I’m approaching 20 years of working in the library and information science profession. Here are some of the career lessons I’ve learned in that time.

Lesson #1: Your career is NOT your life. If it is, you are guaranteeing yourself a life of unhappiness and disappointment.

Lesson #2: Being a leader in your field or organization is not a position.

Lesson #3: It is more important to have the respect of your coworkers and those who report to you than the favor of your management.

Lesson #4: You will hardly ever get the compensation and recognition that you deserve.

Lesson #5: Find a work environment that values your strengths and abilities instead of one that expects you to change who you are to fit in.

Lesson #6: If there is no opportunity to grow and learn new things in your current work environment, look elsewhere.

Lesson #7: Workplace values are extremely important. In this regard, actions definitely speak louder than words.

Lesson #8: It is vital to treat coworkers as real people and to care about them.

Lesson #9: Many, perhaps most, career promotions are not given on the basis of merit.

Lesson #10: Balance is everything, particularly balance between work life and personal life.