As your network grows, you’ll need a system for remembering all your contacts and keeping track of what they’re doing. A lot of people maintain a simple database to help them do this.

If you are in your 20s or 30s, you may be thinking that there’s no need to keep records of this nature. However, even the brightest minds can forget important details like these as they get older - or simply haven’t had contact with someone for a number of years - so keeping notes at an early age is a good long-term investment.
 
Over the course of a career you’re likely to work with 10-20 people who end up knowing you quite well and are your most reliable advocates. There may be another few hundred allies who remember you quite well and know what a great job you do, and a further thousand or so distant associates who may remember your name but only have a vague impression, if any, of your abilities.