How to Write a Self-Evaluation: 5 Self-Evaluation Tips

Annually or bi-annually, employees write their own performance evaluations as part of an overall employee review process. When you are asked to evaluate your own performance over the past year, make sure to work within a few key parameters.

1. 1. Respond in a timely manner. While you can gain a lot of insight from your own self-assessment, your coworkers may be relying on your performance appraisal to complete their own work. In the spirit of teamwork (and in a demonstration of your time management skills), set aside time so you can fill out your self-evaluation as quickly as you can while still offering your best work.
2. 2. Respond directly to the prompts. You will likely be provided with self-evaluation prompts that tie to your job title and job description. Answer the questions directly and provide succinct explanations—typically three to four sentences. Usually, you’ll be given space at the end of your self-evaluation to add anything that the evaluation template missed.
3. 3. Keep your self-evaluation focused and specific. Self-evaluations offer a great opportunity for self-reflection, but make sure to keep your observations focused on job performance. Whether you’re highlighting your contributions to sales targets or customer support, point to objective metrics and specific examples of positive outcomes. Be honest about areas for improvement and how they directly tie into your overall goals.
4. 4. Proofread your answers. Before submitting your completed self-evaluation form, take a moment to review your answers for typos, grammatical errors, and incomplete sentences. Submit written responses that are as polished as possible to help minimize distractions and reinforce your attention to detail.

As you launch into the self-appraisal process, use the following tips to get the most out of the process.

1. 1. Frame your work in terms of your job responsibilities. Your self-review should specifically focus on your professional growth within the job you currently hold. As you identify areas of strength and weakness, frame them in terms of your job title and job description. This will keep your writing focused, and it will help your manager digest what you have written.
2. 2. Offer measurable means of evaluation. Whenever possible, use specific metrics to describe your job performance. For instance, rather than state that you improved the company's customer experience, cite numbers showing improved customer satisfaction with your division.
3. 3. Review specific successes from the past year. If you won an employee honor or your team sold more subscriptions than any other thanks to your contributions, your self-assessment is a good time to take stock of these wins.
4. 4. Frame professional shortcomings as growth opportunities. If you didn't achieve a goal or if you received constructive feedback, consider sharing what you learned from those moments. Explain how you have set goals in response to those challenges and how you plan on measuring your progress.
5. 5. Note your long-term professional development. Professional growth does not confine itself to a calendar year. Sometimes you need to take a broader view as you describe improvements in your communication skills, leadership skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making abilities. If your self-evaluation template includes prompts about the past 365 days, write about that period. If there are opportunities to describe longer-term holistic growth, include that as well.

All you need is a MasterClass Annual Membership and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former editor in chief of Teen Vogue and host of CBS’ The Talk), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s Insecure), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams.