We take a sigh of relief when we join the most awaited job after years of eyeing one we always wanted. We feel like a free bird that has got an opportunity to spread its wings and fly high and far into the sky after years of educational assessment rigours. But, the fact is that we can never get away from the ‘monitoring eye’. Our workplace, which we think of as our retirement from continuous evaluations, is actually a well functioning, sophisticated, refined and advanced structure of the same system we think we have finally left behind! We are secretively monitored and accessed depending on our work performance and the review or the report of this assessment comes forth on the day of the ‘work appraisal interview’. The interview day is our report-card day which we always dread of. However, if we change our attitude a bit and look at this appraisal process with positive connotation, the interview will appear to be nothing but a step added to your ladder in reaching success. Though taxing and challenging, appraisal interviews give the employee an opportunity to portray his/her personality, confidence, skills and qualities in front of the management. Learn from the work appraisal interview tips given below and get the best out of your appraisal interview.

Work Appraisal Interview Tips

You should use the assessment interview as a learning stage and should go well prepared for it. Prepare and practice answers to questions that can possibly be asked and refer to previous appraisal interviews and analyze how much you have moved forward since then. If possible, get a colleague or a friend to help you practice facing the appraisal interview. Work on your speaking skills and instil lots of confidence within.
Honestly, no one should like to enter an interview room without self inspection. Therefore, it is important on your part to review your work in the past few months and list down the achievements that you have made. You can use figures and numericals to put down your growth chart. Don’t forget to include any awards or recognitions you’ve received or any vocational training you are undergoing. These points will prove to be positive for you in the interview.

It is better to be your own critic than to be pulled up by someone else for your flaws. Ponder over the areas which you think you are weak in and would like to improve upon. Frame out a plan about how you would approach changes in the quality of your work and make sure that you offer a clear projection of your plans. If you think you need help from the management, say so clearly to them and show them how it will help in increasing your work quality.

Prepare yourself with a list of issues that you would like to raise in the interview. Make sure that you bring out all the issues that are affecting your team and the total productivity. Put across your concerns not as complains but as cooperative measures that you are taking up to help the management improve the output. Make the conversation look positive and instil confidence in them. That little support from their side can make volumes of difference.

Professionalism on your part is what will put the ball in your court. Work appraisal interviews can be onerous, but if you are able to maintain your professionalism and calm throughout, you will turn out to be the winner. Stay focused on what you are there to achieve and push through your suggestions and demands garlanded with professionalism and positivity.

Your body language is what can make or break the deal for you. Wear a positive body language throughout. Your gestures and posture should not look different from what you speak, or else everything you try to put across will look framed and artificial. Your body and your gestures should speak only confidence. Give a firm hand-shake once you enter and maintain a good and friendly posture and expression throughout the interview.

Make sure that you are in the best of shape on the day of the appraisal interview. Stay focused and confident and sharpen all your senses before entering the room, as you can grasp and learn a lot through the meeting. Listen carefully to what your appraiser has to say and grasp the advice given to you by him/her. Being attentive will help you give out effective and impressive answers.

Use the work appraisal interview as a stepping stone in your path of success and personal development. Understand and set the objectives based on the discussion in the interview and make sure that you show up with the anticipated or higher results by the end of the stipulated time period.