A Brag Folder - How to Document and Communicate Your Professional Accomplishments

So you want to create a brag folder? A place where you can document all of your wins, accomplishments, and words of praise. 

If you’re like most professionals I work with, the chances of keeping and updating a brag folder is likely reserved for when you need to update your resume. But I’m here to encourage you to keep a running list/folder/document of your accomplishments as you complete them. 

Think of it like this - your accomplishments are your professional currency and you need to make sure you are always balancing your checkbook or checking your bank account to make sure you have enough funds. Your accomplishments are what you bring to the table when it’s time for a promotion, a raise, a new job, or even just a conversation about workload and priorities.

Yet so many of us forget to keep track of them. 

That’s where the brag folder comes in.

So what is a brag folder exactly?

A brag folder is exactly what it sounds like – a dedicated place to document your wins, achievements, and positive feedback at work.

Think of it as your personal vault of receipts for how valuable you are. It can be kept in the form of a folder in your inbox or on your desktop, a simple document, or even a spreadsheet. 

Why do you need one? 4 reasons -

1. For promotion potential
   When promotion conversations happen, you’ll have concrete examples to showcase your impact instead of scrambling to remember projects from months ago.

2. To confidently ask for a raise
   It’s easier to negotiate your worth when you can point to real data, accomplishments, and praise from colleagues or clients.

3. To navigate gaslighting or credit-taking
   Unfortunately, workplaces aren’t always fair. If your contributions are ever downplayed, having a record of your work protects you and gives you confidence in what you’ve accomplished.

4. To boost your self-confidence
   Sometimes we forget how much we’ve actually done. Revisiting your wins is a powerful reminder on tough days.

Here’s how to start your brag folder -

Follow these steps when you are ready to start (and organize) a brag folder to document your accomplishments - 

• Create a dedicated folder in Google Drive* or your personal computer.
  Label it clearly – “Brag Folder” or “Professional Wins.”
  

• Forward all positive feedback emails to your personal email.
  Create a “Wins” or “Praise” folder in your inbox to collect emails from clients, colleagues, or managers thanking you for your work.
  

• Build a running document of tasks and successful projects.
  Include:

• Name of the task or project

• Dates worked on

• Your role and contributions

  
  
  For example:

  Project: Launch of new customer onboarding program
  Dates: March – June 2025
  My Role: Led content creation, trained sales team, designed communication templates
  Impact: Reduced customer onboarding time by 20%, improved team confidence in onboarding

  process

• Save your big presentations.
  If you led a company-wide training, pitched to executives, or delivered a keynote presentation, save those decks and note the outcomes.
  
  

*Pro Tip (and this is important!)

Always save your brag folder in your personal files or email – not just your work computer. If you are ever laid off, fired, or lose access to company files, you’ll still have documentation of your work to reference in future roles, applications, and negotiations.

Here’s the deal… Half the battle in the workplace is learning how to communicate your output, value, and worth in 1:1 meetings, team meetings, and performance reviews. Do yourself a favor and consistently document your wins. Audit your calendar, to do list, inbox at least once a month to ensure you are keeping your professional wins/brag folder up to date and watch how much easier it becomes to advocate for yourself in your career.