I was working with a client yesterday, updating their job description to reflect how much their role has evolved.
As we went through the list of responsibilities, we hit one deliverable that made them pause.
“Honestly, this one’s not very exciting,” they said. “But you know what? Since nobody else really wants to do this work, maybe that’s exactly why I should own it. I could become the go-to person for this on our team.”
That comment immediately brought me back to something that happened at Airbnb.
At the time, trust and safety was a huge conversation for our corporate travel clients.
Questions would come up constantly:
“How do we know our employees will be safe?”
“What happens if something goes wrong?”
We had a dedicated Trust and Safety team who could join calls, but they had their own responsibilities, and our team was getting very busy.
So I started learning from them. I’d listen and absorb as they joined calls, ask a million questions, and take in everything I could about how the platform worked to keep travelers safe.
Pretty soon, colleagues were tagging me as the person to answer trust and safety questions on our sales team.
It wasn’t glamorous work, definitely not what most salespeople were excited about.
But here’s the thing: I didn’t know exactly where it was leading, but I could sense something happening.
So I just ran with it.
That decision to lean into the “unsexy” work changed everything.
I started getting invited to speak on panels about corporate travel safety.
I was pulled into strategy meetings I never would have been in otherwise.
When big clients had concerns, I became the person they wanted on the call.
That expertise I’d built in an area nobody else was rushing toward became my differentiator.
Looking back now, I realize what my client said yesterday captures something so important:
the work that nobody wants to do is often the work that can make you indispensable.
We’re all looking for ways to stand out, to add unique value, to get noticed for the right reasons.
But we tend to chase the shiny, popular projects: the ones everyone else wants too.
Meanwhile, there’s this whole category of work sitting right there, waiting for someone to claim it.
The trick is recognizing it when you see it, and then trusting that gut feeling that says,
“I don’t know where this is going, but something’s happening here.”
What “unsexy” opportunity is sitting right in front of you?
Sometimes we can see it clearly, and sometimes we need someone else to help us spot the gold we’re missing.
If you’re curious about uncovering your own hidden differentiators (the work that could set you apart) let’s talk.
I’m offering complimentary coaching conversations to help you identify these opportunities in your career or business.
👉 [Schedule here]