Crafting a self-evaluation for a performance review can be a daunting task.
It’s crucial to strike the right balance between showcasing your achievements and acknowledging areas for improvement.
Regardless of the job you have or the project you were working on, there are a few principles you need to stick to when writing a self-evaluation essay about your own performance.
Today, I’ll be sharing some tips and also a few self-evaluation review examples for inspiration of your own performance review.
Stick around.
Why Is a Self-Evaluation Review Important?
A self-evaluation performance review gives you a chance to highlight your strengths while demonstrating that you can recognize your flaws and are working on improving them at the same time.
Self-evaluations allow you to open your employer’s mind to your thought process while working on the project. They can learn more about you and what makes you tick – knowing your strengths can allow them to play to those strengths, giving you room to grow.
Furthermore, it shows that you can be honest about your weaknesses and that you have an open and curious mind. It demonstrates that you are motivated to work on yourself and improve your performance in all areas, helping the company grow in the process.
A well-written self-assessment can pave the way to getting bonuses and promotions. It can also make it more likely for your managers to assign you projects that you enjoy working on and have the right skills and expertise for.
Now that you know why crafting your self-assessment performance review carefully is important, let’s move on to some examples.
Highlight Your Teamwork
Unless you’re working alone, chances are that your employer values teamwork. Your communication skills and ability to work seamlessly with your teammates will lead to increased productivity from you and everyone you are working with.
Example #3:
“I loved working with my teammates. Adjusting to new work environments can sometimes be a challenge, but I soon found myself settling in. I discovered immense value in collaborating with my teammates, getting their feedback on my work, and getting exposed to new insights and viewpoints.
Similarly, I tried to support my co-workers and provide constructive feedback at all times. I found I’m more productive when working closely with others – not relying on them to get my job done, but collaborating on finding solutions to pressing problems.”
Discuss Company Culture and Brand Goals
In your assessment, show that you understand the CEO’s goals and how you fit in with the company culture. Discuss why you enjoy working in that particular environment, and explain how the company’s vision aligns with your own.
Example #4:
“Working on this project has allowed me to rediscover my passion and life goals. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working in an environment that conforms to my ideals and where I feel comfortable expressing myself and becoming the best version of myself.
I’ll continue to strive to help the company grow and achieve its goals.”
Point to Your Strong Work Ethic
All employers value dedicated workers with strong work ethics. If you’ve gone above and beyond in your job, working at times when you were not required and being diligent to put in the necessary hours, talk about that.
Also Read: Part-time vs Full-time
Example #5:
“Throughout the year, I’ve demonstrated a strong work ethic, ensuring I come to work on time – and often, earlier than necessary. I’ve stayed at work late to ensure I finished things up that day instead of pushing them off until the next day.
Despite having the opportunity to, I haven’t taken vacation days, preferring to instead bring my best performance to the table for the good of the company. While I’ve given myself ample opportunities to relax and de-stress, I realize how critical my time is for this company’s growth.”
Point Your Accomplishments
On the one hand, you don’t want to come off as egoistic or bragging. Managers don’t like workers who are full of themselves.
On the other hand, being able to recognize your accomplishments is a positive trait, not a negative one.
Drawing attention to your biggest accomplishments throughout the year or while working on your project shows why you are a valuable asset to the team.
One way to point to your accomplishments without coming across as arrogant is by simultaneously pointing to some of your weaknesses.
At the same time, mention how you plan on addressing those weaknesses, so they don’t cause any issues in the future.
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Example #1:
“As a mortgage broker, I exceeded my target goals by 12% throughout most of the year, using targeted outreach methods like PPC ads to reach a broader audience. I used tactics like offering part of my commission to bring down clients’ rates to attract more clients overall, thus winning for me and the company.
However, in the last few months of the year, while still reaching my target goal for the quarter, I noticed a slight decrease in my performance due to unexpected changes in the real estate market.
Going forward, I will analyze ways to quickly adapt my marketing strategy and messaging to ever-changing market situations to avoid this problem in the future.”
Example #2:
“As part of my work on increasing our customer retention rate, I came up with loyalty programs that incentivize customers to make repeat purchases and purchase premium memberships, thus increasing our overall retention rate by more than 15%.
I have tested out various trial programs to offer customers a way to try out services without committing, so they can see the value of those services firsthand. This has attracted undecided customers by giving them some time to decide before committing financially.
I have also identified features and services that customers have been asking for, creating a roadmap to introduce those features, and keeping customers updated about future feature releases to make sure they don’t cancel their subscriptions.
By being proactive and asking customers for feedback and adding a feature request form on our site, I was able to make customers feel listened to and create a priority-based list to work on.
While much remains to be done in this regard, our increased customer retention rate has improved our bottom line and allowed us to allocate more to our advertising budget.”
Also Read: Best Executive Summary Examples
Discuss Your Willingness to Learn
Employers also value workers who have a willingness to learn. Having an open mind about learning new skills and improving existing ones shows you aren’t satisfied with staying in the same place in your career and have a strong sense of ambition.
Even more than that, managers love employees who use their free time to learn new skills. If an employee takes the initiative and is proactive about expanding their skillset and knowledge, without relying on their boss to provide learning opportunities, they may start considering possible promotions for that employee.
Example #6:
“I’ve consistently been practicing my coding and programming skills, but I feel there is always room to improve and more skills to learn. I have purchased courses from Udemy and signed up for coding academies online to expand my skill set and become proficient in additional programming languages.
In the future, this knowledge will allow me to build better apps, software, tools, and websites that will offer customers an improved user experience.”
Example #7:
“Understanding the latest best SEO practices is critical, which is why I subscribe to multiple newsletters and attend online webinars and conferences frequently. That allows me to learn about new algorithm updates and strategies that allow us to stay one step ahead of our competitors at all times while ensuring our clients maintain their high rankings.
It also helps me avoid common mistakes that can lead to decreased rankings in the long run. I’ve also taken a content marketing course at my local community college to ensure I understand the basics of an effective content marketing strategy.”
Set Goals for the Future and Explain How You’ll Reach Them
A good way to show you’ll continue to be a valuable asset to the team is by setting goals for yourself in your assessment. Explain how you plan on reaching those goals.
Example #9:
“Over the past half year, I’ve created social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram from scratch, managing to attract over 10,000 targeted followers across all platforms.
Going forward, I plan to increase social media engagement by 20% over the next six months compared to the last six months.
To do that, I’ll focus on publishing interesting content with eye-catching graphics. Using advanced research tools, I’ll use targeted hashtags to get more exposure while engaging with others and collaborating with influencers and micro-influencers.”
Example #10:
“While sales have been great, I plan on increasing sales by at least 10% over the next quarter without increasing our ad spend. To do that, I will create an affiliate program and offer exclusive bonuses to first-time affiliates who bring in a certain number of sales, allowing our affiliates to do the work for us at no added cost.”
Stress Your Quality Customer Service
Keeping customers happy is the foundation of any successful business, small or large. If your work involves dealing with customers, whether as a sales rep, support rep, or in any other capacity, stress how you keep customers happy, thus maintaining a high retention rate.
Example #8:
“When dealing with customers, I listen to them attentively, trying to understand the exact issues they are facing before trying to come up with solutions. I ensure the customers I deal with feel heard, and I make sure they know how much we appreciate their business.
At the same time, I try to find a solution for any problem a customer is facing. I go above and beyond to try to please customers, within reason, as I understand how critical customer satisfaction is for the success of this company.
One thing I never do is talk over customers or try to make them feel inadequate. I try to read between the lines and pinpoint concerns that they may be hesitant to talk about outright.
Furthermore, I try to anticipate issues that may arise and deal with them proactively, thus ensuring a lighter load on the customer support team and helping the company run smoothly. By putting myself in my customers’ shoes and by listening closely, I can comprehend what is really bothering them and provide alternative solutions.
A large percentage of clients have gone on to become repeat customers after their interactions with me, demonstrating that I made them feel that we can meet their needs, one of the cornerstones of good customer relationships.
When encountering hostile or difficult customers, I’ve used strategies and de-escalation tactics that I developed to deal with them without resorting to accusations or putting the blame on them.
Furthermore, when providing feedback, either through support ratings or feedback forms, a large percentage of customers have expressed satisfaction with the support experience I have provided them.
At the same time, I am aware of my limitations, and I refer cases to my teammates or manager when I feel I am unable to provide adequate support or offer satisfactory solutions.”
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Ask for Feedback
To show that you are willing to change and adapt, ask for feedback at the end of your assessment.
Example #11:
“Despite all these accomplishments, I recognize that there is always room for improvement, which is why I’m asking for feedback and constructive criticism on how I can do better.
I’d appreciate any advice you have about which areas I need to focus on going forward. If there’s something I overlooked, please let me know, so I can correct it.”
Show You Are a Problem Solver
Being a problem solver and being quick on your feet to come up with solutions to new challenges are traits that employers like. Talk about that in your self-assessment.
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Example #12:
“I am a fast thinker and come up with creative solutions to challenges in real time. I don’t rely on others to solve my problems for me, instead preferring to use my creativity to smooth over difficulties and overcome obstacles.
I try to anticipate potential challenges in advance, often creating a Plan B and even a Plan C in case my original plan doesn’t work out. That way, I can stay productive and avoid wasting time or burdening others due to delays in turnaround times.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About Your Weaknesses
Your manager likely wants to see if you can recognize your own weaknesses and failures. Don’t be afraid to be honest and mention them.
Example #13:
“Sometimes, I let issues in my personal life distract me from my work. Relationship problems, for example, sometimes affect my mental state and prevent me from maintaining a clear and focused mind at work.
In the future, I will practice meditation and work on separating personal and work life, so I can give 100% of myself at work. I might block notifications from messaging apps or turn off my personal phone altogether while at work to avoid letting distractions prevent me from doing my job.”
Example #14:
“I sometimes struggle with a lack of organization and self-discipline. This interferes with my ability to meet deadlines and keep up with the fast pace of our workplace.
In the future, I will focus on becoming more organized and disciplined, starting with my personal life. I recognize the importance of being dedicated and organized in general, and how being so in my personal life will influence my professional performance.”
Example #15:
“Sometimes, I lack the motivation to continue putting in my best work. However, I plan to combat that by keeping track of my long-term goals and setting short-term goals, using apps and sticky notes, to help me stay on track.
Furthermore, I plan on listening to audiobooks and self-help podcasts to help me increase my productivity, keep myself motivated, and ensure I don’t lose sight of what I’m trying to do in the world and for this company.”
Hacks for Writing the Perfect Self-Assessment Performance Review
It’s normal to be nervous when writing a self-assessment review. A lot of employees don’t know where to start or what to talk about.
Here are some hacks to help you out.
Don’t Sweat It
Don’t sweat it too much or get anxious about what your manager will think of you. Your self-assessment is rarely the deciding factor for managers when deciding whether to give you a bonus, promote you, fire you, etc.
Proofread Your Work
Before submitting your self-assessment, proofread it to make sure there are no grammar and spelling mistakes. These mistakes can show a lack of attention to detail or indicate laziness.
Ask for Feedback
Your coworkers have likely been asked to write self-assessment reviews as well. Why not ask them for help?
Two minds are better than one. If you are new at the company, you can ask teammates who have been around longer than you what your manager wants to see in the yearly self-assessment reviews.
Alternatively, ask a trusted co-worker to read your self-assessment and give you feedback. They may even notice some strengths of yours that you failed to mention or accomplishments you left out.
Be True to Yourself
In the same vein, don’t try to impress your manager too hard. You don’t want to come across as someone who lacks self-confidence.
Write a true and honest assessment – put your true thoughts into writing.
Use Hard Data to Back Up Your Accomplishments
Whenever possible, use hard data and statistics to prove your accomplishments.
Don’t just say you have made customers happier, for example. Instead, use feedback ratings and customer retention rates to back up your claims.
Make a list of your accomplishments and identify the most important ones. They might be what sets you apart from other team members, or they might be accomplishments that were hard to achieve or which are bringing long-lasting results to the business.
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Be Honest and Recognize Flaws
Many employees think that recognizing their weaknesses and drawbacks in their self-assessment reviews is the wrong course of action. After all, their thinking goes, why draw attention to weaknesses that their managers may have actually overlooked?
Shouldn’t that hurt their chances of success at the company rather than help them?
The truth, though, is that your manager likely already recognizes your flaws. Nobody is perfect, and nobody is expecting you to be.
What your manager likely does want to see is whether you can own up to your mistakes and errors. Someone who is able to do some soul-searching and work on themselves is also open to feedback.
On the other hand, someone who thinks they are perfect will set off red flags. It’s a sign that they are not open to constructive criticism and won’t do the necessary work to get better at their jobs.
Of course, you don’t want your entire self-assessment to focus on your flaws. You should be playing up your strengths first before moving on to your weaknesses.
At the same time, not mentioning them at all can do more harm than good.
Also Read: Students’ Strengths & Weaknesses Examples
Understand What Your Manager Wants
Why is your manager asking you for a self-assessment review? Before you start, ask for clarity if you haven’t been given clear guidelines.
For example, does your manager want a long essay or a short recap? Should you be discussing your performance for the entire year or a specific project?
Set SMART Goals
In your review, show you are ambitious. Create goals for yourself that meet the SMART criteria:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Setting abstract goals that are hard to measure or which you won’t be able to achieve, for example, won’t do much to show your employer how serious you are.
Wrapping It Up
Don’t copy and paste any of these self-assessment examples. Instead, review them and use them for inspiration to create your own self-assessment.
Be concise in your assessment. Avoid writing too much fluff or talking about yourself too much; instead, focus on the things you have done and the results you are bringing to the company.
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