4 Non-Jerky Ways To Highlight Your Accomplishments To Your Boss

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If you’re killing it at your job, you should be recognized for going above and beyond. However, there is a right way and wrong way to go about highlighting your accomplishments to your manager. Here are five strategies for letting your boss know that you’re kicking ass without shouting it through a megaphone.

1. Track your success.

Everyone should track their career progress, whether that be in terms of sales, page views, client ratings or revenue. Make sure you’re properly documenting each milestone. To accomplish this in the most subtle way possible, set personal quarterly goals and let your boss know what those goals are. Even better: keep a career journal to remind yourself of the small wins, too, like that time you helped fill in for Joyce from marketing by creating an a client presentation that was well received.

2. Brief your boss regularly on your progress.

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We can’t stress this enough: communicate, communicate, communicate! Schedule regular meetings with your boss (bi-weekly might be a good option) in which you can update him or her on your personal goals, the goals your boss sets for you, and to share big and small wins. Make the tone  “I’m just updating you on how I’m doing!” instead of taking a “I’m telling you all the things I’m good at so I can ask you for something” approach by creating an agenda that includes your most important responsibilities.  A good example of language is, “Looking forward to this meeting! Can we add the Keystone project to the agenda? I just have some updates.”

Connect your accomplishments on your projects to things your boss has taught you or helped you with. You could say something like, “I took your advice on changing the wording, and it really worked out!” Not only are you establishing your own success, but you’re acting like a team player by crediting others.

3. Ask your coworkers to back you when you knock something out of the park.

On the subject of being a team player, you should feel free to ask your coworkers to have your back, too. If you just nailed a presentation, project or any other part of your job, and a coworker praised you for it, ask them to speak to your abilities and your accomplishments. (And always offer to do the same for them.) A smooth way to ask would be to say, “Thank you so much for your kind words on this project. We really killed it. Would you be willing to send my boss a note about my contribution to the project? I know she holds you in high regard and your attestation would be so valuable.”

4. Let the results speak for themselves.

When all else fails, results will show, not tell, how great of a job you’re doing. In your regular catch-up or at an all-hands meeting, you can touch on the progression or accomplishment of something you led or were a part of. Informing your boss of what you’re up to beforehand should be a given, and when the numbers prove your job well done, your boss will know exactly who to praise.