How to Ace Your First Annual Review

How to Ace Your First Annual Review Todays post is by Sara Gallagher of gearsandshifts.com. Im always surprised when I hear that a recent college graduate has failed to earn a raise at her first annual review. Getting a raise after your first year on the job should be easy. After all, as an entry-level employee, youre not yet earning a substantial salary; raising it shouldnt put an undue financial burden on your employer. Additionally, your learning curve the first year on the job is extraordinarily high. By the time you sit down with your boss for your first review, you will probably have learned many skills you didnt know the day you interviewed. Nonetheless, some supervisors are just tough negotiatorsand in this economy, budgets are tight and competition is fierce. Here is an action plan to help you succeed where others have failed: Learn to manage projects. You probably wont be managing many people during your first year on the job, but you will be managing tasks and projects. In my experience, the hardest thing to learn as a newbie career woman is how to get started. Fresh out of college, I found myself waiting for my boss to give me assignments. I didnt understand yet that in many companies, the only assignment youre ever going to get is your job description. While some supervisors will give you things to work on here and there, youre responsible for meeting the objectives of your position whether or not your boss gives you step-by-step instructions on how to do so. The great thing about project management is that unlike people management, the results of projects are easier to quantify and communicate on a self-evaluation. Dont press your luck. Gen Y has a reputation for self-entitlement and assertive office behavior. Understand that you have a lot to learn, and be careful about suggesting too many changes. Ideas show you have energy and initiative, but constant, unsolicited criticism of your companys current systems and policies can sever important working relationships. Remember, getting a raise during your first annual review is easybut so is getting canned before you get the chance to argue your case. Document your success. Remember that compensation should be a reflection of your contribution to the companys bottom line. While contribution can be measured in many ways, it does need to be measured in order to justify increased pay and responsibility. Dont wait until youre filling out your self-evaluation to try to remember what youve accomplished. Keep a file on your computer with customer testimonials, sales accomplishments, project completions, and other documents that will help you describe your contribution to the company in tangible terms. Cross-train. Learn as much about your businessand business in generalas you can. Learn from those above you and from peers you respect. Learn from friends working in other industries. Read trade journals, blogs, company newsletters, and any company information you have permission to access. Often, a raise is easier to justify if youre also being considered for a promotion or increase in responsibilities. To spread your wings, youre going to have to prove to those around you that you can handle it. Prepare your replacement. Sometimes, the greatest barrier to earning a raise or promotion is the fact that you do your job so well your employer fears that no one else can do your job adequately. Ive noticed this happens the most often when you start out as an administrative or customer service professional. The best way to combat this is to proactively train others to perform aspects of your position.   Tread carefully; the goal behind training your replacement isnt to shirk your duties, its to make you easier to promote. Build connections. To be successful in academics, the only person you really needed to worry about pleasing was your professor. Not so at the office. Its important to forge mutually beneficial professional relationships where possible. Do your best to get along with everyone, and when you do run across someone you dont like, do your best to change your opinion. Later in life, you can be a little bit more nuanced in your relational dealings; for now, you need all the friends you can get. Treat your annual review like a job interview. Its likely that you practiced your answers to possible questions before going in for the job interview. It doesnt hurt to do the same before meeting with your boss at your annual review. By all means, keep it real and dont spout off canned answers. On the other hand, do come prepared with talking points. These can be accomplishments, observations about your department, ideas for improvement, or questions youd like to ask of your more experienced manager. Your supervisor will appreciate your proactive attitude. Complete your self-evaluation early. Remember that your supervisor has most likely decided whether to recommend you for a raise before calling you into the office for your review. That means that you should complete a detailed, thoughtful self-evaluation at least two weeks prior to your appointment.