Answer an Interview Question About Your Last Performance Appraisal

If you're in an interview situation where the interviewer questions you about your performance appraisal or assessment, it requires careful answering to ensure that you don't fall into a trap of reeling off nothing but the negatives. Here are some suggestions for responding to it.

Steps

Preparing for the Interview

1. Contact your references. You should ask people before you use them as a reference. Not only that, but you should have some idea about how they might represent you. By contacting your references before you go to the interview, you make sure no one is surprised.
2. Prepare answers to possible questions. Look online and talk to friends and family about potential interview questions. This will help you to think about how the interviewer might question your past performance reviews. By taking the time ahead to think about it, you can be more prepared to answer the questions an interviewer asks. Getting flustered may make it appear that you are not confident in your answers.
3. Contact your employer if your local laws allow. In some cases, an employer can be contacted in order to request information regarding past performance reviews. Generally, employers are limited in one way or another in terms of how much information they can provide. For example, in Arkansas former employers are able to divulge quite a lot of information, whereas in Illinois employer disclosure is rather limited.
4. Be aware of what the interviewer is seeking to do with this line of questioning. A performance appraisal will usually contain at least one suggestion for improvement and interviewers can use the appraisal process question as one means for getting you to talk about the areas that were assessed as being in need of Embark on a Journey of Self Improvement (JOSI). The problem with this is that it can get a little negative.

Interviewing In-House

1. Tell the truth. Your employer has more than likely read your performance reviews. They will know if you are lying or misrepresenting yourself. If you try to give false impressions, it may reflect poorly on you. If you're seeking an internal appointment, it's very likely that the interviewer has already read your performance appraisal and may well have it before them. They might still check the appraisal with your reference providers.
2. Focus on the good things. Don't deny the bad things. Highlight all the positive perceptions about your work. If you know anything about your interviewer, choose references that you know the interviewer will respect. If faced with challenges, use them as examples of times when you succeed in the face of adversity.
   • Keep the balance focused on the positive aspects of the appraisal. It's important to focus on what was good in your appraisal and to highlight how you are continuing to achieve the positive aspects. As for the negative aspects, minimize these by focusing only on one and, at the same, talking about what you've since done to overcome the limitation (for example, training, changing work practices, working from home some days, etc.). Keep it straightforward and don't go into too many details on the negatives. For example:
   • "My last performance appraisal was positive confirmation that my skills are well suited to the work I have been undertaking and that I am ready to move into a higher position. The appraisal showed that I am good with clients, supportive with my colleagues, and always meet my deadlines. It was suggested that I have a tendency to over-explain the procedures to clients, so I have taken great care since to ensure that I don't bury clients in the details and I believe that this demonstrates that I respond well to feedback and have learned how to ensure the best client experience, which is why I believe I am well placed for this promotion."
3. Address problems if asked. Take responsibility. Don't become embarrassed or shy away from faults. This will reflect poorly on you. By taking the reigns, you show authority and a desire to strengthen your worth as an employee. Entrepreneurs value employees who seek to better themselves.

Interviewing at a New Organization

1. Present things in the best light. Your potential employer will not likely have access to your previous performance reviews. You and your references may be their only source of information regarding your previous employment. In order to be accurate regarding your previous performance reviews, as well as to prepare to address your professional development, make sure you know what makes you a valuable employee.
2. Offer references you know will say positive things. When you apply for a position at a new company, you have the luxury of providing to them all the information about you. You get to choose the people who attest to your diligence and qualifications.
   • Typically, it is corporate policy not to give any sort of negative reference.
   • In cases of harassment, discrimination, defamation, retaliation or disparagement you may wish to pursue legal action.
3. Explain that you've had good verbal feedback. This is important where your organization doesn't have a formal feedback structure in place but it's important even where there is one. Give factual examples of praise done for work from your supervisor and colleagues and how it has helped the firm or your team.

Tips

• Read through your last performance appraisal as part of your interview preparation. Reflect on how you have made changes to allay or improve on any of the negative feedback and how you will put that to the interviewer if needed. Also, draw out the positives to be ready to share these with the interviewer, both for this question and for other interview questions in general (including those about how others perceive your work).

Things You'll Need

• Your last performance appraisal

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References

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