The High Performer’s Paradox: When You Outgrow the Room
A real estate agent will warn you against having the best house on the block with all the newest tech and high-end finishes, because the market will place value based on houses around yours. In Cybersecurity and tech in general you are valued the same way.
We need to talk about how we are valued. Not by the HR rubric, not by the quarterly review, but by the market and—most importantly—by ourselves.
The days of the "20-year gold watch" tenure are extinct. In our industry, they are ancient history. Recent data shows the average tenure for security engineers at major tech giants hovers between 1.8 and 2.2 years. That isn’t just a statistic; it’s a signal. It means the system is designed for rotation, not retention.
I recently had to learn a hard lesson that I think many of you will recognize: Sometimes, you don't get the promotion because you are failing. You miss the promotion because you are too valuable right where you are.
The "Efficiency" Trap
We hear terms like "efficiency layoffs" and assume it’s about cutting dead weight. But there is a flip side to efficiency.
I’ve spent the last year operating as a "flexible specialist"—hitting the ground running, mastering not just my silo but the full spectrum of our offerings. While peers stayed in their lanes, I took on the overflow. I translated technical nuances into business goals. I mentored. I carried a workload that frankly should have been split between two people.
The feedback? "You are doing great, just keep doing more."
So I did. I quantified my impact. I aligned my output with the C-Suite’s goals. I checked every box and then built new boxes just to check those too. And when promotion time came? I was passed over for peers with half the workload and a fraction of the scope.
Why High Performance is a "Risk"
It took me a long time to understand this, but in the corporate structure, extreme high performance can actually be viewed as a risk.
Management often faces a dilemma:
Promote the Rock Star: They move you up, but then who does the work of the 1.5 people you were replacing? They lose their "fixer."
The "Flight Risk" Calculation: They know you are likely to be headhunted anyway. They might choose to invest in the "safe" player—the one who will stay in the seat longer, who still has "potential to train out," rather than the one who has already outgrown the role.
The Shoe No Longer Fits
If you are currently feeling "used but not useless," listen to me: Do not let their inability to utilize you determine your value.
When you grow faster than your role allows, it’s not a failure. It’s simply that the shoe no longer fits. You cannot shrink your foot to fit a shoe that is too small. You have to find a bigger shoe.
The rejection wasn't about my capability; it was about their capacity. I had showcased that I had outgrown the role, and their choice to look elsewhere doesn't change who I am.
Takeaway for the Week: If you are delivering senior-level value in a mid-level role and getting passed over, stop asking "What more can I do?" and start asking "Where is this value better applied?"
Know your worth. Then charge tax.
- Sec Guy
