The Angel Edit: The Secret To Getting Promoted

The Angel Edit: The Secret To Getting Promoted

Read Time: 4 minutes

Topics Covered: Getting Promoted, Building Visibility, Strategic Influence, Earning Trust, Career Growth

I walked into my performance review confident that a promotion was waiting for me.

After all, I’d done it all: late nights, long hours, always saying yes.

Instead, I got a “Well done, great job,” and a tiny salary bump.

I spoke up and asked about a promotion, only to get a flat, “Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

That was my wake-up call.

Great work doesn't automatically equal career growth.

Hard work alone doesn’t lead to career growth.

Visibility, trust, and strategic influence do.

Here’s the reality most people miss.

If you start paying attention to the people who are getting ahead, you will discover they aren’t always more qualified.

But they will know how to:

• Talk about their work in a way that is credible
• Make sure the right people notice
• Create their own opportunities without waiting for a green light

Here’s how you can do so.

Master the Art of Being “Known, Trusted, and Remembered”

Here’s a simple framework to help you do that at every level.

These are the same tools that helped me secure 6 promotions in under 10 years.

1. Be KNOWN: This is about visibility and making your work hard to miss.

• Show up where it counts: town halls, offsites, leadership meetings
• Seek opportunities to present your work to senior leadership whenever possible
• Volunteer for high-priority or cross-functional projects

2. Be TRUSTED: Trust builds when people consistently see your value and judgment.

•  Provide your bosses with strategic updates to ensure they are never caught off-guard
• Recap key decisions and ask thoughtful questions in meetings
• Tie your work to business outcomes: think impact, not activity 

3. Be REMEMBERED: To unlock new opportunities, you need to be top of mind.

• Tell stories about your work because people remember narratives not bullet points
• Seek out sponsors who will advocate for you when you’re not in the room
• Contribute generously: share knowledge, mentor others, lift your team

It isn’t about taking on more work, but about getting intentional on how your value is seen and remembered.

Which of these strategies would you try?

I’d love to hear from you.

For more practical tips and real conversations on career growth, join me on Instagram here and send me a DM to say hi! 

Rooting for you, 

Angel Kilian

Founder  l Career inFocus