Capture and Track Your Work Contributions

Operate like a free agent – be ready to promote and manage your career

It is to your advantage to capture and track your work contributions, project outcomes, accomplishments, lessons learned, and acquired skills to be successful. Make it your habit to conduct a self-assessment every six months or before performance appraisals.

Many people are in fast-paced environments that leave little time for reflection before the next situation appears requiring attention.

Gone are the days of the assured career ladder for promotions. Enter the day of the free agent. Now you must negotiate, promote, and manage your own career’s advancement. You are the CEO of your career.

On your resume, you want to tell a compelling career story that shows your progression and highlights successful achievements. One method is to keep a record of outcomes using the CAR format, which briefly tells:

CHALLENGE – what was the situation
ACTION – what actions did you take
RESULT – what was the result or outcome or benefit

Add a note about why what you did matters and to whom. Be sure to capture the pros and cons of your decisions. Keep a deck of index cards to jot down the details or set up a file on your computer or phone. Yes, you want to set aside a scheduled time to reflect, for instance, every Friday or the 15th of the month; otherwise, the details may escape your memory. As you write your notes, be sure to include quantitative descriptions using numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts.

Be objectively honest. You want to present your accomplishments but don’t overly embellish. Include information about the environment and team because you want to paint a complete story if you describe your situation later. This information can be critically important for upcoming performance appraisals, positioning for promotions, or new job interviews.

While this conversation is about your work life, this approach can also apply to your personal life. Set goals and track your personal achievements.

Every workplace nuance, culture, and operating policy is subject to change. As companies struggle in the ever-changing economy to remain relevant and profitable, they constantly assess their present and future position. You must also do the same for your career. Keep your resume updated for unexpected opportunities.

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Here are some pertinent questions to answer:

GOALS

• What was your biggest professional accomplishment in the past six months?
• Did you achieve or exceed your quotas or goals?

LEADERSHIP

• What situation or project did you volunteer to lead? What was the outcome?
• What have you done to demonstrate your management capabilities?

RELATIONSHIPS

• What tactics have you used to bring in new customers or enhance business relationships?
• What have you done to enhance relationships with co-workers?

WORKFLOW

• What project have you worked on that helped you or your co-workers perform with more efficiency?
• What have you done to solve a problem or improve a situation that was beneficial for the company or customer?

SKILLS/TRAINING

• What lessons have you learned that prepare you for the next level-up position?
• What will likely be discussed at your next performance review, and how will you demonstrate your growth?

Capturing your accomplishments will be beneficial when updating your resume or preparing for a performance review. Should you need help presenting your value and expertise, let’s set up a free 15-minute telephone consultation or email me.