Building visibility beyond your company

Many women do outstanding work and assume it will speak for itself. It rarely does. Your reputation inside your company matters. But a reputation that only exists inside one company is fragile. Reorganizations, new managers, and layoffs can erase years of internal credibility overnight. A professional reputation that travels with you is one of the best forms of career security there is.

Visibility beyond your company opens doors you can't see yet: recruiters who seek you out, speaking invitations, advisory roles, and a network that's there when you need it. And it compounds. The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is this month.

Start with what you want to be known for

Visibility without focus is noise. Choose a clear, specific area: not "technology," but "making data platforms work for regulated industries." Not "leadership," but "leading teams through change."

WHAT DO PEOPLE ALREADY COME TO ME FOR?
WHAT PROBLEMS DO I SOLVE BETTER THAN MOST?
WHAT DO I HAVE A POINT OF VIEW ON?
WHAT DO I WANT MY NEXT ROLE TO BE?
WHO DO I WANT TO REACH? (peers, hiring leaders, a community, an industry)

MY THEME IN ONE SENTENCE:
"I help [who] [do what] by [how]."

THREE TOPICS I COULD SHARE ABOUT, OVER AND OVER:
1.
2.
3.

Why self-promotion feels harder for women, and what works

If talking about your achievements feels uncomfortable, there's a reason. In studies by economists Christine Exley and Judd Kessler with thousands of participants, women rated their own performance less favorably than men did, even when they performed as well or better. The gap persisted even when participants were told exactly how they'd performed, and even when there was no reward for self-promoting.

And the discomfort isn't imagined. Catalyst's research on the double bind found women are often seen as either competent or likable, but rarely both, which can make self-promotion feel risky. The answer isn't to stay invisible. It's to promote your work in ways that build both credibility and goodwill.

What works

• Lead with impact and data, not adjectives. "We cut onboarding time by 40 percent" speaks for itself.
• Share the lesson, not just the win. Framing a post as what you learned makes it generous, not boastful.
• Credit the team and name your role. "The team shipped it in six weeks; I led the architecture" gives credit and claims ownership.
• Build an amplification circle. Women on President Obama's staff repeated and credited each other's ideas so they couldn't be ignored. Do the same online and in meetings: share, comment on, and credit each other's work.
• Let others speak for you. Ask colleagues for LinkedIn recommendations and testimonials. Third-party praise carries no self-promotion penalty.

Make your LinkedIn work for you

For many people in tech, LinkedIn is the first place a recruiter, hiring manager, or new contact will look. A few changes make a big difference.

• Headline: say what you do and the value you bring, not just your title. "Engineering leader | Scaling platforms and teams in fintech" says more than "Senior Manager at Company X."
• About section: three short paragraphs. Who you help and how, two or three proof points with results, and what you're interested in now.
• Experience: results, not responsibilities. Numbers wherever possible.
• Featured section: pin your best work: an article, a talk, a project, or a post.
• Photo and banner: a clear, warm, professional photo, and a banner that reinforces your theme.

Before posting anything about your work, check your employer's social media and confidentiality policies.

Share what you know, consistently

You don't need to post daily. One thoughtful post a week, sustained over months, builds more visibility than a burst of activity followed by silence.

Post ideas that come from your everyday work

• A lesson learned: "Three things I wish I'd known before leading my first migration."
• A behind-the-scenes how: "How we cut our release cycle from two weeks to two days."
• A point of view: "Why I think most AI pilots fail, and what to do instead."
• A resource: a framework, checklist, or book that helped you, and why.
• A celebration of others: credit a teammate, a mentor, or a community. Generosity is visible too.

HOOK: One line that names the problem or insight.
STORY: Two or three sentences on the situation you faced.
LESSON: What you learned or what worked, in three short points.
QUESTION: Invite others in. "What's worked for you?"

Engage with others, too. Thoughtful comments on posts by people in your field are one of the fastest ways to get noticed.

Speak, write, and show up

Start small and build. Each step makes the next one easier.

Build relationships, not just reach

Followers are nice. Relationships are what open doors. Use visibility to start real connections.

• Reach out to people whose work you admire, with a specific compliment and no ask.
• Join one or two communities where your audience gathers, and contribute regularly.
• Introduce people to each other. Being a connector builds goodwill fast.
• Stay in touch with former colleagues. Your past teams are a lasting network.

When it feels uncomfortable

Many women hesitate to be visible: worry about seeming self-promotional, fear of criticism, or a sense that the work should speak for itself. Your work can't speak if no one sees it. Reframe visibility as service: someone out there needs exactly what you've learned.

For more on managing the fear, see The Courage Playbook, and for describing your work with confidence, How to talk about your work without feeling like you're bragging.