In this monthly column with NGEN, the MFA’s training program for media professionals with less than five years experience, Jessica Webb from Nine argues that learning to sell yourself internally isn’t just helpful – it’s a crucial strategy for advancing your career.
In this industry, we’re naturals at pitching ideas, campaigns, and opportunities to clients, always optimising for maximum reach. But when it comes to ourselves, we often assume people will just notice – overlooking the fact that selling yourself internally is just as crucial for career growth.
The reality is, hard work doesn’t always speak for itself, or at least not loudly enough. Just like every campaign needs visibility, so do our careers. But self promotion isn’t just about talking yourself up, it’s about making sure the right people understand your value, without sounding self-serving, or overshadowing others.
For a long time, I believed my results would do the talking – and to some extent, they did. But when it was time for a promotion, I realised being good at my job wasn’t enough. I had to be seen as ready for the next step. One line from my manager stuck with me: “You interview for your next role every day on the job.”
So, I started being more intentional about how I showed up. I joined the NGEN Committee, spoke at NGEN’s Media Bootcamp on behalf of Nine and TV, and made sure I was visible beyond my company. I volunteered for internal opportunities, made my aspirations clear, and built relationships across all levels of the business. It wasn’t about bragging; it was about contributing meaningfully and making sure my impact didn’t fly under the radar.
Visibility drives opportunity
No matter how capable or hardworking you are, if decision makers aren’t aware of what you bring to the table, you risk being overlooked for opportunities, promotions and projects.
Self-promotion can, however, be misunderstood. It’s not about ego; it’s about communicating impact, acknowledging the team, and highlighting outcomes, not just efforts. While having others vouch for you can be powerful, relying on that solely leaves too much to chance.
Being humble doesn’t mean to stay silent, it means sharing your impact in a way that feels authentic and earned.
On the flip side, over-promoting yourself can be detrimental. Hogging the spotlight can come across as disingenuous, make the team around you feel undervalued, and sound cocky. Balancing humility with self-promotion is a tightrope. Done well, it builds credibility and influence. Done poorly, it comes across as arrogance or insincerity.
A simple linguistic shift can help. Framing your contributions with inclusive language – such as: “We hit our revenue goal ahead of schedule, and I’m proud of the forecasting model I introduced to help get us there” – can land far better than a spotlight “I” approach.
Relationships that matter
Building strong internal relationships is essential to positioning yourself as a key player. Connecting with people beyond your direct team – and at every level – can open doors that performance alone might not. If people don’t know who you are or what you bring to the table, your name might never come up. What really matters is what happens when you’re not in the room. The colleagues who advocate for you behind closed doors are often more valuable than those who cheer you on when you’re there.
Speaking up isn’t about airtime; it’s about timing. You don’t need to dominate every meeting or contribute to every conversation, but when you offer clarity, challenge the norm, or bring fresh ideas and perspectives, you stand out. Those moments shape how people see you and show your value, allowing you to own your own narrative.
Credibility underpins it all. I was once told that the way to show your edge is to know your product better than anyone else. A casual “Did you catch MAFS last night? It reached three million viewers!” dropped into conversation shows not just awareness but ownership. Confidence, visibility and relationships are powerful, but they need to be backed by knowledge.
Whether it’s numbers, trends, or news on your client’s business, knowing your stuff helps you stick in people’s minds for the right reasons.
Back yourself to get ahead
You don’t need permission to be the person you want to be in this industry. Whether you’re in sales or agency, junior or senior, the combination of visibility, credibility and intentional connection is what sets you apart – they’re career habits worth building.
If you want to move faster, be seen and get ahead in this industry, start backing yourself, telling your story and knowing your value.
We pitch bold ideas every day; maybe it’s time to be one.
Jessica Webb is senior sales executive at Nine.
