Rachel Feintzeig wrote this piece for The Wall Street Journal’s Personal Journal column. It talks about why working hard isn’t always enough to move up in your job.
A lot of people who work hard wonder why their hard work doesn’t get them promoted or noticed. Even though they work long hours and take on extra tasks, these “office workhorses” often feel like they’re stuck in their jobs. Alison Fragale, an organizational behavior professor, says that the best way to move up is not only to work hard, but also to change how other people see you.
Why self-promotion is important?
You need to work hard, but that’s not enough by itself. You need to show off your wins if you want to get promotions or work on important projects. When someone asks how you’re doing, don’t just say “busy.” Instead, talk about specific things you’ve done, like how a project you worked on saved the company money. Many people are afraid of coming across as arrogant, but if you want to move up, you need to show off your accomplishments.
Being a Workhorse Can Get You in Trouble!
Saying yes to everything in the hopes of moving up is a common mistake people make. But this method can fail, as Alessandro Chesser learned when he worked hard at a startup but never got to the job he wanted. When people see you as a “doer,” it can be hard to be seen as someone who can take on planning roles.
Changing How You Look
To change how people see you, you need to be clear about what you bring to the table. Lia Garvin, who worked in high-tech, stopped seeing her job as “helping out” and started focusing on how she could lead and make decisions. She also wrote down that it was her job to set limits and put high-impact work first.
The Problem with Unseen Work
A lot of the extra work we do goes unrecognized because more people work from home. A psychology professor named Tessa West says that employees should make sure that their extra work is noticed during performance reviews. What you’re doing might not be helping your job if it’s hard to put on your resume.
Making Work That Is Annoying Matter
Sometimes, the extra work you do can help you move up in your job. Some people, like Jessica Chen, used their weekend shifts to build a strong landing reel that helped her get her dream job. It’s about getting ready for what you really want by using the tasks you’re given.
To put it simply up, working hard is important, but if you want to really get ahead, you need to plan how to show off your accomplishments and handle how people see you at work.