What to include in my accountant job performance appraisal

Job appraisals provide a great opportunity to review your performance at work, set goals, and discuss future plans and personal development opportunities.

In accountancy jobs, you may have reports, statistics and projects as examples of the work you have done. Be well prepared for your appraisal. It is a business discussion that can show an employer your value to the company and lead towards a pay rise or promotion.

Be clear in your appraisal about what you see as your accounting duties. Public accountants would include evidence of preparing taxes and external auditing skills for individuals. Management accountants will need to demonstrate how they offer these services to client organisations rather than individuals. Government accountants might demonstrate a knowledge of government accounting practices whilst internal auditors should focus their appraisal on how they have identified waste or fraud within an organisation.

You will need to demonstrate proficiency in key accounting skills in your appraisal. Show evidence of good communication with internal and external clients.

Include examples of reports that you have produced and stress that they have been completed within time-scales and met requirements. Your appraisal should also show that your work is error-free and thorough.

Offer ideas as to how you can improve your own and your team’s performance. Suggest accountancy training courses or qualifications that you have not yet completed and make it clear that you want to improve and progress.

Talk about processes in your department and how you think they might be improved. If you work in internal audit, ideas about how to improve efficiency should be especially welcomed by your boss.

Make sure you that you are prepared. Check the targets set in last year’s appraisal and explain how you have met them. If you haven’t, have reasons rather than excuses to explain this. Demonstrate an understanding of your organisation's vision and values and tailor the evidence in your appraisal towards how you meet these. Your appraisal shouldn’t be confrontational but be prepared with evidence to counter any criticisms that you feel are unwarranted.