Your company asks you to complete a 人事評価シート before a meeting with your manager. You can start without guessing at the rating: identify the review period and the exact question in each box, then describe one or two concrete pieces of work, the result, and what you would improve. Ask how the scale works before choosing a number.
Common labels on an evaluation form
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 人事評価／人事考課 | じんじひょうか／じんじこうか | Personnel or performance evaluation |
| 評価期間／対象期間 | ひょうかきかん／たいしょうきかん | Period under review |
| 評価項目／評価基準 | ひょうかこうもく／ひょうかきじゅん | Evaluation item / criteria |
| 自己評価 | じこひょうか (jiko hyōka) | Self-assessment |
| 上司評価／一次評価 | じょうしひょうか／いちじひょうか | Manager’s assessment / first-stage review |
| 目標／達成度 | もくひょう／たっせいど | Goal / degree of achievement |
| 成果／実績 | せいか／じっせき | Outcome / work performed |
| 課題／改善点 | かだい／かいぜんてん | Challenge / area to improve |
| 所見／コメント | しょけん／komento | Reviewer observations / comments |
| 評価面談／フィードバック面談 | ひょうかめんだん／fīdobakku mendan | Review or feedback meeting |
| 次期目標 | じきもくひょう (jiki mokuhyō) | Goals for the next review period |
The labels and rating scales are company-specific. “A” or “3” has no universal meaning. Check the guidance next to the form or ask HR for the 評価基準 before you fill it in.
How to complete the self-assessment
- Confirm the window. Write about work within the 評価期間. If you joined or changed teams midway, note the dates rather than claiming a full-period result.
- Match each example to an item. For an item about customer response, describe a real customer issue, what you did and the outcome. For teamwork, describe a handover or shared task. Avoid a list of vague adjectives.
- Separate effort and outcome. If a target was partly achieved, explain the result and the obstacle briefly, then name an action for the next period. Do not invent numbers you cannot verify.
- Check the submission route. Save a copy of your responses and confirm the deadline and whether the manager can see a draft before submission.
For example, under 成果: 問い合わせ対応の手順を整理し、チーム内で共有しました。 (Toiawase taiō no tejun o seiri shi, chīmu-nai de kyōyū shimashita.) — “I organized the inquiry response steps and shared them with the team.” Under 改善点: 次期は引継ぎの記録を早めに残します。 — “Next period, I will document handovers earlier.” Use examples from your actual work and the employer’s criteria.
Questions to ask in the review meeting
- この評価項目は、どのような行動を基準にしていますか。
Kono hyōka kōmoku wa, dono yō na kōdō o kijun ni shite imasu ka.
What behavior is this item based on? - 自己評価と上司評価が異なる点を教えていただけますか。
Jiko hyōka to jōshi hyōka ga kotonaru ten o oshiete itadakemasu ka.
Could you explain where my assessment differs from my manager’s? - 次期目標の優先順位を確認したいです。
Jiki mokuhyō no yūsen jun’i o kakunin shitai desu.
I would like to confirm the priorities for my next goals. - 評価結果は、いつ、どのように共有されますか。
Hyōka kekka wa, itsu, dono yō ni kyōyū saremasu ka.
When and how will the results be shared?
Do the ratings determine your pay?
Ask your employer how its evaluation connects to pay, promotion or a bonus notice. The connection, timing and criteria vary by employer; a rating on a form alone does not tell you the amount of a raise or bonus. Review your written working conditions and the relevant workplace rules, then ask HR for the specific policy if needed.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes occupational ability evaluation sheets with self-assessment, supervisor assessment and a communication sheet for development goals. They are examples of one approach, not the form or rating scale every employer must use. The ministry also explains how its sample sheets are assessed, including marking items that do not apply. If an item on your company’s form does not fit your role, ask whether “該当なし” (not applicable) is allowed rather than assigning a random score.
If you recently changed departments or work locations, mention that context and confirm who evaluates each period. Keep your review focused on the work you actually performed.
