What Really Drives Early Career Success

Conventional wisdom says early promotions come from degrees, past experience, or training—but new research suggests otherwise. According to The Wall Street Journal article, The Secret to Getting Promoted Quickly at a New Job by Heidi Mitchell, one of the strongest predictors of early advancement is being assigned to a complex, high-profile project right out of the gate.

A study tracking nearly 500 engineering hires at a Chinese aerospace firm found that those randomly placed on complex assignments were more than five times as likely to be promoted than peers on simpler projects. Why? Two big reasons: accelerated learning and increased visibility.

“When you’re in a challenging task, the learning curve is greater,” says Carnegie Mellon professor David Krackhardt. These employees didn’t just build skills—they got noticed. “They got highlighted in internal newsletters. The status carried with them, even beyond the specific project.”

For companies, this research is a reminder to be intentional about how new employees are onboarded. For individuals, it’s a call to say yes to the hard stuff. As Krackhardt puts it: “Even one challenging assignment can change your career trajectory.”

Source: The Secret to Getting Promoted Quickly at a New Job, Heidi Mitchell, The Wall Street Journal, July 23, 2025. Read the full article here.