Lessons Learned for Vets
Lessons Learned for Vets
Keeping Good Records for Career Succes with Lori Norris
Maintaining meticulous records might not seem like the most exciting aspect of career management, but as veterans know, proper documentation can make all the difference between mission success and failure. In this tactical solo episode, Lori Norris shares a comprehensive system for organizing your job search and ongoing career documentation that leverages military precision while adapting to civilian workplace realities.
Drawing from years of experience helping thousands of transitioning service members, Lori explains why getting caught unprepared when employers call about positions you applied for weeks earlier can derail opportunities before they begin. She outlines a practical digital folder system organized by company and position that ensures you'll never be scrambling for information during that critical employer callback. From saving job descriptions that disappear from websites to conducting and documenting SWOT analyses of potential employers, this approach transforms reactive job searching into strategic career advancement.
The most valuable insight extends beyond the transition phase into long-term career management. Unlike the military's structured evaluation systems, civilian workplaces often lack comparable documentation processes. Veterans who implement their own accomplishment tracking systems—recording metrics, project outcomes, and quantifiable wins—gain a significant advantage when seeking promotions, requesting raises, or facing unexpected career disruptions. This documentation also serves as powerful evidence against imposter syndrome, providing concrete proof of your contributions when self-doubt creeps in.
Connect with Lori Norris and provide feedback on if you like solo episodes and what subjects you'd like her to cover at: www.linkedin.com/in/lorinorris
Your military experience has already equipped you with exceptional attention to detail and documentation skills. By applying these strengths to civilian career management, you create a strategic advantage that will serve you throughout your professional journey. Whether you're actively transitioning now or building your civilian career, this episode provides the blueprint for career documentation mastery that puts you in control of your professional narrative.
The Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast is sponsored by Seek Now and their Drive Academy. Seek Now is the property inspection industry's leading business and they created Drive Academy DoD SkillBridge and CSP internships to teach transitioning military service members and veterans skills that prepare them for lucrative and rewarding careers in the property inspection and insurance industries. You can learn more and apply today at www.internwithdrive.com.
Welcome to the Lessons Learned for Vets podcast, your military transition debrief. I'm your host, lori Norris, and I've helped thousands of military service members successfully transition out of the military since 2005. Thanks for tuning in to hear the after action reports and real stories of your fellow veterans, who are here to help guide, educate and inform you as you navigate your own military transition. By the way, if you find value from today's episode, please share it with others, leave us a review and post about us on social media. Hey everybody, it's Lori jumping in here with a quick solo episode today. I'm going to do these throughout the season just to expand upon some concepts that maybe I've talked about before, expand upon some concepts that maybe I've talked about before briefly in a show with a guest, or things I've posted about online on LinkedIn. And today's episode is about keeping good records, and this really was inspired by something that I posted about on LinkedIn a few weeks ago, and I want to talk to you about the importance of keeping good records in the job search process, but also for the rest of your career. So that's what we're going to target today. We're going to start with the job search process, but then we'll talk about keeping good records throughout the rest of your career. I know that in the military, you're used to keeping really good documentation and records, and oftentimes you have somebody kind of behind the scenes either a mentor, a supervisor, maybe even a training program manager who is helping you to prepare these records and keep these, but that may not be the case when you're out in the civilian workforce. They may not be as good about giving you regular performance evaluations, and I want to make sure that you are ready and armed with all of the documentation you need to continue growing your career beyond this next step for you. So we're going to talk about first the job search process, and you know, I think that it is really important that we keep good records in the job search process.
Speaker 1:You know I talk to people all the time as a resume writer, my job is to help people go through their career and really identify their accomplishments, their value statements, and I don't know about you, but it's really hard for me to remember what I did five years ago. And so the great thing with military service members is you often have your military evals that you can look back on and, again, you're not always going to have those really detailed evals full of metrics and measurables going forward. And so you know, as I'm talking to people writing their resume with them, I'm walking them through and I ask them like, oh, do we have a measurable for that? Can you give me a number? And they just don't have them. And I'm pretty good at helping people figure out their measurables and their metrics, but if you're writing your resume all on your own, it sure would be easier to have those details ready to go and in a folder for yourself, so that it's not a struggle for you. So that's my goal for you today.
Speaker 1:Now let's talk about kind of what goes. We're going to talk about why it's important, what goes in those records and how to keep them organized. And so I really want you to know, like, what you're going to, what you should track, how you should track it, and really I hope that I'm going to sell to you why it's important. But you know, when you're in a job search, you're going to fill out more than one job application. Most likely, you know, I would love to say that very first one you fill out is going to be the one for you. It's just not statistically likely for that to happen. And so, again, everybody moves on a different timeline. You apply to a job today, you might hear back from them in hours. You might hear back from them in hours, you might hear back from them in weeks. And so that you have track, keep track of what you've applied to and you can speak to what you did three weeks ago when they call you today, I want you to have easy access to that information, have easy access to that information. You've probably heard me say this, but I'm a really big believer in not answering the phone from phone numbers that you don't recognize when you're in the job search. And the reason I say this is because when an employer calls you and you know they call you today for a job you applied to three weeks ago, you're not likely going to recognize the company, the job and even the resume that you submitted. If you don't have everything in front of you and leave a message, you can go to the records I'm going to teach you to keep, you can pull all of that up in front of you and you can speak to them in a much more informed manner. We don't want to get caught off guard. I always say you know you don't want to get caught driving down the road with your kids or in the backseat, or your dogs barking in the background or, you know, heaven forbid you're in a place where you're not really readily available to talk to an employer.
Speaker 1:Told this story before, but the best example I can think of is many years ago. My husband was looking for a job and our family was on a trip to Disneyland and I told him, like, don't answer the phone if you don't know who's calling. But you know he knows better than me. And so we were at Disneyland. He got a phone call and answered it and they said you know, this is, you know, so and so, from this company. We were calling you about the application that you put in and and they say we'd like to know if you're available to do an interview. And when he said, sure, I would love to interview with you, they said, how about now? And so he had to find a place and Disneyland, a quiet place to conduct the interview on the spot, with no notes. He had nothing about the job posting he'd applied to, he had nothing in regards to the resume he'd submitted, he didn't have his prep notes about the company and its mission and all of those things. He just had to wing it, and I will. I'm happy to report to you that he actually did land that position, but I'm sure it's because he had a great interview coach right, I'm not sure who she was, but I heard she was really great.
Speaker 1:But in all seriousness, that could have gone very poorly in that situation, and so I don't want this to happen to you. I don't want you to get caught off guard, and so I want you to let those phone calls go to voicemail, have a nice professional voicemail that greets them. Let them leave a message. Be sure you're cleaning that voicemail out regularly, but once you get the call, then I want you to sit down. Wherever you're keeping your records. I want you to pull everything up, and I want you to have a conversation in an informed manner, and we want to make that employer feel special, as though they are the only person that you're applying to, and you know they know realistically, that that's not true, but that's how we want them to feel, okay. And so let's talk about what, what records, we want to keep.
Speaker 1:So, first and foremost, I want you to start a file folder, preferably in your computer, that is, a job search folder and in there I want you to have subfolders by company name and within that company subfolders then you will have additional subfolders by the job posting that you are applying for. You know you may be, you may say I really want to work for Lockheed Martin and you're applying to. You know, multiple positions. Many different locations have those subfolders within Lockheed. So when they call you about an interview, you know exactly the position that you're responding about, exactly the position that you applied for, exactly the resume and cover letter you wrote for that position. You have that pulled up and ready to go. All right. So let's talk about what goes in each folder.
Speaker 1:One of the most important things I want you to start with in that folder is the job posting. Now, if I apply to a job posting today, by the time the company gets around to calling me for the interview, that job posting is likely going to be gone. It will no longer be on their website. When I go to pull that job posting up to refer back to what I applied for, it's going to be gone from their website. So my recommendation is just copy and paste that job posting into a Word document and that way you have the job posting and all of the contents of that job posting in your folder so that you can go back to when you, before you call them back, you can pull up that posting, read through it, kind of mentally prepare yourself of the job that you're calling about before you call them.
Speaker 1:Okay, so have that job posting there. So that's the very first thing that you want to keep in those records. Okay, now, the next thing I want you to keep in there, those records, okay, now, the next thing I want you to keep in there is all of your research. So you know I am a big proponent of sending out fewer applications each week but working harder on each one. I don't want you to send out a hundred applications a week because that all that means is you're just hitting apply, apply, apply and you're hitting that easy apply button. And you heard last week's episode where I talked about that with Marisol and the dangers of using the easy apply button.
Speaker 1:So instead, I want you to take some time, dig into some research on the company. You've probably heard me talk about their SWOT analysis, and that is an acronym that stands for their strengths, their weaknesses, their opportunities and their threats. What does the company do really well. What are their strengths, where are they struggling right now, what are their weaknesses, what are their opportunities for growth and development and what are their threats? In other words, who's their competition? What are their opportunities for growth and development and what are their threats? In other words, who's their competition? Is there someone new coming in on the scene that they are struggling against? What is changing the legislative landscape in their industry that might affect them? So keep all of that research in one place.
Speaker 1:This is a great time to use AI tools and asking really good questions of AI. Dig a little deeper than just the company's website. Do a Google search. What's happening in their world? Ask AI tools that question and keep all of that research in the folder alongside the job posting that you're applying to. This is also going to shape how you prepare for the interview that they call you for right. So all this research is there to help you you know, target and focus your resume and your application process, but it's also going to be great and helpful when you go to prepare for your job interview.
Speaker 1:Okay, also in that file, I recommend you keep salary research. We want to conduct salary research before even applying to a position, because they're starting to ask the salary question earlier and earlier in the process. Sometimes they're asking it when they call you back for that screening call to see if you'd like to join them for an interview, and we wanna be ready to answer that question when it comes up. So keep your salary research in there. There is an episode back in season one where I talk about this, but it might be time to revisit the salary negotiation. Answering the salary question. It might be time to revisit that for a solo episode. So if that sounds like something you'd be interested in listening to, drop me a line on LinkedIn, send me a note, let me know if that's something you'd like to hear from me. Okay, so salary research goes in there.
Speaker 1:Also a list of any contact that you've made. Who have you spoken to at the company. Do you have anyone in your network? Have you reached out to anyone internally? Keep a record of your conversations, the dates that you talked, any follow-up that they asked you to do, any key steps. So make sure you're keeping like a Word document of any contacts and any networking that you've done internally at that company, also in there. I want you to keep anything you've sent to them, so emails you've sent, thank you notes you've sent, conversations you've had with recruiters, anything that you need to do next right and lastly, is your resume and cover letter.
Speaker 1:So those documents, those job search documents that you prepare and customize for each position, should go in those files. You don't want to show up to an interview with a completely different resume than you sent in originally. So keep records of the resume, cover letter that you prepare and customize and target for each role. Okay, and just like we said last week, if it's taking you hours and hours to target and focus a resume, then you're probably not going about it the right way. Right? You haven't started out with a solid foundation of a targeted, focused resume, targeting and focusing your resume.
Speaker 1:The biggest time issue here is the research and the digging. It shouldn't take you hours and hours to modify your resume and cover letter. It should just be a targeting and focusing process. Okay, but keep those records in that file. And then, once you have the interview, all of your notes from the interview, all of your preparation, all of your takeaways from the interview should also be filed in that folder for each company, each job posting. Think of it as doing kind of an after action report for each interview and keep really good records so that you can continue to grow and develop and refine your interview answers and get better over time as you continue to interview for additional roles.
Speaker 1:Okay, and just your lessons learned in that file folder could be really valuable. Like you know what, I didn't talk enough about this subject. I need to write some better stories around these skills, those types of things, to really take a strategic approach to your job search. Ok, you know this is something that everyone should have and this is really important in the job search and it'll help you stay organized and to have better, more effective interactions with each employer and will really. You can always come back to this folder and refine your efforts, but if you aren't keeping good records, you're going to miss out on the value that can come from going back and looking at like okay, how did I do? What can I improve, what do I need to work on this week? And keeping good records is going to help you with that process.
Speaker 1:I really recommend having just a file folder system in your computer. You know you can make it just folders with subfolders. You can keep, you know, a simple Excel spreadsheet if you really want to track like do-outs for yourself. There's lots of tools out there, even some tools that are for job seekers, but I just don't know that there's anything you need to invest in. I think it's something you can absolutely manage yourself and you know you can, even if you're like someone who likes to put pen to paper. Some of your notes can be kept in a physical notebook, but I do really recommend you keeping digital records that that will kind of live on, because you know, let's say, that you got a job this year and in two years you find yourself back in the market. Now you have this digital file of the things that you did a couple years ago. So that's why I really want you to keep good job search records and that way, when people do call you for interviews, you'll be ready to answer their questions, to respond effectively and really have a good detailed conversation with them.
Speaker 1:Okay, now let's talk about kind of long-term career record keeping. Right, and this is where it's really important that we keep really good records once we land a job and we're in that job and we're doing our job and we're contributing and we're having some wins. If you don't write that down, as it happens, it's going to be really hard for you to remember. So things happen, right. Good and bad things happen. Opportunities arise, new roles pop up that you're like, oh, this is the perfect thing for me. Internal promotions can come up and bad things can happen right. Large scale layoffs, companies get purchased and go through a downsizing. The good and bad things can come your way. And I'm going to tell you right now you want to be ready to job hunt always, because you just never know what good or bad things may come your way. And this is going to be a much easier process if you've kept good records.
Speaker 1:So, as something good happens, like you know, again, it go to your job search file that we talked about establishing, and then create a file for your new job and in there, have a file that is like accomplishments and wins, and start thinking about like tracking those metrics right, what's your budget that you manage? How many people are you managing? Like, track the projects that you are accomplishing and you know. Then you can start seeing like the percentage of on-time completion. Again, some companies are great at keeping records, but others are not, and so I want you to take charge of this so that you don't have to rely on the company's record-keeping system. And by not having to rely on the company's record keeping system, you have your own records, and so let's just say that something bad happens and you have to leave in a hurry and you don't have time to copy all of these records from your internal employee system. You already have your own at home on your own computer and you can just go right to that, get your resume updated and get back in the market.
Speaker 1:I think that everyone should have an updated resume at all times. But if you aren't comfortable working on your own resume, at least have a list of your measurable accomplishments, the metrics of what you do every day, so that when you sit down with someone who's going to assist you with your resume, who's going to work with you on writing your resume, you have the information for them. Again, I talk to people every day every week, I should say and I ask them questions about what they do, and many times they're like oh, I don't know, I didn't keep records of that and I don't want you to be in that position. I want you to remember like I've got to write this down so that you don't have to guess, and I'm good at helping people estimate and average and kind of back their way into those measurables and metrics, but I'd rather you not have to back your way into it. I'd rather you have those detailed records so you're ready to go, get that resume updated. You see an opportunity. Your resume is already updated and ready to go and you can apply. Okay to go and you can apply Okay.
Speaker 1:So, again, this is something that you can use also to write your annual performance evaluations. You can use this information in there to ask for a raise or a promotion, and so you know there's nothing wrong with keeping those records. You have to be your own advocate. As I said earlier, you have to be your career manager. I don't want you to rely on anybody else doing this for you. I hope you get a great boss that does this for you and helps you with this, but if not, I want you to be ready to do this for yourself. Okay.
Speaker 1:So, just as we kind of close up today, just remember like keeping good records is imperative for an efficient job search and it's also an investment of your future success, your future career success, right? So I challenge you to start a simple job search tracking system, whether it's the folders with the subfolders that I talked about, a spreadsheet that you create, a notes app that you create in your phone. But I encourage you to start something today. You've got to start keeping good records and, for those of you that are already landed your role and you're, you know, kind of preparing for your future start a file of your accomplishments and measurables so that when you have to get your resume updated, your LinkedIn updated down the road, we're not guessing. We've got those records kept and you know LinkedIn is a great place to store some of these things because you want to keep your LinkedIn updated at all times. That doesn't mean that you're on the job search market. It just means that you are trying to represent yourself with the greatest possible level of professionalism for your company out there on LinkedIn, and so LinkedIn can't house everything that you want to keep there. So make sure you, beyond your resume and LinkedIn, keeping them updated, keep that file, keep those notes for yourself. And again, it helps you when you are kind of doubting yourself, you feel that imposter syndrome. You can go back and look and go oh, you know what. I did make a contribution, I did really add value.
Speaker 1:So I would love to hear from you. Tell me if you want these kinds of solo episodes, just kind of popping in here every once in a while in between the episodes with the guests. It's a shorter episode likely Usually I know this one's definitely shorter than a normal one but I'd love to hear from you. Are there any topics that you'd like me to address? Please reach out.
Speaker 1:I'd love to hear from the people that are listening and I want this show. Please reach out. I'd love to hear from the people that are listening and I want to. This show is for you. I don't do it for me, I do it for you, and so anything I can do to help you navigate this military transition process in a more easy, efficient, effective way, I want to hear how I can help you. So thanks for tuning in today. I'll see you next week. You so thanks for tuning in today. I'll see you next week. Thanks for listening to today's episode. My goal is to give you actionable strategies to help you learn to market your military skills and smooth your transition to the next phase of your career. If you learned something valuable today, share it. Subscribe to our podcast and our YouTube channel, leave us a review and write a post on social media about the lessons that helped you today from this episode.