No One’s Coming to Promote You, or Why Doing Great Work Isn’t Always Enough
About six years ago, I missed out on a promotion that I was absolutely sure I deserved. I had delivered results, helped teammates, stayed late when needed, and built solid working relationships across the company.
So when the role went to someone else, I was caught off guard.
Looking back, it wasn’t just about performance. The problem was: I never clearly said I wanted the role. I assumed my contributions would speak for themselves. I thought someone up the chain would notice, connect the dots, and champion me.
Spoiler: they didn’t.
Since then, I’ve learned something that no one really teaches you early in your career:
If you don’t advocate for yourself, you’ll probably be overlooked.
It’s not because your manager is malicious or incompetent. It’s just that everyone’s busy. Everyone’s juggling priorities. And unless you clearly express what you want and why you’re ready for it — at the right time, to the right people — there’s a high chance you’ll stay exactly where you are.
Hard truth: doing great work is the minimum. If you want to grow, you need to be visible, intentional, and vocal about it.
Here’s what I try to do now:
Talk to my manager early and often about career goals — not just during performance reviews
Map out what skills or outcomes I need to show to be a clear fit for the next step
Keep track of impact, not activity
Build relationships with people who influence promotions, not just direct managers
I still believe in doing excellent work. But I no longer expect that to be enough on its own.