Scripts

Performance Review Not As Strong As You Had Hoped? Now What?

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No one wants to receive a poor performance review. But how you respond is important. While you can respond in writing or file a grievance (if you work for the federal government), you may want to consider having a conversation with your boss first. Here is a potential script you can use:

Preparation:

Before approaching your supervisor, you’ll want to prepare. First, take some time and decide what you want to do. Reflect on whether the review was unfair or incorrect, whether it was the first time you received such a review, and whether you are clear on what is expected.

  • If you believe the review was inaccurate, do you have documentation to back up your assertion?
  • If you believe that expectations were not clear, you’ll want to be sure you understand your performance standards.
  • The goal is to assess your performance to get you “back on track.”

Make the Ask:

[Boss name], I’ve been thinking a lot since my review last week, and I’d like to sit down with you to discuss specific aspects of my performance review now that I’ve had a chance to reflect on it.

How It Might Sound:

You: [Boss name], I was kind of shocked by your rating of my performance in last week’s review. Now that I’ve had a chance to think about it some more, I’d like to meet with you to discuss some specific aspects of it. Could we set up a time in the next week to do that?

In the Meeting Itself:

Again, be prepared for the meeting. Make sure you review your performance expectations and you personal documentation of your performance. Plan out what you want to say. Be open-minded; the goal is not to win an argument but to better understand expectations and what you might need to do to meet them.

How It Might Sound:

You: I was pretty defensive in the meeting because I thought I’d been doing a great job. But after looking more closely at the review, I can see there are some things that I need to work on. So that I can improve my performance, I’d like to meet with you monthly — or quarterly at least — so that I can improve my performance for next year’s review. Is that possible?

Boss: We could definitely do check-in meetings at least every other month to make sure you’re on track. But I’ve been pretty clear about our expectations for the areas that you were scored low on, so I’m curious as to the changes you’re going to be making to improve in those areas.

You: Yes, that’s one of the things that I want to talk about in our meetings. While I agree that there are expectations laid out for customer service interactions, for example, there are some things that are ambiguous, and also, you hadn’t said anything to me before about needing to document follow-up interactions, so I was surprised to see that noted on the review. I’m committed to improving my performance, but I want to make sure I’m on the right track.

Boss: Well, I’m happy to discuss some of the specifics, and to clarify anything that you feel is ambiguous. While it’s always been in the customer service guidelines to document follow-up interactions, this is a point of emphasis for management this year, so that’s why it’s noted in the review. But that’s the kind of thing that we can work on throughout the year so it’s not a surprise for you on the annual review. You’re a valued employee, and I am happy to work with you on these issues.

Obviously, not all interactions will be positive but as an employee, you want to do your best to have a win-win outcome.

How to Say It: Job Search Scripts

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Many of us know that it’s a good idea to reach out to hiring managers but aren’t sure how. Here are the basics, including a script you can use to follow up after sending a resume or completing an interview.

  • To prepare for a call to follow up after sending a resume, know the name of the person you’re calling (and how to pronounce their name). Or, if you only know the title of the person responsible for hiring, call the company’s general number and get the name (and pronunciation). PRO TIP: LinkedIn has a feature for individuals to record their names and include it on their profiles. Check to see if the individual has done that.
  • Research LinkedIn and other sites to determine if you have a connection with the person you’re contacting. If you were referred to the organization by a mutual contact, mention the person you were referred by.
  • Follow up after an interview if you haven’t heard back from the interviewer. Consider an email as your first follow-up unless the hiring manager gave you permission at the end of the interview to call OR if it’s been more than a week for private sectors jobs and two weeks for federal jobs, and you haven’t heard back.
  • If you do get in contact with the hiring manager but a decision still has not been made, ask when would be a good time to check back. PRO TIP: mark the follow up date on your calendar so you don’t forget!
  • Ask for an informational interview with someone who can help give you information about a target employer or help you network to a job.

Here is a sample script you can adapt to your circumstances:

Make the Call:

Hi! My name is (your name).

[If you have a mutual connection or were referred to the position by someone specific, mention it. For example: “Jane Jones suggested that I speak with you.” People are more likely to take the time to talk to you if you mention a mutual friend or acquaintance, so always mention the common connection.]

Do you have a minute?

[If no: “When would be a good time for me to call back?”]

I submitted (my resume/an application) for the position of (name of job) on (date).

(Provide a one- or two-sentence summary of your qualifications and what you can offer to the company in this role.)

I wanted to make sure you had everything you need from me to consider me as a candidate for this position. And I wanted to ask if you have a date when you expect to start interviewing for this role.

[If yes: Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today.]

[If no: Is it okay if I check back with you in a (timeframe – for example, a week)?”