Boost your job search with a Brag Book
A job search can be challenging (although it can be fun too). If you are like most people, at some point during your job search your confidence level dips AND you get upset at yourself for not possessing documents that could support your candidacy.
What if I told you there is something that could solve both problems and therefore boost your job search. Well, there is. And it’s called a (professional) brag book.
What is a brag book?
“A brag book is a place where you record all of your work accomplishments, awards, wins, and even affirmations or quotes from your colleagues,” according to Adam Berguem. In essence, it’s a repository where you keep the career-related items you are most proud of.
What goes into a brag book?
It’s up to you! Some of the most popular items include:
Letters of recommendation
Congratulatory notes/emails
Performance reviews
Certificates of completion
Award letters
Customer/client reviews or feedback
Copies of work-related documents e.g., PPTs, brochures, newsletters, articles you’ve created or written
Where can you keep a brag book?
A brag book can be physical, digital, or both. I recommend both. While an electronic brag book can easily be accessed and shared, and won’t get lost (if stored correctly), it’s nice to be able to hand over relevant documents from your brag book to the hiring manager during the interview.
How can a brag book help?
A brag book can boost your job search and interview in at least two ways:
1. CONFIDENCE: When you’re feeling down and need a quick confidence or self-esteem booster, you can review your brag book to remind yourself of all that you’ve achieved thus far.
2. EVIDENCE: When you want (or are asked) to substantiate the claims and assertions you made on your resume or during an interview, you can provide relevant documents from your brag book to potential employers.
Next steps
▶ Create it: Start collecting evidence of the career-related achievements you are most proud of and store it (physically and electronically). Tip: If you are currently employed, do this right now.
▶▶ Update it: Periodically review and add to it.
▶▶▶ Use it: Review it to boost your confidence. Share relevant documents from it with hiring managers to substantiate your claims and assertions.
For information about job openings, visit: https://www.leonardworkforcesolutions.com/openings
For more career development tips and information, visit https://www.leonardworkforcesolutions.com/news
For information about 1:1 career development services, visit: https://www.leonardworkforcesolutions.com/careerdevelopment
[This article was originally published on LinkedIn on 11/30/22: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/boost-your-job-search-brag-book-bill-leonard-mhrm%3FtrackingId=ToKmD4WJTYqSKs%252FRoalrTw%253D%253D/?trackingId=ToKmD4WJTYqSKs%2FRoalrTw%3D%3D]