Tracking Your Work Accomplishments
At one point or another in our professional careers, we’ll inevitably forget something amazing we accomplished in the work place. I learned a long time ago to keep track of my work accomplishments as they happen, so I no longer forget things. So, on a monthly basis, I keep a running list in my planner of every notable instance that happened. Then, I try to remember to review everything twice a year and move anything relevant to my resume. While I’m not super great at always updating my resume or my online work portfolio in real time, I at least have a log I can turn to and quickly make updates when the need arises.
I have had plenty of new clients ask for reference information as well, so I always keep a running contact list to be able to supply this information without a long delay. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the south, but I always send a quick note to references asking if it’s okay for me to still use them and which contact information they prefer I share. That way, I stay in peoples’ good graces.
So, what exactly should you track and where should you track it? Here are my top tips:
What to Track
Notable completed projects—Tracking projects you’ve completed, both inside your normal job duties and outside of, you’ll have a running list of reasons why you should get the promotion, or why a potential new client should choose you for a project, or why you deserve the new job over other applicants.
Testimonials from peers, employees, or other clients—If someone sent you a thank you note (again, I live in the south) for work you completed for them or your peers recognized you with kind words at a meeting, these are great tidbits to keep track of. You never know when someone may ask, “If we asked one of your colleagues about your work, what do you think they would say?”
Analytics, financials, and any other data-driven facts—While not everyone likes a bunch of cold, hard facts, they are undeniably helpful. If an article you wrote got a large number of views on a website or you saved your company X amount of dollars by finding a more efficient way of completing a project, or you grew a revenue line by X% in a certain time period, those stats will really make you shine.
Awards you’ve received—While you may not think awards you receive at work or in any professional setting mean something outside a specific organization, you’re wrong. Awards recognize you for a job well done and are great sources of information when it comes to your next promotion or new job.
Challenges you’ve overcome—Inevitably, you’re going to get the question “Tell us about a time you faced a particular challenge at work and how you handled it,” if you interview for a new job. By documenting these challenges as they happened, noting how you responded, and what the outcome of the situation was, you’re sure to ace this interview question.
Where to Keep the Information
Work journal—Having a dedicated work journal means you have one place for all your accolades and accomplishments throughout your work history. You can use these notes to prep for an interview, to update your resume, or on calls with potential clients. Be sure to take good notes on each entry so it will jog your memory in the future. Cryptic notes are just as bad as not keeping notes.
Word document—If you prefer to go digital, keep your notes in a word document and set a calendar reminder to update on a regular schedule.
Evernote—If you want your notes to be accessible across multiple devices, use an app like Evernote to record your work accomplishments. This way, no matter where you are or who you are speaking with, your notes will be handy.
LinkedIn—Regular updates to your LinkedIn page, including articles you have had published, clients you’ve worked with, projects you’ve completed, and more, provide great insight into who you are from a professional standpoint for anyone who may view your profile.
Online portfolio—If you’re a creative, you know how important a work portfolio is in your field of work. Set reminders for yourself to go in and add any new work to your portfolio on a regular basis so you aren’t having to do a giant update all at once in the future.
In your resume—The more updated you keep your resume, the easier it is to apply for an internal promotion or a new job when they pop up. The biggest roadblock for applying to new positions is the dreaded task of updating a resume, so head that off way in advance and keep your resume up to date—even if you only do so bi-annually.
What do you like to keep track of when it comes to work accomplishments and how often do you update your notes?