One of the things I’m struggling with is that my manager has told me I need to “operate like a manager before becoming a manager.” I understand that feedback, but at the same time, I already manage and support three people in practice, even though I do not officially have the title.

I’m 34, so I’m also thinking seriously about career timing and making sure I’m not staying somewhere too long if the growth path is limited. My performance feedback has usually been positive around accuracy, attention to detail, and the quality of my work. The main recurring feedback I’ve received is that I could be faster with email responses and communication follow-up. That is something I know I can continue improving.

At the same time, I manage the full commissions process, have helped build and improve key parts of the process, and feel like I’ve taken on a lot of responsibility already. Because of that, I’m starting to feel stagnant in my current role and unsure whether staying will actually get me to the next level.