6 Clever Ways to Increase Your Visibility At Work and Advance Your Career

Written by Katie Johnson, WIN Staff

When it comes to getting your next promotion, visibility is important. And despite what many women think, increasing your workload and working more does not necessarily offer more visibility with management.

Women have an especially difficult time maintaining visibility in the workplace. On one hand, many women feel inauthentic when talking about themselves. Boasting our wins and achievements can feel like bragging or grandstanding. On the other hand, women face gender biases that rise when they violate the expectations of how women should behave. Speaking up is considered a more masculine trait and women can often be penalized.

These discriminations could be why fewer women are promoted than men to management positions. Based on McKinsey’s 2020 research, for every 100 men promoted, only 85 women were promoted. Not being seen can limit our professional advancement. Women are systemically overlooked for their achievements. According to an HBR study, most women reject a self-promoting leadership style in favor of a mission-oriented, communal style. Women turn to “intentional invisibility” to avoid conflict and quietly move things forward, leaving them feeling under-appreciated but well-liked. Mothers were more likely than other women to embrace this kind of invisibility as it gave them more energy to fulfill obligations at home.

In this no-win situation, how do you even begin to leverage your value? How can you increase your visibility without experiencing imposter syndrome and in a way that feels more authentic to your nature? How do you divine confidence? Sitting back and waiting to be noticed isn’t the answer. Playing it safe won’t help you be seen. Intentionally factoring in ways to be noticed can be awkward at first. But shining a spotlight on your work does not have to feel “icky”.

Below, we’ve identified a few clever ways to increase your visibility at work that will help you get seen and decrease your chances of gender bias backlash.

Talk to Your Boss

There are a few ways to increase your visibility at work. The first step is to build a relationship with your boss. Check-in with them periodically. Set up a face-to-face meeting with them and mention that raising your visibility is an important goal for you. Don’t focus on just yourself, also showcase how it’s important for the overall team. Ask if there are meetings you can sit in on or take over. Stop working in the shadows and don’t be afraid to speak up during team meetings.

Get Involved

Women reported having less interaction with higher-level executives than men. Build your influence in professional circles by expanding it. Go to different networking events your organization hosts. Many companies offer different “lunch and learn” programs. Start attending them and use it as a time to network with others. Being included, valued, and recognized by networks in your organization is equally important as your team. By forming connections outside your team or your department, you are opening the opportunity to rub elbows with other influential leaders.

Speak Up

As children, girls are taught that in order to be favored they need to do things neatly and quietly. We’re rewarded by teachers and parents when we are reliable and cooperative. Women’s lack of confidence in speaking up usually stems from these cultural expectations taught to us as children. But speaking up in meetings is especially important when you want to be more visible at your company. If you feel uneasy about it, first observe the people that are speaking up. What are they saying? How are they saying it? Then spend some time identifying what is holding you back from speaking up. You don’t need to speak up in every company-wide meeting. But don’t be afraid to ask questions or offer suggestions from time to time. Simply speaking up will get you noticed.

Reach Out

An easy way to be more seen at your company is to reach out to your colleagues. Set a goal to connect with a new person each week or each month, either over coffee or lunch. Be proactive. Go outside of the circle of people you regularly and naturally contact. Be curious about their lives and their work. Perhaps there is something you might be able to help them with. By forging new relationships and maintaining established ones, you’ll become memorable.

Find a Sponsor

Sometimes being more proactive in our careers means finding someone who can help give us a boost. Finding a career sponsor is a great first step. Sponsors are different from mentors. They are a senior leader who can champion an employee in a more effective way. They will advocate for you in rooms you are not in. They will connect you will opportunities that might not even be on your radar which is why having a sponsor is vital for maximum visibility.

Utilize Previous Skills

One effective way to boost the perception you’re an effective leader is to ask for more responsible assignments. Take a look at some of the skills from previous positions that you might be underutilizing in your current position. Tap back into them. They will help you stand out as an employee.

Being highly visible can feel inauthentic or out of character. But don’t let lack of confidence limit your exposure to new opportunities and connections. It’s not enough to just be good, but much of being more visible comes down to who you know. When you step out of your comfort zone and approach the above tips with authenticity, you’ll begin to get the recognition you deserve. If key people aren’t aware of you, you’ll likely miss out on opportunities or chances to enhance your skills. Ultimately, it will be worth the time you invest in it.