I’m about 18 months into my analyst stint and I keep hearing this phrase—‘you need visibility’—but nobody really explains what that means in practice. Is it just about delivering good work? Speaking up in meetings? Getting coffee with senior people?
The thing is, I see some analysts who seem to effortlessly get known, and their promotions feel inevitable. Others grind just as hard and it feels like they’re invisible. I’ve been tracking patterns, and it seems like there’s actually a concrete way to build visibility without coming across as desperate or political.
I’ve started cataloging who actually gets promoted, what they did differently in the 12 months before their promotion, and honestly, it’s less about being the smartest person in the room and more about being strategically visible to the right people. But I want to hear from people who’ve actually made this jump—what did your visibility strategy actually look like, and more importantly, how did you know when you’d hit the threshold where promotion felt like the natural next step?
Based on what I’ve observed in my cohort, visibility compounds over time. The analysts who accelerated their promotions typically built relationships across 4-5 key stakeholders—their direct MD, one partner-track senior, a lateral team lead, and someone in a different group. They didn’t force it; they attended the right meetings, asked thoughtful questions on deals, and followed up on substantive topics within 48 hours. The data suggests visibility peaks when you’re named on 2-3 live pitches per quarter and your comments are referenced back to you months later.
I tracked promotion timing against deal exposure and it’s striking—analysts promoted within 24 months had worked on 40+ deals vs. the 60+ for those who took 36 months. Quality, not quantity. They were visible on the right deals, not just busy deals. The ones who stood out got pulled into client meetings by year 2 because senior folks remembered their work on the previous three engagements.
lol ‘visibility’ is just code for ‘do your job well AND make sure people know about it.’ don’t sit in the corner crushing models nobody will see. speak up in meetings even if it’s just asking a smart question. send your work to people outside your immediate team. partner senior folks love analysts who make them look good. but yeah, if you’re grinding away and nobody knows your name except your vp, you’re gonna have a problem come promotion season.
this is such a good question and honestly i think the key is just being consistent w/ who u talk to. like not one coffee chat—regular touchpoints. and asking for feedback specifically on whether ur ready for associate-level work. people respect that directness!
I got promoted partly because I was randomly assigned to a mess of a process improvement project nobody wanted. Turned out the managing partner who sponsored it noticed how I kept pushing solutions even though it wasn’t on my main desk. Started looping me into his deal reviews after that, and suddenly my name was attached to bigger transactions. Sometimes visibility just comes from volunteering for the unglamorous stuff where decision-makers are actually paying attention.
My story’s a bit different—I had a mentor who basically said, ‘you’re invisible right now, and we gotta fix that.’ We mapped out who actually made promotion decisions, and I started showing up to presentations and client calls I wasn’t even staffed on, just to observe. Within a few months, people started recognizing my face and asking for me. It wasn’t manipulative; I was just genuinely present and engaged.
You’re asking exactly the right questions! The analysts I know who leveled up fastest genuinely cared about their work and let that passion shine through. People notice that energy, and doors open naturally!