I can't remember if I posted this here and I'm not taking time to look. First, there is truth to the idea that you must be noticed. Loud is probably an over-simplified idea but here are some ideas on being "noticed" and not being passed over....
First, meet with your manager and even two levels. State a career objective and ask them what things you can do to get there. Follow up in writing their suggestions and your plan of action. Do the plan and then meet with them again (6 mos, 1 year, 2 year), whatever. I'm giving broad ideas, not specific timetables because that is something you and management must determine.
Many professionals, not just technologists, wait passively for promotion. It is simpler to create an understanding of objectives with management prior to simply plodding along, working hard, for years before you realize that you worked hard but not at the things most important to them.
Second, create a weekly report with the following sections:
Week in review
- What I did?
- What I didn't complete? Why?
- What came up that was unexpected and its impact?
Week in preview
- What I am going to do?
- What may come up and its impact?
This is a simple "look at me" document but also gives you a plan of action for the upcoming week. It allows management to see what you did, what your planning, and what is coming up to impact your work. This allows them to pro-actively monitor and make changes, if necessary.
It also gives you a written record of what you performed over the year. Don't over-complicate the report and it rarely has to go into too much detail. 1-2 pages, bulletted items.
Regarding being "loud", which I don't believe is necessary. The real question is exposure. Often people say, it is not what you know but who you know. This is wrong. It should be modified as: it is not what you know but who knows you and what you know.
You see, they have to know you but they must also know what you are able to do. That is the key to advancement.
Matthew Moran