Career strategies for women without relying on feedback

In tech leadership, especially as women, there's a stubborn myth that if we simply work hard enough, someone will eventually recognize our efforts and "reward" us with the promotion or opportunity we deserve. Let me be clear: no one is coming to hand you your opportunities—it's up to you to claim your space. The most successful women in tech don’t wait for permission or formal invitations. They confidently step forward, unapologetically own their achievements, and actively create opportunities for visibility. If you want to advance your career, here’s how to stop waiting and start owning your seat at the table: 1. Document your wins: Keep a running list of your achievements—problems solved, measurable impact, and meaningful contributions. This is more than a brag sheet; it’s your toolkit for advocating powerfully when opportunities arise. 2. Speak in statements, not questions: Notice how often you phrase your ideas tentatively. Replace phrases like “I think maybe...” with confident statements: "The data shows this approach will boost our conversion rates by 15%." 3. Create your own platforms: Don’t wait for someone else’s invitation. Launch your blog, organize internal knowledge-sharing sessions, or propose that speaking engagement or panel discussion. Visibility isn’t granted—it’s claimed. Taking up space isn't about ego; it's about ensuring diverse, important perspectives (like yours) are represented in key industry conversations. When you advocate confidently for yourself, you pave the way for those following behind you. Ask yourself this: Where have you been waiting for permission instead of boldly claiming your space? What small but powerful step can you take this week to change that? Have a lovely weekend! #WomenInTech #FutureOfWork #5xminority

She said yes to every single project. Yet, she was overlooked for the promotion. They said: “She’s irreplaceable.” “We’d be lost without her.” But when it came time to lead the next big thing - She wasn’t even on the list. Over the past decade working in women’s leadership, I’ve seen this story play out far too often. Women staying in roles long past their expiration. Not because they lack clarity - But because they’ve been conditioned to confuse loyalty with worth. Loyalty to a team. To a leader. To a company culture that praises their reliability... But never promotes their vision. So how do you ensure you’re valued - not just used - for all that you bring to the table? Here are 5 practical, research-backed strategies I’ve seen top performers consistently use: ✅ Be Known for Vision, Not Just Execution ↳ “She delivers” is solid. ↳ “She sets the direction” is strategic. ↳ Build a reputation rooted in foresight - not just follow-through. ✅ Document and Distill Your Wins ↳ Don’t wait to be noticed. ↳ Capture and communicate your impact consistently. ↳ Think: outcomes, initiatives, feedback snapshots. ↳ This becomes your proof of value during reviews, promotions, or pivots. ✅ Speak the Language of Business ↳ Translate your work into metrics that matter: revenue, retention, growth, efficiency. ↳ When leaders see your contribution tied to business outcomes, you shift from “nice to have” to “can’t afford to lose.” ✅ Build Cross-Functional Credibility ↳ Influence isn’t built in silos. ↳ Make your value visible across teams. ↳ When multiple departments rely on your insight, you become a strategic connector - not just a contributor. ✅ Create Strategic Allies, Not Just Mentors ↳ Power isn’t just about performance - it’s about proximity to influence. ↳ Nurture relationships with decision-makers, peer champions, and collaborators. Influence grows through meaningful connection. The truth is - being essential isn’t the same as being seen. You can be deeply loyal to others - and still loyal to your own growth. These shifts aren’t just career strategies. They’re acts of self-respect. Because when you decide to lead from alignment, not obligation - You stop waiting to be chosen. And start choosing yourself. 💬 Which of these strategies feels most relevant to where you are right now? I’d love to hear in the comments below. ♻ Repost if you believe it’s time to stop rewarding quiet loyalty - and start recognizing conscious leadership. 🔔 Follow me, Bhavna Toor, for more. 📩 DM me to bring our holistic leadership development programs to your organization - that are a powerful combination of inner-work and real-world strategy.

I spent too many years thinking my boss was responsible for my career. Or the company. Or a magical fairy godmother. I thought it was everyone else’s job to advocate for me. To push me. To help me advance and grow. And I completely missed the fact that it was me. It was always ME. Our job is to be the biggest advocate for our careers. We are in the driver’s seat. And we can’t take a back seat and expect someone else to do the driving. Here are ten ways to start advocating for your career not tomorrow, TODAY: 1️⃣ Take a seat at front of the table, not at the back of the room. Be visible. Log onto that Zoom early, make sure people know you are there. Don’t shrink to the corner of the screen or room. 2️⃣ Raise your hand 🙋🏾♀️ Ask that question. Show you’re engaged and thoughtful and there to contribute. I always ask a question early on in the meeting to build my confidence to contribute more later. 3️⃣ Ask to be put on that assignment Make sure you are working on assignments that are priorities for the company. Especially in this market. 4️⃣ Coach your peers on their work You don’t have to have direct reports to have influence. Guide peers who ask for your help: position yourself for the next level by acting like you are at the next level. 5️⃣ Build a career development plan If your boss won’t help you do this, ask a colleague to be a sounding boarding or a friend outside of work. Understand what your goals are this year and what you want your next two roles to be. 6️⃣ Focus on one new skill you want to build What’s one new skill you want to learn that can help with your career growth? Pick it and commit to it. Block 30 minutes on your calendar daily to work on it. Make this time non negotiable. 7️⃣ Take credit for your work Even if they won’t let you in that meeting, share what you are working on with others. Whether that’s it in 1:1 conversations or in team meetings, make sure you let others know the impact you are making. 8️⃣ Get meaningful feedback If your boss keeps saying you’re killing it or avoids giving your feedback, ask others. Show up with what you think your strengths are and areas of opportunity to get their reactions. 9️⃣ Keep a track of your wins Start a Google doc or grab a notebook, and down all of your wins and the end of every month. This makes it easier to do your self evaluation during performance review time and update your resume. 🔟 Always have your resume ready Whether you are looking for internal or external, always have your resume ready. And make sure it’s not saved on your work lap, especially in this market where layoffs are happening every day. How do you advocate for yourself at work? #leadership #culture #inclusion #MitaMallick

I’ve cracked a leadership role at Amazon. If I were to do it again in 2025, I would NEVER DO what most high-achieving women are doing. Not because they’re not smart enough. But because they’re following a strategy that’s built to keep them invisible. Let me explain. Most women I coach are: → Working harder than anyone else in the room → Quietly managing massive scope without credit → Waiting for someone to “notice” and promote them → Still playing safe when it comes to networking or self-promotion If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it differently: 1. I’d stop leading with responsibilities, and start speaking like a decision-maker. Too many women say things like “Handled stakeholder meetings” or “Managed a team of 6.” Here’s what works better: → “Facilitated alignment across 4 departments, reducing product launch delays by 30%.” → “Led cross-functional roadmap planning that unlocked $1.2M in new revenue.” Before any interview or resume update, write 3 sentences starting with: → “What changed because of me was...” → “The business impact I drove was...” → “The bottleneck I unblocked was...” 2. I’d stop asking for feedback like I’m asking for permission. Too many talented women say things like: → *“Let me know if that made sense?” → “Was that okay?” Instead say: → “Here’s the result, and here’s what I’d improve next time.” → “This initiative moved us closer to [goal], and I’ve already flagged areas for iteration.” 3. I’d build a reputation outside my team — on purpose. You’re too valuable to stay a best-kept secret. → Volunteer for one company-wide initiative this quarter. → Host a brown bag session or share insights in an internal Slack channel. → Ask 3 people from other teams for 15-min coffee chats to understand their work (and share yours). This is exactly what we did with a client of mine inside The Fearless Hire.  She had 11+ years in product, but never cracked Director-level interviews. We worked on: → Reframing her career story into a business narrative → Practicing how to speak with executive presence → Expanding her network strategically Result She landed a Director role at a Fortune 500 company ,and didn’t even have to finish her interview pipeline. To every high-achieving woman reading this: You’re already qualified. Now it’s time to be seen as undeniable. 📌 Save this post if leadership is on your radar. Share it with someone looking to land a high-paying role. P.S. DM me "Career" to apply for The Fearless Hire - my career accelerator for ambitious women. Let's build a strategy that positions you as the obvious choice for $200k+ roles.

I see it time and again, humble, hardworking leaders are often overlooked for the opportunities they want. They hoped their work would speak for themselves, but it didn't. It bears repeating that we have to stop waiting to be picked and advocate for our goals and desires. But your leader should "just know" right? I know it's tempting to think that other people are thinking of us and what we want, but they aren't. As it's famously said, "people are too busy worrying about themselves." Stop waiting to be picked and invest in yourself! Here are three simple ways you can take charge of your own career so you can be a key player in the talent pipeline: 1️⃣ Own your talents and experience. As a former HR leader, I can attest to the fact that men will apply to jobs that excite them (whether they were qualified or not), while women will talk themselves out of it, citing doubt, imposter feelings or “not feeling qualified yet.” ➡️ Try this: Update your resume and use this as an opportunity to own your wins. Use this evidence to give you a little confidence boost, but remember, you can apply and interview for your next-level job while also feeling doubtful. 2️⃣ Share your goals. People are horrible guessers and if they don't know what your goals are they can't help you, advocate for you or choose you. ➡️ Try this: Add a “professional goals and progress” section to your regular check in with your leader. 3️⃣ Ask for support. It used to be that the majority of coaching in the business world was for senior executives (read: male c-suite leaders). But now, as coaching and training programs have become more accessible to leaders of all levels, what are you doing to invest in and ready yourself to grow professionally? ➡️ Try this: Find a professional development program that excites you and ask your leader to cover some or all of the cost. In this ask, you can state the program goals and at least three ways the employer will benefit from your learnings and growth! Remember, at the end of the day your career is too important to leave it up others, hoping they'll notice your hard work and good intentions. Who have you shared your goals and aspirations with recently?

73% of women are too scared to advocate for themselves. Not because they don’t have value to share. But because they’re afraid of being judged for it. (Link to Forbes research: https://lnkd.in/eeNHhYsF) And that fear is not just in their heads. I’ve coached many high performers who downplay their impact so they don’t come off as “too much.” The harsh reality is: If you don’t advocate for yourself, you will get overlooked. Here are my top 5 go-to frameworks for self-advocacy (and how they help me and my clients get seen): 1️⃣ The Evidence Method ↳ Keep a private “wins” doc with 1-2 data-backed results per week. Use these in 1:1s, performance reviews, or to ask for stretch projects. 2️⃣ The Team-First Approach ↳ Frame your wins in the context of team/company success. This shows humility and leadership. 3️⃣ The Visibility Plan ↳ Systematically share progress updates with stakeholders. (SO many people skip this step and blame it on "I don't have enough time.") 4️⃣ The Expert Position ↳ Position yourself as an expert, not THE expert. 5️⃣ The Feedback Ask ↳ Ask for specific feedback on your contributions. You don’t need to be loud to be seen. You just need a strategy. Which of these are you going to try this week? Let me know 👇 P.S. Want to understand your personal visibility style? Take my free 2-minute quiz and learn how to get seen for your strengths: https://lnkd.in/e8hi_JwR __ ♻️ Repost to inspire people in your network! ➕ Follow Sheena Hakimian for daily tips like this!