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Grads advice for the end of year review

Author

Aaron Neena Baid
December 03, 2025

“The magic behind every outstanding performance is always found in the smallest of detail” Paul Ryan  

Table of Contents

This week grads share their performance review stories

This week we decided to message some of our wonderful grads to ask how they managed their performance reviews. As a reminder the end-of-year reviews are an important opportunity for graduates to reflect on progress, highlight achievements, and plan for growth. Preparation helps transform a routine meeting into a meaningful career milestone.

The one thing they all said is that, ‘You drive’ your own performance reviews, gather the data to show competence and reach out to colleagues for feedback and advice. And start early don’t leave this until the last minute.

Gather Evidence of Achievements

Keep track of your key contributions throughout the year — projects completed, problems solved, and feedback received. For example, Emily, a marketing graduate, kept a simple “win log” on her phone. When review time came, she showed data proving how her social media posts boosted engagement by 25%. Her manager praised her data-driven mindset and promoted her to Junior Campaign Executive six months early.

Reflect on Learning and Development

A good review isn’t just about results but growth. Reflect on new skills, lessons from mistakes, and how you’ve improved. Jamal, a finance graduate, admitted he initially struggled with time management. In his review, he explained how he adopted a scheduling app and improved his report turnaround time by 30%. His honesty and problem-solving attitude impressed his manager, earning him a place on a leadership development programme.

Connecting your contributions to the wider goals of your company shows maturity and business awareness. Sophie, a graduate engineer, didn’t just describe the technical aspects of her project—she showed how her design work reduced material costs by 10%, helping the team meet annual budget targets. Her ability to see the “big picture” led to her being trusted with more independent projects.

Set Clear Future Goals

End-of-year reviews should end with forward-looking discussion. Identify skills you want to develop or responsibilities you’d like to take on. Liam, a graduate HR assistant, set a clear goal to become CIPD-certified and lead an on-boarding initiative the following year. His structured plan impressed his manager, who approved company funding for his certification and mentorship support.

What “Good” Looks Like

A strong review presentation:

  • Includes measurable, specific examples of achievement.

  • Demonstrates reflection and self-improvement.

  • Connects individual work to team or company goals.

  • Outlines thoughtful, realistic goals for the next year.

Graduates like Emily, Jamal, Sophie, and Liam show that preparation turns reviews into opportunities — proving readiness, earning trust, and setting the foundation for career growth.

Meme of the week