34 things you should never say during a performance review

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If you work for someone other than yourself, you're likely to receive an annual performance review from your boss.

"When done well, reviews can greatly benefit both the employee and employer," says Darlene Price, president of Well Said Inc. and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results." "Unfortunately, not everyone makes the most of these meetings."

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," says it's tempting and all too easy if you are on the receiving end of a review to express frustration at the process or get defensive. But you should resist the temptation, he says, "because you'll want to demonstrate that you are truly listening to what's being said and taking it all in without rushing to judgment," and that you are open to receiving honest feedback and willing to learn and grow.

"If you truly do feel the feedback is unwarranted, then a more constructive approach would be to saying something along the lines of, 'Thank you for that. I’m not sure I completely agree with that assessment, but let me take some time to mull it over and maybe we can sit down again next week once I've had a chance to consider it carefully,'" says Kerr.

He concludes: "Save those conversations for another time when you can have a constructive conversation about what needs to change to improve the process."

To help ensure you get what you want and deserve out of your next review, avoid the following phrases:

'But that's not in my job description' or 'But that's not my responsibility'

These phrases make you seem lazy.

"Expressing these sentiments raises the ire of any supervisor because it makes you look like you are more concerned about shirking responsibility than you are about doing what needs to be done to help the team or organization succeed," says Kerr. "Managers want people who will do whatever needs doing regardless of whose responsibility it is."

'I'm not paid to ...' or 'I'm not paid enough to ...'

Again, this makes you sound not only defensive, but as though you are shirking responsibility and merely interested in doing the bare minimum required to get by, Kerr says.

'I deserve a raise,' 'Can I have a raise?' or 'I should be making more money'

Every employee feels this way. "The trick is to use your performance review to prove you've earned an increase in pay," Price says.

"Rather than state the obvious, which may sound demanding and petulant, be prepared to recite three to five documented achievements where you've saved or made the company money. Or say, 'I'm really enjoying my job and growth opportunities within the company. What's the expected timeline in terms of earning promotions or raises, and what do I need to do to get there?'"