When I first started out in the work force, I believed I needed to work hard to be able to succeed in anything I did. I thought that I had to push and push to get where I thought I needed to be. As I moved forward in my career I realized that this type of mentality wasn't for me. There are people out in the work force that can do well in a nose to the grindstone type of career, always striving to do better than the next person, but I realized I wasn't this type of person. I enjoy working and having a challenging job, but I am not the type to push other people out of my way just to get to the top.

For people who choose a slow career path, they have to have self-confidence and not feel intimidated by other people. They have to understand their place in the work force and know in their ability to do their job. Otherwise, they will start to feel dissatisfied and believe that they aren't being noticed so they aren't getting the promotion they think they deserve.

I worked as a secretary for many years and enjoyed working with my boss and received one promotion while I was working for the company. This doesn't mean I wasn't good at my job; I helped out the president of the company and the CFO. I had been offered other positions within the company, but I enjoyed the work I did and I did it very well and because of this I chose not to be promoted. I enjoyed my slow career path. I received my promotion and if I would have stayed in the town, I would have stayed with my boss. To be able to handle the lack of promotions I had to have confidence in my abilities to do not only the job, but others work as well.

This is something you have to think of if you are going to take the slow career path; you have to understand your place in the company and why you are on the path you are on. Is it because of your choice or the companies? Either one doesn't matter, it just matters that you understand the dynamics of the company and how their promotion system works. If you can understand that and don't want to be on the slow career path, then learn how it works so that you can apply it to your career. But if it is the path you want to be on, enjoy your job and do it to the best of your ability, because until you enjoy your job, you will not be happy in any job you have.

Learn more about this author, Patti Winters.
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