You are in a job with a great title and interesting duties, but the internal politics are "eating you alive." Your boss keeps you and your accomplishments under wraps. You would like to increase your job security and, you would like organizational recognition for your good work, but you are not sure how to go about getting it. You are afraid that if you gain internal visibility, you may alienate your boss.

What can you do?

You need to engage in two kinds of efforts, networking and skill development.

Networking
Begin by developing your contacts outside the workplace, locally, regionally, nationally (and, as a colleague once said, intergalactically) in both the professional and lay arenas. Join your local trade/professional organizations and become very active. Be sure to do this after work hours, when your time is your own. Get involved in committees that are of interest to you and begin to work your way into a leadership position. Be thoughtful about the kind of role that you select. Choose a role that provides considerable positive exposure to people who are in the position to hire you. Also, take on tasks that will reveal your best work. If you enjoy your role and you are good at it, you may volunteer in a comparable capacity at the regional and national levels. Again, carefully select the situations where you can put your best foot forward. Present your efforts at local, regional and national conferences. Coordinate panels which include the senior people with whom you would like to work.

In the lay arena, it is a good idea to have visibility and recognition, too. Select a civic issue that allows you to make use of your professional skills in a volunteer capacity. For example, if you are an attorney, do a bit of pro bono work. Choose wisely, something that will make a valuable contribution and can garner community respect for you. If you feel that colleagues might benefit from knowing about your work, you may want to describe your efforts in a trade publication. If you have worked hard and performed well, you will gain visibility and recognition.

Skill Development
While you are being a "good citizen" in both the professional and lay arenas, take active and significant steps towards honing your skills and developing your credentials. Refine your skills and seek additional certifications. For example, if you are an engineer, consider becoming a Certified Professional Engineer. If you are an accountant, consider becoming a Certified Public Accountant. These credentials may make you more skilled and more marketable.

Your boss will inevitably, for better or worse, learn of your good work and fine reputation. This may increase your value to him/her. However this method is not without its risks; you could be perceived as a possible threat. But, with your excellent reputation and skills in the professional and lay community, you will be harder to cut loose. Your boss will be reluctant to jettison you knowing that it will not reflect well. And, even if she/he does, your good efforts will likely culminate in job offers.