With your ‘self-assessment’ out of the way and approved by your team leads, you can now relax knowing you have given the most honest and concise feedback you could provide on your performance, the improvements you have made, and your new goals.

Now, you must wait for the Performance Review Panel to give their feedback and, hopefully, their full support of what you have submitted as your future career goals with the firm.

Providing you do receive that approval, and your professional team fully support you, you are well on your way to beginning the process of adjusting your focus onto your ‘new goals’ for the upcoming period.

If you have previously been successful in achieving, or perhaps even exceeding your goals with the firm, it is likely that the Performance Review Panel’s response will be favourable.

I think it would be wise, under these preset conditions, that you give careful consideration to the possibility that you could find yourself being approached to ‘take on more responsibility’, although this will not necessarily mean a public ‘promotion’ or ‘salary increment’.

I suggest that you give this a great deal of thought, as you do not want to find yourself back in the ‘go-to’ role and simply taking on the task of performing work for others, as in your ‘Yes’ days.

I encourage you to review your past performance reviews and read the feedback you received, as well as the general consensus of your professional team and Team Leader.

This would also be a perfect time for you to review pay increments you have received since joining the firm, if any, depending on your tenure. You should also take into account any bonuses you have received, or special recognitions such as Thank You cards or emails for going ‘above and beyond’ to meet a client deadline. Note that all of your ‘kudos’ should be kept in a personal paper file for your future reference and Portfolio.

Although we are in a global recession, Canada is performing reasonably well, and the economic forecasts for the New Year are brighter than anticipated. I personally believe that a promotion, however small in scale, and/or a salary increase is not out of the question, depending on the industry you work in and how well your firm is performing overall.

My suggestions assume that you have developed a professional and ‘open communication’ style with your Boss and Team Leader since joining your firm. I also anticipate that your firm is bearing well under the pressure of our current market conditions, and therefore has the potential for growth.