The Effective Altruism (EA) community strives to maximize positive impact, but some high-impact roles may be overlooked due to low perceived status. This misalignment could lead to talent being diverted toward more prestigious but less impactful work, undermining the movement’s potential. One way to address this is by systematically identifying undervalued roles and elevating their visibility to better align status with impact.

Identifying and Elevating High-Impact Roles

To address this gap, one could start by researching and compiling a list of high-impact but low-status roles within EA-aligned organizations. Examples might include operational positions like payroll management, IT support, or grant administration—roles that are often essential but lack visibility. Once identified, strategies to elevate their status could include:

• Creating case studies or testimonials from individuals in these roles to showcase their impact.
• Highlighting their importance in EA forums, newsletters, or conferences.
• Developing mentorship programs to help people transition into these positions.

This approach could benefit EA organizations by filling critical gaps, while also providing clarity for community members seeking high-impact career paths.

Execution and Validation

A minimal viable product (MVP) could involve a simple database—such as a Google Doc or Notion page—listing undervalued roles and their impact, shared within EA forums. To validate assumptions, one could:

1. Survey EA organizations to confirm which roles are both high-impact and underfilled.
2. Pilot a campaign highlighting one role and track changes in interest or applications.
3. Interview community members to understand how status perceptions influence career choices.

Potential challenges include resistance from those who associate status with traditional markers of success (e.g., research roles). One way to mitigate this is by framing low-status roles as "impact multipliers" that enable high-profile work.

Comparison with Existing Efforts

While platforms like the 80,000 Hours job board list high-impact opportunities, they don’t specifically address status incongruence. Similarly, EA Forum discussions on careers often focus on prestigious paths like AI safety research, leaving operational roles underexplored. This idea would complement existing resources by systematically highlighting undervalued roles and providing narratives to increase their appeal.

By aligning status with impact, this approach could help the EA community better allocate talent and maximize its collective effectiveness.