Assessing an employee’s technical skills during performance reviews provides valuable insights into their strengths, areas for growth, and overall contribution to the team.

Related: Best Performance Review Examples for 48 Key Skills

2000+ Performance Review Phrases: The Complete List (Performance Feedback Examples)

Performance Review Questions: Technical Skills

Based on the answers to these questions, you can determine which rating to assign:

1. Does the employee have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of their job role?
2. How well does the employee apply their technical knowledge to solve problems and complete tasks efficiently?
3. Has the employee demonstrated a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and processes?
4. How well does the employee collaborate with other team members to achieve technical goals?
5. Has the employee shown initiative in identifying and addressing technical issues before they become major problems?
6. How well does the employee communicate technical information to non-technical stakeholders?
7. Has the employee demonstrated the ability to innovate and come up with new technical solutions to improve processes or products?
8. How well does the employee balance technical requirements with business objectives?
9. Has the employee shown a track record of delivering high-quality technical work on time and within budget?
10. How well does the employee stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field and incorporate them into their work?

Performance Review Phrases and Paragraphs Examples: Technical Skills

5 – Outstanding

Example Phrases

• Consistently demonstrates exceptional technical proficiency and mastery
• Actively seeks out new and complex tasks to expand skillset and knowledge
• Identified, solved, and implemented effective innovations for crucial projects
• Consistently demonstrates exceptional technical acumen
• Effortlessly understands complex technical concepts
• Navigates challenging technical problems with ease and efficiency
• Exemplary ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues
• Shows outstanding proficiency in using advanced technical tools
• Serves as a technical expert and go-to resource for the entire organization
• Demonstrates an unparalleled ability to quickly learn and master new technologies and tools
• Proactively identifies and implements technical solutions that significantly improve efficiency and productivity
• Consistently delivers high-quality technical work that exceeds expectations and sets new standards of excellence
• Demonstrates exceptional creativity and innovation in developing cutting-edge technical solutions to complex problems
• Effectively trains and mentors others, helping to elevate the technical skills of the entire team
• Consistently stays up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, and proactively shares knowledge with others
• Demonstrates a remarkable ability to break down complex technical concepts and communicate them clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Proactively identifies and mitigates potential technical risks and challenges, ensuring project success
• Consistently goes above and beyond to deliver technical solutions that drive significant business value and impact
• Demonstrates an exceptional ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality technical solutions
• Consistently receives praise and recognition from colleagues, stakeholders, and clients for their outstanding technical expertise and contributions
• Consistently delivers technical work that is of the highest quality, with meticulous attention to detail and flawless execution

Paragraph Examples

“Jane consistently demonstrates exceptional technical acumen in her work. Her ability to navigate complex technical concepts and troubleshoot challenging problems is truly outstanding. Her efficiency and proficiency have made her a valuable asset to the team.”

“John has repeatedly shown an outstanding level of technical skill in his position. He tackles complex technical problems with ease and efficiency, making him an invaluable resource for the company. His expertise in utilizing advanced technical tools sets him apart from his peers.”

“Ashley’s technical skillset is truly outstanding. She consistently outperforms her colleagues in her ability to understand and apply complex technical concepts in her work. Her troubleshooting prowess and proficiency with advanced tools contribute greatly to the team’s overall success.”

“Nancy’s exceptional technical skills have greatly contributed to the success of our projects. Her in-depth understanding of programming languages enables her to develop innovative solutions, and she willingly shares her knowledge with the team.”

4 – Exceeds Expectations

Example Phrases

• Demonstrates a strong proficiency in technical skills and consistently delivers high-quality work
• Proactively seeks out opportunities to expand their technical knowledge and take on new challenges
• Demonstrates a keen ability to quickly learn and apply new technologies and tools
• Consistently provides effective technical solutions that improve efficiency and productivity
• Demonstrates creativity and innovation in approaching technical problems and developing solutions
• Effectively shares technical knowledge and provides guidance to team members
• Stays current with industry trends and best practices, and applies this knowledge to their work
• Demonstrates a strong ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Proactively identifies and addresses potential technical issues before they become major problems
• Consistently delivers technical work that exceeds expectations and contributes to business success
• Collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality technical solutions
• Receives positive feedback and recognition from colleagues and stakeholders for their strong technical contributions
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and improvement of their technical skills
• Consistently delivers technical work that is of high quality, with a strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Consistently meets technical demands and frequently exceeds expectations
• Adapts quickly to new technologies and applies them effectively to tasks
• Demonstrates initiative in troubleshooting issues and resolving them independently
• Skillfully leveraged technology to automate routine tasks, which ultimately reduced team workload
• Consistently delivered high-quality work with minimal defects and ahead of deadlines
• Actively sought out new tools and technologies to improve team efficiencies and processes

Paragraph Examples

“Jane consistently displayed exceptional technical skills throughout the year. For example, she proactively learned advanced Excel techniques, which allowed her to create innovative data analysis reports that greatly benefitted the sales team. Her success in mastering these tools has contributed to the team’s overall increased productivity and enabled them to reach their annual targets ahead of schedule.”

“During the development of our new customer relationship management system, Mark demonstrated his outstanding technical proficiency. He quickly became a subject matter expert in the software, and his expertise was crucial in the successful integration with our existing infrastructure. As a result, he helped streamline our business processes, and the company was able to improve customer satisfaction and retention rates.”

“Carla’s remarkable technical aptitude was evident when she tackled a challenging networking issue that had been causing downtime for several departments. By skillfully combining her deep understanding of network protocols and her unique ability to troubleshoot problems, she resolved the issue quickly and efficiently. This accomplishment saved the company both time and resources while minimizing disruptions to daily operations.”

“Simon has shown excellent proficiency in network management and consistently exceeds expectations in ensuring smooth operations. He quickly adapts to new technologies and is always eager to learn new skills.”

3 – Meets Expectations

Example Phrases

• Competent in performing technical tasks and seeks guidance when needed
• Applies learned skills to new situations, demonstrating a willingness to adapt
• Occasionally contributes ideas for technical problem-solving or process improvement
• Consistently demonstrates technical skill proficiency
• Displays a strong understanding of technical concepts
• Effectively troubleshoots and resolves technical issues
• Adapts well to new technical processes and tools
• Collaborates effectively with team members on technical projects
• Demonstrates a satisfactory level of technical proficiency and consistently meets job requirements
• Applies technical skills effectively to complete assigned tasks and projects
• Demonstrates a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and tools as needed
• Provides appropriate technical solutions that meet project requirements and expectations
• Approaches technical problems with a logical and systematic mindset
• Shares technical knowledge with team members when requested or required
• Stays informed of industry trends and best practices relevant to their role
• Communicates technical concepts effectively to team members and stakeholders
• Identifies and escalates potential technical issues to the appropriate parties
• Delivers technical work that meets quality standards and contributes to project success
• Collaborates with team members to deliver technical solutions that meet project requirements
• Receives satisfactory feedback from colleagues and stakeholders regarding their technical contributions
• Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining and improving their technical skills as required by their role
• Delivers technical work that is of acceptable quality, with attention to detail and accuracy

Paragraph Examples

“John consistently demonstrates a strong understanding of the company’s technical processes and tools. He is proficient in utilizing the necessary software and hardware required for his role. His ability to quickly troubleshoot and resolve technical issues has proven invaluable to the team’s productivity.”

“In her role, Sarah has shown great adaptability when faced with the introduction of new technical processes. She learns and implements new tools quickly, ensuring minimal disruption to her workflow and the team’s overall progress. Her collaboration with team members on technical projects showcases her strong communication skills, contributing to the success of the group’s endeavors.”

“Tom’s technical skills have met the expectations of his role, ensuring that he can effectively complete tasks and contribute to his team’s goals. He consistently demonstrates proficiency in his understanding of technical concepts and readily applies this knowledge to his work, leading to improved efficiency and productivity.”

“Laura meets expectations in her technical abilities, effectively utilizing our tools and systems. While further development is encouraged, she has demonstrated success in addressing minor technical issues independently.”

2 – Needs Improvement

Example Phrases

• Struggles to apply technical skills to complete tasks; requires more supervision
• Reluctant to adapt to new technologies or learn skills outside of comfort zone
• Hindered by technical issues and struggles with problem-solving on their own
• Struggles to adapt to new software quickly
• Has difficulty troubleshooting technical issues
• Lacks proficiency in required tools for the role
• Needs guidance when handling complex technical tasks
• Requires more training to stay up-to-date with industry technologies
• Demonstrates a limited proficiency in technical skills and occasionally struggles to meet job requirements
• Inconsistently applies technical skills to complete assigned tasks and projects
• Demonstrates a reluctance or difficulty in learning and adapting to new technologies and tools
• Provides technical solutions that may not always meet project requirements or expectations
• Approaches technical problems with an inconsistent or ineffective problem-solving process
• Rarely shares technical knowledge with team members or provides guidance when needed
• Demonstrates limited awareness or understanding of relevant industry trends and best practices
• Struggles to communicate technical concepts effectively to team members and stakeholders
• Occasionally fails to identify or escalate potential technical issues in a timely manner
• Delivers technical work that sometimes falls short of quality standards or project requirements
• Collaborates inconsistently with team members on technical solutions, leading to project delays or issues
• Receives mixed feedback from colleagues and stakeholders regarding their technical contributions
• Demonstrates a limited commitment to maintaining and improving their technical skills
• Delivers technical work that is of inconsistent quality, with occasional errors or oversights that require correction

Paragraph Examples for Needs Improvement

“John struggles to adapt to new software quickly, which often impacts the project timeline. Although he is eager to learn, his lack of proficiency in the required tools has led to delays in completing tasks. It is essential for John to invest more time in refining his technical skills to meet the expectations for his role.”

“Jane encounters difficulties troubleshooting technical issues and resorts to seeking help from colleagues. While teamwork is encouraged, Jane’s reliance on others for resolving technical problems can slow down the team’s progress. She should acquire more knowledge and hands-on experience in managing technical issues independently.”

“Susan has demonstrated commendable efforts in mastering the tools relevant to her role, but she often needs assistance with complex technical tasks. It might be helpful for her to seek additional training to enhance her technical skillset and become more effective and independent in her responsibilities.”

“Henry’s limited technical skills have hindered his ability to contribute effectively to the team. He often requires assistance in basic tasks and has not shown significant progress despite training opportunities.”

1 – Unacceptable

Example Phrases

• Lacks technical competency needed to perform job tasks effectively
• Demonstrates little motivation or effort to improve skillset and knowledge
• Often depend on coworkers or management to solve technical problems
• It is evident that John consistently struggles with understanding the technology required for his job.
• Mary demonstrates limited knowledge of the software necessary for her role in the company.
• Despite receiving numerous trainings, Tom has not displayed any significant progress in his technical skills.
• Jane’s constant need for technical assistance disrupts her team’s productivity and delays project timelines.
• Paul’s inability to keep up with industry-standard technologies has affected his performance and slowed the team’s progress.
• Consistently demonstrates a lack of technical proficiency and fails to meet basic job requirements
• Fails to apply technical skills effectively to complete assigned tasks and projects
• Demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to learn and adapt to new technologies and tools
• Provides technical solutions that are consistently inadequate or fail to meet project requirements
• Lacks a systematic or logical approach to technical problem-solving, resulting in ineffective solutions
• Consistently fails to share technical knowledge or provide guidance to team members when needed
• Demonstrates no awareness or understanding of relevant industry trends and best practices
• Consistently fails to communicate technical concepts effectively, causing confusion and misunderstandings
• Fails to identify or escalate critical technical issues, resulting in significant project delays or failures
• Delivers technical work that is consistently below quality standards and fails to meet project requirements
• Actively undermines collaboration efforts with team members on technical solutions, causing project breakdowns
• Receives consistent negative feedback from colleagues and stakeholders regarding their technical performance
• Demonstrates no commitment to maintaining or improving their technical skills, despite feedback and guidance
• Delivers technical work that is of unacceptable quality, with numerous errors and inaccuracies that significantly impact project outcomes

Paragraph Examples for Unacceptable Performance

“While Samantha has been given ample opportunities to enhance her technical skills, she continuously demonstrates a lack of competence in this area. Though she has attended workshops and trainings, there unfortunately has not been any noticeable improvement in her performance. As a result, her inability to efficiently execute technical tasks has hindered the overall progress of her team.”

“Despite our repeated efforts to provide Mike with resources and support, it has become clear that he is unable to adapt to the technical demands of his role. He frequently requires assistance from his colleagues, which has affected his productivity and placed additional burdens on the team. Furthermore, his failure to stay current with emerging technologies has limited his overall contribution to the company.”

“Jenny’s performance in her technical responsibilities has been consistently unacceptable. She has struggled to grasp key concepts and processes, which has led to a decline in her efficiency and increased strain on her team. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to address these issues, her technical skills continue to fall below the expectations of her position.”

“Diana’s technical skills are not up to par and have consistently impacted team efficiencies and deadlines. She has been provided with resources and training to improve, but her progress remains unsatisfactory.”

Q & A

What are some examples of technical skill performance review phrases?

1. Outstanding (5): “Amy consistently demonstrates exceptional technical skills and is a valuable resource for the team.”
2. Exceeds Expectations (4): “John quickly grasps new technology and has become a reliable mentor on advanced issues.”
3. Meets Expectations (3): “Jane effectively uses company tools and can troubleshoot minor issues independently.”
4. Needs Improvement (2): “Peter struggles to pick up new technologies and often requires assistance when solving technical problems.”
5. Unacceptable (1): “Alex has consistently failed to grasp basic technical knowledge, causing delays in project completion.”

How do you rate technical skills during a performance review?

During a performance review, technical skills are typically rated on a scale from 1 (Unacceptable) to 5 (Outstanding). To make an accurate assessment, managers should set specific benchmarks for each rating level and consider factors such as the employee’s ability to learn new technologies, problem-solving capabilities, and their effectiveness in using company tools.

How can a manager effectively assess an employee’s technical skills?

A manager can effectively assess an employee’s technical skills by setting clear expectations and benchmarks for each rating level on the performance review scale. Observing an employee’s ability to learn new technologies, solve problems, and utilize company tools effectively can help managers make informed evaluations. Regular feedback sessions, monitoring progress, and providing necessary support can further ensure accurate assessment and fair evaluation of an employee’s technical skills.