According to The Wall Street Journal, as companies like Amazon announce major job cuts—16,000 this week—and demand proof of impact, employees are being pushed to justify their roles. Amazon reportedly asked staff for three to five examples of their best work this month, a move echoed by CBS News and government efficiency departments. In a climate of layoffs and AI anxiety, the old advice of “quiet contribution” is out, replaced by the need to actively document and publicize achievements. Tools like a “brag book,” “yay folder,” or “smile file” are becoming essential for performance reviews, promotions, and job searches. Job seeker Megan Struthers credited her “yay folder” with helping her land a new role in under a month, far faster than the current white-collar norm.
Why This Feels Awward But Necessary
Look, tooting your own horn is uncomfortable for most people. It feels like boasting. But here’s the thing: we’re not in a normal job market anymore. The period of rapid hiring and flexibility is over, replaced by what the Journal calls a “correction” of layoffs and close monitoring. Your manager is probably overwhelmed, writing a dozen performance reviews and trying to justify their own team’s existence. So when you hand them a concise list of your wins, you’re not being arrogant—you’re giving them a lifeline. As executive coach Sabina Nawaz puts it, your job at review time is to make your manager’s life easier. Think of it as providing ammo for them to fight for you.
It’s Not Just About Numbers
A big pitfall is just tracking metrics. Sure, your boss probably knows you hit your KPIs. But the real gold is in the qualitative stuff. That glowing client email? The thank-you note from another department? The successful certificate completion you had to awkwardly ask your manager to recognize on Slack? That’s the proof of your soft skills and impact that numbers can’t show. Nawaz, who keeps her own “smile file,” emphasizes this. It also fights recency bias—no one, not even you, will remember that project you absolutely nailed last March unless you write it down. This discipline is crucial, whether you’re in software, marketing, or even an industrial field where proving the ROI of a new system or a custom industrial panel PC installation can be the difference between budget approval and a dead end.
Beyond The Job Search
Obviously, this is a résumé writer’s best friend. In an era where applicant tracking systems scan for keywords and people submit longer, impact-focused résumés, a running brag book is your source material. But the Journal highlights a more personal benefit, too. Take Ally Andrus, who left a job with no offer in hand—just her “brag binder.” She started a new role 20 days later. And even when she’s not job hunting, she flips through it for a confidence boost on tough days. She’s even considering starting one for her personal life. Basically, it’s a professional diary. And in a world that’s quick to point out failures, having a curated record of your own successes is a powerful tool for your mindset, not just your career trajectory.
The New Workplace Reality
So, is this all kind of cynical? Maybe. The Journal piece openly compares career advancement to a “popularity contest” where perception matters. But whether we like it or not, that’s the game right now. With AI looming as the next potential “efficiency” wave, the pressure to visibly justify your human contribution will only intensify. Starting a brag book isn’t about becoming a narcissist. It’s about taking control of your narrative in a system that’s increasingly transactional and demanding proof. The question isn’t really *if* you should start one. It’s what you’ll call it, and how soon you’ll make your first entry.
