Chapter 8: Appraising and Improving Performance

Performance Feedback

People who work in large organizations often receive feedback on performance or traits related to the job requirements. However, students and employees working in smaller organizations may never have experienced any kind of performance-related feedback. The purpose of this career planning exercise is to enable you to solicit feedback, which may help you in your career.

The first step in performance feedback is to develop a list of competencies or characteristics which you feel that you need in order to succeed. You can consult the "dream job" requirements that you developed in an earlier Career Counsel (see Chapter 4) or review the skills that you developed for your résumé (Career Counsel, Chapter 5).

The next step is to develop a performance appraisal form that will help your raters to evaluate you objectively. Review the various forms prescribed in this chapter, and insert your competencies or characteristics in the form you have chosen.

Now, choose people who have had an opportunity to observe your work performance. These raters may include other students, co-workers on project teams, or supervisors at work, summer jobs, and volunteer jobs. You might even solicit feedback from people you have supervised, coached, or managed in any capacity. When selecting your raters, ensure that they have knowledge of your work performance, that you respect their views, that their feedback will be sincere and helpful, and that your privacy will be respected. You, in turn, must be willing to listen and be open to feedback. Ask your raters to rate you on the form you have prepared, and to provide critical incidents where possible.

(If you do not wish to initiate such a formal evaluation, you could simply ask your raters to respond to questions such as "What do you see as my strengths/weaknesses? How can I capitalize on my strengths? How can I correct my deficiencies?")

Develop an action plan to close the gaps between your rated performance and your desired performance.