What It Means
A performance review is the formal point where a supervisor looks back over a set stretch of work, compares it with the standards agreed for that stretch, and records a rating. Private employers design their own process, so the form, the rating scale and the timing vary from job to job. For most federal employees, the Office of Personnel Management's rules call it appraisal: the period generally runs 12 months so each person gets a yearly rating of record, and at least one progress review happens partway through.
Try It: Walk Through a 12-Month Review Period
Slide through the months of a review period. The stages follow OPM's rules for most federal employees; private employers set their own.
The period opens
Progress reviews
Rating of record
Find out which standards your work will be measured against, and start a running list of what you finish.
At least one progress review falls somewhere in here: a conversation about how your work compares with the standards so far.
The period closes and the rating of record is prepared for the whole stretch. Bring your list.
How People Say It at Work
- "My review is next Thursday and I haven't written anything yet."
- "She rated me 'meets expectations' again."
- "Can we talk about this before it goes in my review?"
The Breakdown
The federal terms, per 5 CFR part 430
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Appraisal | The process of reviewing and evaluating your performance |
| Appraisal period | The stretch of time your rating covers, generally 12 months |
| Progress review | A conversation partway through about how your work compares with the standards |
| Rating of record | The rating prepared at the end of the period, covering all of it |
How to prepare for your review (Buhata's suggestion)
- Ask early which standards or goals you're measured against, and get them in writing if you can.
- Keep a running list through the year: what you finished, with dates and numbers where you have them.
- Treat the midpoint check-in as a chance to fix problems while there's time to change the outcome.
- Two weeks before the review, sort your list into results, problems you solved and things you learned.
- Write down one or two goals for the next period and anything you need to reach them.
- In the meeting, listen first, ask for examples of anything you don't follow, and agree on next steps.
Try it today. Open a note called "Wins this year" and add the last three things you finished, each with a date.
Good to Know
The rules above come from OPM's regulations for most federal employees under 5 CFR part 430; a private company's handbook or HR team sets its own schedule and scale, so ask HR for the written process. If a rating will feed into pay or promotion, ask how that link works before the review rather than after it.
FAQ
How often do performance reviews happen?
Many employers hold them once a year. For most federal employees, OPM's rules set the appraisal period at generally 12 months and require at least one progress review during it.
What's the difference between a progress review and the rating of record?
In OPM's terms, a progress review is a conversation partway through the period about how your work compares with the standards. The rating of record is the formal rating prepared at the end, covering the whole period.
What should I bring to my performance review?
A short list of what you finished, with dates and numbers, any problems you solved, and one or two goals for the next period. If your employer asks for a self-evaluationSelf-evaluationYour own written assessment of your work over a review period, which your manager reads alongside their view during a performance review. See more, that list is most of it.
Do It in Buhata
Tasks and Notes (Premium)
Add a monthly Task called "Log this month's wins" and keep the list on a page in Notes (Premium), so it's ready when your review period closes.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Self-evaluation
Your own written assessment of your work over a review period, which your manager reads alongside their view during a performance review.
- One-on-one meeting
A regular private meeting between a manager and one person who reports to them, used for check-ins, feedback, problems and career growth.
- Constructive feedback
Specific, fact-based feedback that describes what someone did and its effect, so they can keep doing it or change it.
- OKRs
Objectives and Key Results: a goal-setting method that pairs a clear objective with a few measurable results showing whether it was reached, usually set each quarter.
- Asking for a raise
Requesting higher pay from your current employer, usually backed by your results, your role's market pay and what you plan to take on next.
- Managing up
Working deliberately with your boss to get the best results for both of you and the organization, by understanding how they work and what they need.
Sources
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 5 CFR Part 430 Subpart B, "Performance Appraisal for General Schedule, Prevailing Rate, and Certain Other Employees"; U.S. Office of Personnel Management, "Performance Management Cycle"
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-430/subpart-B
- www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/performance-management/performance-management-cycle
Last updated .