Stop Waiting to Be Noticed & Start Owning Your Career Progression
Here’s something nobody tells you early on in your career (but they probably should):
Nobody’s coming to tap you on the shoulder and say, “You’re ready for a promotion.”
Not your manager. Not HR. Not that exec who gave you a thumbs-up in the corridor.
If you want to move up, move on or just move in a different direction — you’ve got to take control. Treat your career like a project. Because if you’re not actively moving it forward, it’s probably just coasting. Or worse, stalling.
1. Doing a great job? That’s not enough.
You’ve probably heard the classic:
“Keep your head down and work hard. Good things will come.”
It’s well-meaning advice. But it’s also outdated.
In most workplaces today, visibility trumps invisibility. Quietly doing great work without making anyone aware of it? That often leads to more of the same work… not a promotion.
Reframe it: Doing your job well is the baseline. Driving your own development and visibility is what actually gets you moving.
2. Start managing up (not sucking up)
If your manager doesn’t know what your goals are, what you’ve achieved, or what’s frustrating you — how can they support you?
They can’t. And they definitely won’t be putting your name forward for new opportunities.
Here’s how you fix that:
Book in regular catch-ups that are just about your development — not day-to-day tasks.
Keep a running “Wins & Impact” doc so you’re not scrabbling around before review time.
Share progress in team updates or retros — not just in 1:1s or Slack DMs.
It’s not bragging. It’s giving people a narrative — and you’re the one writing it.
3. Build your own career board
The idea that one mentor is going to shape your whole career? That’s outdated too.
Instead, build your own mini board of advisors. A handful of people who:
Will challenge you
Have done what you want to do
Can open doors
Will give you honest feedback, not just tell you you’re smashing it
Think ex-managers, peers at other companies, someone you admire on LinkedIn. Start small. Ask good questions. Stay in touch.
4. Sort out your LinkedIn (yes, even if you’re not job hunting)
Think of your LinkedIn like a shop window. It should tell people:
What you’re great at
What you want to do more of
What you’re known for
That’s how you build a personal brand — and how you make it easier for people to find you when the right opportunities come up.
5. If there’s no real progression path where you are — make a plan to leave
Sometimes you’re in a place where no amount of visibility or impact will get you promoted. Maybe leadership is disengaged. Maybe the only time people get a raise is when they hand in their notice.
Don’t wait until you’re bitter and burnt out.
Start looking now. Research what roles you want. Polish your CV. Get feedback. Update your LinkedIn.
Career progression doesn’t always mean climbing up. Sometimes it means stepping out.
Stop waiting to be picked. Start positioning yourself.
You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room. But you do need to be visible. Intentional. Proactive.
Because the longer you leave your career on autopilot, the more likely you are to wake up one day in a role that never really suited you in the first place.
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