Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind: Increase Your Visibility While Working Remotely

Over the past few weeks several companies including Twitter, Facebook and Square have instituted an indefinite work from home policy. I’ve seen tweets and memes going around that indicate that most of us are enjoying the ability to work in our pajamas, avoid long commutes and hang out with our cats all day. 

But for some people, especially women and other minority groups, remote work might bring up more complicated feelings. These individuals already struggle to get a seat at the table so to speak, and working from home can make being visible even more challenging. For those who have been working hard to gain career momentum and stand out in the workplace, being stuck behind a computer screen might feel like two giant steps back.

If the idea of working remotely long-term is something that you’re struggling with, here are a few things you can do to increase your visibility and advance your career despite these different circumstances:

Get on Video

While working remotely, you can expect to have virtual meetings on Zoom or Skype or Google Meet. Video tools like these offer an easy and accessible way to stay connected and work more efficiently. However, because the meeting is being held virtually, a lot of people think it’s okay to turn off their camera or show up looking unprofessional.

If you want to increase your visibility during this time, you need to be on time, turn on your camera, wear work-appropriate attire, find a space with good lighting and an uncluttered background, and speak up! Go beyond the basic small talk at the beginning and end of the meeting. Come prepared to contribute something, share an idea, or offer a suggestion. 

Collaborate in New Ways

Virtual meetings are great, but they don’t really scratch that itch of chatting in the break room with your favorite co-workers or heading to lunch with your team on a Friday. Many of us miss connecting and collaborating with our colleagues in a more casual setting, but we just need to get creative!

Slack is a fantastic way to stay connected throughout the day in a way that isn’t distracting. You can send messages, files, and ideas in a way that’s a lot more productive and organized than email. It’s free to download, or you may be able to convince your company to create a paid channel with access to even more productivity tools.

Talk About Your Milestones and Accomplishments

As kids, we’re told not to brag, but if your boss isn’t able to physically see the hard work you’re doing, you have to tell them about it. Yes, it’s going to feel weird at first, but you have to be your strongest advocate during this time. You’re not doing this for kudos, you’re doing it to show your employer that you’re rising to the occasion and that they’re investment in you is a good one. 

You might want to suggest that there’s a dedicated time during your weekly meeting to go around and talk about everyone’s biggest success of the week. Maybe you simply forward words of praise you’ve received from clients. No matter how you do it, you want to make sure your wins are seen and that you’re highlighting the work you’re doing to benefit the organization. 

Work on Cross-Functional Projects

A cross-functional project is when you work towards an objective with members of other departments, often under the oversight of a project manager. This is a great way to become more visible to people in different parts of the organization that you don’t normally have a chance to interact with. Impress them, and there’s a good chance they’ll speak highly of you to their own leadership team and recommend you for future projects down the road.

If you’re in marketing, team up with someone from sales to see how you can increase revenue. If you’re in customer relations, join a team that’s trying to strategize new product development. You have unique views and perspectives and sharing these with other departments might lead to the next big innovation or breakthrough for your company!

Ask for Highly Visible Assignments

Sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns. If you’re not being given the kind of work that will make you stand out to your leadership team, it’s time to ask and see what’s available. This kind of initiative is what separates driven employees from stagnant ones and trust me, it will impress your boss. 

Even if there isn’t anything available to work on right now, you’re throwing your hat in the ring for future work that might need your expertise. Think as a team member, not just an employee. Speak up, share your ideas, do more than what’s expected, and never let yourself stand still, especially if you’re working remotely. 

Volunteer to Represent your Department at Meetings

If there isn’t an opportunity to work on an important assignment or collaborate with other departments on a cross-functional project, ask if you can represent your department during the next virtual company meeting. Speaking on behalf of your team and sharing your wins is a great way to increase your visibility and aside from the public speaking aspect of it, this is something anyone can do.

If your company regularly does virtual training sessions, you could take it a step further and offer to teach people something. This shows that you are an expert in a subject and invites people to come to you if they have questions in the future. What better way can you think of to shine a spotlight on your skills and leadership abilities?

Do you have questions for me about navigating your new normal? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email at ebony.joyce@nextlevelcareer.co.