Job security
Keep your receipts somewhere you own
A micro habit for keeping the proof of your work somewhere it can't be switched off
Once a month, save your own record of wins, feedback and kind notes somewhere you'll still have if you leave, and leave out anything confidential.
- 10 minutes a month
- Just you
- Monthly
- Make time
Why this can work
Most of the evidence of your good work lives on systems your employer owns, and access can end the day you leave, sometimes with no notice. A few minutes a month keeping your own copy, in your own words, means the proof of what you've built stays with you.
Read moreHow to keep your own record of your work
You’ll come away with a personal record of your work that no employer can switch off.
- Pick a place you own.
A personal notes app, a document on your own drive, a folder in your personal email. Somewhere that isn't tied to your work login, and that you'll still have in five years.
- Once a month, jot down what's worth keeping.
A line or two for each: what you got done and what came of it, feedback that stuck, a kind note someone sent. Add the date and who it involved.
Tip: Kind notes count. They're easy to forget and surprisingly useful to reread.
- Write it in your own words.
Describe what happened rather than copying internal documents. Leave out client names, internal numbers and anything confidential. The outcome and your part in it is what you'll need later.
- Check what your company allows.
Many employers don't allow forwarding work email or files to personal accounts, and some monitor it. When in doubt, retype the gist yourself instead. If you're unsure whether you can keep a copy of your review, ask HR.
- Read it back once a year.
Before a review, or whenever you're thinking about what's next. You'll likely find more than you remember, and it's the best starting point for any résumé or self-review.
MonTueWedThuFri9 am11 am1 pm3 pm10 min, yours5 pm0.7 hrs a month, for you9 hrs a year you didn’t have beforeSame slot so it stops being a decision
Good times to repeat it: once a monthright after a big win or a kind notebefore you leave any job
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Layoffs and reorganizations often cut system access the same day. Anything you haven't kept by then is usually gone.
What might make this harder
Do it from your own phone or computer, from memory, at the end of the month. Retyping a few lines is enough.
Questions people ask
Should I keep a record of my work accomplishments outside of work?
Yes, in your own words and without confidential details. Access to work systems can end suddenly, and a personal record keeps the evidence of your work with you.
Is it okay to forward work emails to my personal account?
Often it isn't. Many companies prohibit it, and some monitor it. Check your company's policy, and when in doubt, write a short summary in your own words instead.
What should I save before leaving a job?
Your own notes on what you did and what came of it, feedback that stuck, kind notes from colleagues, and dates. Keep it in your own words, and leave company documents and confidential details behind.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Most of the proof that you're good at your job lives somewhere you don't control: your work email, the company chat, the shared drive, the performance system. That record belongs to your employer, and you can lose it on the day you need it most. After a layoff, it can be a shock how little of your own story you can still find.
There's a simple way to put it: your job belongs to your employer, and your career belongs to you. A few minutes a month, a few lines in your own words, somewhere you own. It isn't a plan to leave. It's a way of not depending on anyone else to hold the record of what you've done.
The line that matters is between your story and your employer's information. What you did, what came of it and what people said about it are yours to describe. Client lists, internal numbers and company documents are not. Writing it in your own words is both the safest way to keep it and the most useful. That's the form you'll need for a review, a résumé or an interview anyway. If you work somewhere with strict rules about records, such as a bank, a hospital or a government agency, check before you start, and keep it to general outcomes.
Keep the kind notes too. A thank-you from a colleague, or a manager's line saying you handled something well, is easy to lose in a busy inbox. Read together a year later, they tend to tell you something your own memory doesn't about what people value in you. And on a hard day, they're simply good to have.
Other simple things to consider
What to do next
More in Job security
Never lose the proof of your work
Do it with Truest and it goes on your permanent record, in a Career Vault your employer doesn’t own.
See how Truest worksAlready a member? Log in- A living page in your VaultKeep it as one page you add to, next to your reviews and your files.
- A reminder beforePut it on your calendar and Truest reminds you before it starts.
- On your recordWhen it's done, it goes on your record with your priorities and progress.
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.