A year can pass by in a blur if you’re busy at work. It’s easy to check a task off your list and move on to the next item without pausing to enjoy the accomplishment you’ve just achieved. There’s little time to reflect in most high-pressure jobs because the task list continues to pile up. As the months go by, it’s hard even to remember all these accomplishments you achieved. But tracking your actions is essential for several reasons—one of which is if you’re trying to find a new job. Here’s why you should slow down and document your accomplishments and three ways to do it.

Why Track Your Work Accomplishments?

It’s important to track your work successes for these reasons:

• Having a list of accomplishments makes it easier to ask for a raise.
• Makes it easy to prepare for your annual review.
• Helps with updating your resume when it’s time to switch jobs.
• Gives you a sense of accomplishment when looking back on the year.
• Helps with building an online portfolio or professional social profile.
• Gives you ammo if a question arises about your performance.

There is something to be said for slowing down long enough to track your achievements. What types of accomplishments are important enough to document?

What Types of Work Achievements Should You Track?

If you set goals by quarter or any other time frame, you should note when and how you achieved them. However, even if your boss doesn’t work with you on goal setting, you can do this independently. The types of achievements you can track include:

Personal

• Getting out of debt or another financial milestone like paying off your student loans.
• Handling a difficult relationship at work or in your life.
• Being recognized for an achievement, such as winning a volunteer award. 

Professional

• Finishing a big project.
• Successfully mentoring a coworker.
• Taking on new tasks or learning new skills.

These are all milestones worth achieving and documenting. But how can you capture these memories on the fly, especially if you’re very busy? Here are three suggestions.

Three Tips for Tracking Successes

1. Keep a log or journal: You can create a document where you record accomplishments daily, weekly, or monthly. This process can include the projects you completed, tasks you excelled at, or new skills you acquired.
2. Use a project management tool: Many project management tools, such as Asana or Trello, allow you to create task lists and track your progress. You can use these tools to record your accomplishments as you complete projects and tasks.
3. Use a performance review tool: Some companies use performance review software to track employee accomplishments over time. If your company uses a tool like this, regularly update it with your achievements.

Are You Tracking Your Work Accomplishments?

CPS can help document your successes by representing you to top employers. Talk with our team today about the opportunities we have waiting for you. Or check out our job listings here.