Career / Career Development / Career Growth

6 tips that’ll help you ace that appraisal interview

. 2 min read . Written by Vanshika Goenka
6 tips that’ll help you ace that appraisal interview

The appraisal season is upon us and if you are stressing about the annual meeting with your manager that will determine how much moolah you take home this year, we’ve got you some useful tips. These will help you ace that interview and walk away with an appraisal that’ll give you a reason to party!

Review your own performance

The best way to be prepared for everything that can possibly happen in that interview is by being your own critic. Review your performance and accept your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you present a strong case in front of your boss. This is also a good way to prepare a defence for your weakness or any major mistakes you may have made. Plus, you’ll be ready to take on whatever is thrown at you in that interview.

Rakhee Shenoy, HRBP, Group Corporate Functions, Welspun Group agrees and suggests practising your pitch. “Prior to the appraisal interview, you need to sit and introspect how was your year, get down all those points, good side or bad side, and prepare to discuss them with your boss.”

Make notes

Making notes may not seem like such a big deal but in actuality it is. When you review your performance make sure you note down the achievements that’ll help you present a strong case. Add in the ways you’ve helped the business grow and ensured that you work as a team player.

Also, make notes of all of your accomplishments. No matter how many mistakes you’ve made in the year, you can still end up with a good appraisal if you have enough accomplishments to overshadow the mistakes. You can share these your boss which will strengthen your chances of a better appraisal.

Prepare to justify your actions

There may have been many mistakes you’ve made but if it was big enough to come up in your appraisal interview then you must take time to evaluate your role in it. A smart thing would be to be ready with a strong justification for your actions, however, if you are really at fault, it’s best to apologise instead of making up excuses. We are all humans and trust us, your boss (who is also human) will get it.

Draft a plan

Bosses love employees who are proactive and enthusiastic and thus to ace an appraisal interview you need a solid future plan. Jot down the few things that you think could bring in more business and make a list of goals for the coming period that you would like to achieve. When your boss asks you where you see yourself in the future, make sure you tell her or him your ideas and put across your dedication. This can win you some brownie points.

Be prepared for questions

The entire purpose of an appraisal interview is to get a one-on-one with your boss where both parties can communicate. So be prepared for all the questions. A good way to impress your boss is by asking them what they think of you and where they see you in the future. This will help you gauge the situation and turn the tide in your favour accordingly.

Maintain your cool

Before or even during the interview there are chances that you may experience various emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration and disappointment. To ace this interview it is important for you to be cool as a cucumber. You need to keep calm and answer every question with an equal amount of confidence. Any display of emotions can come across as a weakness and thus is harmful.