Let me share a career secret that might surprise you: scrolling job boards or sending out resumes is unlikely to lead to your next big move. Instead, it will probably begin with a conversation in a room you’re not even in.
Picture this: A few people are discussing a new project, an organizational change, or a big challenge. Someone asks, “Who do we know that can do this…?” At that moment, you want your name to come up. You want your unique experience and aspirations to resonate in that conversation, almost as if you were in the room, raising your hand, ready to dive in.
But how do you make this happen? How do you position yourself so that, when the right opportunity arises, people immediately think of you? To be ready for those moments, you need answers to five essential questions.
1. What Is the Value You Bring?
You likely have a range of skills that can solve real-world problems for various organizations. But here’s the catch—different people may describe the value you bring in terms you wouldn’t think to use. Take a look at your resume; it’s probably organized around degrees, job titles, and past roles. But does that actually represent who you are?
Jobs are no longer fixed sets of tasks. They’re fluid, evolving as technology reshapes work structures, skills, and even entire industries. Entirely new roles—like ‘app developer’ following the rise of smartphones or ‘self-driving car engineer’—emerged from advancements few could have foreseen. People with relevant skills pivoted to fill those needs, regardless of their degrees.
Today, organizations may retain familiar job titles but redefine the skills they require, or they may create entirely new roles by regrouping skill sets in fresh ways. To unlock doors to roles you might never have considered, it’s essential to define yourself by the unique value you bring, not just your last job title.
2. Who Do You Collaborate with to Deliver This Value?
Since you won’t be in the room where opportunities are discussed, consider who will be. Who among your colleagues or collaborators has seen the value you bring and could vouch for you?
Think about it: Your collaborators know your strengths firsthand. They’ve experienced your impact beyond what a resume might suggest. Building and nurturing these relationships means that, when the moment comes, there are people in the room who understand your abilities and can mention your name with confidence.
Think about your own experience of forming teams. You don’t pull up people’s resumes. Instead, you rely on the impressions they’ve left—their unique contributions and strengths. In those moments, you’ll call on the colleague who always has insightful questions, or the team member who connects essential parts of the organization. It’s the impact, not the job title, that sticks.
So, ask yourself: Who knows what you can do and will speak up for you?
3. Who Needs What You Know How to Do?
These are the people searching for someone with your exact expertise, but they might not know you personally. They’re in that room, discussing a challenge or an opportunity, and they need the right person to tackle it—often relying on mutual contacts to help them make that connection.
A senior leader at a global company once realized his promotion path was stalled due to a lack of global experience. At his level, international roles were discussed and filled behind closed doors, so he identified who would be in those conversations—typically HR and Finance leaders. He shared his ambition with these peers, making it clear he needed global experience and was ready to relocate.
A few months later, a crisis abroad opened a leadership role. His name came up, but someone assumed he wouldn’t be interested, given his recent family expansion. Fortunately, his Finance peer corrected the assumption, recalling their conversation. Soon after, he took the assignment, returned, and secured the promotion he’d worked toward.
To create similar opportunities, identify in advance the teams, departments, or leaders that are likely to need what you offer. Understanding their challenges positions you to be memorable, even to those who haven’t met you yet. With the right connections, you can make sure that, when the right opportunity arises, there’s someone ready to bring your name into the room.
4. What Do They Call It?
Language matters. Often, the way others describe their needs doesn’t match how we describe our own skills. This gap can create a barrier—but it’s one you can bridge.
Invest time in understanding how others talk about roles, projects, or challenges that align with your abilities. Especially if you’re branching out from your typical profession or even exploring a new industry, listen closely to how people describe their needs. Pay attention to the language in job postings, trend reports, and industry conversations, and notice the subtle ways they articulate what you know how to do.
This language is your key to visibility—it’s how you’ll be found when others are discussing the challenges you’re equipped to solve. When you adopt this vocabulary, you’ll resonate with the people and organizations that need your expertise, making it easier for them to recognize you as the solution they’re looking for.
5. How Will They Know You Exist?
Ultimately, visibility is your goal. You can’t expect others to advocate for you if they don’t know who you are. Visibility isn’t just about attending events or posting online; it’s about showing up in ways that authentically highlight your value.
Expand your network, especially to people you don’t interact with daily. Make sure your networks include people who challenge your thinking and broaden your perspective beyond your current role. It’s always easier to come up on someone’s radar if you know someone who knows someone, so your network is a critical key for your name to come up in the right context when you’re not in the room.
Your personal brand is also a very important asset. It’s that image of you that people have about who you are and what you can do, created by everything you say and do. Consider ways to put your expertise on display where it counts—through industry events, insightful LinkedIn posts, professional groups, or by simply staying connected with your network in meaningful ways. When you make yourself visible, you ensure that when someone asks, “Who do we know that could…?” your name is the first that comes to mind.
Becoming the Candidate They’re Already Looking For
The new world of work isn’t about waiting for job postings or perfecting the keywords on your resume. It’s about positioning yourself to be the answer people need—before they even know they need it. It’s about transforming your career from a series of applications to a network of connections where your next opportunity comes to you.
That’s how work finds you. And not just work—the right kind of work, the kind you’re best suited for and the type you love to do. By answering these five questions, you’re not just preparing for a job search—you’re building a career strategy that ensures the right people, in the right rooms, know exactly what you’re capable of and why they should reach out.