The moment he said it, Reader, my stomach dropped.
We were on a call—he’d reached out after losing his job. His university had recently merged with another, then lost its federal funding as a PBI. The entire career center was cut.
He reached out because I talk about these things—visibility, advocacy, the work of being seen as essential.
As he told the story, one line stood out.
“The new president met with the whole career center and said, ‘No one really knows what you do here.’”
That was it. The warning sign.
He’d been an associate director, respected, effective, building employer partnerships and strengthening programs. The president even had plans to work with him on expanding those relationships.
But when the funding disappeared, so did the team.
And the irony? The president liked the work. She just didn’t understand how essential it was.
That’s what made my stomach sink. Because I knew what that sentence really meant:
It’s already too late.
The lesson: Being good isn’t enough
It was two weeks ago, but that conversation has stayed with me.
Not because he did anything wrong. He was doing exactly what we ask of career professionals: serving students, building partnerships, delivering outcomes.
But the truth is, being good at your work isn’t enough if no one knows how your work connects to the institution’s success.
That’s the quiet risk every career leader faces.
You can be high-performing and still invisible.
And invisibility is dangerous.
Because when the winds shift—budgets tighten, presidents change, or funding disappears—people don’t defend what they don’t understand.
How to make sure you’re seen as essential
Here’s how to stay visible, credible, and indispensable, especially when times get uncertain.
But before we go further, let me say this—
If your office isn’t yet visible across campus, this should be your top priority. Above all else.
Because visibility isn’t another task to squeeze in. It’s the thread that connects everything you do: every partnership, every presentation, every result worth protecting.
Whether you’re at a small private college or a massive public university, the risk is the same. Invisibility looks different at scale, but it’s just as costly. If people can’t see your impact, they can’t champion it.
1️⃣ Translate your work into institutional outcomes
Don’t assume people see the connection between your work and theirs. Make it explicit. Link career outcomes to student success, enrollment, retention, advancement, and even fundraising. Data isn’t just for reports; it’s your language of influence.
2️⃣ Build visible partnerships
Your best advocates are often outside your office. Collaborate with deans, academic departments, marketing and communications, enrollment, advancement, and alumni relations to co-own initiatives. Befriend those who have influence. When multiple leaders can tell your story, your work becomes part of their success too.
3️⃣ Tell your story often and strategically
Visibility isn’t bragging; it’s stewardship. Present at cabinet, share success stories, include impact data in newsletters, and circulate your annual report widely. You’re not self-promoting. You’re showing a record of success and what’s possible.
4️⃣ Prepare your narrative before you need it
Don’t wait until crisis hits to explain your value. Keep an updated handout ready that shows outcomes, partnerships, and impact metrics. Put a stack on your desk so you can quickly grab them when you’re heading out the door to a meeting. It’s not paranoia; it’s protection.
🎯 Visibility is advocacy. It’s what ensures that when someone asks, “What do they do over there?”, the answer is confident, immediate, and clear.
Final thought
I’ve seen too many great teams lose ground not because they lacked talent or results, but because no one connected their work to the bigger story.
Don’t let that happen to you.
This week, find one way to make your work visible:
- Share a success story with your VP or dean.
- Send a few high-level talking points to the president’s chief of staff.
- Thank a faculty partner publicly.
- Partner on an article featuring a recent success with students and a campus partner.
- Use every opportunity you can to inform others about the current labor market challenges and how your office is responding.
Because the best time to be seen is long before anyone asks what you do here.
If this story hit close to home, please know you’re not alone.
This is exactly the kind of work I help career leaders strengthen: turning quiet excellence into visible, strategic influence.
Keep going. Your work matters—and it deserves to be seen.
Things you might want to read
P.S. Last week I wrote about the new federal earnings test. If you missed it, it's worth your time to check it out.
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