How Moving My Desk Led to a Career Breakthrough
The author (not pictured) made a pivotal career move by simply relocating her desk in the office, which led to her promotion.
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Throughout my upbringing, I was instilled with the belief that hard work yields success. This belief carried me through my educational journey, where I consistently achieved high grades—earning all A's with just a single B in my final semester. These academic accomplishments paved the way for me to attend my first-choice college, where I secured job interviews at an impressive rate, reinforcing my belief that diligence was the key to opportunity.
While pursuing my degree, a dedicated college professor recognized my potential and recommended me for a paid internship at a prominent design firm in Chicago. Her endorsement stemmed from my active engagement and stellar performance in her class, marking a pivotal moment in my career journey.
Upon my graduation, I was thrilled to be hired full-time at the architecture and design firm, initially working in the resource library. My ambition was to ascend the professional ladder and ultimately join the design team. I believed that if I continued to surpass expectations, my efforts would be acknowledged, leading to promotions and more significant responsibilities.
However, my experiences told a different story. Despite my dedication, I found myself continually overlooked for promotions and larger projects. I committed myself fully to my role, often stretching my workdays to 12-14 hours, assisting design teams with their projects while completing my library duties. Still, I remained on the sidelines when it came to promotions.
After expressing my frustration to colleagues about being passed over for an associate position, I learned that many assumed I already held that title due to my contributions, which led to a lack of advocacy on my behalf. Designers I conversed with informed me that my consistent hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed; it was merely that I wasn't visible in the main team area when project assignments were being decided.
The turning point came when an architectural principal noticed me working late one evening and asked about my career aspirations within the firm. I candidly shared my desire to transition from the resource library to full-time design projects. His response was simple yet profound: “Move your desk.”
He elaborated that those entrusted with assigning projects tend to consider individuals who are most prominent in their minds—meaning my secluded workspace hindered my visibility. I needed to relocate my desk to a more dynamic area of the office, one where I could regularly engage with my colleagues and express my ambitions openly.
Although I was initially hesitant as a strict rule follower, I decided to take his advice and moved my desk to the office's main area, from where I could perform my library tasks. Almost immediately after repositioning myself, I began receiving invitations to participate in projects that aligned with my career goals.
The results were remarkable: I worked on notable projects, including hotel designs both locally near Michigan Avenue and internationally, as well as a multimillion-dollar military project that afforded me travel opportunities. The floodgates had opened; I was consistently assigned to projects in hospitality and military sectors.
Within just weeks of relocating my desk, I earned a promotion to junior designer, a remarkable turnaround in my career trajectory.
My experience at the design firm taught me an essential lesson: hard work alone is not the sole determinant of success. It is crucial to actively position oneself in environments conducive to career advancement and to be visible to those in influential roles. Unfortunately, I had spent far too many nights in the office's wrong corner, where my achievements went unnoticed.
While my performance has always been exemplary, I've now recognized that it's possible to be successful without overextending myself. By ensuring I’m in the right place—both physically and strategically—I can effectively elevate my career.
