Early in my profession, I missed out on promotions regardless that I labored onerous. As an engineer by coaching, I assumed my success could be performance-based. I mistakenly thought that my worth to a corporation could be measured solely by my technical abilities — how shortly and precisely I may compute the costs of complicated monetary derivatives.
It wasn’t till years into my banking profession that I noticed my mistake: I had ignored picture and publicity. Harvey Coleman’s 1996 research on profession development revealed that profession success relies on a mixture of efficiency, picture, and publicity (PIE). The truth is, solely 10% of success correlates to efficiency, whereas picture accounts for 30%, and publicity for a staggering 60%.
If you happen to’re delivering outcomes however are nonetheless being handed over for promotions, it’s time to take inventory of the lacking items in your PIE.
Picture: Your Repute at Work
What are you recognized for at work? In my first job as a overseas alternate (FX) gross sales skilled at a Singapore financial institution, I didn’t do nicely as a result of I lacked social abilities. Though I improved my promoting abilities considerably after a yr, the poor impression my colleagues and executives had of me was fastened. It was tough to vary their minds. If I had stayed on, I’d have been a mediocre salesperson at greatest. So, I left to pursue my grasp’s in finance.
After I joined Citi in 2001 as a derivatives structurer, I confirmed a powerful curiosity in educating. I volunteered to conduct product coaching for each purchasers and colleagues. In a short time, I constructed a fame not simply as a talented structurer but additionally as a wonderful coach. This fame led to invites from gross sales heads throughout Asia to coach their groups and clients, considerably enhancing my private model.
Tips on how to Construct Your Private Model
Develop a signature ability, one thing that’s completely different out of your core experience however might be included into your work.
As an example, in case you’re a junior analysis analyst in an asset administration firm, you may develop video enhancing abilities. By providing to shoot and edit movies for senior colleagues presenting at funding conferences, you may be seen as a useful group participant whom they need to carry alongside to occasions.
When you’ve got already labored at your present firm for greater than a yr, altering your inner model generally is a problem. I recommend specializing in growing your exterior model and letting it affect your inner standing.
Volunteering with a CFA society, organizing occasions, or serving as a speaker liaison are nice methods to do that. I’m proud to be a speaker on the CFA Institute LIVE 2025 occasion in Chicago subsequent Might. Share these experiences on LinkedIn and different shops, as I do, to showcase your capabilities as a grasp networker or organizer. Your employer will see you in a distinct gentle. Study to be a storyteller. Tales resonate extra deeply than information and figures. Use your tales to let folks learn about your character, talents, and values. They’re essential elements of your private model.
Publicity: How Nicely Do Folks Know You?
Publicity is about making certain that the proper folks — your colleagues and senior leaders — are conscious of your contributions. With out visibility, you gained’t get promoted.
I discovered this the onerous method. After I was a vp (VP, a mid-level rank) at an American financial institution, my boss went on vacation and requested me to current the weekly market replace to the gross sales and structuring groups throughout Asia on his behalf. I advised him I couldn’t host the assembly as a result of I used to be busy making ready for my skilled exams. However this was simply an excuse. In actuality, I feared public talking. He bought one other VP to do it as an alternative. By year-end, when it got here to promotion nominations, guess who my supervisor selected to advertise to director stage? That’s proper, not me, however the different VP.
If you happen to carry out nicely in your job however don’t communicate up in conferences, you’re making it tough for managers to learn about your work. Even when your individual boss desires to advertise you, nobody else within the firm will assist you as a result of they hardly know you. It comes right down to this straightforward equation:
How good you’re × Your presentation abilities = How good folks suppose you’re
So not solely should you do good work, however you could additionally seize alternatives to let folks know in regards to the work you do.
Tips on how to Improve Publicity
Communicate Up Throughout Conferences: Share your insights, ask considerate questions, and ensure your voice is heard.
Volunteer for Excessive-Visibility Duties: For instance, provide to emcee the corporate’s annual dinner.
Pursue Worldwide Alternatives: Inside transfers to completely different places of work or international locations can considerably enhance your publicity. I labored in London and Hong Kong throughout my profession, and these stints allowed me to construct relationships with international leaders.
Interact with the International Neighborhood: Attend CFA occasions exterior your property nation to attach with a broader community.
Full Your PIE
Promotions require extra than simply onerous work and outcomes. By mastering the PIE framework, you’ll place your self for long-term profession success.
