on writing their reviews, I often see gaps in what they verbally tell me about their contributions and what they’ve actually written. For example, important information such as quantifiable data is omitted, thereby making it seem like they’ve contributed quite less than they actually have. Be sure to include measurable details to illustrate the impact you’ve had. Which sounds better: “I performed many tests” versus “I performed over 25 tests”?

3. Let your shortcomings become opportunities for growth. Showcasing your accomplishments are essential for your success, as is identifying your areas for improvement. When you didn’t achieve what you had set out to do, write about what you learned from the experience, set it as a goal going forward and be clear about how you intend to measure your success for next time.

Taking time to write a good self and peer review is well worth it! And as with anything, the more you do it, the easier it will be.

For more tips or for assistance with writing and communicating in English, please contact me.