If you’ve been passed over for a promotion more than once, it’s easy to start believing something is wrong with you. But here’s the truth: hard work alone is no longer the currency that gets you promoted in HR.

I created this blog post (and video below) because I’ve seen too many HR professionals -- especially those working in departments of one or small teams -- do the job of three people without ever getting the title, compensation, or recognition they deserve.

Believe me: You don't have a visibility problem. You have a positioning problem.

Promotions aren't just about performance. They’re about perception.

In the HR world, you're often seen as a supportive function, not a strategic one, unless you make it impossible to ignore your impact.

And if your manager isn’t advocating for you, or worse, is barely managing you, waiting to be noticed is a recipe for disappointment.

So, what do you do instead?

Watch the full video here:

When you're overlooked, the first instinct is to double down on effort. Stay late. Say yes. Take more on.

But effort without framing your impact doesn’t change perception. If your work isn’t positioned in terms that resonate with business leaders -- outcomes, risk mitigation, cost savings, and efficiency -- it’s likely to be dismissed or undervalued.

Ask yourself:

• Did I present this initiative as a strategic solution or just another task completed?

• Who knows about this success besides me?

Promotions aren’t always based only on performance evaluations. Sometimes, they're about internal reputation.

Does your manager see you as an expert or a task-doer? Do other leaders in the organization know what you do?

That’s why I encourage HR professionals to get in rooms where decisions are made. Speak in meetings. Share insights. Don’t wait for a formal invitation to lead.

Just like an organization needs a strategic plan, you need a visibility plan.

This means:

• Sharing wins in leadership meetings

• Translating HR metrics into business outcomes

• Building relationships across functions, not just in HR

This isn’t about bragging. It’s about making your impact undeniable.

Too many HR professionals are focused on external threats,
like AI replacing jobs, without addressing the internal one: obscurity.

You can’t advocate for what isn’t recognized. You can’t scale your impact if your work is buried under admin and busywork.

And you won’t get promoted if decision-makers don’t see you as a strategic force.

To move up, you need to:

• Speak the language of business

• Document and share results

• Ask for feedback and make your goals known

The next time you're in a 1:1 or skip-level meeting, bring a data point, a success story, and a question that shows you're thinking ahead, not just executing today.

Being passed over doesn’t mean you’re not ready. It means your readiness hasn’t been made visible to the right people in the right way.

You don’t have to play the waiting game. You can change your approach, your narrative, and ultimately, your career.

If you want help making this shift, my HR Leadership Accelerator program is designed for HR professionals like you who are doing the work but want to be recognized as the leaders they already are.

Ready to apply? If you're an HR professional with expertise to leverage and you're ready to make a big impact by crafting your own HR career path, click here to schedule time to see if we're a fit to work together inside The HR Leadership Accelerator: https://calendly.com/talentedteamsconsulting/strategy