Take Control of Your Career: Why Self-Advocacy Is Your Secret Weapon

🚨 PSA: No One Is Going to Advocate for Your Career Like You Will 🚨

Here’s the cold, hard truth: No one—not your peers, not your manager, not the company leadership—is sitting around thinking about how hard you’re working or the amazing impact you’re making.

It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they’re busy.

If you want to take control of your career trajectory, you have to start advocating for yourself—early and often.

This isn’t about being a braggart or grabbing attention for the sake of it. It’s about ensuring that your contributions are seen, valued, and aligned with growth opportunities.

Why Don’t We Advocate for Ourselves Already?

Let’s face it: self-advocacy isn’t something most of us are naturally good at. Here’s why:

1️⃣ We assume good work speaks for itself.

Spoiler alert: It doesn’t. Hard work is great, but if no one knows about it, it’s like a tree falling in the forest with no one around to hear it.

2️⃣ We fear sounding boastful.

Self-advocacy gets a bad rap as arrogance. But advocating for yourself isn’t bragging—it’s taking accountability for your impact.

3️⃣ We don’t know where to start.

Building this habit can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to putting yourself out there. But trust me—it’s easier than you think.

How I Learned to Advocate for Myself

This wasn’t always natural for me either. Here’s how I made the shift:

1️⃣ I wrote everything down.

Every win—big or small—went into my “brag book.” A successful project? Logged. A glowing customer story? Captured. A process I improved? Documented. If it moved the needle, I wrote it down.

2️⃣ I started small.

In my 1:1s with my manager, I’d casually share something like, “Hey, this week I tackled [X] and it led to [Y result].” It wasn’t a grand speech—it was simple and to the point. Over time, it became second nature.

3️⃣ I connected my work to company goals.

This was the game-changer. Instead of saying, “Here’s what I did,” I’d say, “Here’s what I did and how it impacted retention, efficiency, or revenue.” When you tie your efforts to outcomes that leadership cares about, your value becomes undeniable.

The Results?

Let’s just say, things started to change.

Promotions, stretch assignments, visibility across the organization—these didn’t magically fall into my lap. They came because people knew the value I was bringing to the table.

How Can You Start Advocating for Yourself Today?

If you’re ready to stop waiting for recognition and start owning your career growth, here’s where to start:

1️⃣ Keep a brag book.

Make it a habit to document your wins. Don’t dismiss the small stuff—it all adds up.

2️⃣ Practice sharing in safe spaces.

Your 1:1s with your manager are a great place to start. Share a recent success and frame it around the impact it had.

3️⃣ Speak the language of business outcomes.

Tie your achievements to metrics that matter—revenue, retention, efficiency. It’s hard to ignore someone who’s driving results that matter to the business.

Own Your Career Story

If you’re sitting back, hoping someone will notice your hard work, it’s time to stop.

No one will advocate for your career like you will. You’re your own best advocate, and the sooner you take ownership of that, the faster you’ll see growth.