You’re Not Hired for Work — You’re Hired for Outcomes

Here’s the brutal truth almost nobody tells you about your career: You’re not hired for the tasks you do — you’re hired for the outcomes you create.

The idea comes from an innovation framework called Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) — popularised by Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor best known for his book, The Innovator’s Dilemma.

Christensen’s game-changing insight: People don’t buy products because of their features. They “hire” them to get a job done.

Think about it:

You don’t buy a drill because you want a drill. You buy it because you want a hole.

That’s the difference between tools and transformation.

How does this apply to you?

Most professionals only describe the functional part of their role. That’s why their value sounds flatter than it really is. Jobs To Be Done (JTBD), on the other hand, has three layers: functional, social and emotional.

1. Functional Job

What You Deliver. It’s the practical outcome.

Examples:

  • Keep projects on track

  • Ensure operations run smoothly

  • Lead the team effectively

  • Deliver accurate financial forecasts

  • Resolve complex technical issues

  • Make decisions when information is incomplete

This is usually the easiest part to explain — and the most overused.

2. Social Job

How Others Are Perceived Because Of Your Work. It’s about credibility, reputation, and social standing.

Examples:

  • Help leaders look prepared and in control

  • Help the team be seen as reliable

  • Help stakeholders buy-in to the plan

  • Help the function gain influence internally

At senior levels, your work shapes how others are judged.

3. Emotional Job

This Is How People Need To Feel Because You’re Doing Your Job Well.

This is the most overlooked — and often the most valuable.

Examples:

  • Feel confident in decisions

  • Feel less stressed or overwhelmed

  • Feel reassured during uncertainty

  • Feel supported when things are complex or high-stakes

When this job isn’t done well, anxiety rises — even if the functional work is technically “fine”.

Why this matters for your career

If you only describe your functional job, you sound replaceable. If you can articulate all three, you sound senior. A linchpin. A game-changer.

As you know, senior roles aren’t just about doing the work. They’re about creating confidence, trust, and stability for others. That’s what people are really hiring you for.

When you understand and articulate your functional, social, and emotional jobs:

  • Your positioning sharpens

  • Your confidence becomes grounded

  • Interviews and senior conversations land differently

Action Step: Re-Draft Your Role in 3 Points

Take your current job title and write out one line for each of the three layers. You’ll instantly see a sharper, more senior profile emerge.

Example: IT Project Manager

  • Functional: I deliver the enterprise cloud migration on time and under budget.

  • Social: I help the CIO and steering committee look prepared and in control during high-stakes board updates.

  • Emotional: I remove complexity and uncertainty, allowing the team to feel supported and confident in hitting their milestones.

Do this today: Articulate your three jobs—you'll stop explaining what you do—and start explaining why you matter.

DM me if you’d like help unpacking this for your next interview or leadership conversation.

Ronan Kennedy