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We’ve talked a lot over the years about getting ahead at work — networking, asking for raises, making your accomplishments known — but let’s talk about something that can feel surprisingly awkward: How do you self-promote at work? How do you get your work noticed?
For example, when you’ve had a big win, do you make sure your boss knows about it? What about your boss’s boss (aka, the grandboss)? Do you speak up in meetings about projects you’ve led or problems you’ve solved? Do you keep a brag book or running list of accomplishments for performance-review season?
And where is the line, in your opinion, between appropriately advocating for yourself and becoming that person who seems to take credit for everything? (Do women worry about crossing that line more than men do — and if so, is that worry justified?)
I’m also curious whether this has gotten easier for you as you’ve gotten more senior. One of those pieces of career advice that sounds obvious is that doing excellent work isn’t necessarily enough — the right people also have to know that you’re doing excellent work. We’ve talked before about finding sponsors at work, but how much of getting that visibility is your own responsibility? Knowing that intellectually and actually saying, “Yes, I did that, and here’s why it mattered” can be two very different things. (We’ve even talked about this in the context of how you introduce yourself and your work — another situation where talking about your accomplishments can feel surprisingly difficult — why can talking about your own accomplishments feel so uncomfortably close to hubris?)
So, readers, let’s discuss: How do you make sure people know about your accomplishments?
Do you have specific strategies for self-promotion that feel natural rather than cringey? Have you ever realized that a colleague was getting more recognition because they were simply better at talking about their work? And have you ever deliberately gotten better at this?
For those of you who manage people: What does effective self-promotion look like from your side of the desk? What makes you take notice — and what makes you roll your eyes?