Things to Keep Throughout Your Career

Half of one of my closets is filled with items I’ve collected throughout my career—such as heartfelt thank-you notes from clients and sales awards that I won. Yet, I wish I had kept track of many other things, like the exact dates that I worked at a job 15 years ago and my manager's contact information.
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I regret not keeping all my key documents, details, and deliverables, because over the years, employers have asked me to provide this information on job applications (for background checks) and in interviews (to prove a claim that I’ve made). And having your career information handy makes it easier and faster to complete long, detailed job applications.

​It's also easy to forget all your accomplishments and achievements, which you can use to spice up your resume and interviews. Most important, looking through your collection of accomplishments is the best way to recover your confidence when you're struggling with your career.
 
So, whether you’re just beginning your career or you’re most of the way through it, I encourage you to start keeping track of these documents and data.
 
Previous Positions and Employers

• Dates you worked at each job (day, month, and year)
• A copy of the job description for each job you've had, along with the resume or CV you used to apply for it
• Offer letters
• Separation letters
• Your starting and ending compensation at each position
• The names, phone numbers, and email addresses of your direct managers
• The names, phone numbers, and addresses of your employers
• Documentation of bonuses or commissions
• Proof of promotions
• The names, phone numbers, and email addresses of your references
  
  

Education and Credentials
 

• College transcripts
• Certificates, diplomas
• Licenses
• Thesis, dissertation
  
  

Performance

• Annual reviews
• Awards
• Positive feedback you’ve received from clients, customers, managers, and colleagues
• Documentation of your success (such as sales reports)
• Samples or documentation of your work product (a PowerPoint presentation, the URL for a website you designed, the literature for a product you developed)
• Copies of everything you've published
• Copies of publications or links to media in which you were featured for your work (such as a newspaper article)
• Photos of you working

 
Now you have a good excuse to clean out one of your closets and make some space to keep the most important items of your career.