What can you do to make sure your first (or next) performance review is a positive one? You should just focus on your work and let your hard-earned talents and intelligence shine, right? Wrong. Many people assume that their bosses will know and remember everything they’ve done. But this is unlikely to be the case: Research finds that people overestimate the extent to which their accomplishments are noticed and remembered by others. Bosses are likely to be particularly bad at remembering their employees’ accomplishments because they may have multiple employees, as well as their own goals to focus on.

Performance reviews can be nerve wracking, but they’re important for ensuring your boss recognizes your value. Here are three tips for these anxiety-inducing conversations:

• Highlight your achievements. Remind your boss of your accomplishments and how they’ve contributed to the outcomes your company cares about. You might say something like: “I know one of our team’s biggest priorities this quarter was to increase our social media following by 20%. The social media plan I developed is something I’m really proud of because it helped us achieve that goal.”
• Demonstrate how you’ve helped your boss. Remind them of times you’ve built upon their ideas, helped them execute their goals, and brought your own ideas to the table that helped advance their cause.
• Reemphasize your commitment to your organization. State your excitement about contributing to the future of the team and improving upon the work you’re already doing.

The truth is, performance reviews aren’t always fair. Think back to when you were hired for your current role. It’s important to understand that these elements of your performance will take time to build, and you will regularly have to maintain them if you want to continue to be evaluated positively.

Sanner, B. and Evans, K. (2021, April). Do the Words “Performance Review” Scare You? Harvard Business Review.