Build Your Accomplishments Reservoir

August 2007

It's football season. We're looking for the winning touchdown, the game saving tackle, a blocked punt or the connection between a quarterback and a receiver. We watch the scoreboard, we check into ESPN SportsCenter for the highlights, and we track the W's and L's (wins and losses). We look forward to that national championship.

We do all of this for a team that we don't even play for, have perhaps never played for, and likely will never play for. So when it comes to our own careers, why don't we take the same energy and make the effort to track our own accomplishments - to have our own column for all the W's for the wins we have throughout our days at work.

An "Accomplishments Reservoir" can serve many purposes:

• When it is time for your annual performance review or promotion, you have a readily available list of accomplishments to share.

• When updating a resume or curriculum vitae, accomplishments are easily added.

• When considering next career moves or interviewing for a new position, you can add power to your cover letter, interview answers or career networking by sharing accomplishments you've accumulated.

When considering next career moves, shifts or transitions, a scan of what accomplishments are most important to you may provide clues as to what you value most, what satisfies you and what drives you in the workplace.

What Should an Accomplishments Reservoir Include?

• Awards, honors, recognitions.

• Articles, patents, presentations.

• Letters of recognition or congratulations.

• Email acknowledgements.

Create an "Accomplishments Reservoir" folder in your email system for accomplishment emails. Add a folder to a nearby file drawer for hard copy accomplishment records. Build your "Accomplishments Reservoir" as you build towards your own big W and national championship future.

825 Basics Workshops can move you towards preparedness. Find you what you like and what you are good at through the CareerPE™ Workshops. Enhance your networking skills in Counterclockwise Networking: Networking with Direction.