With the implementation of caps on high performance ratings, writing a strong self assessment in preparation for your performance review is more important than ever. It is your opportunity to “tell your story” and prove your worth with strong, metric driven accomplishments.
1. Let’s Get Started: Hopefully you’ve been training your performance throughout the rating period. Tracking your performance means keeping a file of your accomplishments, numbers, deliverables, awards / recognition from supervisors and customers, and other similar documents. In addition you’ll want to gather:
- Your performance plan
- Your organization’s goals
With your information in hand, you want to organize your documents by critical element so you’re ready to write.
2. Prepare your Accomplishments: Just like writing accomplishments for your resume, you’ll want to focus on the results you achieved, rather than your duties and activities. Consider:
- What was the outcome?
- Who benefited?
- What problem was solved?
- How did my work support organizational goals and a specific critical element?
3. Consider Using CCAR to Frame Your Accomplishments
- Context: What were you responsible for? What was going on?
- Challenge: What was difficult or unique about what you had to do?
- Action: What specifically did you do to solve the challenge?
- Result: What was the impact of your efforts (and how did it support organizational goals?
Don’t forget to include the skills and behaviors you exhibited. For example, Improved processes…, Enhanced customer service…, Displayed resilience….Keep your accomplishments specific. It’s not enough to say you did “x”—you need to show how “x” made a difference / added value.
4. What NOT to do:
- Simply repeat your position description.
- List duties without describing results.
- Exaggerate accomplishments.
- Use vague statements such as “worked hard” or “did a great job.”
- Submit a self-assessment without examples or evidence.
Good luck! And if you find that you did not track your performance closely enough this year, keep that in mind as we enter FY 2027. It is your responsibility to ensure that your performance is fully understood by your supervisor.
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