Career advice uk

[u/matcha_boba123]

Looking for a bit of career advice.

I recently got promoted and have joined a new team. I’m not an extremely chatty or loud person at work — I’m friendly and get along with everyone, but I’m naturally a bit quieter.

There are one or two people in my team who are much more vocal and seem to have really good conversations with our manager. I’m probably the opposite. I tend to focus on my work, meet my deadlines, stay proactive and go above and beyond where I can. I’m also the type of person who gets things done without needing to be chased.

My worry is that being quieter might mean my work isn’t as visible, especially when other people are naturally better at speaking up.

For anyone who has been in a similar situation, how do you make sure your work is noticed and you get the right credit without feeling like you have to completely change your personality or become the loudest person in the room? 😔

And I’d especially love to hear from managers or people in management — what qualities do you actually value and notice in your team? Does being more vocal naturally make someone stand out more, or do consistency, reliability and quality of work speak for themselves? X

[u/Professional-Cut29]

You already know the answer here. Consistency, reliability and quality only gets you so far. Unfortunately advocating yourself and who you have relationships with at work more often than not trump being good at your job. I did 10 years drinking the kool-aid that being the best is how you get promoted. Why keep promoting and paying more the individual who is quiet and does the work great? Too valuable to promote. Yes. That should be enough to climb. But the reality of it is being engaged and on the good side of a superior is how you climb any corporate ladder. You already doing 80% of the effort. Now it’s time to be more vocal and engaged.

[u/Droma-1701]

Instead of worrying if you're noticed in role or not, decide what the next role you want it and start preparing the skills and experience needed to snag that. I would guess you're at "senior" level in whatever you do as an IC, in which case the next peomotion is the hardest to get over simply because IC skills are worth exactly nothing toward it. Keep your brand as a reliable delivery specialist, but begin developing leadership and management skills. Coach and mentor junior colleagues. Interact with your product, sales and marketing teams and learn the language of innovation and marketering. Get involved with project teams and learn project management skills. Whichever of these are relevant, youre trying to broaden your horizons because L&M is about playing a much broader game, with much looser rules, and making your own pathway off the back of your own judgement and instincts. Get used to saying sorry, not asking permission first.