The Wall Street Journal

Need to Get Noticed at Work? Do This First

Whether you need to pitch or defend yourself, documentation is your friend

Published January 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM ET

Need to Get Noticed at Work? Do This First
Illustration: Jon Krause

If you’re angling for a raise or a promotion this year, do this one thing before anything else: Start taking notes.

Consistently documenting your wins and accomplishments to compile a record of your work is something not enough of us do. But we should, career coaches say, both for advancement and to avoid getting an unfair review.