Being qualified isn't enough anymore

You know it’s bad when the high temp is in the negatives. Welcome to January in Chicago.

As I write this, I’m sitting looking out my window at the very quiet sidewalks and minimal activity happening outside. Rightfully so—the ‘feels like’ weather is -25.

This week I want to talk about my POV on visibility and positioning, specific to careers and career development.

Let’s jump in.

Being qualified on paper is just the entry ticket. It’s no longer the deciding factor. The real differentiator today? I believe it’s about visibility and positioning.

Your skills get you in the room. Your visibility keeps you top of mind. And being top of mind is how you become the go-to person, which is where how you position yourself comes into play. That doesn’t mean being loud (in fact, I don’t think it’s ever about being loud). It means being intentional about how your work and insights show up. Visibility matters more now because decision-makers aren’t sitting next to your work anymore. They’re relying on updates, summaries, and what stays top of mind.

You can be great at your job, but if no one sees the impact you’re making, over time, then it’s easy to get overlooked.

Performance happens in the to-do list, checking off the items of your role’s responsibilities. I did that, that, that, and that.

Opportunity happens in people’s awareness of the work.

The truth is, most people within your org, leaders included, aren’t tracking your wins as closely as you are. Your leaders will take note of the patterns over time, not the “everydayness” of your job.

So share those updates, tell folks what you’re up to. You don’t need a big audience; just start sharing.

So what do I mean by positioning?

You’re known for something specific. So when someone references you, they know right away that you’re the go-to data analyst, systems thinker, customer storyteller, ops fixer, culture builder. Specificity is the winner when it comes to careers. It wins in almost any scenario; your career positioning, reporting quarterly progress, building dashboards, presenting content at industry conferences, and convincing someone in an interview you have what it takes.

Think about resumes too. If you’re a student or early in your career, this one’s for you: No one wants to see “hard working” on a resume—the recruiter and hiring manager want you to show how you’re a hard worker, without actually saying the words ‘hard working.’ The specificity you provide will position you as someone who is familiar and experienced with XYZ function, and can deliver on it, more importantly.

Positioning’s also about controlling the narrative. Put in the work of helping shape how people see you, consistently. When people see the same themes, values, and messaging from you repeatedly—that’s how a personal brand is built. It not only creates recognition, but authority.

Let me be clear: being consistent is not about the volume. It’s about exactly what it is: consistency. So that could be 1 post per week on Linkedin where you’re sharing progress about something you’re working on. Maybe you don’t want to post on Linkedin, that’s cool. Comment on stuff. React to stuff. Those are still actions from you. You’re saying “I endorse this.” “I don’t agree with this.” “I’m not sure how I feel, please say more.” “This is hilarious; I can relate.” Or whatever it might be.

Maybe you’re sending a Slack message internally with project updates after every weekly program sync. Or a newsletter that you publish once per week, sharing your POV on a specific topic. Anything, really. Any cadence you want. Just show up consistently. Build authority, control the narrative.

What do you want to be known for — and are your actions making that clear?

Thanks for reading and for being here. I don’t take for granted that you care what I have to say. Or even if you don’t care, and you’re still here; thanks for being a fan anyway. ❣️

All my links are here. Let’s connect!