How to Complete Your Self-Performance Review (With Examples)

Self-performance reviews are a way to reflect on your work goals. They encourage you to assess the impact of your contribution to the project you are working on and allow you to highlight any areas where you feel you have met or exceeded expectations. Use these tips to help you make the most of your self-performance review.

What is a self-performance review?

A self-performance review is a way of assessing an employee’s contribution to the company based on their own view of their achievements over the reporting period. It encourages employees to set their own targets, to use their strengths to the company’s advantage and to be proactive about motivating themselves to achieve more. An employee self-performance review poses a series of questions to the employee designed to help them evaluate their performance, focusing on a number of different areas, including their job description, performance against targets they have set and professional development. 

If you’ve been asked to participate in a self-performance review process, you have the opportunity to express your viewpoint and progress in a way that can advance your career. 

Self-performance review examples

Even though the process is designed to showcase your most impressive work, knowing how to describe yourself and your achievements will make the process easier. 

You can use these examples to give you some ideas for wording that expresses what you want to say in a way that feels natural:

Use metrics for evidence-based statements

If you need to find ways to discuss how impressive your performance has been over the previous year, quantify your contribution in numbers and let the results speak for themselves. 

Example: ‘During the first quarter, my sales exceeded targets by 26%, and I continued that trend throughout the year by achieving 24% above my target in Q2, 19% above target in Q3 and 28% in Q4. This was due to my fast response to sales leads, as I responded to 90% of my sales inquiries within 24 hours. I have received positive client feedback from 95% of the leads I have contacted, exceeding expected satisfaction targets by 34%.’ 

This statement gives measurable metrics and shows specific achievements that are relevant to the role. By giving an explanation of how the results have been achieved, you can also highlight the skills you have refined to achieve the outcomes listed. 

Focus on the bigger picture

Every business has its challenges, whether they are to improve efficiency, cut costs or prepare for expansion. Demonstrate your contribution to these by highlighting them as part of the self-performance process.

Example: ‘I reviewed my team’s reporting process to establish how to improve their efficiency. I liaised with the database developers and all team members to automate some of the most time-consuming tasks and change the interface to speed up those which could not be automated. This resulted in an increase in efficiency, which included my team regularly finishing their reports before the deadline and allowed us to add three new reporting matrices to our regular schedule. This has been instrumental in improving morale among team members, who are now able to pick up additional tasks from within the department.’ 

You can use your self-evaluation to show additional results of your achievements, such as a beneficial impact on morale, an improvement in motivation or any other positive changes that have come about as a result of your input.

Include the small things

When you’re reviewing your achievements, it’s easy to focus solely on the most impressive results you have achieved towards the company’s business goals. However, you can give a more rounded account of your work by looking at the company culture and mention any contributions you have made to the working environment as well.

Example: ‘During a weekly meeting, it became apparent that some members of the team had never met some key members of other departments. We organized a meet-and-greet session with some of the staff members that we rely on for the data we use, which has resulted in much closer and more effective collaboration. Since then, we have had monthly social sessions that give the teams a chance to build stronger relationships, which increases employee engagement and fosters a more positive and supportive atmosphere.’ 

Most companies want to promote positive working relationships and make the best use of the resources available to them through collaborating. If you are contributing to a nurturing working environment, then you can show this in your self-performance review. 

Turn negatives into positives

Most people will have met with some adversity over the year, but instead of trying to avoid mentioning it, you can show how you’ve used a difficult situation to help you to improve your skills.

Example: ‘I was disappointed that my pitch for a new product wasn’t chosen by the board. Taking part in the process was a valuable experience, however, as I now know what kind of questions they are likely to ask, what they want to see in terms of sustainable materials and how to present my ideas in a well-structured format. I’m going to use this experience to put together a better proposal for next year.’

By acknowledging areas where your skills need improving, you demonstrate the ability to reflect and use your mistakes as opportunities to learn.

Use your review to further your career goals

One of the key benefits to employees of the self-performance review process is the ability to take charge of your career. You can use it as an opportunity to identify an area where you would like to improve your skills and gain support to do that for the benefit of the business.

Example: ‘After a year in which I met and exceeded all my targets and assisted my colleagues with achieving theirs, I believe that I am ready to take the next step in my career and seek promotion to a managerial position. I have taken on additional tasks, such as reporting and quality assurance, and also volunteered to deliver training, which has allowed me to develop my leadership skills.’

A proactive approach to your professional development can allow you the chance to steer your career in your chosen direction with the assistance and endorsement of your manager.