What do you do with a written testimony from someone you worked with? Specifically, how do you store a good recommendation when you don't have an immediate reason to show it to others?

Here's what I do: I upload the testimony to Posterous and turn on the "Mark this post as private" option. I also tag with the word "resume" or "testimony".

After I accumulate over time several testimonies, I can easily pass on the testimony link to a client or prospective employer. This keeps a cover letter or standard resume uncluttered. Only those who have the specific link can see the "private" post so this allows you to control the viewing audience.

Besides, it's fun to just click on the "testimony" tag for oneself to get a boost on a down day!

I like to send written thank-you messages to co-workers and even to vendor partners who have become like trusted advisors. I do it when I am grateful for their help or their exceptional performance in support of a common project goal. I do it because I know I appreciate it when others do it for me.

Sometimes I include their managers on the email thank-you. Most of the time I send it directly to the recipient and forego copying others. Sometimes a gift is best savored in private and shared later. Thank-you notes follow the same principle.

Recommendations are like thank-you notes, except I add my contact information so I can be contacted to vouch for the reference I gave in writing.

How do I find the balance between overly sentimental and overly analytical? I typically scan old email threads to trigger my memory for specific tasks and actions that showcase why that person was awesome to work with.