Research on 360 feedback instruments indicates that the most accurate feedback comes from raters who know your work best. Think in terms of finding individuals who have significant professional interactions with you on a regular basis. Some of these people may be outside of your organizational hierarchy--for example, customers, vendors, or peers of your immediate boss.

Choose raters who meet many of the following criteria:

• they have worked with or known you long enough to observe you in a variety of situations
• you depend on them to get work done now
• they understand the nature of your work, and the challenges and opportunities you face
• they will provide supportive yet candid feedback
• they will engage with you in honest, reflective conversation about key learnings you choose to discuss from your feedback
• they represent a relationship with a significant objective opinion, such as a superior or customer