Executive Career Insights

4 Ways To Keep Track Of Your Annual Achievements

I cannot count the number of times that I have collaborated with executive men and women on their career marketing strategies only to find out that they have not done a good job keeping track of their career achievements.

How would you like to actually look forward to the annual review process instead of feeling like it is a tug-and-war game?

You cannot confidently walk into a meeting with senior management and negotiate a raise or a promotion without solid evidence to support your cause.

Here are five easy steps you can follow to make sure that your career accomplishments and personal contributions to the company don't get overlooked:

1) Project or Case Study Summaries

At the end of every major project, summarize the details and work involved in the project - like number of people you manage, size of budget, time constraints, and any other critical information.

-- Think of the project/case like a puzzle in terms of Challenge-Actions- Results (see previous post on this topic)

-- Make sure that the final results are quantified as much as possible, don't simply say that productivity improvement, describe the turnaround - for example, new technology solutions allowed users to complete analysis process in 48 hours instead of two weeks.

2) Kudos / High Fives

We have all received a "great-job-done" email or note from a very happy boss, customer or vendor. In addition to thanking the sender, keep the notes/emails in an online folder or print out hard copies and store in a file.

-- Write brief notes about the related project or task that prompted the testimonial, so you can use it in conversations with you boss or make references to it in your self-appraisal write ups.

3) Thought Leadership / New Knowledge

If you have been selected to participate in an executive leadership or development program, keep track of important statistics like the number of applicants, qualifications or characteristics of participants, or whether it is an accelerated program.

-- Keep a list of any new classes that have expanded your knowledge or expertise in a vital area of the company's business should be emphasized in your notes.

-- More importantly, be able to explain how your new level of expertise can directly contribute to the company's success. 

4) Board / Speaker Participation

A great indication of your leadership expertise can come through your participation in external company boards, internal committees, representation on behalf of company at conferences and trade shows or simply being the spokesperson for your project team.

-- Monitor your monthly events and your participation in high-profile activities with key industry leaders and top company employees.

The next time you schedule an informal meeting with your boss (as suggested in this post) or have to discuss next steps in your career development, come prepared with a diversified list of accomplishments that can "wow" your boss and management team.

Ladies, It's Not Bragging, It's Self-Promoting

I have partnered with many successful professional women in developing their executive resumes and career marketing materials and have always noticed a consistent trend.

When it comes to really promoting themselves, highlighting their achievements or simply tooting their horns, I hear " I am not comfortable bragging about myself"

-- Are you guilty of working really hard, plugging away in your office and just making the assumption that your boss, colleagues and senior management will take notice at the right time?

-- Have you been overlooked for promotions that you deserve because you walk into performance reviews without a solid record of your recent achievements and contributions?

Unfortunately, this is a challenge that a lot of professional women face - traditionally, we are raised to be modest and we hold on to the notion that as long as we continue to work hard and do our best, we will get rewarded in the end.

If you have identified your executive brand, that is great, but if you are not consistently communicating your message (validated with career achievements and individual contributions), you will continue to be overlooked in today's competitive and evolving workplace.

I realize that you cannot change your personality and working style overnight, but here are six strategies that you can execute over the next year to get you moving in the right direction.

1) Learn the language of self-promotion

While I certainly don't recommend that you start telling everyone that the firm cannot survive without you, there are subtle phrases and key words that can add power to your statements. The key is to interject them carefully into your conversations and discussions in a manner that is comfortable for you. For example:

Bragging: "This deal couldn't have happened with me"

Self-Promoting: "While leading a cross-functional team of 40 professionals, I was able to turnaround a rapidly declining project by implementing a first-of-its-kind marketing initiative."

2) Meet with your boss more frequently

Make an appointment with your immediate boss every three to six months to review accomplishments, discuss upcoming projects and ensure that your individual progress is in line with departmental and corporate objectives.

How many of you have walked into performance reviews and been blown away by the feedback?

3) Chronicle your career accomplishments

Don't wait until the end of the year to remember everything you have done or expect your boss to remember. Create a personal "kudos" file that contains your contributions to recent projects, standout accomplishments, recent education or training, speaking engagements, special assignments and more.

I cannot tell you the amount of professional women I have worked with that have forgotten or lost track of their career achievements over the years - yes, you can really forget them!

4) Pursue continuous learning

Technology moves at the speed of light these days and constantly changes how we work - make sure that you are abreast of technology and industry trends.

-- Are there new certifications, advanced courses or a new degree that you should be pursuing? 

-- Are there gaps in your experience or areas of expertise that can be solved with a new class or training program?

Your recent training and new knowledge base can validate your case for a promotion.

5) Share your accomplishments in meetings

Don't be afraid to support your suggestions or recommendations for a new solution in your department by making reference to a recent success that you have had - try something like this, "I am confident that my idea would work because I applied the same concept recently when I spearheaded a $5-million marketing project..."

6) Maintain a strong internal and external brand reputation

There is no excuse if you are still behind the ball when it comes to online identity and career brand management - you should have the basics including a LinkedIn profile, VisualCV, Google bio profile and Zoominfo.

It is critical that not only your immediate boss is aware of your value proposition, but also the company's vendors and clients. You can be specially selected to work on a high profile project, if your brand reputation and stream of achievements are well known.