How to prepare for a mid-year review

How to prepare for a mid-year reviewHow to prepare for a mid-year reviewWere just about halfway through 2019 and a whole bunch of us in theBossed Up Courage Community have questions about how to best prepare for mid-year review season.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreHere are 3 quick tips to get you prepared to make the most out of your mid-year review1. Break out the Brag BookJust a few weeks back, Jessica shared a boss tip blog post all about how tostart a brag bookto track your achievements and accomplishments. This is the time to put that book to good useTally up your latest achievements, take stock of any recent awards or recognition, and tap into the file full of happy client feedback. Prepare for your mid-year review with as many concrete metrics that you can bring to the table as possible.Struggling to find any good validation in the data? If youre short on positiveoutcom es, focus on calculating some numbers that reflect the effort, energy, and commitment youve brought to the task at hand.For instance, an editor friend of mine once had what turned out to be just a really lousy year in terms of how many book deals she welches able to secure for the publisherbei. But it wasnt for a lack of trying. She brought all the data to her boss and tried to analyze where she went wrong, showing all the competitive bids shed made for book deals that year. Upon review with her boss, they agreed it was leidhing more than a fluke Even thought her win-loss record wasnt stellar, my friend went into her review able to show she brought her A-game nonetheless.2. Get Clear on Your GoalsShowing that youre forward-thinking and always focused on making progress is a key factor for acing your mid-year review. Be clear about what goals youre pursuing in this chapter of your career but keep in mind who your audience is, too. You shouldnotfeel the need to disclose that youre lo oking to grow in a totally different direction that your current lage allows, unless theres a culture of radical honesty at your workplace or if you work for the kind of giant company that helps facilitate employees cross-departmental transitions.The best way to describe your goals moving forward is to focus on how youre looking to develop yourcraft.What skills are you looking to hone and develop? What professional development opportunities are you pursuing? And how does your growth tie directly into the companys overall growth, too?Need help getting clear on your goals?Pick up your copy ofthe Bossed Up LifeTracker Plannerto bring more clarity and consistency to your year while theyre still 50% off.SHOP NOW 3. Have a plan for growthWhether you feel like your performance is in need of improvement, or that youre absolutely crushin it at your job, go into your mid-year review with a plan to propose.Need to step things up?Dont wait for your manager to put you on a performance improvemen t plan (a PiP). Propose one yourself. You might say something like thisWhile I feel confident about the reports Im writing up, I want to avoid making mistakes in the accounting processes, so Ive found an interactive online course Id love to take and have asked for some one-on-one time with Teresa in accounting to gain some training from her directly as well.Feel like youre killin it at work?Dont wait for the red carpet to be rolled out for your promotion. Ask what it would take to make it happen. You might say something like thisI feel confident in my performance and committed to our organization. Id love to explore what opportunities for growth exist for me in here in the form of a raise or promotion. Do you think Im eligible for that kind of growth this year? What do we need to do to explore that further?Make the most of your performance reviewAs much as youll want to prepare for your mid-year performance review, remember that this is a two-way conversation, too. Stay open torecei ving feedback, actively listen for queues from your manager about how they perceive your performance and where they see you going in the organization, too.At the end of the day, these reviews are not just about pleasing the boss, theyre also about gaining more information about your potential for growth and development. And if youre not liking what youre hearing, they might just be the impetus you need topre-game your career change.This article first appeared on Bossed Up.