3 Steps to Future-Proof Your Career (And Take Your Momentum With You)
Ever tried to update your resume or ask for a raise, only to realize you have no idea how to prove your impact?
…because I have. ✋🏽
It’s something I learned the hard way, actually. More than once.
In past roles, I was doing great work.
We’re talking: cross-team collaboration to provide visibility and foster collaboration to drive company initiatives. Like, full-on “moving the needle” folks. 😏 (buzzwordsbuzzwordsbuzzwords…IYKYK)
Succinctly: I did my job and I was damn good at it (#humblebrag?) Which is great!
But what’s not so great? Not tracking really ANY of it...at least not in the way it mattered.
So when it came time to advocate for a promotion or update my resume, I found myself scrambling to piece together accomplishments I knew existed but didn’t document very well.
Real quick—hi! I’m Tessa. 👋🏽
And in addition to great hair and a winning personality, I know a hell of a lot about the job market. How you ask?
By spending over 10 years in the recruiting industry—hiring over 1,000 employees, and building top-tier talent programs. And now I get to take all that knowledge—15,000 resumes and thousands of interview hours worth—and share it with ambitious professionals like you so you can outsmart this whole job search thing and land the job you really, truly want, at the salary you deserve.
And I see this mistake all the time with job seekers and professionals alike.
They assume their company is keeping track or that they'll "just remember" when the time comes.
Spoiler: that almost never happens.
The key to career growth is simple: track your own progress, quantify your impact, and create your own momentum.
And at the end of this newsletter, you’ll be geared up to do just that.
Let’s talk about how to do it.
1️⃣ Track Your Wins Like It’s Your Job (because it kinda is!)
Your company isn’t tracking your career progress for you. That’s on you.
And even if they are, it’s most likely with the lens of what info is most beneficial to them. No shade, it’s just true. In the same way, you’ll track the stuff that’s relevant to you.
So get to it!
✅ Start a career doc (*outside of your work computer) where you list key projects, wins, and impact.
✅ Even if you don’t have clear, built-in data, you can create it for yourself.
✅ If you’re doing good work, you’re contributing good results. And that, my friend, is quantifiable.
It’s a little something I call creating your own awards.
And it looks like this:
Track where things stood before you started.
Track how they changed after you stepped in.
And then who or what was impacted by your work—think teams, clients, organizations, or the company overall.
⭐Pro tip:
Use your regular 1:1s with your manager to gather data on your performance and store it in your career doc. And once a month, email yourself a recap of key wins so you’re not scrambling later.
There’s a reason I dedicate a whole BONUS module to Future-Proofing Your Career!
2️⃣ Ask Better Questions to Quantify Your Impact
One of the biggest objections I hear from job seekers when I ask them about their professional impacts, outcomes, and quantifiable data is: “I don’t have numbers.”
The truth? You do—you just need to ask the right questions.
Every role has measurable impact, even if it’s not tied to sales quotas or revenue. You just need to reframe how you think about it.
Start with these questions:
What changed because of my work?
How did my contributions affect efficiency, revenue, retention, engagement, or customer satisfaction?
What problems did I help solve?
If my work saved time, how much? If I improved processes, by what percentage? If I managed people or projects, how many?
⭐Pro tip: When in doubt, ask yourself: “What would have happened if I wasn’t there?” The answer usually holds your impact.
If you can confidently answer these questions, you’ll have stronger performance reviews, a better case for promotions, a resume that actually stands out…and solid momentum to move you forward in your career.
3️⃣ Back It Up & Build Your Network Along the Way
Momentum isn’t just about what you accomplish. Actually, I’d say it’s just as important to be able to show it.
And that starts with a healthy, regular, good old-fashioned list.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be as simple or as detailed as you want—from a running Google Doc to a full-blown spreadsheet analysis. Whatever’s sustainable for you is what works best.
Give these a try:
✅ Quarterly backups: Set a reminder to save and export your career doc (of course avoiding anything proprietary). Future-you will thank you.
✅ Use AI to make this easier: Create a GPT in ChatGPT specifically for tracking your accomplishments. Just drop them in whenever something happens, and when it’s time to update your resume or prep for an interview, you’ll have a beautifully organized list without lifting a finger.
✅ Get LinkedIn recommendations now—don’t wait until you need them.
If you just wrapped a great project and got positive feedback, ask for a recommendation while it’s fresh!
Keep it simple: “Hey, I really enjoyed working on [project] together! If you’re open to it, I’d love a quick LinkedIn recommendation about our collaboration.”
When it’s time for a raise, promotion, or job search, you’ll have everything you need—ready to go.
Consider Your Future: Proofed 🔒
When it comes to career growth, the difference between scrambling and strategizing is a simple one: tracking your impact, asking better questions, and backing it all up will save you some headache down the line.
You're not just making your life easier when it's time to update your resume or ask for a raise or a promotion—you’re building a strong foundation for sustained professional momentum.
Remember: Your career journey is yours.
Your wins, your progress, your impact—they belong to you, not your company. So take control, document your success, and set yourself up for the next big step (whenever you're ready for it, whatever it is!).
And if you want guidance, structure, and expert insights to make this process even smoother?
Well, that’s exactly why I created the Career Strategy Program.
And if the self-paced, digital course route isn’t your thing? I’ve got you.
📅 Book a FREE Clarity Call with me, and let’s chat one-on-one about your career goals and how we can build your personalized strategy together.
Chat soon. 💜
