Is Professional Visibility Important for Your Career?

Does greater professional visibility benefit career outcomes?

The short answer is yes. Research in organizational behavior, management, applied psychology, and career development shows that visible behaviors such as strategic networking, speaking up, building a reputation, contributing publicly, and working on high-status projects can affect career outcomes. Across studies, these behaviors predict greater advancement, influence, and professional opportunity, particularly when visibility reflects competence and meaningful contribution rather than self-focus.

By visibility, I mean how clearly people who matter in your career understand, notice, and recognize your work and contributions. This includes decision-makers, sponsors, influential peers, and professional gatekeepers. When your impact and value are visible, positive opportunities are more likely to come your way.

Visibility operates through two channels. Internal visibility refers to being seen within your organization by those who decide on project assignments, evaluations, and advancement. External visibility involves recognition beyond your organization by peers, industry leaders, collaborators, or potential employers.

Over the past several decades, the responsibility for career management has shifted from organizations to individuals. Doing high-quality work remains essential, but it is often not sufficient for career advancement. Unless a person actively advocates for their achievements, they may go unnoticed.

I’ve summarized a range of studies below that demonstrate how constructive visibility enhances career outcomes. Here, the right type of visibility refers to contributions that add value, elevate the conversation, and align with workplace and societal norms. Keep in mind that context is important in the evidence.

How Visibility Benefits Your Career

1. Visibility Through Speaking Up Influences Perception

When employees speak up constructively, others view them as more competent and valuable. This boosts social status, increasing trust, credibility, and career potential.

Research by Weiss and Morrison (2019) shows that speaking up at work by voicing ideas or concerns can boost social status by making employees appear more confident, competent, and helpful. According to a survey and two experiments, people consistently rated those who spoke up as having higher status than those who stayed silent. Career advancement often depends on others perceiving you as strong in both confidence and being other-oriented.

However, the benefits of voicing opinions depend on how they are expressed. Constructive feedback that supports improvement or helps others is likely to enhance status, whereas self-promotion or boasting can undermine it.

2. Visibility On High-Status Projects Indicates Competence

High-visibility assignments function as status signals. Observers infer competence and potential from prestigious work. This accelerates career momentum and promotions.

Researchers Li and Niezink (2021) tracked over 1,000 IT specialists at a multinational accounting firm for five years. They found that IT employees who worked on higher-status projects received faster promotions than those who worked on lower-status projects. In particular, the high-visibility projects were most beneficial to mid-level careers. High-status projects are perceived as more valuable, increasing exposure to senior leaders and decision-makers.

3. Online Visibility Through Networking Can Benefit Careers

Frequent LinkedIn use increases professional visibility and is associated with measurable career benefits. Increased activity makes professional contributions more visible to contacts, which may increase the likelihood of being considered when opportunities arise.

A study by Davis et al. (2020) used self-reported surveys, corroborated by LinkedIn profiles and activity. Their most important discovery was that the frequency and intensity of LinkedIn usage predicted career benefits, while the number of contacts did not. These benefits included work-related assistance, social support, career sponsorship, and job-search assistance.

The study also found that individuals who were more extraverted and self-directed in managing their careers were more likely to network effectively and use LinkedIn actively. However, the authors caution that online networking complements rather than replaces face-to-face interaction, as the benefits of online networking have limits. See Visibility Strategies for Introverts for ways that introverts can leverage their strengths.

4. Visibility at Work Has Better Career Outcomes Than Remote Work

In work environments that include both on-site and remote workers, employees who are not present may not receive the best assignments or promotions at rates comparable to in-office workers.  Surveys with remote employees and their managers indicate that remote and hybrid work can hinder career visibility and advancement, as well as salary increases. According to one study, “Face time helps employees to receive better work and leads to career advancement because it is a strong signal of their commitment to their job, their team, and their organization,” (Cristea & Leonardi, 2019). See how remote learning designers can be more visible at work for essential strategies.

5. Visibility Through Public Speaking Advances Careers

Research suggests that speaking at conferences and professional events signals that an individual has a recognized level of success or credibility within a field (Martin, 2014; Nittrouer et al., 2018). Such signals shape perceptions of leadership and competence. Public speaking also contributes to reputational capital, which is the shared perception of a person’s expertise and value. Research on reputation formation shows that stronger reputations are associated with greater influence and career opportunity (Zinko et al., 2012).

Conclusion

Career outcomes depend not only on performance, but on whether performance is recognized. The research summarized here shows that visibility strengthens networks, elevates status, and expands access to opportunity. Taken together, the evidence suggests that constructive visibility—speaking up thoughtfully, contributing meaningfully, taking on high-status projects, networking authentically, and sharing ideas publicly — can build career momentum when it reflects genuine competence and value. Context matters though. The effects vary across organizational cultures, demographics, and levels of authority.

References:

1. Cristea, I. C., & Leonardi, P. M. (2019). Get noticed and die trying. Organization Science, 30(3), 552–572. https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/orsc.2018.1265
2. Davis, R., Wolff, H.-G., Forret, M. L., & Sullivan, S. E. (2020). Networking via LinkedIn: An examination of usage and career benefits. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 118, 103396.
3. Li, S., & Niezink, N. M. D. (2021). The importance of project status for career success [Conference presentation]. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), 15128. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2021.15128.
4. Martin JL (2014) Ten Simple Rules to Achieve Conference Speaker Gender Balance. PLoS Comput Biol 10(11): e1003903. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003903.
5. Nittrouer, C. L., Hebl, M. R., Ashburn-Nardo, L., Trump-Steele, R. C. E., Lane, D. M., & Valian, V. (2018). Gender disparities in colloquium speakers at top universities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(1), 104–108. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1708414115
6. Weiss, M., & Morrison, E. W. (2019). Speaking up and moving up: How voice can enhance employees’ social status. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2262.
7. Zinko, R., Gentry, W. A., Hall, A., & Grant, G. L. (2012). Reputational change among managers. Journal of Managerial Issues, 24(1), 9–26.