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Joe (not his real name) was the best analyst I had ever worked with. He could build complex data models in his sleep, knew SQL better than anyone on the team and was able to deliver flawless reports ahead of the deadline. He was the type of guy who would never complain even if a request came in at 6PM on Friday.
After three years in the same role, it was slowly getting to him and he was frustrated. He said to me “I work harder than anyone else, my work is always perfect, and I have saved a lot of money for this company with my analysis. Why did Sarah get promoted to Senior analyst when I have been here longer and know more?”.
I had to give him the hard truth that working harder does not get you promoted. Working smarter does.
Sarah had spent those over two years with the team and for the most part she was building relationships across departments, volunteering for high visibility projects and positioning herself as a business partner rather than just a technical resource.
While Joe was perfecting SQL queries, Sarah was learning what kept the executives up at night.
Joe was irreplaceable in his current role. Sarah was ready for the next one.
The Go To Guy Trap
When you are the person everyone comes to for technical solutions, managers have zero incentive to promote you. They need someone who can deliver those critical reports, fix those broken dashboards and solve those urgent data issues.
You become too valuable where you are to move up.
I have watched great analysts get stuck in this trap for years. They think technical excellence equals career advancement, but that’s only half of the equation. The other half is political intelligence and that’s where most data professionals fall short.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Managers
Not all managers are created equal when it comes to your career. Sometimes working for the demanding, difficult manager with strong executive connections will accelerate your career faster than working for the understanding, supportive manager who has no influence.
I learned this lesson early in my career. I had two offers: work for Janet who was known to be intense and demanding but was the CEO's trusted advisor, or work for Tom, who everyone loved but had been passed over for promotion three times. I choose Janet.
It was not pleasant. She demanded perfection, questioned everything, and pushed me beyond my comfort zone. But she also introduced me to senior executives, included me in strategic meetings, and fought for my promotion when the time came. Tom’s team members were happier day-to-day, but they stayed in the same roles for years.
The unfortunate truth is that your manager’s “political capital” often determines your career trajectory more than your individual performance.
The Network Effect
Working after hours will not help you. Showing off your technical skills will not help either. Being helpful within your team is not enough either. What will help you is building relationships outside your immediate circle.
The promotion decisions are not made by your direct manager most of the time, they are influenced by people across the organization who can vouch for your business impact. If the only people who know your work are your teammates, you are limiting your advancement potential.
Start engaging with business stakeholders, IT departments, other analytics teams. Ask questions about their challenges. Offer insights that go beyond just delivering reports. Make yourself known as someone who understands business, not just the data.
Finding Your Champion
One of the most powerful career moves I made was reaching out directly to a senior executive I never worked with. I simply sent an email saying I had been following their work on digital transformation and would love to learn more about their perspective on data strategy.
Most people overthink this. They worry about bothering executives or not having the “right” to reach out. The truth is that senior leaders rarely get direct outreach from junior employees, so often they respect the courage it takes to make contact.
That 30 minute meeting led to a mentoring relationship that shaped my entire career trajectory. Do not underestimate the power of a simple and genuine request for advice.
The Mindset Shift and When to Make Your Move
Technical skills are table stakes. They will get you in the door, but they will not get you to the next level. What gets you promoted is demonstrating that you understand how data drives business decisions, not just how to perform ETL.
Stop positioning yourself as the person who builds reports. Start positioning yourself as the person who solves business problems using data.
As for making your move, you will never feel completely ready for the next level. If you are waiting to get comfortable with every aspect of a senior role, you will be waiting forever. The reason promotions exist is to challenge you to grow into new responsibilties.
If you are a VP considering an SVP role but worried about the additional pressure, remember that if you were already comfortable with every SVP responsibility, you would already have that job. Promotions are about potential, not just your current capabilities.
The Reality Check
Most managers will tell you “they have plans for you”, but very few have an actual plan for your promotion. Many will only offer advancement after you get a competing offer. This is not necessarily malicious, but they are often focused on current business needs rather than employee advancement.
Be self-aware about your capabilities and timeline. If you have been in the same role for over two years, delivered consistent value, and are not seeing advancement opportunities, it might be time to look elsewhere. Loyalty is admirable, but it should not come at the cost of your career growth.
The work-life balance will be different at higher levels. The responsibilities are more demanding. It is not all shinning and diamonds. But in fifteen years of career advancement, I have never met anyone who told me they regretted taking on a higher level role.
The Bottom Line
You have two paths, either continue being the reliable technical expert who everyone depends on but no one promotes, or start building the relationships, visibility, and business acumen that actually helps with career advancement.
Joe eventually figured this out. He started volunteering for business facing projects, build relationships with stakeholders outside his team and was able to position his work in terms of business impact and got promoted to a senior analyst within 8 months. Before I left, he was on track for a management role.