Everyone who works – whether it’s a part-time, full-time or even volunteer job – wants to feel a sense of satisfaction, productivity and success. Part of that desire to succeed includes getting ahead in their position. Getting ahead can look different for different people. For some, it’s an increase in salary, for others it’s increased responsibility and for many of us, it includes being continuously challenged and learning on the job by using and improving our skills. (A 2013 Society for Human Resource Management survey demonstrated that compensation/pay and the opportunity to use your talents and skills at work fall in the top three indicators of job satisfaction.) Here’s the rub: While we all want to get ahead at work, this can be difficult sometimes, because there are so many other people trying to do the same thing – often within the same office. Getting to the next level in your career requires work, creativity and thinking outside the box. It’s not something that gets handed to you on a silver platter.
Stephanie L. Gross, MSLIS 