As a software engineer, doing great work is important, but showing your accomplishments can be hard. Your annual performance review is your chance to highlight what you've achieved and earn rewards like a bonus, promotion, or exciting new project. Waiting until the last minute to remember everything you've done over the past year won't help.
The best way to stand out is by tracking your work throughout the year. And the easiest way to do that is by documenting your work regularly.
Why document?
- You won't remember everything you've done.
- Your manager won't remember either.
Tracking your accomplishments and goals helps keep your progress clear and aligned with your team's objectives.
In this blog post, we'll share simple key points to track for your annual reviews.
Accomplishments for This Year
Projects
- Project Name: What was your role? Did you design it, build it, or come up with a smart idea?
- Impact: How did it help? Did it save money, land a big client, or improve a process? Share any numbers or specific results.
- Learnings: What did you learn from it? Did you discover a new tool or method?
Leadership
- Leadership: When did you lead or mentor someone? What did you do, and how did it go?
- Teamwork: What team successes did you contribute to? Did you help make a project better?
- Initiatives: Were you involved in any company-wide projects or new ideas?
Problem-Solving
- Challenges: What significant issues did you tackle? How did you resolve them?
- Improvements: What changes did you make that enhanced efficiency or performance?
Goals for This Year
Current Goals
- Objectives: What are you focusing on right now?
- Progress: What's the latest update? Any milestones reached?
- Challenges: What's been difficult, and how are you addressing it?
Future Goals
- Long-Term Goals: Where do you want to be in the long run?
- Skills/Experiences: What new skills or experiences do you want to gain?
- Opportunities: What roles or opportunities are you interested in?
Outside of Work
- Extra Achievements: Have you done anything noteworthy outside your main job? Speaking engagements, publications, blog posts, or open-source contributions?
Meeting prompts for your annual review
About a week before your annual review, check in with your manager to confirm the date and ensure you are both on the same page.
Take some time to reflect on your work. Here are a few things to consider:
- What work are you most proud of?
- What didn't go as well, and what would you do differently?
- What projects or tasks did you enjoy the most? Which ones align best with your career goals?
- What projects do you wish you had taken on? What do you want to tackle next year?
- How have you impacted the business, the team, and your junior colleagues? Use concrete numbers and specifics, not just vague statements.
Feel free to use this as a template to document your work, and update it weekly or at least monthly.
