Whether it’s an old-fashioned Rolodex, a nifty binder of business cards, an extensive Outlook address book, or a self-made spreadsheet, keeping a running list of contacts is essential for any career-oriented person, especially Millenials who are just starting out and will change jobs frequently.  Networking, in my opinion, is the best and most successful way to find a job.  Most employers would rather hire someone who comes with a recommendation from one of their contacts than someone they don’t know.  That means, every business card or person you meet should be entered into some sort of database.

Right now my personal contact database is in a variety of locations.  I have a personal address book, an old-fashioned Rolodex, and my Outlook address book for work.  I’m looking to stream-line my office space and am undecided as to the best way to organize all the contact information I’ve gathered.  I am leaning toward keeping my Rolodex as a place to store the business cards I collect and creating a spreadsheet where I can easily search for information.  It should include how I met each contact, their field of work, and the date at which I last spoke or met with them.

Do you have a set system for keeping track of all your contacts?