Performance reviews can be super stressful and uncomfortable, especially if you’re only getting feedback once a year. And when you’re stressed and uncomfortable, your thoughts and words don’t always come so easily—sometimes they even come out wrong! And you don’t want to botch this valuable opportunity to showcase your hard work, especially if you are fixing to ask for a raise.

We’ll leave it up to you to figure out what you should say to highlight your skills and achievements, but let us help with some things you shouldn’t say if you want to make the best impression at your next performance review.

1. It really was a team effort. If there’s ever a time to toot your own horn and to let it be tooted, it’s during your performance review. This session is all about your annual value-add to the company, so don’t deflect your personal accomplishments. Put aside the humble “team effort” best saved for the morning staff meeting, and just accept the darn compliment.
2. I’m not working so well with Julie. Everyone knows Julie is the office deadbeat, but your performance review is not the time to bring up concerns about your coworkers. Remember, this session is about highlighting your great work, not your interpersonal challenges or the performance of others. Keep the focus where it will best benefit you.
3. That’s not fair! By now you should know the hard truth: life isn’t always fair, and neither is work. Fairness is, in itself, subjective and emotional, so before you say something that will make you sound like a petulant six-year-old, ask yourself why something doesn’t seem fair. It could be you have hurt feelings, and those are valid, too! Just be sure to use facts and examples to discuss what you don’t feel is fair.
4. So, can I have a raise now? Unless you work for a company that has automatic, merit-based increases, you’ll probably need to push for a raise now and again. And the performance review is a great time to do it! But few people will give you a raise just because you ask for one. You have to make a case that shows why your value-add deserves an increase in compensation. So come prepared with your achievements and the results they’ve yielded for the company, then you can talk about why you deserve a raise.
5. That’s not my strong suit. Nobody is good at everything. But since performance reviews focus on past performance and future goals, saying you’re not good at something discounts your abilities and shows an unwillingness to learn and grow. Maybe you haven’t been so successful at bringing in new clients; instead of saying you’re not good at that, tell your boss you’re willing to put in the effort to get better. And if your boss wants you to give a series of department trainings this year, but you’re not confident in your public speaking, don’t be afraid to step up and out of your comfort zone. Show you’re up for the challenge. You’ve got this!