Finding Hidden Opportunity in the Gaps
How paying attention to the spaces between roles could shape your career.
So far in my career, I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful growth doesn’t come from promotions or job titles—it comes from noticing the gaps and stepping in to help fill them. My story isn’t a loud one, but rather one of quiet, calculated, and steady improvement over time. I was blessed to be put in a position where my role was mine to grow and develop.
I’ve found that many professionals—especially women—don’t advance along a perfectly defined path. Instead, they step in where work needs to be done. They notice problems that need solving, find the cracks and fill them, and discover opportunities that haven’t yet been defined. Over time, those small steps can shape a role that wasn’t originally anticipated but becomes essential. Finding opportunities and filling gaps has been a defining part of my own career journey.
When I began my role at Callington, my title was “Project Manager.” I had been a project manager before in previous roles where projects would all start relatively the same, have definite due dates, and go through the same pathways for completion. But this time was different—all the projects were different. This was more of a “catch-all” type of position. Anything that needed to be done was considered a “project” that needed management. I was no longer in my comfort zone of straightforward, organized projects with clearly defined boundaries and pathways.
What I didn’t expect was how quickly I started noticing missing paths in the workflow and how easily I would move to fill them in.
In complex organizations, especially those that operate globally or with multiple product divisions, there are always gaps. Sometimes it’s a missing process. Sometimes it’s a communication breakdown. Sometimes it’s a project requirement that no one fully owns. And sometimes it’s simply work that falls outside any one job description.
Instead of waiting for responsibilities to be formally assigned, I stepped in where help was needed. When a product launch had slowed due to label graphic delays, I learned programs like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to help push the projects forward. When our quality systems needed stronger oversight, I took the initiative to understand the process and ultimately led our company to ISO 9001 certification. And when regulatory documentation and product development required additional support, I learned the processes so I could help move those efforts forward as well. At first, these were small contributions that didn’t dramatically change my title or position. But over time, those small steps accumulated.
Today, my work bridges multiple functions. I help lead quality systems and manage ISO certification requirements. I work closely with international offices and U.S. manufacturing partners to bring chemical formulations into new markets. I’m involved in everything from manufacturer onboarding to regulatory review, SDS authoring, label generation, and even marketing support.
If you looked at the role on paper, it might seem like an unusual combination of responsibilities—quality, compliance, chemistry, operations, marketing, and product development all intertwined. It grew that way because each time a problem surfaced, I stepped forward to help close it.
This is one of the most powerful career lessons I’ve learned: your role doesn’t necessarily need to be found—it can be built.
It’s easy to feel that advancement only happens through typical formal promotions or predefined career paths. In my opinion, the most impactful positions inside organizations emerge organically when someone consistently identifies what needs to be done and takes ownership of it. It doesn’t mean overextending yourself endlessly or saying yes to every task. Instead, it means developing an awareness of where your work intersects with other functions and where your strengths can create value.
To some extent, a project manager really is a “connector.” You understand how different teams work. You see how decisions in one department affect another. You help bridge communication between technical, operational, and business strategy teams. Modern companies operate in complex environments, balancing global supply chains, regulatory requirements, technical innovation, and customer needs. With many companies increasingly relying on lean or agile management systems, these hybrid roles are becoming more important than ever.
Success often depends on individuals who can navigate multiple disciplines and bring those moving pieces together. Building that kind of role requires initiative and the willingness to step outside the comfort of a traditional job description. Often, it starts with paying attention to the places where work begins to stall.
Where are decisions getting stuck?
Where are teams struggling to communicate?
Where is important work happening, but no one clearly owns it?
By stepping into those areas thoughtfully and consistently, you begin shaping a role that reflects your strengths. Over my five years at Callington, that’s exactly what happened. I found myself in a position that hadn’t previously existed—but ultimately became essential.
Looking back, I’m grateful that I was curious about the new industry of aviation I was stepping into. I filled in the gaps, took on new challenges, and was able to build something much larger than the role I started with.
That’s the advice I would offer to anyone navigating their own career: be curious. Pay attention to the things that fall through the cracks. You may find yourself building a career shaped by the things you were curious enough to learn and willing enough to take on.
