Annual Review Preparation Checklist
Checklist
An annual review preparation checklist covering the self assessment, evidence gathering, goals for next year, and how to walk in ready for calibration.
Career Guides
Short, act-on-able checklists for the moments that decide your performance review: preparing for the conversation, asking for a promotion, and handling a rating you disagree with.
Each guide takes one moment in the review cycle and sets out what to prepare, what to say, and what to do next.
The Perform Review AI Coach takes the same ground deeper, writing a full session around your own goal and your own conversation, with a new session every month.
Looking at the other side of the table? See Manager Guides.
Below-Expectations Review Recovery Checklist
Checklist
A recovery checklist for a below-expectations performance review: what to do in the first 48 hours, and how to rebuild trust from there.
First Performance Review as a New Employee
Playbook
What to expect at your first performance review as a new employee: how it differs from a regular cycle, and what's actually being assessed.
How to Ask Your Manager for More Responsibility
Conversation Guide
How to ask your manager for more responsibility: picking a specific scope, making the case you're ready, and handling being asked to wait until the next cycle.
How to Negotiate Pay During Your Performance Review
Conversation Guide
How to negotiate pay during your performance review: opening the conversation, making the case with evidence, and handling a no-budget answer.
How to Push Back on Feedback That Feels Unfair
Conversation Guide
How to push back on unfair performance feedback, in the moment or in a follow-up, using evidence instead of emotion to change the outcome.
How to Read Between the Lines of Vague Performance Feedback
Playbook
How to read between the lines of vague performance feedback: decoding common phrases, asking for a concrete example, and following up in writing.
How to Respond in the Room When You're Put on a Performance Improvement Plan
Conversation Guide
How to respond when you're put on a Performance Improvement Plan: what to ask for in the room, and how to push back on a vague or unfair plan.
How to Respond When You Disagree With Your Performance Rating
Conversation Guide
How to respond when you disagree with your performance rating: how to react in the room, build a written case, request a follow-up, and know when to let it go.
How to Talk About Your Own Work Without Sounding Boastful
Playbook
How to talk about your own work without sounding boastful: leading with outcomes, using numbers instead of adjectives, and staying credible.
How to Tell Your Manager You Feel Stuck in Your Role
Conversation Guide
How to tell your manager you feel stuck in your role: turning a vague feeling into a specific ask, and getting a real next step out of it.
Mid-Year Review Checklist
Checklist
A mid-year review checklist covering what to bring: goal progress, first-half evidence, gaps to name early, and the questions worth asking your manager.
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Survival Checklist
Checklist
A survival checklist for a Performance Improvement Plan: what to check in the plan, how to build evidence from day one, and whether it's fixable.
Performance Review Prep Checklist
Checklist
A checklist of what to bring to your performance review: the documents, talking points, and mindset that separate a passive meeting from one you help steer.
Performance Review Questions Checklist
Checklist
A grouped checklist of performance review questions to ask your manager: the rating itself, your growth path, and the support you need next.
Promotion Case-Building Checklist
Checklist
A checklist for building a promotion case between review cycles: what to take on, how to create visibility, and how to keep evidence as you go.
Promotion Review Checklist
Checklist
A promotion review checklist covering what to prepare before you ask: the criteria, the evidence, the gaps, and the advocates you need.
Quarterly Check-In Checklist
Checklist
A quarterly check-in checklist covering what to have ready: recent wins, current blockers, goal progress, and the questions worth asking your manager.
Staying Visible as a Remote or Hybrid Employee
Playbook
How to stay visible as a remote or hybrid employee: documenting work your manager can't see, communicating progress, and building a wider profile.
Understanding a 'Meets Expectations' Rating
Playbook
A 'meets expectations' rating when you expected higher: whether it's a bad sign, how to ask the right questions, and how to close the gap next cycle.
What a Layoff or Reorg Means for Your Next Performance Review
Playbook
What a layoff or reorg means for your next performance review: shifted goals, rebuilding evidence after a manager change, and reading the rating.