Stop assuming people know what you want from your career

» Series: ‘The career stuff nobody tells you series’

By Vanessa Belleau

You might know exactly what you want next or you might have a rough idea or, very realistically, you might still be figuring it out.

All of those are fine.

The problem starts when you assume everyone else somehow knows what you are thinking. Because they just don't.

You probably have some sense of what you want next.

Maybe it is more responsibility, more strategic exposure, international experience, leadership opportunities or even a completely different direction.

Great.

But here is the slightly uncomfortable question: does anybody else know?

People cannot read your mind. One of the easiest ways to miss career opportunities is to assume that your manager, senior leaders or colleagues somehow know what you want without you ever clearly communicating it. They usually do not.

The good news is that you do not need a perfect career plan. There is a big difference between saying, ‘I have absolutely no idea what I am doing with my life’ and saying, ‘I am still exploring my longer-term direction, but I know I want to build more experience in X and Y.’

The second person does not necessarily have everything figured out either. They are simply communicating with more intention.

A simple framework I often use is NOW, VALUE, NEXT.

NOW is about where you are today: what your role is, what you are working on and what your current responsibilities look like.

VALUE is about what you are contributing, what you are learning and what you are becoming known for.

NEXT is about the direction you want to move in, whether that is a skill you want to build, a market you want exposure to or a type of responsibility you want to take on.

Specificity matters.

Saying, ‘I have worked on loads of exciting projects’ does not tell me very much. Saying, ‘One project I am particularly proud of was X. My role was Y, and one thing I learned was Z’ gives me something concrete to remember.

The same applies to ambition. You do not need to say, ‘I want to be a director in five years.’ You can simply say, ‘I would like to build more experience in commercial decision-making because longer term I am interested in broader brand leadership.’

That is clear. It is thoughtful. It shows direction without pretending you have a crystal ball.

A useful test is to imagine a senior leader asking you, ‘Tell me about yourself, what you do and where you would like to go.’ Could you answer in 60 seconds? Not perfectly. Not like a robot. Just clearly enough that they understand who you are, what you contribute and what you want to build next.

Questions to ask yourself

• If someone asked me what I am good at, could I answer clearly?

• Could I explain what I have contributed without minimising it?

• Do the people around me know what I want to learn next?

• Can I describe my direction without needing a perfect job title?

• What would I want a senior leader to remember about me after 60 seconds?

Career articulation is not about selling yourself like a product.

It is about helping other people understand you.

Your experience, your contribution, your interests and your ambitions become much easier to support when you can communicate them clearly.

Final thought

Write and practise your own 60-second NOW, VALUE, NEXT introduction.

Then try it on someone you trust and ask them:

‘What do you remember about me after hearing that?’

If what they remember is not what you intended, sharpen it.

Light,

Vanessa ⭐️

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Thank you for reading! Check the next article if you want more tips to better yourself and your mindset 👇.