How To Get Promoted To VP In A Tough Market

There's a lie almost every Director tells themselves at some point.

And it feels so logical that you barely notice you're doing it.

"The market is terrible."

"Recruiters have disappeared."

"No one is hiring at my level."

"There's too much competition right now."

You say it like it's the weather forecast, not a choice.

But these aren't facts. They're protective stories. And yes, the market is more competitive. But that is not the full reason some leaders stay stuck while others still manage to get promoted to VP in a tough market, land executive roles, and create momentum in difficult conditions.

Because this year alone, inside my community, we had more promotions than ever, despite all of these conditions.

Director to Sr. Director, Director to VP, Director to external VP roles in brand new companies.

And the people winning these promotions? They weren't the "chosen ones."

They were people who decided to stop waiting for the market to save them.

The difference wasn't luck. It was a strategy.

Specific, intentional strategy that most people never follow.

Today, I'm going to show you the three strategic moves that actually get Directors promoted to VP. Not high-level theory. Not vague encouragement. A real look at what people who get promoted are doing differently in this market.

And I'll give you examples so you can see exactly how this plays out in real life.

Let's get into it.

1. Position Yourself as the Obvious VP Choice

If people don't instantly understand your value, they won't choose you.

This is one of the biggest reasons talented Directors get overlooked for VP opportunities despite strong performance.

Most Directors who tell me "the market is bad" have one thing in common.

They haven't positioned themselves at all.

Their resume is generic.

Their LinkedIn is a collection of responsibilities with a title slapped on top.

Their executive narrative is fuzzy or nonexistent.

Their unique value is buried under "cross-functional collaboration" and "strategic leadership" like everyone else.

And then they wonder why no one is reaching out.

Here is what no one will tell you because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. If you don't know what makes you unique, no one else will.

Positioning yourself means getting painfully clear on three things:

• What are you best at

• What do you solve as a VP

• Why should someone choose you over the 200 other Directors who all claim the same things

A strong positioning is exactly why Shauna got promoted.

Not because she applied for 376 jobs.

Not because she waited for perfect timing.

Because she finally embraced the truth: she had market-winning achievements she'd been minimizing. Learning how to communicate those achievements effectively is a skill many senior leaders never develop.

Awards she never mentioned. A point of view she was scared to claim. And a killer value proposition that very few people can claim.

Once she stepped into that version of herself, opportunities started showing up because she finally stood out as a potential VP.

So what does this mean for you?

Here's what it looks like in practice to position yourself:

• You identify the exact roles you want

• You clarify the value you bring at the VP level

• You rewrite your resume and LinkedIn to make your value clear to the right people

• You use GPT as your leverage engine to refine your language and your value

• You create a presence that attracts the right people.

But here’s the catch. It means you need to stop blending in and hiding behind "hard work."

And start intentionally shaping how others perceive you.

That starts with knowing exactly what role you want, what makes you the best candidate, and how to communicate your value clearly enough that people instantly get it.

Not vague.

Not generic.

Not "I can do anything."

Sharp. Confident. Specific.

Positioning isn't optional anymore. It's the price of admission for executive roles in 2026.

2. Network Like Someone Who Already Belongs in the Executive Room

Executives aren't chosen through job postings. They're chosen through people.

The question is whether anyone in those conversations is actively advocating for you when opportunities come up.

When the market shifts, most Directors double down on the worst possible strategy: applying online and hoping recruiters come back.

But recruiters are overwhelmed, job postings are saturated, and hiring managers are making quick, quiet decisions based on conversations you don't even know they're having.

If you want to move up in 2026, you cannot wait for those conversations.

You need to be in them.

That means networking the right way.

Not surface-level.

Not "just checking in."

Not "let me know if you're hiring."

I mean strategic networking: talking directly to people who already have the job you want.

This is exactly what I did when I moved to California.

I had no network. Nobody knew me.

And even with a VP title from abroad, I couldn't land a VP role.

So I reached out to about 100 VPs.

Not asking for jobs. Asking for insight about their career so I can understand what mattered. Learned what got them chosen and listened to how they spoke about themselves.

It changed everything.

Because suddenly I wasn't guessing. I had the actual criteria.

This is also how Jessica moved from Director to VP in six months.

How Katie landed not one, but two promotions.

And how Rafael broke a 10-year plateau and became a Sr. Director.

So what does this mean for you?

Here is the summary of what this looks like in practice:

First, talk to people who have the job you want to have.

You do this even if it means cold outreach on LinkedIn to people outside of your network.

Your goals in those conversations are simple:

• You uncover the hidden criteria that no job description will ever tell you.

• You find out what actually mattered in their promotion process.

• You apply what you learn to yourself.

Then, you network with intention:

• Talk shop, not "are you hiring?"

• Exchange ideas and perspectives.

• Show up like a peer, not a desperate candidate.

This is what my client recently did. She applied for a role and never heard back.

Then she reached out to the hiring manager to talk about developments in their field that she had heard him talk about.

A few weeks later, they met at an industry event and decided to schedule a meeting at his company’s offices.

That conversation went beyond exchanging ideas. This senior leader shared that come January, they may have an opening that would be a perfect fit.

She did not bring it up. He did.

This is the hidden job market everyone talks about, except it’s not a listing you don’t have access to. It’s a process you should be following.

Networking isn't about asking for a job. It’s about connecting and getting an opportunity to share your value. And when you do it right, you stop competing with everyone else and play a very different game.

3. Stand Out Instead Of Blending In To Get Promoted To VP In A Tough Market

In this market, competence isn't enough. Differentiation is everything.

This is the part almost no one wants to hear. Because it's the part that requires courage.

The market is crowded with talented people.

The only reason some rise faster is that they make themselves visible, memorable, and in demand. Staying invisible is one of the fastest ways to remain stuck in mid-management, regardless of capability.

And no, I don't mean posting random thoughts on LinkedIn for three weeks.

I don't mean stuffing your profile with keywords.

And I don't mean adding "strategic" to your headline.

Standing out requires intentional differentiation.

It means giving people tangible proof that you are a leader in your space.

Not because you say so. Because your actions (and your story) demonstrate it.

Here are a few real examples.

• Katie interviewed one of the biggest industry experts for an internal event. It wasn't a public keynote, but she leveraged it brilliantly. One photo. One post. One moment of "wait, she talked to that person?" And suddenly the doors opened.

  
  

• I pitched myself to two major conferences when I had zero network in California. No one invited me. I invited myself. That video of my keynote on stage took my reputation from “no one” to “Thought leader”.

  
  

• John realized he had never mentioned the multiple awards he won throughout his career. The moment he integrated them into his narrative, he stood out. More credible. More compelling. More in demand.

People want to hire those who seem in demand.

People want to work with those who take initiative.

People trust leaders who show leadership, not just talk about it.

So what does this mean for you?

It means asking yourself a better question.

"How do I signal that I am operating at a VP level already?"

Maybe that is writing meaningful content regularly.

Maybe it is pitching yourself to speak at events.

Maybe it is getting interviewed for a podcast.

Maybe it is partnering with a known leader in your industry.

Maybe it is sharing wins or recognition you have buried for years.

Pick the path that fits your brand, your comfort level, and your goals.

But pick something.

Because blending in is the fastest way to stay exactly where you are.

Your Next Steps

If you have been telling yourself that "the market is bad," it is time for an honest check-in.

Is the market truly your problem?

Or is it that you have not positioned yourself clearly, built the right relationships, or done the work to stand out?

Because right now, people are getting promoted.

People are landing VP roles.

People are breaking through the freeze.

And you can too.

If you want 2026 to be your VP year, the strategy is in front of you.

Position yourself intentionally.

Network to create opportunities.

Stand out instead of blending in.

Everyone else will spend another year waiting for the market to magically change.

But you now have the outline for what actually works. All that is left is for you to take action.

And if at any point you want guidance, clarity, or support in applying this to your exact situation, I have built an entire program to help you do exactly that.

You get to decide what happens next.

I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you

Maya ❤️