Our days are filled with meetings, people, projects, deadlines; a dizzying array of professional and personal obligations and happenings. Within these moments, some phenomenal things are taking place. Successes. Wins. Breakthroughs. Insights. Failures. These are the very moments that make up our careers, yet they can be really hard to remember.
Why remembering is important
We are often tasked to recall what we’ve been up to during potentially high stake opportunities like;
- Creating resumes and LinkedIn profiles (Think scanning for the quantifiable accomplishments.)
- During job interviews (“Tell me about a time you over-delivered.”)
- Writing annual self-reviews (Reminding your manager how awesome you were *again* this year and the great contributions you made.)
- Networking (Moving beyond the “I am an X at ABC Company” to something memorable and compelling.)
I bet you’ve had some sort of “To Do” list your whole life, but have you ever had a “Ta-Dah!” list? Having a brag-worthy list at the ready will allow you to quickly and accurately call up those moments worth sharing, plus, it beats the heck out of trying to recall all the great things you did the last 12 months or few years. We’ve all done it. Looking back at our calendars, opening old emails — what was I up to that was really fantastic? When you’re in a time crunch and under pressure it can extra difficult to dig all this up. Ugh!
Techniques for keeping your list
Personal organization style and preference matters. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. In previous years I kept an email folder and stashed relevant emails, kudos, even email reminders to myself. It was ok, but I need something better. This year I’ve upped my game with Microsoft OneNote where I can categorize and reflect to add more detail.
Some other ideas to consider:
- Create a Google doc as a repository
- Make an Excel spreadsheet, update monthly
- Do a daily or weekly note in your work calendar
- Use a paper calendar or journal
- Fill a clear jar with brief notes (creates a visual reminder)
One of my coaching clients needed help updating his resume to submit for application to the “dream job” he had discovered. We were working under a tight application deadline and needed to act Olympic sprinter fast to turn it around. Although his resume hadn’t been updated in almost a decade (raise your hand if this is you), we were able to use a list of wins and accomplishments he’d been keeping for the last 6 years! It didn’t fill in every gap and detail but it was a tremendous place to start. We used the “dream job” description to pull out the relevant accomplishments that matched or aligned with those listed in the job posting. We customized his resume to the job by highlighting the right successes, the ones that would speak to the hiring manager. And, you know what, it worked! He landed an interview and we used a more detailed and complete list of accomplishments to help him prepare for that. That 6 years list he dusted off and offered up, almost apologetically, when we began saved the day and bought us the previous time we needed to strategize and prepare.
Does keeping a list of accomplishments prepare you for what lies ahead?
Here’s what I think, high stake moments come with enough pressure just by their very existence. You are doing amazing things, I know it and you know it – but the real test is remembering them when the rubber meets the road and it matters most.
Do you want to identify and capture all of your out of this world contributions and braggables so you can feel ready and confident during high stake moments? I can help you design the strategies to showcase your wins and successes during your next job discovery or job search, contact me today for a free consultation.