Patience is a virtue when trying to advance
Q. I have worked at a very large company for the past five years, and I love the benefits and vesting. But I feel like I am going nowhere, and I have more to offer. I do not have a college education, but I’m in a job that requires one for the most part. I would love to go back to school, but I am impatient and I want to make money and succeed now. Do you have any suggestions? I haven’t written a resume in a long time and I don’t know where to start.
A. Many managers may be able to identify you - not by name, but by generation. Employees from Generation X and Y have many positive traits (ambition, tech savvy), but they are also impatient when it comes to advancement, studies show.
Depending on what you really want - a degree, money, success - begin with what you identify as your short-term and long-term priorities. Your current situation sounds positive in terms of security and compensation, but you feel underemployed.
One of the benefits you may not be tapping into is tuition reimbursement. If your company supports taking classes, I encourage you to complete your degree. Demonstrating a commitment to your own development is typically well received by current and future managers. This will also have a positive impact on your future opportunities, and ability to change jobs.
The investment made in getting a degree has been shown to add to earning potential over the course of a career. The work for your classes may also help expand your job responsibilities. Perhaps there are projects that you can take on that serve double duty, as an academic project, and a benefit to your firm.
Finding the direction you are looking for can come from classes, faculty mentors, or managers. Your demonstration of all the positive traits of your generation may help you find the path to your version of success - maybe not now, but sooner.
Elaine Varelas is managing partner at Keystone Partners, a career management firm in Boston. 
