“I’m Not Where I Should Be in My Field”

I’ve been at my current job for more than three years and have been passed over for two rounds of promotions. I know my work is better than others’, but I’m not one to play games or show off. My parents would be amazed at how much I’m earning (more than both of them combined), but in my field, I know I’m not where I should be. I don’t know if I should be looking for a new job or if there’s something more I can do to move up in this job.

 —Not a Self-Promoter

AH, the classic under-earning straight-A student, who discovers that the scoring system at work isn’t based on the same metrics as it was in school. Let me teach you how to play this new game.

For starters, the only opinions that matter are those belonging to people who know the rules of the game you are playing. That includes people in your field, your industry, and your workplace. That does not include relatives who are unfamiliar with the expectations and standards of your career.

Okay?

How much you earn in comparison to others in different fields is like comparing shekels to dollars without knowing that you’re comparing different currencies.

You are clearly dissatisfied, because you are aware that in your career currency, you’re falling behind.