Working Knowledge A Monthly Column about Life on the Job

By Mary Pergander American Libraries Columnist Mary Pergander is director of the Lake Bluff (Ill.) Public Library. She received her MS in library and information science from the University of Illinois in 2002. Contact her at working@ala.org. Column for April 2006

A Tale of Two Librarians

I have been in my current position for five years. I do a good job, and I accept extra work. I keep waiting for my manager to recognize this and promote me, but it seems my work is not valued. How much longer should I stay before looking for a better opportunity elsewhere?

You seem to be following a very typical pathway: Get a job, perform work well, expect to be noticed and rewarded. This is common, but often not effective.
    Nationally recognized career strategist Adele Scheele has written about “the good student” syndrome. She describes individuals who practice the behaviors that worked well in school: doing your best, then waiting passively for recognition, approval, and promotion. In the workplace, this can result in great frustration when that expected recognition fails to come. According to Scheele, such employees “become resentful for not being selected when others who have done less or are newer are given opportunities instead.”
    Stop waiting! Have you let your manager know you are interested in another type of position? This seems so basic, yet many people overlook this essential first step. “It should be obvious to my boss,” some say. Others recall telling their managers during the job interview that they are interested in future opportunities, but never mentioning it again!
    Second, ask your manager what skills you need to develop and what experiences you need to have for the position you desire. Can you obtain these in the current workplace through projects, committees, teams, or assignments? Will you also need to enhance your professional development through seminars or classes? Are you willing to do so? If you follow through with these suggestions, you may get the position you seek. You will also be in a stronger position to find your desired job elsewhere.


I am happy in my current position and feel it is just right for me. However, my new manager keeps asking me to take on special projects and says that I am capable of much more. This really bothers me. I do not want to take on any more than I already have. How can I get him to understand this without jeopardizing his respect for me?

Let's examine some of your apparent assumptions. Are the special projects not part of your job? Most jobs consist of varying degrees of routine and nonroutine activities and responsibilities. The projects may be nonroutine but necessary contributions to the work of the department. Is your manager using projects to distribute work throughout the department, or more specifically to develop your talents or skills? Try talking to him about this. He may assume that you want advancement or a broader job, when that is not the case.
    I would caution you, however, about assuming that your “old” job of just doing the routine tasks you enjoy is still feasible in this economic climate. Your manager may see that he must demonstrate increased productivity of each employee or risk losing staff.
    Is there a particular reason you do not want additional opportunities right now? A serious illness, challenging family situation, or other stresses can all make it temporarily difficult to commit to more professionally. When this is the case, it can be helpful to explain this to your boss. If he is offering the opportunities primarily for your professional growth, he may be able to wait. However, if he is reorganizing the department or trying to increase your productivity, waiting may not be an option.
    Finally, I would challenge you to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Remaining attached to the job as it used to be could cause you to suffer, because that job may no longer exist. Find ways to accept the opportunity to stretch yourself. With time, this new job, too, may become comfortable and familiar. Of course, just about then it will change again!


WORKING WISDOMCan you identify with one of the scenarios presented above? Are you inadvertently holding yourself back by patiently waiting and silently hoping to be recognized? Or are you comfortable in your current position and hoping to avoid change? Either situation can be improved with clarified expectations. What next steps should you take?

(c) Copyright 2006 American Library Association