Engineering Upward: How to Get Good Work Assigned to You
Engineering Upward: How to Get Good Work Assigned to You
Career advancement requires more than technical excellence—it requires strategic positioning to access high-impact projects that showcase your abilities and expand your expertise.
Understanding How Managers Allocate Work
Managers typically distribute work based on a complex calculus of:
Trust factors:
Demonstrated reliability on previous assignments
Communication clarity and frequency
Alignment with project priorities
Capacity to work independently
History of meeting commitments
Risk assessment:
Project visibility and importance to leadership
Technical complexity and uncertainty
Timeline constraints
Interdependencies with other teams
Business impact of potential failure
Organizational needs:
Skill development across the team
Knowledge distribution requirements
Career development considerations
Team dynamics and collaboration patterns
Succession planning
Understanding this framework helps you position yourself strategically rather than simply waiting for assignments.
Positioning Yourself for High-Value Projects
1. Build and demonstrate relevant expertise
Develop depth in technologies central to desired projects
Share knowledge through documentation, brown bags, or code reviews
Contribute to discussions with informed technical perspectives
Solve adjacent problems that demonstrate transferable skills
2. Increase your visibility
Volunteer for presentations on your current work
Participate actively in architecture discussions
Document wins and learnings publicly (team wikis, showcases)
Contribute thoughtfully to design reviews and RFCs
Help debug critical issues, even when not assigned to you
3. Demonstrate project completion reliability
Build a track record of shipping work on schedule
Communicate progress proactively
Flag risks early with potential solutions
Show ownership beyond your immediate tasks
4. Express strategic interest
In 1:1s, discuss your career goals and desired skill development
Research upcoming projects and express specific interest
Frame interest in terms of business value, not just personal development
Ask thoughtful questions about the roadmap and strategic initiatives
Bridging Trust Gaps
If you're new or haven't yet established a strong trust foundation:
Start with small wins:
Request small, bounded portions of desirable projects
Deliver these components with exceptional quality and documentation
Use these deliveries to build credibility for larger assignments
Create proof points:
Develop side projects demonstrating relevant capabilities
Contribute to open source in related areas
Document and share learnings from self-directed exploration
Find sponsors:
Identify senior engineers familiar with your work who can advocate for you
Build relationships with technical leaders who influence project allocation
Seek mentorship from those who've successfully navigated similar paths
Having the Direct Conversation
When appropriate, directly discuss project assignments with your manager:
Preparation:
Research the project thoroughly
Understand how your skills match requirements
Identify any gaps and how you'll address them
Prepare examples of relevant past successes
The conversation framework:
Express genuine interest in the project and its business impact
Connect your skills and experience to project needs specifically
Acknowledge any skill gaps and present a plan to address them
Offer to start with a defined component to demonstrate capability
Ask directly: "What would make you comfortable assigning me to this project?"
Follow-up:
Thank your manager for considering your interest
Address any concerns or requirements they raised
Periodically check in on the possibility as the project develops
Use 1:1s to report progress on closing any identified skill gaps
If You're Still Not Getting Desired Work
If these approaches aren't yielding results:
Seek specific feedback on what's preventing assignment to desired projects
Consider team mobility - other teams may offer better project alignment
Create opportunities through hackathons or innovation initiatives
Build coalitions with peers interested in similar projects
Expand your definition of what constitutes valuable work
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