Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How a Career Brag File Boosts Your Confidence and Promotions
Transcript
- Lucas: Alright Luna, I want to start with a question. When was the last time you wrote down something you did well at work — not for a review or a project update, but just for yourself? Luna: Honestly? Probably never. I tend to just move on to the next thing. I'm guessing that's a problem? Lucas: It's a huge missed opportunity. And there's actually a really simple fix for it — a habit that career coaches call a 'brag file.' It sounds a little silly, but the research on it is solid. People who systematically document their wins are more likely to get promoted, negotiate higher salaries, and feel less imposter syndrome. Luna: Okay, 'brag file' — I've heard that term before but never actually built one. What does it look like in practice? Lucas: Let me give you a concrete example. I spoke with a project manager at a mid-sized SaaS company — let's call her Priya. In late 2024, she started keeping a simple Google Doc. Every time she got a compliment from a client, finished a project under budget, or solved a sticky cross-team issue, she'd drop a line in the doc with the date and a one-sentence summary. By Q3 2025, she had about 40 entries. Her company did a surprise restructuring, and a senior director role opened up — she applied, pulled out that doc to write her cover letter, and got the job. Luna: Wow. So it wasn't just for annual reviews — it helped her pivot in the moment. That's smart. What kinds of things should someone put in there? Lucas: Three categories, I'd say. Number one: quantified outcomes. 'Cut project timeline by 20 percent,' 'Increased email open rates by 15 percent.' Number two: unsolicited praise. Copy and paste a thank-you email from a stakeholder. Number three: tough stuff you handled. 'Resolved conflict between engineering and design that was blocking release.' The key is to write it when it happens — your memory fades fast. Luna: I can already feel myself thinking 'I'll remember that' — and then I don't. So what's the best format? Do you need a fancy app or just a notebook? Lucas: Honestly, whatever sticks. I know people who use a password manager note, a dedicated email folder where they forward kudos, or just a physical folder in their desk. The medium doesn't matter — the habit does. But the one rule I'd insist on: review it monthly. Schedule a recurring 15-minute calendar block. Read through your entries and see if any patterns emerge. What kind of work are you proudest of? Where are you adding the most value? Luna: That monthly review sounds like the secret sauce. It's not just a storage box — it's a mirror. And I bet it also helps you spot when you're underselling yourself. Because I know I do that all the time. Lucas: Exactly. And that leads to a second benefit: reducing imposter syndrome. When you have a concrete list of wins you can point to, self-doubt becomes a lot harder to sustain. You're not 'lucky' — you have receipts. Luna: Receipts. I love that. So let me ask — if someone is listening right now and they've never done this, what's the one thing they should do today? Lucas: Open a new document. Write today's date. Then think back over the last week — just one week — and write down one thing you did that you're proud of. It could be as small as handling a difficult customer call with patience. Then tomorrow, add another. After a month, you'll have 30 entries. And before your next performance review? You'll walk in with a story that's backed by evidence. Luna: That's such a low-bar entry point. And by the way, if today's episode is actually useful to you — and I hope it is — the way these stay ad-free is listener support. It's a small thing, but it makes a big difference for us. You can head to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, that's exactly right. It keeps the podcast independent and lets us keep drilling into topics like this without any sponsor constraints. So if you found value, we'd appreciate it. Luna: Alright, back to the brag file. Lucas, what about the person who feels like they're bragging? Some people worry that keeping a brag file feels egotistical. Lucas: That's a common hang-up. But here's the reframe: a brag file isn't for boasting — it's for self-advocacy. There's a difference. Boasting is 'look how great I am.' Self-advocacy is 'here's the evidence of the value I deliver.' And in most workplaces, no one else is going to track that for you. Your manager has 15 other direct reports. Your accomplishments don't speak for themselves — you have to speak for them. Luna: That's a really important distinction. And it's especially true for women and underrepresented groups, who are often socialised to downplay their contributions. The brag file becomes a tool for equity, not ego. Lucas: Absolutely. There's research from Harvard Business Review showing that women are less likely to self-promote in performance reviews, and that gap directly affects promotion rates. A brag file levels the playing field because it turns self-promotion from a personality trait into a data-gathering exercise. Anyone can collect data. Luna: So it's a skill, not a personality type. I love that. Now, I want to hear about another example — you mentioned a marketing director who used her brag file to negotiate a raise. Tell me that story. Lucas: Sure. This was a marketing director at a consumer goods company. She'd been in her role for about 18 months and felt she was underpaid relative to market. Instead of going in with a vague ask, she spent two weeks compiling her brag file. She had: 'Led campaign that increased brand awareness by 30 percent year-over-year,' 'Mentored two junior associates who both got promoted,' 'Reduced agency spend by 15 percent while improving ROI.' She presented that document in her meeting. She got a 15 percent raise — and a title bump. Her manager told her later: 'It was impossible to say no because you had the receipts.' Luna: Receipts again! So the brag file isn't just for feeling good — it's actual leverage. I'm convinced. But I also wonder: how do you keep it from becoming a chore? Like, I could see myself starting strong and then forgetting about it after three weeks. Lucas: That's the most common failure mode. The fix is to lower the friction. Don't try to write a paragraph. One bullet point per win is enough. And tie it to an existing habit — like every Friday afternoon before you log off, spend two minutes adding anything that happened that week. Or use a voice memo on your phone if typing feels like work. The point is to make it so easy that you can't not do it. Luna: Friday afternoon is perfect — it's a natural wrap-up moment. And then you can review during your monthly check-in. I'm going to start that today. One more question: should you ever share your brag file with your manager proactively, or only during formal reviews? Lucas: Good question. I'd say use it strategically. If you have a quarterly check-in, bring a one-page summary of your top three wins from that quarter. It shows you're results-oriented without being pushy. But during a formal review, you can absolutely bring the full document as backup. The key is to frame it as evidence of your contributions, not as a demand. Like, 'I wanted to share some highlights from the past year to ground our conversation.' Luna: That's a really effective line. It's collaborative, not confrontational. I'm sold on the brag file. I think a lot of our listeners will be too. So let's wrap up with a call to action: open a doc, write one thing from this week. That's it. Lucas: Exactly. And if you do it consistently for six months, you'll be amazed at what you've accomplished — and how much easier it is to tell that story when it matters most. Luna: Great episode. Thanks Lucas. And thanks to everyone listening. We'll see you next time.