[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : Accomplishment, Documenting Your Own

Documenting Your Own Accomplishments to Colleagues and Superiors

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

• Give the big-picture message of your overall contribution to the company or division.
• Present specific facts to back up your claims.
• Interpret the significance of your accomplishments: Is this the first such achievement? Has this new training prepared you for specific new assignments or promotions? If so, which ones? Will this skill or idea save money? How much? Does this idea, discovery, program, or procedure have other applications that can be investigated further for use in other departments? Never take for granted that your reader will “interpret” the significance of your contribution or training and reward you accordingly.
• We’ve had the highest overall growth rate in the last decade.
• This is a 22 percent increase in our newest product line.
• This marketing effort brought in 68 new clients, the most significant “new-business” effort in the past two years.
• This additional program means we now have 85 percent of our work force trained in supervisory skills.
• Mention dates, where appropriate, to prevent someone else from claiming credit for your discovery or suggestion at a later time.
• Be modest, yet confident in tone. Also, rather than repeatedly using “I” in mentioning your activities, you may use the passive voice for the sake of modesty: “Accounts payable have been reconciled” rather than “I have reconciled accounts payable.”
• Thank others for their help in achieving the goal.
• To each one of you, my sincerest thanks.
• To each one of you: You have gained my utmost respect.
• Without the expertise of our engineering staff, this new model would still be “chasing around in my subconscious.”
• I thank each of you for your individual contributions to the project.
• With your continued support and input, we plan to continue this same pattern of achievement.
• If you have several accomplishments to mention, use informative headings and lists for the reader’s easy skimming and recall. You want him or her to be able to get the “big picture” at a glance.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Sample letter for your own accomplishments

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Herb and colleagues:

Many of you have heard rumors about our most recent circulation figures for the year. The good news specifically:

Daily 678,344

Sunday 877,455

Post Parade 957,875

These numbers represent significant gains (23 percent) from a year ago. Our competitors have experienced reductions from previous statements, leaving us with a total daily lead of more than 224,000 and a total Sunday lead of more than 344,000.

The competitive business supplement hasn’t even gotten off the ground–even with our model marketing efforts to follow. Our growth is even more remarkable when you consider that barely four years ago, we trailed on our Sunday circulation by 41,000 and on our daily circulation by 23,000.

This achievement represents an extraordinary effort by many people in every department–particularly those who conceived the phenomenally successful advertising campaign for the Post Parade. Our Circulation Department has depended on them every step of the way as we forged ahead with both sales and service matters.

We know the competition will be even more intense in the future, but with your help we intend to surpass ourselves and set unparalleled growth records for next year.

For all these accomplishments in the past 12 months, I offer my sincerest thanks and congratulations to everyone who has had a part in reaching this goal. Onward!

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Documenting your own accomplishments to colleagues

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Cost Reduction in Utilities

During my May 6 discussion with consultant Herb Williams about our completed Harlin project, I discovered Brewer Power and Light Company had erroneously charged us sales tax each month for electricity. Rules 21521 and 12528 of the Texas Sales, Receipts, and Use Tax Regulations exempt from sales tax electricity and gas used predominately for manufacturing.

As a result, I have instructed Jim Hart to request a refund of $26,005.23 in sales-tax payments by our division for last year. In the future we expect to save approximately $2,000 per month as a result of this exemption.
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Documenting your own accomplishments to superiors

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Improved AFE Procedures

I’d like to suggest two improvements in the company’s procedures for Authorization for Expenditures (AFEs):

1. Procedures should require AFEs be closed within 10 days after activity has ceased or by a specified date each month.

2. Accounting should confirm in writing that funds are available to be committed to an approved AFE.

These improvements will ensure the accounting for costs is completed and previously committed funds are released. Also, timely closing will improve the accuracy of the records, because all parties will be available to answer unresolved questions. Second, the accounting department’s written confirmation (possibly through an additional signature line on the AFE form) will communicate to management that funds are available. Written confirmation will also alert accounting to begin to accumulate contracts so invoices can be speedily processed.

Ultimately, this procedure should prevent budget overruns.
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Accomplishment letters

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Accomplishments, July-December 19–

During the last six months of 19–, I have completed the following projects:

Accounts payable: Accounts payable and the outstanding voucher listing have been reconciled to zero. This is the first such reconciliation since the system has been in operation.

Accounts analysis: All account analyses have been completed and reviewed in conjunction with the closing of corporate books.

Corporate monthly expense distribution: I have and will continue to approve all the account distribution of corporate expenses (comparing actual to budgeted expenses). This approval has reduced coding errors and improved the accuracy of our reports to management.

Expense report procedures: New procedures have been approved and will go into effect April 1. We estimate a savings of four work days per month and increased accuracy in reporting travel-related expenses.

I look forward to making more significant contributions to Allied in the next year. Thank you for your leadership and cooperation.
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Contribution letters

Memorandum

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Skills and Training Received with Bentco

Bentco has made a significant contribution this past year in upgrading my knowledge, skills, and training in both the library and the systems analysis department:

Skills/Experience

• Increased typing skills from 50 to 70 wpm
• Set up and maintained filing system in the library
• Learned “Task List” and “Big Print” applications of the ROG system

Training Courses

• Verbal Communications
• Business Writing Workshop
• Secretarial Systems Seminar

Thank you for the opportunity to improve my skills and to learn more about the company’s objectives. I look forward to a challenging career with Bentco as I formulate goals for this coming year and take on more responsibility in the systems analysis department.
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