Done badly, appraisals can be boring, meaningless or terrifying. Done well, and they can make you feel more motivated than Granny Ina defending her Best Clootie Dumpling title at the church hall Bake Off.
An appraisal is a time to think about how your career is progressing.
You may find yourself eyeing up promotion – or realising only a move can provide what you need.
If this is the case, your next production job could be only a click away with s1jobs.
So, how do you ensure you get the best from your appraisal? That’s easy: follow our top tips to unlock your potential.
Prepare
It’s easy to only talk about issues on your mind at this precise moment in time.
But remember this is a review of the whole year and all of the achievements and challenges during that time.
So before your appraisal look over your work and note down any highlights and possible issues. This is your moment to speak up and have your achievements recorded.
At the same time it is when you formally raise your training needs and any issues that may be affecting your work – so don’t be shy!
Be specific
If you have a good manager, the lines of communication will always be open.
But what is different here is the fact that in one single chat you can address every different aspect of your role. It is only by drilling down to the nitty gritty in this way that you can identify what is working well and where improvement is needed.
Look to the future
An appraisal creates a bit of time and space to reflect on the past years successes and challenges – but it can also provide a chance to flag up areas you want to develop or get experience.
In the hubbub of day-to-day work, there is little chance to discuss your career path. So seize this opportunity and come armed with a wish list.
Are there skills you have that are not being used to the max in your current role?
Have you always fancied swapping your place on the production line for a role in maintenance? Perhaps a secondment could be arranged.
When it comes to your career path, if you don’t ask, you don’t get – so ask yourself this: Why am I not taking a closer look at the amazing opportunities available in Production & Manufacturing with s1jobs?