Review Season: The Mid-Year Self-Eval You Need to be Running

Admittedly, I’ve noticed that mid-year reviews have become more of a formality than a necessity in business. Especially when there are deadlines, client requests, and money to be made… who has time for a mid year review?! 

Even if a formal review process does not take place at your place of work, the end of June/July is a great time to check in, reset, and communicate expectations + goals with those you work with before the end of the year steamrolls you over. 

Even now, running Career Civility, I have to decidely make time to pull myself out of the day to day work and plan for my months and quarters ahead. It is SO easy to go into conversation with a colleague or a client and realize halfway through that I'm responding instead of proposing. We somehow get suck on “task rabbit mode” instead of “strategic career professional”. 

This is your sign to proactively schedule a mid-year review check in with your manager and your clients to discuss progress and goals. And if you are a lucky one who already has a designated mid year review on the calendar, follow this format to make sure it is productive and proactive versus reaction.

First things first…What is a mid-year review? It's the proactive communication move you make — before or at the start of your next quarter — that puts your own priorities, progress, and professional goals on the table first. 

It's a communication practice that prompts visibility and accountability. It is the kind of practice that successful professionals do routinely, not because they're gunning for something, but because it keeps them visible, aligned, and in control of their own narrative.

Here's why most of us don't do it: 1) we’re too busy, 2) we were trained to wait and 3) we don’t want to rock the boat. 

This costs you agency to set your own goals, visibility into leadership on the work you’ve been doing AND and opportunity for you to help influence the next business decision. Leading from your seat. 

Here’s how to set yourself up for success in a mid-year review conversation: 

1 - Name your priorities. 

Before the meeting, spend 20 minutes writing down the three things you most want to focus on or accomplish before year-end. Be specific. This is your chance to communicate your goals and challenges. 

Make you feel comfortable being able to say, “As I prepared for this conversation, these are the things I’d like to discuss and focus on: A, B, C. Does this work for you?”

2 - Make your invisible work visible. 

Most managers track the deliverables in their line of sight. Be sure you know how to speak their language - in plain business language. During your preparation, audit the last six months: what have you accomplished that your manager may not have full visibility into? Reference it. "Remember that onboarding project I was working on? We were able to reduce ramp time by 15 days” You are not bragging. You are briefing.

3 - Name a gap you want to close.

This is the move most people skip because it feels vulnerable. But naming your own development area is a power move that puts you in the drive seat. You shift from feedback-receiver to goal-setter. "One thing I want to get better at this year is [presenting cross-functionally / leading without authority / navigating ambiguity]. Is there a project or opportunity where you'd see me practicing that?" Now your manager knows exactly what support you need. 

4 - Seek a go-forward plan

This is where you will close the conversation with alignment. At the end of the meeting , summarize what you both agreed on. "Based on what we discussed, my top three priorities for H2 are X, Y, and Z — does that match what you're thinking?" One sentence and you can reference continuous in the coming months if and when priorities shift. 

One, quick effective message you can send before the meeting:

"Hey [manager's name], I'd love to use our next 1:1 to do a quick mid-year check-in on my end. I've been thinking about H2 and want to share my priorities and get your perspective — can we build 20 minutes into the conversation to discuss?"

If you are a leader or manager reading this… I’ve noticed a huge shift from responsibility to accountability. As a manager, it is your responsibility to oversee your teams success. This requires accountability from your direct reports. When a direct report walks into a meeting with their own H2 agenda, it is the type of initiative and ownership we need more of. Make room for it. 

Your reputation is built in the moments when you communicate clearly.

If you want a second set of eyes on your mid-year self-evaluation before you submit it, email me at jenna@careercivility.com. I read every note.