Keep Track of Your Accomplishments


Highly Effective Work Habits:  Keep Track of Your Accomplishments

In many positions out there today, you will often have to multitask amongst several tasks each day.  Over time, it will become more difficult to try and remember what you worked on and how well you did.  It is important to keep track of your accomplishments for a couple of reasons:

  1. You can later transfer this information to your resume to keep it updated
  2. It can be leveraged for examples and/or supporting data during annual/quarterly reviews

I’ve been tracking this kind of information for years now.  It definitely takes a level of discipline to keep it updated.  But, once you get accustomed to doing it, it isn’t that bad.  Here is an example of a spreadsheet that I came up with to keep track of everything.  Feel free to use it, if you wish.  The first tab “Project List” is a run-down of all the projects you have worked on in the past or are currently working on.  I use the “B” column for color coding – green means an active project and red means a closed project.  In the “C” column, I list each project name and make it a hyperlink to that specific project on the second tab.  On the second tab, “Project Details” is where all the details are located.  Here, I have a section for each project and track the effective dates, any skills I’ve gained or used, and details surrounding my role and accomplishments.

Trust me, this will save you a lot of effort when it comes to review time, job search, or any other time you need to dig up this type of information.  I hope this is helpful for you!

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August 31st, 2010
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Gravatar:
Written by:
Diane
Posted on:
August 31, 2010 at 11:03 pm

Wow. That is a great way to keep track of things. I should be so organized.

Gravatar:
Written by:
Rosanne Dingli
Posted on:
September 1, 2010 at 1:05 am

It takes a very disciplined person indeed to keep a log of all they have done, even if the motivation aspect is quite high. Using your example of a spreadsheet makes it very easy, because if it is kept open, it’s a simple matter to enter the many things one does within a project. Adding them to a CV later will prove so beneficial, but I can think of a number of uses that one can use them for, in subsequent projects of a similar nature. Well done with this.

Gravatar:
Written by:
Shane
Posted on:
September 1, 2010 at 7:11 am

Great spreadsheet thank you. I can think of a few ways this is going to come in handy at the office.
As the days and weeks go by it can be very easy to forget about all the good things that get done, and then at review time you can’t think of any reason to get that pay rise. Keep up the good work, great site also.
http://shanegenziuk.wordpress.com

Gravatar:
Written by:
Frank
Posted on:
September 5, 2010 at 11:16 pm

This is such an awesome and critical skill in any type of skill or career based development. I use outlook and save actual documentation of any written recommendations to have on file for annual reviews or merit increases. This documentation in several instances has been the difference between the standard raise and an increase beyond the minimum. The spreadsheet seems to be another excellent way to keep track of your accomplishments. Thanks for sharing.

Gravatar:
Written by:
ozonshak
Posted on:
September 23, 2010 at 11:21 am

I’m glad this can be helpful to you! Thanks for commenting!