Summer is at a close and school is about to begin. While it is important to ensure you are prepared for the school year to start it is also important to leave your summer employment with necessary information to help you in your job search for next summer.

Here are some tips on what type of information you need to collect and how to organize it for quick reference. I’ve prepared a job information form for you to download keep to track of the following information.

Contact information: Make sure you know the address, phone and website of where you worked over the summer. If you worked at several different locations, keep the contact information of the office that holds your employment record.  Grab a business card for quick and easy reference. You will need to supply this information on next year’s job application form.  Also, ensure you have your direct supervisor’s name, email address and phone number as well as his or her supervisor’s contact information.  You may have made friends with some of your co-workers and may wish to connect with them over the school year. They can also provide you with an update of what is going on within the company should you decide to apply at the same place next year so make sure you have their contact information as well.

Dates of employment: Future employers want to know how long you worked at a previous job. Make sure you record the dates you started and stopped your summer job.

Pay Rate: Write down your pay rate and note if you earned any bonuses or commissions. This gives you a benchmark to negotiate next summer’s hourly rate.
Job Description: Obtain a detailed job description from the company’s Human Resources (HR) department if possible. If there isn’t one, create your own. List all the tasks for which you were responsible, to whom you reported, and who reported to you.

Challenges & Achievements: Using the job description, write down a few problems that you encountered during your time on the job and how you solved them. Take note of any achievements too. It is easier to recollect this sort of thing now than when you’re updating your résumé for next summer’s job! (You’ll also want to use this as leverage when discussing your wages next summer.)

Company Website: If the place where you worked has a corporate site, bookmark it and refer to it throughout the academic year. You can track job postings and keep up to date with company news. Who knows? You may see a more senior opportunity that interests you and helps with your ultimate career aspirations.

Likes & Dislikes: While this information should never be put on a job application or résumé, it can definitely help you decide what types of roles you enjoy and what types you don’t. It will save you the trouble of applying for jobs that you really won’t enjoy.

You’ll also need to keep other important information handy! Use sheet protectors (my favourite are the Avery Acid-Free ones) and put them all in a binder labelled CAREER INFORMATION.

Pay Statements: Make sure you keep your pay statements until you receive your income tax information.  Talk to your bookkeeper or accountant about what you need to keep for tax purposes. Make sure you know whom to contact at the company if you need copies of pay statements or employee benefits info. If you move, make sure you send them a change of address for their files to ensure you receive your income tax slips!

Contract: If you signed a contract for employment or a confidentiality agreement, keep a copy for your records if possible. Ask your employer how long they recommend you keep these documents.

Certificates: If you took any specialized training (WHIMS, First Aid, Safe Driving) in order to do your summer job, make sure you keep the certificates. They are the proof of having successfully completed the training. Don’t forget to add them to your résumé.

Reference Letters: It will be much easier for your supervisor to provide you with a letter of reference now when he/she is familiar with your work than next spring when you’re applying for another job so now is the time to ask! As a tip, people appreciate it when you give them something specific to include in the letter. If you suggest some key content, it makes it easier and faster for the letter to be written and in your hand. The letter should state things like your relationship to the letter writer and a couple of examples of how you contributed to the team and helped solve problems. It can also outline your positive character traits such as being punctual, hard working, and easy to get along with.

Using the job information form to record employment details and having all your important employment history in one handy binder, you’ll be relaxed heading back to school knowing that next summer, you’ll have a head-start on getting a summer job!

For advice and assistance in preparation of this post I’m sending a special THANK YOU to Audrey Prenzel, Canada’s award-winning and multi-certified Career Transition Specialist, the founder of Résumé Resources and all-round cool person.